|
Tuesday 31st May 2022  Argyle will host Championship side Swansea City at Home Park on Tuesday 12th July. It's the sixth fixture confirmed of the Greens pre-season schedule and will be the second against opposition from the second tier, with Bristol City visiting four days earlier. Argyle hosted the Swans in a warm-up match last season, with the Championship side coming out on top 1-0.
26th Luke Jephcott has been selected for the Wales under-21 squad for their two European Qualifiers against the Netherlands and Gibraltar in June. 25th Argyle have added a fifth fixture to their pre-season schedule, visiting Plainmoor to take on Torquay United, on Tuesday 19th July for a 7.45pm kick off. 24th In an all-encompassing restructure of the first team backroom staff, Mark Hughes has been appointed the club's new Assistant Manager and Jimmy Dickinson will become Head of Recruitment for Argyle. Sam Morcom has been promoted to lead analyst. On his move to assistant manager, Mark Hughes said: "First of all, I would like to thank the manager and the club giving me more responsibility in a job I am looking forward to so much. I have a long way to go in my coaching career, but this is the perfect club to help me with my journey. The players, coaching staff and supporters have helped me settle into the area and get over the transition from playing to coaching. It's a proper football club and one I've felt like I have been at for more time than I actually have. I am looking forward to doing my upmost to get the club to next level. We were so close last year and that gives me so much hunger to go one better. I love working and learning from Steven, he is a great friend but also a top young manager. "Let's get this chapter started." Schumacher added: "I am really pleased to have Mark as my new assistant. The long-term plan was always for Mark to become my number two, but with Keith Downing choosing to move on now, the time has come for him to step up sooner. I believe Mark is more than ready for this opportunity and added responsibility. He has been at the club for six months now and he has become a really valuable member of the coaching staff, and learning from Keith and Nance in these early stages of his coaching career will have prepared him to be ready for this next step." Jimmy Dickinson said, of his own promotion: "It's a big opportunity for me and something I'm really looking forward to. It's an area I've been extremely interested in for a long time and using my data and analytics background, I believe I can really grow the department. I've worked with the Gaffer for a long time now and we have developed a strong working relationship. I'd like to thank the Gaffer, Neil, Simon, Andrew and all the board for giving me this opportunity and I cannot wait to get started." Finally, Neil Dewsnip surmised: "These changes further show the development of Argyle as a forward-thinking football club and hopefully support the development of the team towards our goal of becoming a Championship side in the seasons ahead." The Greens' pre-season schedule ahead of the 2022/23 League One campaign has been announced, with four fixtures confirmed. With the players returning to training on Tuesday 21st June they will have 11 days to prepare for the first fixture – away to Plymouth Parkway. The inter-city match has become a regular curtain raiser to the season and the Greens will kick off their pre-season preparations at Bolitho Park on Saturday 2nd July. They then head off to Spain for a weeklong, warm weather training camp before returning to Devon on Saturday, 9 July. A home game against Sky Bet Championship side Bristol City will follow a week on, with the Robins returning to Home Park on Saturday 16th July. Argyle then have two further away games against Yeovil Town and Truro City as they build up to the start of the Sky Bet League One season. The club are currently trying to arrange one further game, which is likely to be played at Home Park, which will be announced at a later date.
14th Keith Downing has left Argyle after a five month spell at the club as assistant manager to Steven Schumacher. His short-term contract expired and he could not find an agreement to remain at the club. Director of Football Neil Dewsnip said: "We are disappointed to be losing Keith. He is an extremely good and experienced coach who has made a massive impact since he has been at Argyle. Keith is someone I know personally and have worked with in the past and is extremely well respected in the game. He was excited to come in a help Steven out and was impressed with the set up and ambition at Argyle. He joined in December on a short-term deal, and we always knew that we would likely lose him in the summer. I would like to thank Keith for all his hard work and dedication since he had been at Argyle and wish him all the best for the future." Downing himself added: "I want to thank Neil Dewsnip and the board for the opportunity and wish everyone well for the future - there are great foundations being built. I have loved being at Argyle and think it's an incredible club with incredible people. Steven is a really talented and progressive young coach, and it is a very, very good team. I am sorry we couldn't cross the line, but we gave it a good go and I am very proud of that. We've had discussions over the last couple of weeks and the decision to leave wasn't taken lightly. It has been tough geographically for me and my family and I have to make the right decision for them. Once you're a Green you're always a Green – there have been so many great memories." 13th Luke McCormick looked back on a wonderful career at Argyle after his recent retirement, and looked to the future and the development of Mike Cooper. McCormick said: "It's been my life, this football club, from such a young age. It's responsible for all I have, my family, my wife, my friends, it's all because of Argyle. I had just finished my exams, had a trial on the cards, came down for a week and never left. Kevin Summerfield was the youth coach at the time, and he was such a big influence on me. He said they wanted to sign me and that was it." On Cooper, he added: "He's excellent. His ability is out there for everyone to see, and we see more of that on the training ground. His mentality and temperament is amazing, he's such an intelligent man and he'll have one hell of a career, I'm sure." 12th Argyle have confirmed that a giant digital screen will be installed at Home Park during the close season. CEO Andrew Parkinson explained: "We are absolutely thrilled to be able to move forward with the big screen over the close season. We know from discussions with supporters and expressions of interest at Fans' Forums that Home Park has been lacking in a digital scoreboard, but we also felt that we needed to take time to assess all options available to us and make the best long-term decision for Argyle. I am confident that we have done that, and the Green Army will be pleased with the result. A lot of effort has been placed in enhancing the match-day experience, encouraging supporters to get to the stadium earlier, and making Argyle a day out for the whole family. The big screen is another important step forward in that project." 6th Argyle confirmed that Ryan Law has agreed the new contract offered to him by the club keeping him at Argyle for another year. Law enjoyed something of a breakthrough season for the club last season where he scored his first goals in green including a memorable strike at Birmingham in the FA Cup. Schumacher said of Law's extension: Steven Schumacher added, "I'm really pleased for Ryan to have signed a new contract. He has become a very reliable member of the squad and has performed really well whenever called upon. The aim for Ryan now, is to establish himself as our first choice left wing back and to continue his development next season." Law himself added: "It's unbelievable really. I am so happy to sign for another year. I have been at the club since the age of eight and to play for Argyle is all I have dreamed of really. I feel like last season was another big step in the right direction for my career, I've played over 20 games and hope to play a lot more and make some very special memories playing for Plymouth Argyle." Panutche Camara has been made available for transfer away from Home Park. Talks had been ongoing about an improved contact but the midfielder declined and the club have stated their intention to facilitate a move away. 5th Steven Schumacher has praised the impact of all four of Argyle's loanees this season and stated his desire to work with them again. He said: "They've all done brilliantly and I have thanked them all for their efforts. It can sometimes be hard being a loan player, will you fit into the squad? But all four of them were fantastic lads, they all fitted in§ and loved being down here. I would work with all of them again. Ryan Broom was one of our outstanding players in the first part of the season. He then found it hard once Danny and Pan were playing so well but was never a day's trouble. I loved him and loved his family." On Jordon Garrick, he added: "I can't speak highly enough of him to be honest. His attitude was different class, and I would love to work with him again." On Romoney Crichlow, he said: "He didn't play many games, but I know he enjoyed his experience. He loved the group and was a massive part of it. His attitude was brilliant." Argyle's final loanee was Steven Sessegnon, Schumacher said: "He is a quality player and showed that every time he played.He managed to get in towards the end, he had to be patient but when he got up to speed, he played really well. They have all played a massive part this season, they've been incredible." 3rd Argyle have confirmed that the majority of Argyle's first team squad will be retained for the 2022/23 League One campaign. 18 first team players are currently under contract for next season - while three others, Jordan Houghton, Panutche Camara and Brandon Pursall, have had extension options activated. Academy graduate Ryan Law is the only member of the squad, currently out of contract in the summer, to have been offered a new one. Meanwhile, third year scholar Finley Craske has been offered a professional contract, his first at Argyle. The loan quartet Jordon Garrick, Ryan Broom, Romoney Crichlow and Steven Sessegnon will return to their parent clubs. Young defender Ollie Tomlinson, who spent time on loan at Southern League Premier side Truro City, has not been offered a new contract and will leave the club upon expiry of his current deal. Luke McCormick has decided to retire from football having played 350 times for the Greens, winning three promotions. Apprentices released include Carlo Garside, Oscar Massey, Ethan Mitchell, Lewis Moyle, Oscar Rutherford, Jamal Salawu, Angel Waruih, Rhys Shirley and Alfie Wotton. 2nd Mike Cooper has won the League One Golden Glove for the 2021/22 season. The Pilgrims' stopper, who has played every minute of this year's campaign, picked up 18 clean sheets, including an incredible six in a row back in March. He finished in joint spot with Wycombe's David Stockdale, both keeping 18 League One clean sheets in 46 starts for their clubs. 1st Argyle's season ended in ignominy with a heartwrenching 5-0 defeat to Milton Keynes at Home Park, missing out on the League One play-offs on the final day. Despite the fantastic efforts of the greens this season, the injury crisis proved too much against a rampant visiting side, for whom Scott Twine, the League One player of the season, scored four of their five goals. In truth, the game was already done at half-time. Twine's first effort from a direct free-kick put the visitors into the lead and despite a few good Argyle chances, they doubled and then trebled their lead from two corner kicks. Then, disaster truly struck. Jordan Houghton, not long booked for a professional foul, committed his second foul of the same nature. Reduced to ten men, it was damage limitation from thereon. Argyle initially looked bright with ten men but Twine bagged two more and the game was complete. Argyle's players stayed for a lap of honour and were applauded by the home park crowd for their efforts in a memorable season in which they ended 7th with 80 points. Before the game, it was a youth academy double award in the player of the season ceremony. Mike Cooper and Adam Randell, both Devon boys and PAFC youth graduates, were awarded player and young player of the season respectively. 22 year old Cooper has kept the joint most clean sheets in the league and is being recognised internally, having already been selected in the League One team of the season. Randell has had a breakthrough season for the first team, making twelve starts and many more substitute appearances, and wowing fans with his calmness on the ball. He also got his first goal for Argyle with a belting free-kick at Sheffield Wednesday.
|
Contact Us
About GoS
Now in its 26th year, and