THE DAILY DIARY

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Plymouth Argyle FC

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Also included on the three most recent days, facts from Argyle's history.

Tuesday 31st December 2024

After days, or even weeks of uncertainty and speculation, Argyle announced that the Club had parted company with Head Coach, Wayne Rooney 'by mutual agreement' and with immediate effect. Rumours are circulating as to whether he was sacked or resigned and what, if any, level of compensation was paid.

Assistant Head Coach, Mike Phelan, and first team coach Simon Ireland are also leaving Home Park.

First team coach Kevin Nancekivell and Club Captain Joe Edwards are to lead the team for the Sky Bet Championship match against Bristol City on New Year's Day. Daryl Flahavan will continue as goalkeeping coach.

Rooney said: "I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Board of Plymouth Argyle Football Club, in particular Simon Hallett and Neil Dewsnip who I shared great relationships with.

"Thanks also to all the staff who made me feel welcome and who make the club such a special place, the players and fans for their efforts and support during my time as Head Coach and I wish them all the best for the future.

"To the Green Army thanks for making the games at Home Park so special, they are memories that we will share forever.

"I would also like to give a special mention to my coaching staff Kevin Nancekivell, Simon Ireland, Darryl Flahavan and Mike Phelan for their knowledge, dedication, help and support.

"Plymouth Argyle will always hold a special place in my heart, and I will continue to look out for and take interest in their results."

Rooney's departure marks the end of his fourth unsuccessful spell in management and Argyle's third managerial tenure in the last 12 months. Steven Schumacher who left Argyle to move to Stoke on 19 December 2023 was succeeded by Ian Foster on 7 January 2024. Following a run of bad results and increasing fan dissatisfaction, he was sacked on 1 April and Rooney - an unexpected choice - took over on 25 May.

30th

Head Coach, Wayne Rooney, bemoaned familiar issues and the ease in which his Argyle team conceded goals in their 2-0 loss at Oxford United.

"It wasn't good enough," said Rooney. "I didn't think we deserved anything from the game. I'm really disappointed.

"I thought it was a quite tight, even game, to be honest, until Oxford scored. It's a goal we've seen, it's a goal we've done a lot of work on over the last two days. After conceding the goals against Coventry from crosses, again we didn't get tight enough at the cross, then Rands (Adam Randell) slips and they get a goal.

"[It's] the basics of football that we've been working on and drilling into the players a lot over the last two days but, again, it's cost us today.

"We always talk about the balance of your team when you're going forward and we got caught in the middle of the pitch. They have one ball through on goal and then you're 2-0 down and it becomes difficult.

"We were trying to get opportunities, but we didn't create enough chances. For us, if you want to get something out of the game, you need to create chances, especially when you're behind, and we didn't do that enough."

Yet another loss has piled pressure on Rooney whose managerial position seems increasingly tenuous.

29th

A goal in each half was enough for Oxford United to claim three points in a battle between two sides for whom survival in the Sky Bet Championship would be an achievement when May rolls around. As it is, Argyle end 2024, and reach the halfway point of the current season, bottom of the table and still searching for their first away win of the campaign. After a cagey opening, Ciaron Brown's header, from a corner Argyle failed to sufficiently clear, put Oxford in front, and when Przemyslaw Placheta made it 2-0 on the hour, Oxford were always likely to see the game out.

Argyle: Hazard, Mumba, Szucs, Hardie, Whittaker (Gray), Gibson, Gyabi, Randell, Galloway (Finn), Al Hajj (Roberts), Sorinola. Substitutes (not used): Grimshaw, Ogbeta, Houghton, Pleguezuelo, Issaka, Palsson.

26th

Argyle suffered a tough four-goal defeat at the hands of Coventry City at the CBS Arena on Boxing Day. The Sky Blues' scoring came in the first half through a Josh Eccles brace, Tatsuhiro Sakamoto header and an Ephron Mason-Clark volley. Callumn Wright was shown a straight red card for a challenge from behind on Joel Latibeaudiere in the 87th minute to round out a hard day in the Coventry mist.

Argyle: Grimshaw, Mumba, Szucs, Bundu (Wright), Gibson, Gyabi (Houghton), Gray (Issaka), Randell, Galloway (Sorinola), Al Hajj (Forshaw), Finn. Substitutes (not used): Hazard, Ogbeta, Pleguezuelo, Palsson.

22nd

Argyle Head Coach Wayne Rooney was left, not for the first time in recent games, balancing positive and negative feelings, following his side's 3-3 draw with Middlesbrough.

Speaking after the game, Rooney's instinctive thoughts centred on his side's inability to hold on to the lead they held three times, but he was also happy with the creativity his team showed.

"Firstly, it's probably the most chances - clear chances - we've created all season," he said. "That's a real positive for us. In the first half, I thought we were excellent. Defensively we were excellent in how we pressed, how we nullified them playing through the lines, and forced them to go long.

"I thought we created a lot of chances today; we were unlucky to go in only 1-0 up.

"All three goals we conceded were poor from our point of view, but the reaction to them scoring was fairly good, in terms of getting back on the front foot, creating chances.

"There was a bit of naivety I felt, in terms of two of their goals, not clearing the ball well enough and not picking up on second balls on set-pieces.

"In the second half, we maybe got dragged into feeling we were going to win the game. [Maybe because] we haven't won for a while, we sat off them a little bit and allowed them to dictate the game.

"There's moments where we can improve. I think just controlling the game and controlling your opposition makes a big difference. I didn't think we did that well enough, and it cost us today.

"Overall, it feels like a defeat, but there's certainly a lot of positives."

21st

For the second straight season, Argyle and Middlesbrough played out a classic, to-and-fro 3-3 draw at Home Park. The curious mirroring of the parallel was that whereas last season saw five goals racked up by half-time, this encounter saw the bulk of the goals coming after the break, in one of the most breathless halves of football you are ever likely to see. Argyle were excellent in the first half, deserving their 1-0 lead at the interval, which came courtesy of Lewis Gibson's first Argyle goal. After the break, Middlesbrough equalised via Jonny Howson, before Darko Gyabi also notched his maiden goal, putting Argyle back ahead. The pattern repeated: Hayden Hackney equalised, Mustapha Bundu restored the Greens' lead, but Emmanuel Latte Lath scored a third leveller to conclude the scoring in a wild affair.

Argyle: Grimshaw, Mumba, Szucs, Hardie (Gray), Obafemi (Issaka), Bundu, Gibson, Gyabi, Randell, alloway (Ogbeta, Al Hajj. Substitutes (not used): Hazard, Houghton, Wright, Sorinola, Finn, Palsson.

Adam Randell (the Plymstock Pirlo) made his 150th appearance in an Argyle shirt in today's game.

Argyle Under-18s ended 2024 on a high with a 2-0 win over Portsmouth in the Youth Alliance League South at Millennium Fields.

Goals from Jared Rendle and Jensen Ireland handed the Greens three points, extending their league unbeaten run to nine games and placing Argyle second in the league, three points behind Gillingham. The Greens had the ball in the Pompey net four times, but two were adjudged offside.

Head Coach Lowry said: "The pitch was soft and cutting up, so it was a different type of game to what we'd ideally want, but that was the same for both teams. We did do well in terms of managing the game and we scored a well-worked goal early on through Jared, but we spoke about half time; we can't always be pretty and nice. That's what it takes to come to be consistent and to win games, sometimes.

"We then spoke at the end of the game about it saying, well done, you won the game and things, but some things were missing from our normal performances. It's a learning curve and they still managed to find a way to win and keep a clean sheet.

"I'm really pleased with where we are in the league at Christmas. It was a slow start leading into finding our feet and we now know what we are, what our strengths are and what we're effective at.

"The boys have got a real hunger to be winners and win every day. Training is competitive. It's all about building that mindset in training, as well, and the boys set themselves to be at the top and that's where they are at the moment. I'm delighted."

20th

Argyle's FA Youth Cup fourth-round tie against Lincoln City will take place at Home Park on Wednesday, 8 January, at 7pm.

After the Greens beat Carlisle United in round three, they will now face the Imps, managed by Sam Tillen, after Lincoln beat Wrexham to get to this stage.

Lincoln are fourth in the northern section of the Youth Alliance League, with Argyle sitting second in the southern division.

19th

The Senior Greens held their Christmas meeting in Club Argyle. Guest speaker was Mustapha Bundu (Moose) who gave a thoroughly entertaining and honest talk about his upbringing in Sierra Leone; his career so far, and his time at Argyle. He was given a standing ovation at the end.

18th

Midfielder, Will Jenkins Davies, has agreed to extend his loan deal at Torquay United until the end of the season.

The Gulls are top of the Vanarama National League South, and Jenkins Davies has played an important part in their ascent under manager, Argyle legend Paul Wotton. Will has played 19 games, providing four assists and scoring four goals, all of which have come in the last three league games.

Now 20, Will also spent time with Torquay last campaign, playing 33 times, but saw his season cut short by injury. He signed a one-year extension to his Argyle deal in the summer, before heading back to Plainmoor, where he has thrived once again.

15th

Although Argyle came away from Sheffield United with a defeat, there was some cause for optimism despite the 2-0 scoreline.

As the stats showed, Argyle had plenty of the ball, with chances to equalise, and had the Bramall Lane crowd frustrated on more than one occasion.

Head Coach Wayne Rooney was rightly pragmatic about the afternoon's action, given that his side ultimately lost and had to head home with no points.

"I'm pleased with the performance, and obviously disappointed with the result," he said.

"It was a much better performance. I think we came here with the mindset of, firstly, trying to take the ball away from Sheffield United, which we've done, and then secondly, we felt we could get something out of the game.

"We had some good chances. On another day we take them, and then it's a different story.

"I think the reaction [to going 1-0 down] was really good actually. It's everything we've been talking about over the last couple of weeks.

"We still need to improve on the details... It's something we're really drilling into the players, and trying to get better, because I think if we get the details right on some of the attacking phases we have, we will cause more problems.

"I thought our overall play, having confidence to take the ball from Grimmy (goalkeeper Daniel Grimshaw), right the way through the pitch, was good. I thought our press was good, it caused them problems and forced them to go direct a lot of the time.

"They're unbeaten here. They haven't conceded a goal here all season, and we caused them big problems. We should have scored here today; there's lots of positives for us to look at."

Argyle's home fixture which was called off last Saturday because of the high winds has been re-arranged for Tuesday 14 January, kicking off at 7.45 pm.

Evergreen has reached its second anniversary with an incredible membership of almost 6,000 Argyle fans joined up. The scheme now aims to support different aspects of the past, present and future of the club, such as Forever Green, the Middleton House accommodation at Marion and the Argyle Academy.

14th

The 2-0 scoreline that Argyle lost by at Sheffield United tells very little of the Greens' trip to South Yorkshire to meet the promotion favourites. Goals, one in each half, from Gustavo Hamer and Kieffer Moore, the latter from the penalty spot, were the nominal difference between the sides.

Argyle: Grimshaw, Mumba, Szucs, Hardie (Gray), Obafemi (Issaka), Bundu (Wright), Gibson, Gyabi (Forshaw 74), Randell, Galloway, Al Hajj. Substitutes (not used): Hazard, Ogbeta, Houghton, Pleguezuelo, Palsson.

Argyle Academy player Jovan Wamani has been called up for an England Under-15s Talent Camp at St George's Park this weekend.

Jovan, a strong, athletic and calm defender, will join up with the rest of the selected players at the home of England football.

Phil Stokes, Academy manager, said: "This is a fantastic achievement for Jovan... it is always pleasing when any of our young players get recognised at international level.

"Jovan continues to develop his game and has made really good progress over the last 12 months - this is a credit to his attitude and application. It is also a testament to the hard work of all the Academy staff and commitment from Jovan's family."

12th

The annual Argyle Christmas carol service takes place at Home Park this evening. Doors are open at 6 for a 6.30 start. Father Christmas and Pilgrim Pete will be in attendance.

On the same day, Forever Green held its Christmas lunch at Club Argyle, with fans and players enjoying a special festive meal.

11th

Argyle's third successive defeat at the hands of Swansea City was an improved performance, if pointless, with Head Coach Wayne Rooney rueing his side's inability to stop crosses into the box, which ultimately cost them.

"It was frustrating really," said Rooney. "I thought we played well in the first half, and then it's a really poor goal to give away; not stopping the cross and then not clearing the ball.

"Going in at half-time 1-0 down was tough. That gives Swansea something to hold on to.

"We just let ourselves down with the two goals we conceded. It's poor from our point of view. Everything we've worked on over the last ten days really is being aggressive, getting to the ball, stopping crosses, and making it difficult for opponents to get chances in our penalty area.

"We have to do more to stop the ball coming into the box. The second goal, I think we had three players around the lad on the ball. We let him cut inside, get a cross in, and then we don't defend the box well enough.

"There was positives within the game, some really good play at times. More so in the first half than the second half. We had some good attacking moments [in the] first half, but that final pass, or the final shot, wasn't there. The second half was more grinding and trying to get something out of the game.

"We were pushing, we got a goal back and we couldn't quite get the second goal. We can't keep relying on late goals to try to get in the game. We need to make sure we're in the game, pushing to try to win the game late on, if that's the case.

"I thought there were some good moments in the game but, ultimately, the result was the most important thing tonight and, unfortunately, we haven't got that."

Dan Grimshaw has been voted as Argyle's CT1 Player of the Month for November.

The goalkeeper starred in a difficult month for the Greens, making a number of impressive stops and keeping a vital clean sheet against Portsmouth at Home Park.

Grimshaw won the supporters' poll with exactly 50% of the vote, ahead of Andre Gray (25%), Adam Randell (16%) and Julio Pleguezuelo (9%).

10th

Argyle's game against Swansea City has been designated the second Project 35 fixture of the season. The first (at our home game against Sunderland) saw 1,600 items of food and essentials donated to the Project 35 gazebo before kick-off, accompanied by a record £1,425.50 collection at Home Park and through the JustGiving page.

An improved Argyle were not able to add any more points to their total as they lost 2-1 to Swansea City at Home Park. Although perhaps an upgrade on recent heavy defeats is not saying much, Argyle had much more about them, especially in the first half, against the Swans, but still found themselves a goal down at the break, through a Jay Fulton strike. Now with the advantage, a confident Swansea scored on the hour, through Liam Cullen, but the Pilgrims rallied, and got one back via Mustapha Bundu, with just over 10 minutes to go. This led to a late Argyle surge, as the Greens pushed bodies forward, but there was to be no repeat of their late heroics of other home games this season.

Argyle: Grimshaw, Mumba, Ogbeta (Obafemi), Szucs, Wright, Bundu (Al Hajj), Gibson, Gyabi, Gray (Hardie), Randell, Galloway. Substitutes (not used): Hazard, Houghton, Pleguezuelo, Forshaw, Finn, Palsson.

It was better news for Argyle's Under-18s who progressed to the Fourth Round of the FA Youth Cup with a dramatic 4-2 win in extra time against Carlisle United at Brunton Park.

A converted penalty from Cole Fisher and a last-gasp free-kick from Harry Shield took the game into an additional 30 minutes, where Argyle won the game with goals from Seb Campbell and Frankie Maund, despite Kian Burch having been sent off late on for two yellow cards.

Head Coach, Jamie Lowry, was delighted with his side's performance on a cold night in Carlisle, and credited all players and staff involved after the full-time whistle. "I think it just shows where the group is at," he said. "They are so together. We talked about it at the end, that there's nobody fitter than them, in terms of how hard we work and how intense training is, and it showed at the end in the last half hour. They were fantastic. They dug in, dug deep, even with a player sent off, and found a way to win a game.

"Obviously, it was emotional towards the end, getting a late equaliser, so we knew their heads would be a little bit down. We needed to make sure we were calm and focused and knew what we were doing. We set up slightly differently [in extra time] to help them all. We had Frankie up front, who's quick, to play in transition. Sometimes it's down to the quality of football played but sometimes head and heart can win a game of football.

"I'm really proud of the boys today. They were fantastic. It's also great to see Tegan [Finn] on the bench with the first team, and we had five under-16s with us that came on and played in the game.

"In terms of the Academy and where we're going, I think it's a great night for them as well and shows all the good work being done in the 16s by Head Coach James Bradley. The boys came in and were fantastic. You wouldn't even know they are in the 16s. Huge credit to everybody at the Club."

8th

Mike Phelan has joined Argyle as Assistant Head Coach until the end of the season, replacing Pete Shuttleworth who has left the Club by mutual consent and for personal reasons.

62-year-old Phelan is vastly experienced, having spent nine years as a coach at Manchester United over two spells, including under their legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson and when Wayne Rooney was a player there.

7th

Argyle Women's 15-year-old defender, Amii Kearley is taking part in a Lionesses' Under-17 training programme at St George's Park this weekend.

6th

Argyle's home tie against Oxford United scheduled for 3pm kick off tomorrow has been postponed due to expected high winds and rain.

Argyle's Emirates FA Cup third round tie away against Brentford has now been confirmed for Saturday, 11 January 2025. The match will kick off at 3pm and take place at the Gtech Community Stadium.

5th

Charlotte Whitmore has been voted Argyle Women's Player of the Month for November.

The forward wins her second award of the season after scoring in both of Argyle's victories against Poole Town in the Adobe Women's FA Cup and Gwalia United in FA Women's National League Southern Premier Division action. She also scored Argyle's goal against Exeter City in the second round of the FA Cup.

Charlotte won the supporters' vote with 61% of the poll, ahead of Ellie Sara (16%), Ella Stephens (16%) and Ava Kuyken (6%).

3rd

Argyle's Under-18s Professional Development League Cup campaign ended, despite drawing 2-2 against Bristol City at Millennium Fields.

Although the youthful Greens were 2-0 down just after the second-half restart, goals from James Sharpe and Billy Devlin secured a hard-earned point for Argyle. Five under-16s were in Argyle's starting 11, but that did not seem to be a problem for Head Coach Jamie Lowry's side.

The Greens end their Under-18s PDL Cup with one point, sitting fourth in the group, behind Cheltenham Town, who progress into the next stage of the competition, Swansea City and Bristol City.

Head Coach, Jamie Lowry, said: "Today was a fantastic result. The boys were really competitive. With the state of the pitch, it wasn't going to be the prettiest game and Bristol City are unique. They play forward very quickly and are quite direct with first and second balls as well, so I thought the boys did well, competed, and ran hard. Then, when we got the opportunity in and around their box, we played some excellent stuff.

"We had two under-15s (James Sharpe and Joel Tolcher) that came on today from the bench and did really well, so it's a great experience for them to play against lads that are three or four years older than them.

"Overall, I thought every single one of them was great. Again, like on Saturday at the Newport game, our two second years that started were fantastic.

"They led by example, and the scholars that played as well. We were youthful today and started with five under-16s, but they all did really well. It's pleasing to see that hunger and that fight in the boys, as the bare minimum that we need to go and produce results and performances."

2nd

Argyle have been drawn away to Premier League side Brentford in the FA Cup third round. Ties will be played in the weekend of 11 January.

Argyle's Under-18s moved into second place in the South Youth Alliance League table with a comfortable 5-1 win over Newport County.

A brace from Jensen Ireland and goals from Harry Shield, Jared Rendle and Seb Campbell propelled the Greens to another victory, extending their unbeaten run in league play to eight games.

Head Coach Jamie Lowry said: "This was a really good win, especially given the team we had was a very young squad.

"All the under-16s that started did well and worked hard, gave everything and competed, so again, I'm pleased for them. Starting five under-16s is a big thing and all the scholars supported them well.

"We made a slow start in the game and conceded through an individual error but got on top of the game and found our feet. We scored from set-pieces and managed the game until the end."

1st

Wayne Rooney described himself as 'embarrassed' by the 4-0 defeat at Bristol City that capped off a week in which his Argyle side were heavily beaten, twice.

The loss at Ashton Gate came four days after a 6-1 reverse at Norwich City, with Argyle's away form still a serious concern to the Head Coach. The Greens have gained just two points, and scored three goals, from nine games on their travels so far this season.

"Embarrassed really. I think that's probably the right word to use," said Rooney, after the game.

"I think after what happened on Tuesday at Norwich, we came here with a game plan to be in the game going into the last 20 minutes, and I thought for 50 minutes we were. "Then we conceded the first goal, and we collapsed. It's exactly what happened at Norwich, exactly what happened at Leeds away. As soon as we conceded the goal, the players out there collapsed, and we looked very fragile.

"I've said this to players - I could see them shrinking, I could see it happening in front of me, and that's very difficult because to make changes and adjust and adapt to that, was difficult for us to do, to put players into that occasion.

I wanted the players out there to try to show some character and some strength, to help us get back in it. Unfortunately, they never did that.

"It's just something that's just very frustrating, very disappointing. When we're going through this run we're going through, in other away games, you need to dig deep and find something within you. It's something which you have to do throughout your career. Players, if they want to have the career which you'd hope they want to have, then they need to do that very quickly because they're not representing this club in the right way.

"We've tried different things. I've gone at them. I've tried to do it with the right balance. I've tried to encourage them. Figuring it out and finding that way, that's my job and ultimately, it's my responsibility. I take responsibility, of course, for the results. I'm the one picking the team, putting the team out there, but I think for the players now, they need to realise that they have to do a lot better in what they're doing.

"From the start the season, away from home, we haven't been good enough. Today's result, and Tuesday result, is far from anything I want to see."

Argyle Women are into the semi-finals of the FAWNL Cup following a hugely spirited 1-0 win over Watford at Home Park. Despite coming under pressure for much of the game, Argyle scored through Lulu Jarvis on 30 minutes, and showed tremendous organisation and work-rate to see the game out and advance to the final four.

Watford, in the same division as Argyle, are sixth in that league, with 17 points from their ten games. The Greens showed respect to their higher-in-the-table visitors, and sat in a defensive shape as the Hornets dominated early possession. Argyle looked organised, sharp and dogged as, while they accepted Watford would have most of the ball, the Greens made sure it was never easy. Indeed, save for a few long-range efforts that sailed wide, Watford seldom troubled the Argyle goal in the first half.

After the break, Watford started with purpose, having a free-kick blocked and a couple more long-range potshots, an effort dragged wide and a long shot hitting the crossbar, followed by a corner which Argyle managed to block.

The Hornets upped their intensity and were by now, encamped in Argyle territory, but the Greens continued to show indomitable spirit, repelling what came their way at all costs, even into the 11 minutes of added time.

"I'm really pleased," Head Coach, Ryan Perks, told Argyle TV. "I think the players were superb from start to finish. We worked on ourselves this week. We said that was going to be the focal point and that it was important to bounce back after a disappointing result and second-half performance against Exeter. I couldn't be more pleased for the girls.

"They listened to the detail we gave them, executed it superbly for 90 minutes and got a clean sheet. It was a super defensive display, and we were clinical on the break.

"Every player today, even the subs who came on, was superb and put in a shift. We thoroughly deserve the win and, hopefully, we can take it into the league as well."

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