ANDY ROGERS

Born: 01 December 1956

Came from: Southampton   Went to: Reading

First game: 29 September 1981   Last game: 06 May 1985

Appearances: 195 (190/5)   Goals: 19

Rogers began his career with Peterborough United after playing local football for his hometown side, Chatteris Town. After struggling at London Road, making just 32 appearances and scoring one goal prior to being released, he chose to give up the professional game and played for Hampton whilst training to be a teacher. However, a second chance came at Southampton, who signed him in February 1980, although once again opportunities were limited and he made just five substitute appearances during his time at The Dell.

In September, 1981, Bobby Moncur brought Rogers to Home Park, initially on a two-month loan. Rogers immediately impressed and Argyle splashed £50,000 on a permanent transfer. For the remainder of the 1981-82 season, Rogers starred on the flanks, carving out chances for his teammates while occasionally popping up to grab crucial goals himself. He will forever be remembered for his goals during Argyle's memorable FA Cup run of 1983-84. He netted the vital, late winner at Newport County in the third round to ensure the Pilgrims' progress on a cold, wet evening. However, his goal at the Baseball Ground, direct from a corner, which knocked Derby County out of the FA Cup and took Argyle to their first ever Semi-Final, will ultimately be what most Argyle fans remember him for as his flighted, right-footed centre left Rams' keeper, Cherry, clutching at thin air and sailed into the net. It was the highlight of his four years at the club but he was a regular first-teamer for the duration of his stay. 195 appearances across all competitions saw Rogers score 19 goals for Argyle and whenever he found the net, Argyle never lost, recording 15 wins and two draws.

In 1985, Rogers moved to Reading for a fee of £15,000, where he scored six goals over a period of two years that saw him turn out 52 times for The Royals. During a game at Swansea, Rogers was involved in a collision that saw him dislocate his collarbone but also swallow his tongue. He stopped breathing for 90 seconds before swift action from Reading physio, Glenn Hunter, saved his life. Rogers moved from Elm Park to Southend United for £10,000 in 1987, where he made 52 appearances scoring twice. After leaving Southend, he spent time at Carshalton Athletic and Farnborough Town before retiring from football. After ending his playing career, Rogers returned to Devon to work as a probation officer.