kids encyclopedia robot

Plymouth Argyle F.C. facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle's crest: The initials " underneath a shield featuring a ship called the Mayflower in full sail.
Full name Plymouth Argyle Football Club
Nickname(s) The Pilgrims; The Greens
Founded 1886; 139 years ago (1886), as Argyle F.C.
Ground Home Park
Ground Capacity 17,900
Owner Simon Hallett
Chairman Simon Hallett
Manager Wayne Rooney
2018–19 League One, 21st of 24 (relegated)
Third colours

Plymouth Argyle Football Club is a professional football team from Plymouth, Devon, England. They are known as The Pilgrims or The Greens. The team plays in the EFL Championship, which is the second-highest football league in England. Their home stadium is Home Park, where they have played since 1901.

The club's nickname, The Pilgrims, comes from the Pilgrim Fathers. This was a group of English people who left Plymouth in 1620 to sail to the New World. The club's badge even shows the Mayflower, the ship that carried these pilgrims. Plymouth Argyle usually plays in green and white. They adopted a darker green, sometimes called 'Argyle green', in 2001. Plymouth is the biggest city in England that has never had a men's football team play in the top league, the Premier League. Plymouth Argyle is also the most southerly and westerly professional football club in England. It is also the only professional club in the country named Argyle.

The club started as Argyle in 1886. They became a professional team called Plymouth Argyle in 1903. They joined the Southern Football League and Western Football League that year. Argyle won the Western League title in 1904–05 and the Southern League title in 1912–13. In 1920, they joined the Football League Third Division. After finishing second six times in a row, Argyle finally won the Football League Third Division South in 1929–30. This was under their long-time manager, Bob Jack. They stayed in the Football League Second Division for 20 years until 1950. However, they quickly returned to the Second Division by winning the Third Division South again in 1951–52. After being relegated in 1956, they won the Third Division title once more in 1958–59.

Argyle was relegated from the Football League Second Division in 1968, 1977, and 1992. They had been promoted from the Third Division as runners-up in 1974–75 and 1985–86. In 1995, the club went down to the fourth tier for the first time. They were promoted right away in 1995–96 but were relegated again in 1998. In 2001–02, under manager Paul Sturrock, they won the Third Division title with 102 points. This was a club record! They won their fourth third-tier league title in 2003–04. Argyle stayed in the EFL Championship for six seasons. But then, they faced financial difficulties and were relegated twice in a row, ending up in EFL League Two by 2011. In 2016–17, Argyle was promoted to EFL League One. They were promoted again in 2019–20 after being relegated the season before. In the 2022–23 season, Argyle returned to the Championship as champions, winning the third-tier league title for a record fifth time.

Club History

Starting the Club (1886–1937)

Plymouth Argyle 1903-04 Team Photo
1903–04 Argyle squad

Plymouth Argyle started as Argyle Football Club in 1886. Their very first game was on October 16, 1886, against Caxton from Cornwall, which they lost 2–0. A few days later, Argyle won their first game, beating Dunheved College 2–1. The club stopped playing in 1894 but started again in 1897 as part of the Argyle Athletic Club. In 1898, Argyle F.C. created its first rulebook. Their home ground was at Marsh Mills, on the edge of Plymouth.

People have different ideas about where the name Argyle came from. One idea is that it was named after an army group called the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, who had a strong football team. Another idea is that it came from a local pub, The Argyle Tavern, or a street called Argyle Terrace. The club became fully professional in 1903 and joined the Southern Football League. This is when they officially became Plymouth Argyle, with Bob Jack as their manager.

Argyle's first professional game was on September 1, 1903, against West Ham United, which they won 2–0. Their first home game as a professional club was on September 5, 1903. They beat Northampton Town 2–0 in front of 4,438 fans. Argyle won the Southern League in 1913. In 1920, they became a founding member of the Football League Third Division, finishing 11th in their first year.

PlymouthArgyleFC League Performance
Chart showing Plymouth Argyle's league positions over the years.

In 1924, a Plymouth Argyle team went on a special trip to South America. They played friendly matches in Argentina and Uruguay. Argyle surprised everyone by beating Uruguay 4–0. Uruguay would go on to win the first-ever World Cup just six years later! Argyle then beat Argentina 1–0. They even managed a 1–1 draw against the famous Argentine team, Boca Juniors. Moses Russell was the captain and played in all nine games. People in Argentina were very impressed by his playing style.

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

During the match against Boca Juniors, fans invaded the pitch after Boca scored. After a long delay, the game restarted. But when the referee gave a penalty against Boca, the fans invaded again! To avoid more trouble, the Argyle players agreed that Patsy Corcoran would miss the penalty on purpose. However, Moses Russell was very competitive. He pushed Corcoran aside, took the penalty himself, and scored! This caused another pitch invasion, and the game had to be stopped.

Plymouth argyle v argentina 1924
Argyle playing against the Argentina national football team in 1924.

Back in England, Argyle had a unique streak. From 1921–22 to 1926–27, they finished second in the Football League Third Division South six seasons in a row. This meant they kept missing out on promotion! Finally, in 1929–30, Argyle won the Third Division South and were promoted to the Football League Division Two. During that season, crowds often reached 20,000 fans. Manager Bob Jack left in 1937, after being in charge for 27 years. Eleven years earlier, in 1928, David Jack, who started his career at Argyle, moved to Arsenal F.C. for £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.

Mid-Century to the 1980s (1937–1986)

After World War II, Argyle's 20-year stay in Division Two ended in 1950. But they were back in Division Two quickly, winning the Third Division South in 1952. The closest the club has ever come to playing in the top league was in 1952–53, when they finished fourth in the Football League Second Division. This is still their highest league finish ever. In 1954–55, floodlights were installed at Home Park. But in 1956, Argyle was relegated again. They earned a reputation as a 'yo-yo club' (meaning they often went up and down between leagues). They won Division Three again in 1959.

Jack Rowley
Jack Rowley managed the club for over 230 games between 1955 and 1960. He won the Football League Third Division with the club in 1959.

The 1960s started with a very unusual event. In 1963, the club went on a short tour to Poland. They were invited to play a game before an international bike race. Amazingly, 100,000 people watched Argyle that day! It was the biggest crowd ever for a Plymouth match. In 1965, Argyle reached the Football League Cup semi-final for the first time, but they lost to Leicester City. The decade ended sadly as Argyle went back to Division Three in 1968.

In March 1973, a special moment happened at Home Park, watched by 37,639 people. Argyle played a friendly match against the famous Brazilian team Santos FC. At that time, Santos was one of the best teams in the world and had the legendary player Pelé. But Argyle, who were in the Third Division, surprised everyone with a 3–2 win! The Greens were even 3–0 up at one point. Pelé scored a penalty for Santos, but they couldn't catch up. There was a huge pitch invasion after Argyle's victory!

In 1974, with future England player Paul Mariner on the team, Argyle reached the League Cup semi-final again. They drew the first game at home against Manchester City 1–1, but lost the second game 2–0. After six years in Division Three, Argyle finally returned to Division Two in 1974–75. This was thanks to their great strikers Paul Mariner and Billy Rafferty, who scored 46 goals together. However, the club was relegated again in 1977. The decade ended well, though, as Kevin Hodges made his Argyle debut in 1978–79. He went on to play 620 games for the club, more than any other player!

Home Park, Plymouth - geograph.org.uk - 1229431
Match at Home Park in 1981

In 1984, Plymouth reached the FA Cup semi-final, even though they were in the Third Division. They had a great cup run, beating top-division team West Bromwich Albion away (1–0) and Derby County. But they lost 1–0 to Watford in the semi-final. Manager John Hore was replaced by Dave Smith. In 1985–86, Smith's first full season, Argyle finished second in Division Three and were promoted. The next season, even as a newly promoted team, Argyle finished a strong 7th in Division Two. They just missed out on the new play-off spots that could have taken them to the First Division. In 1988, Smith left, and Ken Brown became manager.

Rise to the Championship (1986–2008)

In the 1990s, businessman Dan McCauley became the new chairman. His first big decision was to hire England's most capped player, Peter Shilton, as player-manager in 1991–92. But Shilton couldn't stop Argyle from being relegated. In 1992–93, English football leagues changed their names. The First Division became the Premier League, Division Two became Division One, and so on. So, Argyle was still in Division Two, but it was now the third tier.

In 1992–93, Argyle finished in the middle of the third tier. The next season, Peter Shilton's team played excellent football and finished third, qualifying for the play-offs. But Argyle lost in the semi-final against Burnley, starting a rivalry between the two clubs. More disappointment came in 1994–95 when Shilton left, and the club was relegated to Division Three (the fourth tier) for the first time. Steve McCall became manager for a short time, then Neil Warnock took over.

At the end of the 1995–96 season, Warnock led Plymouth to play-off victory in his first season. The semi-final was exciting. Argyle was 1–0 down from the first game against Colchester United but won 3–1 at Home Park in the second game. This meant the Pilgrims were going to Wembley for the first time! Argyle beat Darlington 1–0 in the play-off final to return to the third tier.

Home Park 1996
Home Park in 1996.

However, Warnock was sacked within a year as the club barely avoided relegation. Mick Jones took over. In February 1997, Argyle had a memorable 2–1 win at Chesterfield, known as 'The Battle of Saltergate'. The next season, Argyle was relegated under Jones. His replacement, Kevin Hodges (the club's record appearance holder), lasted three years. When he couldn't get the team promoted, he lost his job. At this point, Argyle was in danger of going out of business.

The arrival of Paul Sturrock as manager in November 2000 changed everything for Argyle. He saved the club from being relegated out of the Football League. In his first season, they finished 12th. The next season, 2001–02, was the most successful in the club's history. Argyle beat Cheltenham Town 2–0 in the last game, earning a club and league record of 102 points and winning the Division Three title!

Argyle was expected to win the Division Two title in 2003–04, and they did! They earned their second promotion in three years. In March 2004, Bobby Williamson became manager. Argyle's first game in the newly named 'Championship' (second tier) was a 0–0 draw at home against Millwall. Argyle started strong and even reached the top of the table briefly after a 1–0 win at Cardiff City. They eventually finished 17th. The 2005–06 season had some great results, like a 2–0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers and a 0–0 draw at Leeds United. The Pilgrims finished 14th, safely away from relegation.

In summer 2006, Argyle played a friendly game against Real Madrid in Austria. This was one of Ian Holloway's first games as manager. Holloway's first official game was a 1–1 draw at home to Wolves. The team did very well in the FA Cup, reaching the quarter-finals. They beat Peterborough United and then Championship leaders Derby County 2–0. But in the quarter-finals, they lost to Watford. Argyle finished the 2006–07 season in 11th place, their highest league finish in 20 years.

Before the 2007–08 season, manager Ian Holloway said Plymouth could be promoted to the Premier League. The team started well with a 3–2 win at Hull City. They stayed near the play-off spots for a few months. However, on November 21, 2007, Ian Holloway surprisingly left to manage Leicester City.

Challenges and Recovery (2008–Present)

Plymouth Argyle Football Club - panoramio
Match at Home Park in 2008.

The club finished 2008 in 15th place. On January 3, 2009, Argyle played against Premier League giants Arsenal in the FA Cup at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal won 3–1. The club finished 21st in the league, just above the relegation places. This was Argyle's first season in eight years where their league position didn't improve.

Paul Sturrock's second time as manager ended on December 10, 2009, due to poor results. Paul Mariner took over, but Argyle lost his first two games. They were at the bottom of the table and six points from safety. Argyle ended the season as the second lowest-scoring team in the division. Their six-year stay in the second tier was over. In November, after a home defeat to Brentford, Argyle was 20th in League One.

On November 23, Argyle came back from 0–1 down to beat Dagenham & Redbridge 2–1 at Home Park. This moved them up to 15th. However, only 4,960 fans were at the game, which was Argyle's lowest league attendance in the bottom tier. Soon after, the club faced financial difficulties and had to go to court about unpaid taxes. Relegation was confirmed on May 2, after a 3–1 home defeat against Southampton.

Homepark2
Match at Home Park in 2017.

James Brent's Akkeron Group agreed to buy the club. Argyle also agreed to sell Home Park back to Plymouth council for £1.6 million on October 14, 2011, and had to pay rent each year. The team's performance got much better after the takeover. Even though they finished 21st, their lowest ever, they managed to avoid relegation. The next season, they again narrowly avoided relegation, finishing 21st. Manager John Sheridan signed a three-year contract, and in his first full season, the club finished 10th. Argyle started their fourth season in League 2 much stronger, winning 4 games in a row for the first time since 2008.

The team had a chance to win the league title, but Portsmouth won it based on goal difference. Argyle had a very bad start to their League One season, getting only 5 points in their first 11 games and being at the very bottom. Some fans disagreed with the decision to sack manager Derek Adams, even though he had led them to promotion. From December 2017 through 2018, Argyle had a great run, with 16 wins, 6 draws, and only 5 losses. They avoided relegation and finished 7th, just missing out on a play-off spot.

New Ownership and Recent Success (2018–Present)

In August 2018, Simon Hallett became the main owner of the club. At the end of the 2018–19 season, Argyle was relegated to EFL League Two.

CharltonArgyle201121 (8 of 8)
Plymouth Argyle players before a match against Charlton Athletic in 2021.

Before the 2019–20 season, Hallett hired Ryan Lowe as the new manager, along with his assistant Steven Schumacher. This change was a success! That season, Argyle finished third and were promoted back to EFL League One. The next season, the team found it a bit harder in the third tier and finished 18th. The following season was better. In December 2021, Steven Schumacher took over as manager from Ryan Lowe. He led the club to a 7th-place finish in the 2021–22 season.

Argyle had their best season since 2008 in 2022–23. The new Mayflower stand was fully built, increasing Home Park's capacity to 17,900. Over 16,000 fans regularly came to support the team. The club won the EFL League One title, securing it with an away win at Port Vale. They finished the season with an amazing 101 points! In their first season back in the second tier in thirteen years, Plymouth finished 21st, avoiding relegation on the very last day of the season.

Club Sponsors

The club's current sportswear is made by Puma. Their main sponsor is Bond Timber. Shirt sponsorship started in 1983. Beacon Electrical was the first company to have its name on the Plymouth Argyle shirt. Over the years, other sponsors have included National & Provincial, the Sunday Independent, Rotolok Holdings plc, and the Evening Herald. Between 2002 and 2011, the club was sponsored by Cornish pasty-makers Ginsters.

In 2011, when the club was facing financial difficulties, local timber company WH Bond Timber sponsored Argyle's kits. Then, local construction company LTC Group87 sponsored them. Ginsters returned as the main sponsor in the 2016–17 season.

Period Brand Shirt Sponsor
1975–1976 Umbro None
1976–1978 Pilgrim
1978–1980 Bukta
1980–1982 Adidas
1982–1983 Pilgrim
1983–1984 Beacon Electrical
1984–1986 Ivor Jones Insurance
1986–1987 National & Provincial
1987–1990 Umbro Sunday Independent
1990–1992 Ribero
1992–1996 Admiral Rotolok
1996–1998 Super League
1998–1999 Errea Evening Herald
1999–2002 Patrick
2002–2003 Ginsters
2003–2005 TFG
2005–2009 Puma
2009–2011 Adidas
2011–2014 Puma WH Bond Timber
2014–2016 LTC Powered Access
2016–2022 Ginsters
2022–2023 Project 35
2023–2024 WH Bond Timber
2024–Present Classic Builders(SW)

Home Stadium: Home Park

Plymouth Argyle vs Derby County, March, 2023
Home Park in 2023.

The original Home Park stadium was badly damaged by German bombs during World War II. After the war, it was rebuilt. Later, much of Home Park was taken down to build a new stadium. The first part of the new stadium was finished in May 2002. The new Devonport End and Barn Park End opened in 2001 and 2002. The Lyndhurst stand also reopened in 2002. The stadium is located in Central Park, near the Peverell area. In 2006, the club bought the stadium from Plymouth City Council for £2.7 million.

In 2007, the club added 3,500 temporary seats to the Mayflower area, making the capacity 19,888. In 2009, it was announced that Home Park might host matches for the 2018 World Cup if England won the bid. The chairman at the time, Paul Stapleton, said work on a new South Stand would start in 2010. However, England did not get to host the World Cup, and Plymouth Argyle faced financial difficulties in 2011. After selling the stadium back to the council for £1.6 million in 2011, the plans for the new stand were uncertain.

Plymouth Argyle Football Club, UK - panoramio
The old entrance to the Mayflower stand has been the official club shop since 2021.

The new owner, James Brent, then proposed new plans to build a new Mayflower Grandstand with 5,000 seats. These plans also included a leisure complex with an ice rink, a cinema, a hotel, and shops. Planning permission was given in August 2013. However, these plans were later withdrawn, though the permission still exists.

The family section of the stadium was moved to the 'Zoo corner' between the Lyndhurst Stand and the Barn Park End. This area now has a kids' activities zone. In January 2017, director Simon Hallett invested £5 million into the club. This money was meant for renovating the Mayflower Grandstand. Work was planned to start in 2018 and finish in 2020.

Later that month, temporary seating was put in the Grandstand for an FA Cup replay against Liverpool. This seating stayed for the next home game against Exeter City, but tickets were not sold to the general public. The seating was removed shortly after. In 2021, the Mayflower stand was finally completed. This made the stadium all-seater and increased its capacity to 17,900.

Club Supporters

Home Park, Plymouth Argyle vs Bolton 2022
Plymouth Argyle fans in 2022.

Plymouth Argyle fans are known as the Green Army. The No.12 shirt is even saved for the Green Army, showing they are the "12th man" for the team.

Argyle fans are very enthusiastic and vocal. They are often called "Janners," a nickname for people from Plymouth. The club had its highest average number of fans in the 1940s. The biggest average attendance was in the 1946–47 season, with 23,290 fans at each game. Attendance stayed strong until the 1980s, when it dropped. This was a time when football attendance was lower across England.

Today, most of the club's supporters come from Plymouth, Cornwall, and Devon. The "Devonport End" is where the loudest fans stand during games.

Since the 2021–22 season, "The Janner Song" is played before every home game. A survey in 2003 showed that Plymouth Argyle supporters see Exeter City as their main rival. The two clubs first played each other in 1908. Argyle also has rivalries with Torquay United, Swindon Town, Portsmouth, Bristol City, and Bristol Rovers.

In the 2019/20 season, Plymouth Argyle lost to rivals Exeter City 4–0. This was the biggest loss in a West Country derby in modern football.

Team Players

Current Squad

No. Position Player
2 England DF Bali Mumba
3 England DF Nathanael Ogbeta
4 England MF Jordan Houghton (vice-captain)
5 Spain DF Julio Pleguezuelo
6 Hungary DF Kornél Szűcs
7 Netherlands FW Ibrahim Cissoko (on loan from Toulouse)
8 England DF Joe Edwards (captain)
9 Scotland FW Ryan Hardie
10 England FW Morgan Whittaker
11 England MF Callum Wright
14 Republic of Ireland FW Michael Obafemi (on loan from Burnley)
15 Sierra Leone FW Mustapha Bundu
17 England DF Lewis Gibson
18 England MF Darko Gyabi (on loan from Leeds United)
No. Position Player
19 Jamaica FW Andre Gray
20 England MF Adam Randell
21 Northern Ireland GK Conor Hazard
22 Zimbabwe DF Brendan Galloway
25 Slovakia GK Marko Maroši
26 Nigeria FW Muhamed Tijani (on loan from Slavia Prague)
27 England MF Adam Forshaw
28 Sweden MF Rami Al Hajj
29 England DF Matthew Sorinola
31 England GK Daniel Grimshaw
34 England MF Caleb Roberts
35 Wales FW Freddie Issaka
44 Iceland DF Victor Pálsson

Players on Loan

No. Position Player
23 New Zealand FW Ben Waine (at Mansfield Town)
24 England DF Saxon Earley (at Lincoln City)
32 Wales MF Will Jenkins-Davies (at Torquay United)
No. Position Player
33 Scotland GK Zak Baker (at Tiverton Town)
36 England MF Josh Bernard (at Tiverton Town)
37 England DF Jack Matthews (at Taunton Town)

Retired Shirt Numbers

  • 12 – The Green Army (supporters)

Player of the Year Awards

Here are the players who have won the Player of the Year award:

Jack Leslie Statue-2
Jack Leslie statue outside of Home Park.

World Cup Players

These players were part of their country's team at the FIFA World Cup while playing for Plymouth Argyle:

Club Management

Boardroom Team

Role Name
Chairman England Simon Hallett
Director England Paul Berne
Director England Jane Chafer
Director England Richard Holliday
Director Wales John Morgan
Director United States Nick Giannotti

Club Ownership

In 2019, Simon Hallett owned 97% of the club. In August 2022, an American investment group called Argyle Green, LLC bought 20% of the club. They appointed Michael Mincberg to the board of directors. This group included NHL players Ondřej Palát and Victor Hedman, and NBA Executive Jon Horst.

Club Officials

Role Name
Chief Executive Officer Andrew Parkinson
Club Secretary Zac Newton
Head of Facilities Gavin Priest
Head of Commercial Operations James Greenacre
Head of Marketing Jamie Yabsley
Head of Conferencing Christian Kent
Head of Finance David Ray
Player administration Officer Ellen Shine

Coaching Team

Role Name
Director of Football England Neil Dewsnip
Manager England Wayne Rooney
Assistant Manager England Pete Shuttleworth
First-team Coach England Kevin Nancekivell
England Simon Ireland
Goalkeeping Coach England Darryl Flahavan
Head of Sports Science England Connor Derbidge
Club doctor Austria Peter Pollak
Head of Performance England Gareth Law
Physiotherapist England Alex Kay
Sports therapist Brazil Abner Bruzzichessi
Head of Recruitment England Jimmy Dickinson
Scout England Charlie Allen
Football Data Scotland Ross Goodwin
Football Data Assistant England Joe Martin
Lead Analyst England Sam Morcom
Analyst England Harry Powell

Club Managers Over Time

Here is a list of Plymouth Argyle's managers:

Club Records and Statistics

Team Records

Most Appearances

Rank Player Career Apps Goals
1 England Hodges, KevinKevin Hodges 1978–1992 620 87
2 Scotland Black, SammySammy Black 1924–1938 491 184
3 England Wotton, PaulPaul Wotton 1995–2008
2012–2015
491 66
4 Scotland Craig, FredFred Craig 1912–1915
1919–1930
467 5
5 England Williams, JohnnyJohnny Williams 1955–1966 448 55
6 England Hore, JohnnyJohnny Hore 1965–1975 441 17
7 England Jones, PatPat Jones 1947–1958 441 2
8 Republic of Ireland Evans, MichaelMichael Evans 1990–1997
2001–2006
432 81
9 England Leslie, JackJack Leslie 1921–1934 401 136
10 Wales Russell, MosesMoses Russell 1914–1915
1919–1930
400 6

Most Goals Scored

Rank Player Career Goals Apps
1 Scotland Black, SammySammy Black 1924–1938 184 491
2 England Carter, WilfWilf Carter 1957–1964 148 275
3 England Tynan, TommyTommy Tynan 1983–1985
1986–1990
145 310
4 England Leslie, JackJack Leslie 1921–1934 136 401
5 England Tadman, MauriceMaurice Tadman 1947–1955 112 253
6 England Vidler, JackJack Vidler 1929–1939 103 256
7 England Burch, FreddieFreddie Burch 1906–1915 92 239
8 England Hodges, KevinKevin Hodges 1978–1992 87 620
9 England Bowden, RayRay Bowden 1927–1933 85 153
10 Republic of Ireland Mickey Evans 1990–1997
2001–2006
81 432

Club Achievements

Plymouth Argyle 1929-30 Team Photo
The 1929–30 Third Division winning squad.

Here are the titles and awards Plymouth Argyle has won:

League Titles

  • Third Division South / Third Division / Second Division / League One (level 3)
    • Champions: 1929–30, 1951–52, 1958–59, 2003–04, 2022–23
    • Runners-up: 1921–22, 1922–23, 1923–24, 1924–25, 1925–26, 1926–27, 1974–75, 1985–86
  • Third Division / League Two (level 4)
    • Champions: 2001–02
    • Runners-up: 2016–17
    • Promoted: 2019–20
    • Play-off winners: 1996
  • Southern League
    • Champions: 1912–13
  • Western League
    • Champions: 1905–06

Cup Competitions

  • EFL Trophy
    • Runners-up: 2022–23

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Plymouth Argyle Football Club para niños

kids search engine
Plymouth Argyle F.C. Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.