Good To Be Back

IT has not taken Reuben Reid long to refamiliarise himself with his old stamping ground.

The 24 year old striker is back where his football career started after joining the Pilgrims on a one-month loan from league 1 Yeovil.

His first two years as a young teenage professional were spent with the Pilgrims, for who he made 12 appearances, only one of them as a loser.

“Not a lot has changed,” he said, before his first Home Park training session for nearly six years on Friday morning. “It’s good to be in familiar surroundings.

“It’s a bit strange, coming back to somewhere where you’ve been before, but it’s also a good thing because I’m familiar with the place.

“My memories of Plymouth have always been positive so, if I can come in and help the team win games, that will be a bonus for myself and the club.”

The one blot on Reuben’s personal copybook was that he failed to translate his prolific youth and reserve-team scoring form into goals for the first team during his formative years.

He has scored against  Argyle since leaving, including in a pre-season game this season, when he netted a hat-trick for Yeovil at Dorchester.

“That’s a record I’d like to change,” he said. “Hopefully, in this little spell, I can get on the scoresheet..

“I made my debut for Walsall a couple of seasons back and managed to get a goal against Argyle. It’s a funny game, football. I guess I owe Argyle one now.”

The years might have passed but Reuben still possesses the qualities that had Ian Holloway drooling after he handed a raw youngster his full debut at Coventry in 2006.

He said: “My game is based around attacking, getting the ball and driving forward, going at players and basically just trying to be a threat to the opposition.

“My pace is an asset and, hopefully, if I can get the ball in the right areas, I’m an alright finisher as, well. I hope I can bring that to the team, if I play.”

Reuben played alongside fellow Pilgrims loan player Gozie Ugwu at Yeovil this season, knows Warren Feeney from time at Oldham, and shared a dressing-room with Romain Larrieu, Nick Chadwick and Paul Wotton during his first spell at Argyle.

“I know quite a few of the lads here through the game,” he said.

“Familiar faces and familiar surroundings can only bode well for a successful little period.”