PAUL Stapleton has stepped down as Chairman of Plymouth Argyle Football Club.

After eight glorious years at the helm, Mr Stapleton will step aside to allow former Manchester United Chairman Sir Roy Gardner to take over as part of the deal that has seen a consortium of local and international businesses buy a controlling share in the club.

Paul Stapleton will stay on the Board as Vice-Chairman and he was in reminiscent mood at the start of a momentous day at Home Park.

"Today, I am standing down as Chairman of Plymouth Argyle after eight momentous years in the chair," said Mr Stapleton.

"I was asked to join the Board in June 1998 by Dan McCauley, and, three years later, a consortium of local fans took control in August 2001.

"I remember telling Paul Sturrock [what was happening] the day before and he was quite flabbergasted. The journey started then and it was amazing to win the [League Two] Championship that season, beating Luton, and the rivalry with Joe Kinnear.

"I remember Dan saying to the Board at the time 'you'll run out of money in June 2002', but he didn't know that we'd win the title.

"Robert Dennerly then joined the Board and we carried on from there in League One. We then won the title again, and my little son, who was born in 1998, thought we would win the league every two years.

"I have memories of going to Rochdale away and winning promotion, and the journey home on the coach. We then went to Darlington and won the Championship.

"We then had the game against QPR in April 2004, which was absolutely fantastic. I actually coined a phrase at the end of that game - 'You Can't Buy Days Like This', and that was one of the best days of our period at Plymouth Argyle. Ian Holloway was the manager of QPR and he had the grace to be very kind about that day, and said that the best team won that day.

"We moved on to five years in the Championship and the [FA Cup] quarter-final against Watford. The emotion on that day brought a lump to my throat. The atmosphere was absolutely fantastic and the feeling of pride at being Chairman of this football club with such great things going on was some experience.

"Last season was a bit more problematic but I did get the same sort of emotion at the end of the games at Wolves and Blackpool. Those feelings come with football and the passion you have for the club you've supported for so many years.

"My family have suffered in this period. Being the chairman of a football club is all-embracing. The phone goes at odd times, and e-mails. It is generally your family that takes the brunt because you don't do things you would normally do.

"Having said that, I wouldn't change a moment of it. It has been great pride to take this club forward.

"I have had great support from Robert Dennerly since he joined in 2002. He has been a great ally of mine. Tony Wrathall also came on board in 2005, and he has been a great supporter.

"I have been very lucky to have people around me on the Board, who have supported me, and the staff at the football club have been fantastic, as well.

"We have seen the days when you couldn't buy a box of matches without Dan signing it off. That was the old days when the gates were 4,000 and the wage bill was about £1m.

"We have moved on since then. We have moved from mid-table in the old Fourth Division to an established Championship club. We have punched above our weight.

"The fans have been very good as well. There are always people who want change but the bulk of the fans have been very supportive to all of us.

"Managers, I've had a few. We only had to sack one as a Board and the rest just disappeared, but we got Paul Sturrock back.

"We had a great rapport in the first place and I can't say enough about Paul. He took us to that first championship and the success he brought us. Paul was the catalyst and the foundation for it all, and I will always be eternally grateful for that."

Despite his understandable feelings of nostalgia, Mr Stapleton was also palpably excited the future prospects for Argyle.

He said: "I have enjoyed every minute of being Chairman. It is going to be different to step down but sometimes you take the baton and you pass it on.

"This club has been going for 106 years. We have had eight promotions, five championships and it's time we had another one coming up.

"It's time now to widen that network, rather than just local people. We realise that it needs global, international and national. It needs support, movement and the next step.

"We have taken it as far as we think we can. We think we've done a reasonable job.

"It has been a rollercoaster, but today we are announcing that a consortium of international and local businesses have brought a controlling share in the holding company that owns Plymouth Argyle Football Club.

"Phill Gill left the Board recently and Mr Kagami bought his shares, and today the three Directors here [Paul Stapleton, Robert Dennerly and Tony Wrathall] have agreed to sell 13% to Keith Todd and Sir Roy Gardner, so it's not actually sold to Mr Kagami.

"I will step down as Chairman and Sir Roy Gardner will take the role as Chairman of this football club. Keith Todd will join the Board. I will remain on the Board as Vice Chairman, and Robert Dennerly and Tony Wrathall will also remain on the Board, retaining the local relationships that have been established over a long period.

"George Synan and Mr Kagami will be the largest shareholders at 38%, but it will be a partnership working together.

"It is the start of a new era and a new world for Plymouth Argyle. It is a very exciting chapter and we are very glad to be part of it because we feel we still have a lot to offer this football club.

"We have passion, support and knowledge that we have acquired over many years, and we are really pleased to be part of this journey.

"The manager has said the Championship is a league that needs money. I think it brought it home to the Board that we needed help to advance the club further. Obviously, we had George Synan and Mr Kagami, which helped, and bringing in Sir Roy and Keith was the next stage.

"It wasn't forced on us - it was time."

Perhaps his only regret is not being able to complete the redevelopment of the South Stand at Home Park during his time as Chairman.

He remains hopeful, however, that he will be on the Board when that day finally arrives.

"I had this great vision of being here when the new grandstand opened and cutting the ribbon," said Mr Stapleton.

"That's not going to happen while I'm Chairman, but I am very keen to see it happen while I'm on the Board.

"We have a great chance now to make sure the development does happen. We need support from the council, of course, and we need sensible conversations.

"If we get this stand built and make it used ever day of the week, instead of 23 times a year, then great. We have always tried to do that but I'm not sure whether we, the existing Board, had the wherewithal to push it through.

"If it now happens while I'm on the Board, I will be really happy. I have an office at home full of Argyle development papers.

"We have had years and years of meetings, and it is frustrating we haven't been able to take it over the line.

"Money comes into it. We needed to put more money into the football club wages. All the spadework has been done and all the research is there to push this on."