History of Plymouth Argyle F.C. facts for kids

Plymouth Argyle Football Club is a professional football team from Plymouth, Devon, England. This article tells the story of the club, from when it started in 1886 until today.

How Plymouth Argyle Began

The club started in 1886 as Argyle Football Club. Their very first game was on October 16, 1886, against a team called Caxton from Cornwall. Argyle lost that game 2-0. Later that week, they won their first match, beating Dunheved College (now Launceston College) 2-1 in Launceston. Many of the first club members had studied there.

Argyle played friendly games against Plymouth United. But they didn't play very well. The club stopped existing in 1894. It was brought back in 1897 as part of a bigger sports club called the Argyle Athletic Club. In 1898, Argyle F.C. made its first rulebook. The team's home ground was at Marsh Mills, on the edge of Plymouth.

People wonder where the name Argyle came from. One idea is that it was named after the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. This was an army group with a strong football team. Another idea is that the name came from a local place. It could be from The Argyle Tavern, a pub where the founders might have met. Or it could be from a nearby street called Argyle Terrace.

The club became fully professional in 1903. They joined the Southern League. Bob Jack became their manager. Argyle's first professional game was on September 1, 1903. They beat West Ham United 2-0. Jack Peddie scored the first goal. Their first home game as a professional club was on September 5, 1903. They beat Northampton Town 2-0. About 4,438 fans watched the game. Argyle won the Southern League in 1913. In 1920, they joined the new Football League Third Division. They finished 11th in their first season.

Chart showing Plymouth Argyle's league positions over time

Argyle's South American Tour in 1924

In the summer of 1924, a Plymouth Argyle team visited South America. They played friendly matches against teams from Argentina and Uruguay. Argyle surprised everyone by beating the Uruguay national team 4-0 in their first game. Uruguay later won the first ever World Cup six years later. Argyle then had another shock win, beating the Argentina national team 1-0. They also drew 1-1 with the famous Argentine team Boca Juniors.

Moses Russell was the team captain. He played in all nine matches. Russell's playing style impressed the Argentine newspapers. After the tour, 'The Standard of Buenos Aires' newspaper praised him. They said he was one of the most amazing and smart players they had ever seen.

A Plymouth Argyle team during their tour of South America in 1924

In the game against Boca Juniors on July 9, 1924, Boca Juniors fans ran onto the field. This happened after their team scored the first goal. They carried all eleven home players on their shoulders around the stadium. The game stopped for half an hour. When it started again, the referee gave a penalty against Boca Juniors. This caused another pitch invasion. The Argyle players agreed that Patsy Corcoran would miss the penalty on purpose. They wanted to stop another pitch invasion. But Moses Russell was very competitive. Just as Corcoran was about to kick, Russell pushed him aside. Russell took the penalty himself and scored! This caused another huge pitch invasion by Boca fans. The match was then stopped completely.

Back in England, Argyle finished second in the Third Division South six years in a row. This was from 1921–22 to 1926–27. They just missed out on promotion each time. Argyle finally won promotion to Football League Division Two in 1929–30. They finished first in the Third Division South. Crowds often reached 20,000 fans that season. Manager Bob Jack left in 1937. He had been in charge for 27 years.

Eleven years earlier, in 1928, David Jack joined Arsenal F.C. from Bolton Wanderers. He had started his career with Argyle in 1919. The fee was £10,890. This made him the most expensive player in the world at the time. He was also the first player to score at Wembley Stadium.

The 1950s: Ups and Downs

After the Second World War, Argyle's 20-year stay in Division Two ended in 1950. This happened despite the great efforts of captain Jack Chisholm. However, they were back in Division Two quickly. They won the Third Division South in 1952. The closest they ever came to playing in the top league, the Football League First Division, was in 1952–53. They reached fourth place in the Football League Second Division. This is their highest ever finish.

In the 1954–1955 season, floodlights were installed at Home Park. But in 1956, Argyle went down a division again. The team became known as a 'yo-yo club'. This means they often moved up and down between divisions. They won Division Three (which was now a national league) in 1959.

The 1960s: A Huge Crowd in Poland

The 1960s began with a very unusual event for Argyle. In the spring of 1963, they went on a short tour of Poland. Argyle was asked to play a game before an international cycle race. Amazingly, 100,000 people watched Argyle that day. This was the biggest crowd ever to see a Plymouth match.

In 1965, Argyle reached the Football League Cup semi-final. They were a second division team at the time. This was their first time reaching this stage. But they lost to Leicester City. The decade ended sadly as Argyle went back to Division Three. This happened after they were relegated in 1968.

The 1970s: Pelé Visits Plymouth

In March 1973, a famous moment happened at Home Park. A crowd of 37,639 people watched it. Argyle played a friendly match against the Brazilian team Santos FC. Santos was one of the best teams in the world then. They also had Pelé, who many say is the best footballer of all time.

Argyle, who were a Third Division team, shocked the world. They won 3-2. The Greens were actually 3-0 up at one point. Goals came from Mike Dowling, Derek Rickard, and Jimmy Hinch. Pelé scored a penalty to help Santos fight back. But they couldn't catch up. There was a huge pitch invasion after the final whistle. Fans celebrated The Pilgrims' win.

In 1974, Argyle reached the League Cup semi-final again. This time they were a Third Division team. Future England striker and Argyle manager Paul Mariner was playing for them. Argyle drew the first game against Manchester City 1-1. But they lost the second game at Maine Road 2-0.

After six years in Division Three, Argyle finally returned to Division Two in 1974–75. This was under manager Tony Waiters. It was mainly thanks to strikers Paul Mariner and Billy Rafferty. They scored an amazing 46 goals together.

However, they went down a division again in 1977. The decade ended on a good note, though. In 1978–79, Kevin Hodges played his first game for Argyle. He went on to play 620 games for the club, more than anyone else.

The 1984 FA Cup Run

In 1984, Plymouth reached the FA Cup semi-final. They were in the Third Division at the time. They had a great cup run. They beat West Bromwich Albion, a top division team, 1-0. Tommy Tynan scored the goal. They also beat Derby County. The first game was 0-0, but Argyle won the replay 1-0.

They lost 1-0 to Watford in the semi-final at Villa Park. George Reilly scored the goal. Manager John Hore was sacked the next season. Dave Smith took over.

In 2007, Argyle reached the FA Cup quarter-finals. But they lost 1-0 to Watford at Home Park. Before this game, many experts and fans remembered the semi-final from 23 years earlier.

Success Under Dave Smith

In 1985–86, Dave Smith's first full season, Argyle finished second in Division Three. This meant they were promoted. The next season, Argyle finished a good 7th in Division Two. This was impressive for a newly promoted team. They just missed out on the new play-off spots. These play-offs could have led them to the First Division (now the Premier League).

In 1988, Smith surprisingly left to manage Dundee. Ken Brown became the new manager.

The 1990s: Ups and Downs Again

In the 1990s, a new person took over the club. Businessman Dan McCauley became chairman. His first big decision was to sack Dave Kemp. He then hired Peter Shilton as player-manager in the 1991–92 season. Shilton was England's record cap holder. But he could not stop Argyle from being relegated. They finished 22nd in Division Two.

Before the 1992–93 season, English football changed. The First Division (top league) became the Premiership. Division Two became Division One. Division Three became Division Two, and so on. So, Argyle was still in Division Two, but it was now the third tier, not the second.

In 1992–93, Argyle finished in the middle of the third tier. But Peter Shilton's team finished third the next season. They played excellent football. This meant they qualified for the play-offs. But Argyle lost to Burnley in the semi-final. This started a strong rivalry between the two clubs.

The Pilgrims had more disappointment in 1994–95. Shilton left the club. They were eventually relegated to Division Three (the fourth tier). This was the first time in their history. Player Steve McCall became manager for a short time after Shilton left. But his contract was not renewed. Neil Warnock took over as manager.

Up, Then Down Again

At the end of the 1995–96 season, Neil Warnock led Plymouth to Division Three play-off success. This was in his first season as manager. The semi-final was very memorable. Argyle played Colchester United. They were 1-0 down after the first game. But they won 3-1 at Home Park in the second game. This meant The Pilgrims were going to Wembley for the first time ever. A header from Ronnie Mauge in the 65th minute gave Argyle a 1-0 win over Darlington at the national stadium.

But Warnock was sacked within a year. The club just avoided being relegated back to the lowest division. Mick Jones became his replacement. That season, in February 1997, Argyle played in 'The Battle of Saltergate'. In a 2-1 win at Chesterfield, a fight broke out in the 88th minute. All 20 outfield players were involved. Chesterfield's Darren Carr and Kevin Davies, and Plymouth's Tony James and Richard Logan were all sent off. To make things worse, Argyle's Wembley hero Ronnie Mauge had already been sent off. This was the first time in Football League history that five players were sent off in one game.

The next season, Argyle went down under Jones. His replacement, Kevin Hodges (the club's record appearance holder), lasted three years. He couldn't get promotion or even a play-off spot, so he lost his job. At this point, Argyle was in danger of going bankrupt. It was the lowest point in their history.

The Sturrock Revolution

Paul Sturrock became manager in November 2000. This was a turning point for Argyle. He saved the club from being relegated out of the Football League. They were fourth from bottom when he started. He finished 12th in his first season.

The next season was the most successful in the club's history. They won the Division Three title. The season didn't start well. They lost to Shrewsbury Town (0-1), Watford (0-1 in the League Cup), and Rochdale (1-2). But Argyle's first win of 2001–02 was great. They came back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at Rushden & Diamonds.

Argyle then went unbeaten in the league for 19 more games. They lost 2-1 at Scunthorpe United. On November 17, Plymouth played non-League Whitby Town in the FA Cup first round. They drew 1-1 and only just beat them 3-2 in the replay. Still, their excellent league form continued. Promotion was secured with two games left. Argyle won 4-1 at Darlington. On the last day, Argyle beat Cheltenham Town 2-0. They finished the season with a club and league record of 102 points. This won them the Division Three title. Goalkeeper Romain Larrieu and the team also set a club record of 28 'clean sheets' that season.

In 2002–03, they just missed the Division Two play-offs. They finished eighth. That season started well. But some disappointing results against teams near the bottom meant they finished 16 points off sixth place. Plymouth's best result was a 6-1 win against Peterborough United in March.

Argyle was a favorite to win the Division Two title in 2003–04. They proved everyone right, earning their second promotion in three years. At the start of the season, Argyle was in the middle of the table. But a great run in October moved The Pilgrims into first place. They beat Tranmere Rovers 6-0 at home. Then they won 4-0 against local rivals Bristol City in the Football League Trophy. Sturrock's team then won 5-1 at Port Vale. A 3-1 win at Sheffield Wednesday put the Greens top.

On January 3, Argyle had their joint record win, beating Chesterfield 7-0. They scored the fastest five goals in English football, in just 17 minutes. But Sturrock surprisingly moved to Southampton in March 2004. Kevin Summerfield briefly took charge. Bobby Williamson was appointed manager soon after. Promotion as Division Two champions was confirmed in Williamson's first game. They beat Queens Park Rangers 2-0. Mickey Evans and David Friio scored in the last nine minutes.

Argyle in the Championship

Argyle's first game in the new 'Championship' (second tier) was a 0-0 draw at home to Millwall. Millwall had been FA Cup finalists the season before. Argyle started strongly and briefly topped the table. This was their highest ever position. It happened after a 1-0 win at Cardiff City. But their good run didn't last. They had many defeats. However, they did win 2-0 at Wigan Athletic (who finished second) and 3-0 against Sheffield United. Plymouth's biggest win of 2004–05 was a 5-1 home win against Brighton in March. The club stayed in the league five games before the end of the season. They won 3-0 away to Nottingham Forest. They finished 17th, five places (but only three points) above the relegation zone.

The 2005–06 season started with a 2-1 win at Reading. Reading went on to win the league with 106 points. Striker Nick Chadwick scored in the last moments. But after that, Argyle struggled. Bobby Williamson was sacked as manager. His assistant, Jocky Scott, became caretaker manager. His time started with a 2-0 loss at Norwich City. Then they drew 1-1 at home against Crewe Alexandra. The next game, The Pilgrims got only their second win of the season. They beat rivals Burnley 1-0. Veteran striker Mickey Evans scored. Scott's last game was a 2-1 loss at League Two side Barnet in the League Cup.

Tony Pulis became manager a few days later. His first game was a 0-0 draw away at Southampton. This was Argyle's first point at Southampton in 28 years. This was followed by a 2-0 defeat at Sheffield United. Sheffield United got promoted that season. This result put The Pilgrims in the relegation zone. But the turning point was on October 1. They won 2-1 at home to Pulis's old club Stoke City. Hungarian player Akos Buzsaky scored the winning goal. On December 17, Nick Chadwick scored Argyle's fastest ever goal after 11 seconds against Crystal Palace. Tony Capaldi scored another goal in the last seconds to make it 2-0. Many believe these two goals were the most spread out in any football match.

Pulis got a reputation for being a boring manager. Most of Argyle's games ended in 0-0 draws or narrow wins. Argyle's biggest win of the season was 3-1 at home to Coventry City. On-loan striker Vincent Pericard scored three goals in his first full game. Memorable results for the Green Army that season included a 2-0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers. They also drew 0-0 at Leeds United. Leeds reached the play-off final but lost 3-0 to Watford.

The last game of the season was also the last for striker Mickey Evans. It was a home game against Ipswich Town. With the score at 1-1, Evans scored with a header in the 57th minute. This gave Argyle a win. Evans played 432 times for his hometown club, scoring 81 goals. The Pilgrims finished 14th that season, well clear of relegation.

However, Pulis left soon after. He returned to Stoke. Ian Holloway then joined the club.

In summer 2006, Argyle played a friendly against nine-time European champions Real Madrid in Austria. Both clubs were training there. Argyle, captained by Hasney Aljofree, fought hard. They only lost 1-0. Brazilian international Júlio Baptista scored a penalty. Madrid was managed by future England manager Fabio Capello. Their team included famous players like Iván Helguera, Guti, and Antonio Cassano. The official Plymouth Argyle website called it 'a proud day for anyone with green in their heart'.

In late 2006, Viz magazine made a comic strip. It was called "The Pirates of Plymouth Argyle". It showed Plymouth Argyle as a ship of 18th-century pirates. Some characters in the comic were named after real Argyle players.

Ian Holloway's first competitive game was a 1-1 draw at home to Wolves. Striker Barry Hayles scored on his debut. A win at Sunderland followed. The Green Army traveled the longest distance for an away game that season. They went 1-0 down after 30 seconds. But Nick Chadwick scored nine minutes from time. This gave The Pilgrims a 3-2 win. On September 12, Cardiff City visited Home Park. Argyle was 3-0 down after 49 minutes. But they came back to draw 3-3.

Plymouth's strong start to the 2006–07 Championship season continued. They soon looked like they could reach the play-offs. In January, many players moved. Hungarians Krisztián Timár and Péter Halmosi joined. Rory Fallon came from Swansea City. Kevin Gallen and Scott Sinclair joined on loan. But their form dropped in the second half of the season. They finished February in 12th place. A big gap grew between them and the top six teams. This made promotion harder.

Despite this, the team did much better in the FA Cup. They reached the quarter-finals. They beat League Two Peterborough United in a replay. Then a solo goal from on-loan youngster Scott Sinclair helped them win 2-0 at Barnet. This goal was voted 'goal of the round'. They beat Championship leaders Derby County 2-0 next. But in the quarter-finals, they lost 1-0 at home to Premier League team Watford. Hameur Bouazza scored against the run of play. After five wins in a row, Argyle finished 11th in 2006–07. This was their highest league finish in 20 years.

Plymouth players celebrate a goal in their 2-1 win at Crystal Palace in 2008. Paul Gallagher scored it.

Before the 2007–08 season, manager Ian Holloway said Plymouth could get promoted to the Premier League. They started well with a 3-2 win at Hull City. Hull City later won the play-offs. The club's good start continued. They stayed near the play-off places for the first few months. However, on November 21, 2007, Ian Holloway surprisingly resigned. He left to manage Leicester City.

Sturrock Returns

On November 27, 2007, Paul Sturrock left Swindon Town to rejoin Plymouth Argyle. His first game back was a 3-0 win against Scunthorpe United.

Sturrock came back when many key players were being approached by other clubs. Sturrock could not stop Sylvan Ebanks Blake, David Norris, and young player Dan Gosling from leaving. They went to Wolves, Ipswich, and Everton. The January 2008 transfer window was important for the club's recent history.

On February 9, the Green Army went to the Walkers Stadium to play Holloway's Leicester. The game was also on Sky Sports. Argyle chairman Paul Stapleton accused Holloway of trying to take some of the club's best players. Both sets of fans wore Holloway T-shirts. Some Argyle fans' shirts had 'Holloway is a liar' written on them. Anti-Holloway chants were heard from the away fans. A goal from Peter Halmosi in the 34th minute gave The Pilgrims a 1-0 win. Leicester was eventually relegated on the last day of the season. Holloway was sacked.

That win started a good run for Argyle. This included a 2-1 win away at local rivals Bristol City. Rory Fallon scored twice. But Argyle only won one of their last seven games. This meant they missed out on the play-offs. But they finished 10th. This continued the club's record of improving their league position every season since 2000. In the FA Cup 2007-08, Argyle lost 2-1 at Fratton Park. But they were the only team to score against Portsmouth, who won the cup.

Many more key players left Home Park in summer 2008. The next season looked challenging. The Pilgrims started with poor results. But a 2-1 win at Watford in mid-September started a good run. Sturrock's new team began to play well together. The Scottish manager celebrated his 100th win in charge. This was from his two times at the club. It was a 4-0 win against his former club Sheffield Wednesday at Home Park.

It looked like Argyle would challenge for the play-offs again. But they struggled with being consistent. A 0-0 draw at struggling Southampton started a bad run for Argyle. They finished 2008 in 15th place. They were now 8 points behind the play-offs. On January 3, 2009, Argyle traveled to the new Emirates Stadium. They played against Premier League giants Arsenal in the FA Cup third round. Arsenal scored two quick goals after half-time. But Karl Duguid scored after 53 minutes for the Greens. Arsenal striker Robin Van Persie scored his second goal five minutes from time. This gave Arsenal a 3-1 win.

Argyle's league form then dropped in early 2009. They had to wait nine league games for their first win of the year. It was a very important 1-0 win at eventual league winners Wolves. On-loan Blackburn Rovers midfielder Paul Gallagher scored the only goal after just 44 seconds with an overhead kick. That was followed by a 2-1 win at home to Watford. Gallagher scored twice.

However, Argyle couldn't keep up their good form. A run of three straight defeats put them in serious danger of relegation. But a late goal from defender Gary Sawyer gave them a crucial 1-0 win at fellow strugglers Blackpool. This was followed by a 4-0 win against Coventry City. All four goals came in the first half. This win looked like it had secured survival. Plymouth then drew 1-1 at Birmingham, who got promoted. But a 3-0 home loss against Doncaster put Argyle back in danger. After a 0-0 draw at QPR and Norwich's failure to beat Reading, Argyle's survival was confirmed. This happened with two games left. The club finished 21st in the league. They were five points and one place clear of relegation. This was Argyle's first season in eight years where they didn't improve their league position.

At a press conference on July 2, 2009, Sir Roy Gardner became the new chairman. Keith Todd CBE, Yasuaki Kagami, and George Synan joined the board of directors.

Argyle scored just five minutes into the 2009–10 season. Krisztian Timar headed in a goal at Crystal Palace. But the match finished 1-1. A last-minute own goal from Kaspars Gorkšs gave them another 1-1 draw at home to QPR in their next game. But Argyle then lost seven games in a row. This was despite playing some decent football. However, their effort was rewarded on September 29. They won 2-1 at newly promoted Peterborough United. This was followed by another 2-1 win, this time against Scunthorpe United.

Former player Paul Mariner became the club's head coach in late October. Assistant manager Kevin Summerfield left. Mariner's first game was at home to Ipswich Town, one of his old clubs. It was a 1-1 draw. This was followed by a surprising 1-0 win at promotion-chasing Middlesbrough. This was Gordon Strachan's first game as Boro manager. Jamie Mackie scored the goal. Then came a 2-1 home win over Doncaster Rovers. Goals came from on-loan midfielder Alan Judge and Rory Fallon.

Sturrock Moves Up, Mariner Takes Charge

Paul Mariner during his time as manager of Plymouth Argyle in 2010.

Paul Sturrock's second time in charge ended on December 10, 2009. A press conference confirmed he was no longer manager. This was due to two years of poor results and unhappy fans. He took on a 'business-support' role, working with Director and Chief Executive, Keith Todd. Head Coach Paul Mariner was put in charge of the team. Sturrock's last game was a 1-0 defeat at Swansea City on December 8.

However, Mariner lost his first two games. His first match was a 2-0 loss at Preston North End. Then Argyle lost 1-0 at home to Coventry. This left The Pilgrims bottom of the table. They were six points from safety. On Boxing Day, Argyle played local rivals Cardiff City away. It was the first time they met at the new Cardiff City Stadium. Cardiff was fourth in the table, while Argyle was last. But full-back Gary Sawyer scored an 84th-minute winner. This gave the visitors a surprising 1-0 victory. Two days later, Argyle beat relegation rivals Reading 4-1 at Home Park. This moved them two points from safety.

The Pilgrims' first game of 2010 was at home to Championship leaders Newcastle United in the FA Cup third round. The game ended 0-0. But Newcastle won 3-0 in the replay. Victor Moses scored as Crystal Palace won 1-0 at Home Park.

Striker Jamie Mackie scored an 82nd-minute winner. This gave Argyle a 1-0 victory at home to fellow strugglers Derby. Days later, Argyle went 1-0 up away at Sheffield Wednesday, another team in danger. But they lost 2-1. They then lost 1-0 against second-place West Bromwich Albion. However, new loan signing David Stockdale saved a late penalty. But Stockdale, on loan from Fulham, could not save Shane Long's last-minute penalty. The Pilgrims lost 2-1 at relegation rivals Reading. That result meant Argyle was eight points from safety.

However, The Pilgrims traveled to play Barnsley in their next game. This was a memorable one for the Green Army. Hugo Colace gave Barnsley the lead before half-time. But Argyle played well in the second half. In the 64th minute, captain Carl Fletcher scored with a shot from inside the box. Ten minutes later, Jamie Mackie put the visitors ahead. With 83 minutes gone, Rory Fallon scored with a lob from 35 yards. This gave Argyle a 3-1 win at Oakwell.

It was the first time Argyle came from behind to win a game since Boxing Day 2007. That day, the Greens beat QPR 2-1 at Home Park. It was also the first time they won by two goals or more away from home since February 19, 2008. Argyle won 2-0 at Southampton then. Yala Bolasie, playing his first game for Argyle, was named man of the match. January signing Damien Johnson scored his first Argyle goal days later. It was in a 1-1 draw at home to Swansea. However, it was controversial. The hosts were losing 1-0. They got a penalty five minutes from time. Jamie Mackie took it, but the goalkeeper saved it. The linesman ordered the kick to be re-taken. Johnson took it this time. The goalkeeper saved it again. But Johnson scored from the rebound. In their next game, Craig Noone's header canceled out Kari Arnason's own goal. The Greens came from behind to get a result for the third game in a row. They drew 1-1 with Leicester City.

But the Greens' good run ended. They had an unlucky 4-3 defeat at Sheffield United. Argyle was 3-0 down, came back to 3-2, then went 4-2 down before losing 4-3. They drew 1-1 at home to Preston North End. They also lost 2-0 at fellow strugglers Queens Park Rangers.

But on March 17, Argyle got crucial three points. They had a thrilling 3-2 win over local rivals Bristol City. The Greens were 2-0 up at half-time. Goals came from Chris Clark (his first league goal) and Bradley Wright-Phillips (his first goal). But two Nicky Maynard goals made it 2-2. It looked like Argyle would draw or lose. But captain Carl Fletcher scored in injury time. This gave Argyle a sweet 3-2 win.

Again, Argyle's run was stopped. They lost 2-1 at fellow strugglers Scunthorpe United. But then they impressively won 2-0 away at Ipswich. Goals from Bradley Wright-Phillips and Joe Mason moved them within three points of safety. However, despite a 2-1 win at high-flying Doncaster Rovers, defeats to Middlesbrough (2-0), Watford (1-0), and Newcastle United (2-0) sealed their relegation. This also allowed Newcastle to win the Championship title. This happened with two games left. Argyle then lost their last two games. They were away to Nottingham Forest and Peterborough United. Argyle ended the season as the second lowest-scoring team. Only Swansea City scored fewer. They also won the fewest home games. The club's six-year stay in the second tier of the Football League was over.

Peter Reid and Decline

On June 24, 2010, former England midfielder Peter Reid became manager for the upcoming season. Peter Reid's time at Argyle started well. His team beat title favorites Southampton at St Mary's Stadium on the first day. Argyle won the game 1-0. Luke Summerfield scored the winning goal. During late summer and autumn, a pattern appeared. They had strong away performances but poor home performances. The Pilgrims won 3-2 away to Swindon on September 28. They were 2-0 up, then Swindon made it 2-2. Then Bradley Wright-Phillips scored his second goal in injury time. This gave Argyle a 3-2 win. However, in the same week, they lost 1-0 at home to Hartlepool United. This meant Argyle had lost four of their first six home matches.

Argyle's season lacked consistency. This was clear when they won 3-1 at home against local rivals Bristol Rovers on November 2, 2010. This was followed by four straight defeats. One was a 2-1 injury-time loss to rivals Exeter City in the Football League Trophy. That was the first time these teams met in eight years. Argyle had won the last game 3-0 at Home Park in February 2002. On November 20, after a 2-1 home defeat to Brentford, Argyle was 20th in League One. They were just one place and three points above the relegation zone.

On November 23, Argyle came back from 1-0 down. They beat fellow strugglers Dagenham & Redbridge 2-1 at Home Park. This lifted them to 15th. However, only 4,960 people were at the game. That was Argyle's lowest league attendance since they were in the bottom tier. Not long after, the Pilgrims faced a winding-up order from HMRC. They appeared in court on December 8. They got a 63-day delay to pay their taxes.

Three days later, after their financial issue, Argyle had a memorable victory. Arguably their best performance of the season. They beat fierce Devon rivals Exeter City 2-0 at Home Park in a league game. A total of 14,347 people attended the game. This was the biggest crowd at Home Park in three years, and a sell-out. Both goals came from Bradley Wright-Phillips.

On December 24, it was announced that Keith Todd MBE had stepped down as executive director. Paul Stapleton temporarily replaced him. Todd would stay on the board. On December 27, 2010, the BBC announced that Sir Roy Gardner had left his role as chairman and stepped down from the board.

On January 4, Argyle moved up to 12th in League One. This was their highest position since August. They came back from 2-0 down at half-time. They beat Westcountry rivals Bristol Rovers 3-2. Goals came from Bradley Wright-Phillips, Joe Mason, and Stéphane Zubar. On February 21, the club announced they intended to appoint an administrator. They were immediately docked 10 points by the Football League. This dropped them to the bottom of League One after poor results continued. The club officially went into administration on March 4. Brendan Guilfoyle was appointed to run the club and find a buyer.

A 1-0 loss away to Exeter City at St. James Park on April 30 left Argyle close to a second relegation. James Dunne scored the only goal. Exeter's second win against Argyle, plus other results, meant Argyle had to win their last two games. They also needed other teams' results to go their way. Relegation was confirmed two days later. This happened after a 3-1 home defeat against Southampton on May 2.

Plymouth had a poor start to the next season. As a result, Peter Reid was sacked on September 18. They were bottom of League Two. midfielder Carl Fletcher took over as caretaker manager.

The James Brent Era

James Brent's Akkeron Group agreed to buy the club from the Administrators. Peter Ridsdale also confirmed he would leave when the deal was done. The Football League then banned any loan signings until October 6. More problems happened. The Administrators threatened to quit. The PFA agreed a repayment plan for employees' wages. Former manager Peter Reid also agreed to a deal. Argyle also agreed to sell Home Park back to Plymouth council on October 14 for £1.6 million. They had to pay £135,000 a year for rent. On October 28, the deal with James Brent was approved. He would join the club when Home Park was sold. Plymouth officially left administration on October 31, after the takeover.

The team's form improved greatly after the takeover. They finished 21st in the League. This was the lowest in the club's history. But they secured survival with three games to spare. This was a big achievement, as they had been far adrift at the bottom for the first half of the season.

In the next season, Argyle aimed to climb back up the Football League. But they started shakily under Carl Fletcher. He continued to manage the squad after the summer. The club found themselves bottom of the table again by Christmas. Fletcher was sacked on January 1, 2013. John Sheridan replaced him on January 6. In the second half of the season, the club was again just saved from relegation. They finished 21st for the second season in a row.

Sheridan then signed a three-year contract to stay as Argyle manager. In his first full season, the club finished 10th. This showed great improvement. Argyle had a much stronger start to their fourth season in League 2. They won four games in a row for the first time since 2008. Despite a poor run over Christmas and New Year, Argyle looked set to reach a League 2 play-off spot. This was thanks to a 3-2 home win against Tranmere Rovers. That result also relegated Tranmere out of the Football League for the first time in 94 years.

Derek Adams was appointed manager in 2015. By Christmas, Argyle was top of the league. But by February, they had slipped to 2nd. A 2-2 draw with Cambridge United F.C. made it impossible for Argyle to get automatic promotion. After a 2-2 draw with Portsmouth F.C., Argyle secured a place in the EFL League Two play-off final. This was thanks to a 91st-minute header from Peter Hartley. But after a poor performance in the final, Argyle was surprisingly beaten 2-0 by AFC Wimbledon. Goals came in the 78th and 98th minutes.

The 2016–17 season saw Argyle at the top of the table at Christmas for the second season in a row. But Argyle slipped to second place after a poor run after Christmas. With four games left, Argyle only needed one point to secure promotion. But a big 6-1 victory against Newport County on April 17 at a packed Home Park made it impossible for Luton Town to catch them. They were promoted to League One after six years in the fourth tier. On the last day of the season, Argyle had a chance to go up as champions. But after a 1-1 draw with Grimsby Town F.C., the title went to Portsmouth F.C. on goal difference.

The Pilgrims started their League One season very badly. They only got 5 points in their first 11 games. They also received four red cards in four home games in a row. They were at the very bottom, four points from safety after 11 games. A 2-1 defeat at home to Fleetwood added to Argyle's problems. Their winless run reached 10 games, getting only 2 points from a possible 30. Some fans argued that the board should sack Derek Adams. This was despite him getting them promoted the previous season. They felt his tactics and game management were poor.

From December 2017 into 2018, Argyle had a great run. They recorded 16 wins, 6 draws, and only 5 losses. This helped them escape relegation and finish 7th. They only missed out on a play-off spot by 3 points.

Hallett Takes Over

As early as March 2016, Simon Hallett, a businessman from Plymouth living in America, invested in Argyle. He joined the board of directors. Hallett later increased his ownership in the club. He also offered a long-term loan to help fix up the Mayflower Grandstand. In August 2018, Hallett became the main owner of the club. James Brent reduced his ownership and stepped down as chairman. Hallett had first chosen David Felwick CBE to be chairman. But Felwick said "personal reasons" meant he couldn't take the role. So Hallett became chairman on November 1, 2018.

On the field, Argyle took until their 12th league game to get their first win of the 2018–19 season. It was a 1-0 victory over AFC Wimbledon. The good form of top goalscorer Freddie Ladapo was a bright spot in a disappointing first half of the season. A low point was a 5-1 defeat away to Luton Town.

The new year saw Argyle improve their form. They won 6 of their first 9 games in 2019. They lost only 2 of the first 12. This led to a 5-1 win over Rochdale on February 23. This good run happened when Kyle Letheren returned as goalkeeper, replacing Matt Macey. An injury to Letheren and a mixed March followed. Argyle won late against Shrewsbury Town at home. But then they gave away leads against Bristol Rovers and Blackpool. They drew both matches. What seemed like 6 lost points proved costly. Argyle's league form dropped. They lost every game in April. After a 5-1 defeat to Accrington Stanley, the club was in the EFL League One relegation zone. Only one match was left. Derek Adams and his assistant Paul Wotton were sacked. Kevin Nancekivell took over as caretaker manager for the final game. Despite winning 3-2 against Scunthorpe United, other results meant Argyle was relegated to the EFL League Two.

Before the 2019–20 season, Hallett appointed Ryan Lowe as Derek Adams' replacement. He signed the 40-year-old and his assistant manager Steven Schumacher from Bury. Bury had just been promoted but had financial problems. Hallett also increased his ownership in the club to 94%. He took over James Brent's remaining shares. Both James Brent and his daughter Natasha Brent left Argyle's board. This ended Brent's 8-year time at the club.