Football Season Guide

Plymouth Argyle

In


Harry Burgoyne (gk) (Wolves - loan), Freddie Ladapo (att) (Southend), Conor Grant (mid) (Everton - loan), Scott Wootton (def) (MK Dons), Peter Grant (def) (Falkirk), Joe Riley (def) (Shrewsbury), Calum Dyson (att) (Everton), Niall Canavan (def) (Rochdale), Tafari Moore (def) (Arsenal), Ashley Smith-Brown (def) (Manchester City), Matt Macey (gk) (Arsenal - loan)

Out


Moses Makasi (r) (mid) (West Ham - loan ended), Zak Vyner (r) (def) (Bristol City - loan ended), Remi Matthews (r) (gk) (Norwich - loan ended), Gary Miller (sp) (def) (Carlisle), Paul Paton (sp) (mid) (Falkirk), Sonny Bradley (r) (def) (Luton), Aaron Taylor-Sinclair (r) (def) (Motherwell), Oscar Threlkeld (r) (def) (Beveren), Luke McCormick (sp) (gk) (Swindon), Simon Church (att) (retired), Robert te Loeke (gk) (released)

Plymouth were the League One's ultimate Jekyll and Hyde side last season, as they looked pretty much certain to go down between August and November, but massively improved after that and ended up missing out on a play-off place only narrowly. What is remarkable regarding this is that this major U-turn in their fortunes came without any changes in managerial or playing staff and the Pilgrims enter the new season hoping to look more like the side that they were in the middle of the previous campaign and less than the side they were in its early stages. The Pilgrims have lost a few regulars over the summer, as Moses Makasi, Zak Vyner and Remi Matthews are back with their parent clubs, while Sonny Bradley and Aaron Taylor-Sinclair have left. However, the list of arrivals is crowded with well-known League One names and like-for-like replacements have been signed for all the players who have departed. The Pilgrims, who used five different goalkeepers last season, have now brought in Harry Burgoyne on loan from Wolves, and the new signing will challenge Kyle Letheren for the number one spot. The early stages of the new season will be emotional for the Pilgrims' fans as they will have a chance to see Ryan Edwards return to football - the full-back has not played a competitive game since January due to being diagnosed with testicular cancer, which he beat in the meantime. Despite changing a bit, Plymouth seem to be of similar strength as last season and Derek Adams will be trusted in continuing his last season's good work.

Target


Having finished seventh last season, the Pilgrims will be hoping to go a step forward this time around and make the play-offs.