The Argyle Podcast

Argyle Fives on kits.

On Friday, 25th April, it is the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK's annual Football Shirt Friday campaign. And as we have done for the last couple of years, Argyle are proud to support it.
Therefore, the Argyle Fives team of Charlie Price, Rob McNichol and Kevin Nancekivell got together to discuss their favourite football shirts from Argyle history.

Obviously, we all bleed green, but what shade of green? Do you prefer stripes or block colour? What about green and black or green and white. 

The constant t...

The team behind the man.

Any good Head Coach will tell you; they can’t be successful without the team behind the scenes.

When Miron Muslic arrived at Home Park, he was lucky to have the likes of Kevin Nancekivell and Darryl Flahavan, two experienced coaches, already in place. However, he needed some familiar faces around him for his first job in England.

He turned to two men who helped him build success in Belgium in the shape of fellow Bosnia Adin Osmanbasic and Englishman Eddie Lattimore. Both are young for coaches but ha...

Late to the game, but worth the wait.

Many people, by the age of 25, would have given up on the dream of becoming a professional footballer. And in fact, Dwight Marshall was also in that camp. Failed trials at Crystal Palace and Sheffield United meant he had started a career in the ‘real world.’ 

However, an invitation to Cornwall to play in a pre-season tournament for Plymouth Argyle changed his life. 

Manager David Kemp offered him a deal right there and then and he went on to become a leading light for Argyle for th...

Crossing the divide.

Growing up in Surrey, there is little chance that Jamie Mackie would ever have imagined he would be embroiled in two of the fiercest rivalries in England. Well, he was, and he somehow comes out of it pretty well.

As a teenager he broke into a Wimbledon side that was struggling financially and, when the decision was made to move the club to Milton Keynes, 18-year-old Jamie went. 

Three years later, he found himself as one of the top scorers in the Conference, with Exeter. At the peak of his p...

A table of redemption.

When he arrived at Home Park in what could have risen to be a club record fee, there were incredibly high hopes for Simon Walton.

He broke into his boyhood Leeds United side as a teenager, had almost 100 games at Championship level under his belt and was supposed to be part of a rebuild job that would take Argyle forward.

Fast forward just a couple of months and he was wanting out. A combination of bad performances, lack of professionalism and falling out with the manager left Walts on...

The voice of Home Park.

From last minute winner, to promotions, penalty shootout wins and semi-final triumphs, Gary McLean has been there for all of them, over the last 15 seasons.

For an outgoing Argyle fan who always had a love for being a showman, being the stadium announcer has to be up there as a dream job.

In 2010, the club was looking for someone new to take the mic and Gary was the man to get Home Park ready for matchday’s ever since.

He’s seen big cup ties, semi-final wins...

The latest episode of the Argyle Podcast is ready for you to listen to!

An Argyle team led by former player David Norris and Under-18s Head Coach Jamie Lowry will head Stateside this summer to take part in The Soccer Tournament (TST) in North Carolina.

TST, a 7v7 event with a $1million winner-takes-all prize will be played at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC, from June 4-9.

Argyle’s full squad will be announced in due course but will feature former players and futsal stars and be overseen for the week by pl...

A perfectly imperfect career.

Jamie Ness was a big deal in the youth ranks at Rangers. He was one of a crop of youngsters, alongside future Pilgrim Gregg Wylde, who were highly thought of and tipped to go to the top. And while it didn’t go totally to plan, Jamie made himself a bit of a cult hero.

Injuries blighted him throughout his career. After a stunning introduction to the Ibrox fans, with a 40-yard piledriver against bitter rivals Celtic, injuries and the club going bust meant he had to move on.

A...

The Blissett family name.

If your name is Blissett, you’re a striker and you’re trying to make a name for yourself in football, there is no doubt conversation will quickly turn to the great Luther Blissett and that is exactly how life turned out for Nathan.

Every new club he joined, every person he met, the second question to him was always ‘are you related to Luther?’ and the answer, ‘yes.’

Nathan grew up not knowing about his uncle Luther until he saw the name on Soccer AM in the early 2000s. When Nath...

Argyle Fives on festive matches – Festive Fives

Every fan enjoys football over the festive period. The traditional Boxing Day matches always produce a unique atmosphere and quite often a lot of goals.

In the 40s and 50s games would be played back-to-back against the same side. Local games usually get arranged for this time of year and there is a freshness around the New Years Day fixtures.

Goals, Christmas jumpers, thrilling comebacks, huge wins, managerial sackings; they have all taken place over the Christmas period and Charlie Price, Rob McNichol and Kevin Nancekivell ta...

Bursting onto the scene

At 14 he was playing at Twickenham for England juniors, at 16 he was making his Argyle debut and at 44 he is still turning out on a Saturday for Plymouth True Blues.

Lee Phillips packed a lot into a relatively short time at Argyle. He was thrust into the limelight as a teenager, becoming the youngest player to play for the club in 1996. A quick and powerful striker, it was clear to see why he was so quick to make an impression.

He had to wait for his first goal, that...

“…not a bad ball in…”

Few Argyle players have experienced as much as Mark Patterson did in his four years at Home Park. Having arrived from Derby Country and once again teaming up with Peter Shilton, Pato experienced a playoff semi-final defeat, then relegation to the basement division and a subsequent promotion at Wembley, where he also claimed the assist.

A North East lad, who played out his dream with Newcastle United legends helping him along the way. Bob Stokoe, Pop Robson and Arthur Cox all helped in his development, a development that would go on to pr...

“Both ends that is all…”

Kevin Wills will forever go down as a legend of South West football. Maybe more fondly remembered by Truro City supporters for his double, scoring at both ends, in the FA Vase final triumph in 2007. But he also won promotions with both Torquay United and Plymouth Argyle.

Joining the Greens in the late 90s, Willsy made his breakthrough in 1998 as an exciting forward. Despite never quite making it as a regular during his time at Home Park, he was an integral part of Paul Sturrock’s centurions in 2001/02, playing 18 matches mainly a...

The next Trevor Francis.

Well, it didn’t quite turn out like that for George Foster, but he certainly has no complaints about his career.

The Plymouth born, football mad kid who grew up watching the sides of the late 1960s got his big chance against the player he was always likened to. Being thrust on to try and deal with one of the best forwards in the country, in a position you’re not accustomed to would probably faze most people, not George, it was a challenge.

He went on to captain Argy...

Football, cricket, triathlon – in that order.

What does it take to become one of Wayne Rooney’s most trusted people within football? Well, ask Pete Shuttleworth.

Since their first meeting at Derby, Wayne as a player and Pete as a Performance Analyst, they have pretty much been at each other’s side, wherever they have gone around the world.

Pete’s journey to becoming an Assistant Coach to one of the most recognisable figures in football is far from straightforward. He has trodden the unusual path of schoolteacher, triathlete and county cricketer before finally...

He’s a superstar.

Three time Olympian and rowing gold medallist Greg Searle is somewhat of an inspiration. After winning gold with his brother in 1992, bronze in 1996 and narrowly missing out in 2000, he was not content and 20 years later was back in a boat, at the age of 40, winning another Olympic medal.

From being inspired by his history teacher to being the best in the world and with a couple of marathons and triathlons in between, Greg Searle certainly is a bit of a superstar – oh and he’s an Argyle fan too.

This i...

Argyle Fives on best partnerships.

If Mariner won’t get you, Raffery will. One of the deadliest striking partnerships in Argyle's history and there have been quite a few.

In the latest episode of the Argyle Fives series, Charlie Price, Kevin Nancekivell and Rob McNichol try to narrow down all of the legendary partnerships into a condensed list of five.

Strikers, defenders, midfielder, coaches and even commentary teams. There are so many fond memories uncovered in this particular episode.

Argyle Fives is also available to watch on Argyle TV - enjoy!

Shell suit Shelly 

When a 16-year-old Paul Connolly arrived in Plymouth from Liverpool, not many would have imagined he would have gone on to become one of the club’s greatest full backs.

‘Shelly’ became an integral part of the Paul Sturrock revolution, featuring heavily in the 2003/04 promotion season. As the years and managers went on, he kept his place and was a strikers dream with his marauding runs and whipped in crosses becoming a feature of how Argyle played.

But, after eight years at the club, he moved on as part of the mas...

Fireman Rhys.

The name Rhys Griffiths might not mean that much to Argyle fans; a six-month spell which saw three goals in 17 matches doesn’t scream club legend. However, that short period of time meant so much to Rhys.

The Cardiff born forward enjoyed a prolific time in his home country. He combined playing with working in the fire service and was a seven-time golden boot winner in the Welsh Premier League. But until the age of 32 he never got to achieve his boyhood dream of becoming a professional footballer.

After a chance me...

“Bradley Wright Wright Phillips”

A short but clearly affective spell at Home Park for Bradley Wright-Phillips helped propel his career in the right direction.

Being from a famous footballing family, football was obviously going to be the career path for young Brad and his brother Shaun.

They both made a breakthrough at Manchester City but while Shaun was on the upwards trajectory, Brad struggled for a variety of reasons.

It wasn’t until a few home truths were uttered in the corridors of Home Park that Brad realised it was more than a...

With the summer transfer window now over, Head of Recruitment Jimmy Dickinson opens up about how he feels the business has gone.

Nine new players have come into the club, with significant money paid. New markets explored and exciting additions who have already made an impact on the pitch.

It hasn’t all be plain sailing and brining in quality players to improve the squad hasn’t been easy, but in this episode of the Argyle Podcast, we aim to give you a better understanding into what goes on.

Let’s talk transfers.

Kevin Hodges, quite literally, is THE Argyle legend. Two promotions, part of the incredible FA Cup semi-final side of 1984, numerous player of the season awards and, by a country mile, the club’s record appearance holder.

From the young lad who turned up in Plymouth after his hometown club’s youth set-up had folded, to the father figure to younger players in the dressing room, Kev’s journey has been remarkable.

In this two-part series find out how he broke through, what Elm Cottage was like to grow up in, playing in that super team in the...

‘He must have four lungs.’

To play 620 matches for one club over a 15-year spell, he probably did.

Kevin Hodges, quite literally, is THE Argyle legend. Two promotions, part of the incredible FA Cup semi-final side of 1984, numerous player of the season awards and, by a country mile, the club’s record appearance holder.

From the young lad who turned up in Plymouth after his hometown club’s youth set-up had folded, to the father figure to younger players in the dressing room, Kev’s journey has been remarkable.

In this two-part s...

Cherry picking!

Whether playing against us or for us, Steve Cherry has been involved in some of Argyle greatest moments over the last 40 years.

As an opposition goalkeeper in 1984, he watched as an Andy Rogers corner flew past him and gave Argyle an historic FA Cup quarter-final win. Fast forward 12 years and he again, in involved, this time for us, as Neil Warnock led Argyle to a 1-0 win at Wembley to clinch promotion in 1996.

A complex character, who is larger than life and had a career that spanned 26 years. This is the...

Argyle Fives on opening weekends.
As we are building up to the opening weekend of the Sky Bet Championship season for 2024/25, what better way to get us in the mood than looking back at some of the best opening day matches from our history.

The anticipation is always huge, everyone full optimism for the campaign ahead and over the years there have been some memorable ones.

Glorious weather, wonderful goals, away day extasy, Home Park relief; everything is encapsulated by the opening weekend.

So, sit back, enjoy and probably disagree with what...

The Ox in the Box.

When Barry Hayles signed for Argyle in the summer of 2006, aged 34, many thought he was in the twilight of his career. However, this evergreen striker had other ideas. He quickly became a fans favourite, was Argyle’s top scorer that season and is still paying now, some 18 years later.

His story began in South London in the 1970s and although never picked up by a ‘big club’ he always knew football was the path for him.

From prolific non-league days to scoring at White Hart Lane, home to his bo...

Argyle Fives on best comebacks.

Everyone likes a comeback. Late drama, the range of emotion and almost certainly the ‘winning feeling’ is one of the greatest things about this great sport. And Argyle have been involved in a fair share.

In the fourth of the Argyle Fives series, Charlie Price, Kevin Nancekivell and Rob McNichol dive into the club's history to narrow the list down to just five.

There are derby days, promotion charges, season definers and just plain mad games included in the discussion; which, as is now normal, becomes heated at time...

Welcome Tee-Jay.

Nigerian striker Muhamed Tijani was the second player to join the club in the summer of 2024.

Growing up in West Africa, Tee-Jay idolised Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Wayne Rooney. He was always the best in his school and dreamed of one day playing in Europe.

Those free-scoring school days led to that dream move, where the sun and comforts of home was replaced by the cold and rain of Banik, Czechia – but it was the place to be for Tee-Jay. After a couple of loan spells and a fruitful under-20 World Cup, on...

The latest episode of the Argyle Podcast is available to listen to!

Super Frank Nouble.

Not many footballers, have played for 19 clubs, featuring in the top six of divisions in England, spent two years in China and has set up their own Academy. Well, Frank Nouble has amongst many other things.

Growing up in south London, he and his brother Joel, both signed for Chelsea in the early 2000s. Frank flourished, under the guidance of Paul Clement and Brendan Rodgers. 

Blues legend Gianfranco Zola convinced him to swap Stamford B...

The first signing of the Wayne Rooney era.

In May 2024, Nathanael Ogbeta became the first signing of the summer as Argyle prepared for their second successive Sky Bet Championship campaign.

The highly rated full back has been on the books of Manchester City since the age of eight and captained England at youth level.

Brought up in a sporting family, he and his sister Naomi have helped each other through some high pressure situations. Naomi is a multiple British Champion at triple jump and with Nat being a professional footballer at one the...

“Oh Bobby, Bobby…”

Winning promotion in your first game in charge isn’t a bad way to introduce yourself to the Green Army. That is exactly what Bobby Williamson did in April 2004.

His 504 days in charge of Argyle certainly were eventful. From that magical day against QPR, to beating Sunderland, Wigan and Reading in the Championship; signing Taribo West and then losing his job six days into a new season. Some of the stories of Bobby Williamson’s career at Home Park are well worth a listen.

Now out in Kenya, having stepped away from...

He led us out at Villa Park.

What a moment that must have been for 22-year-old Leigh Cooper. An FA Cup semi-final, with half of Plymouth in the stands and one game away from Wembley.

At the time he was one of the youngster captains in the Football League and although that day didn’t go his or Argyle’s way, Leigh was able to re-build his career after falling out of favour with fans and managers.

Converted to a full back, he was an integral part of the 1986 promotion winning side and was...

‘A complete nutter.’

A phrase used to describe Andy Morrison by Blackpool manager Sam Allardyce. And, if you were to ask anyone who played against him, they would probably be the same. 

However, to played in the Premier League twice, captained half of the clubs you have played for and be named as Manchester City’s best ever captains, you’re more than just a hardman.

Jock, moved to Plymouth from Scotland as a two-year old and rose through the ranks at his beloved Argyle.

A move to the Premier League beckoned...

The future is bright, the future is Green!

Nothing males a football fan prouder than seeing ‘one of their own’ break through and make it. Over the last few seasons, there has been success after success coming out of the Argyle Academy.

The 2023/24 season has been no exception. The under-18s were double winner, the under-10s won the Oakham tournament, Freddie Issaka was nominated at the EFL Awards for the Sky Bet Championship apprentice of the year – and that’s just to name a few.

It’s been a brilliant year and this week’...

The one everyone wanted.

The story of a promising footballer failing to live up to the hype is common. But what about the story of the best youngster the country has produced who was tipped to lead England to World Cup glory? Step forward Cherno Samba.

A Championship Manager ‘must buy’ who was also the hottest property in the real world. Clubs were falling over each other to get the then 15-year old’s signature.

However, like so many before him, it didn’t work out. Spells in Spain, Greece and Finland followed as well...

A two-time title winner.

Before arriving at Home Park in the winter of 2000, David Worrell’s young career already included a third placed finish at a World Championships and, more loosely, a Premier League title win. The first, he was full involved in, the second, not so much.

However, by the age of 19, the Dublin born full-back had been an ever present as Ireland won the bronze medal at the 1997 World Youth Championships in Malaysia and was a regular in the reserves at Blackburn Rovers, the year they won the Premier League.

Although he...

The Plymouth Rose.

You can count on one hand the Plymothians who have played football for England. In fact, just two born in the city have gone on to represent their country at full international level; Trevor Francis and Jemma Rose.

For Jemma, it was a pipe dream growing up in the 1990s. She played junior football in the city for Activate, coached by her dad, before getting recognised and brought into the Centre of Excellence.

But with no pathway to become a professional in Devon, she had to move to Bristol. By...

“He does it…Marino Keith!”

From Peterhead to Plymouth, Marino Keith was a hero in Green and part of the crop of Argyle players who won two championships.

Growing up in Aberdeenshire he made his professional bow later than most. After a strong performance in the Highland Leagues for Fraserburgh, he got his dream move to boyhood club Dundee United.

After spells at Falkirk and Livingston, Marino ventured about as south as south goes and joined Argyle in the November of 2001.

In his first season he helped Argyle clinch promotion from Divisi...

From being a Championship Manager legend to playing in the Championship with Argyle.

A lot was expected of Bojan Djordijc. He made was playing first team football in Sweden aged 15, Manchester United came calling at 16 and he was one of the hottest properties on the computer game, Championship manager at 17.

However, his career pathway didn’t quite pan out as the video game had predicted. A combination of childhood trauma, a lax attitude to training and injuries meant that the star boy, who was supposed to conquer the world was left languishing in the South We...

The Wylde thing.

Argyle players from Kirkintilloch tend to do pretty well. Sammy Black is the club's record goal scorer and Gregg Wylde, whilst not quite hitting the same heights, played a big part in Argyle's rejuvenation.

A Rangers fan, who played in Celtic's Academy, Gregg moved back across Glasgow and started his professional career at Ibrox. Under the watchful eye of Walter Smith and Ally McCoist, Gregg starred as a youngster at the club and if it wasn't for administration, would have stayed there for much longer. 

Derek Adams brought the winger t...