Club News
Keep Calm - He's Back
8th January 2014
JASON Banton is returning to Home Park. Permanently.
The Crystal Palace forward, who had a successful loan spell at Argyle last season, passed a Home Park medical on Wednesday morning to become the first player to transfer to the Pilgrims from another club for nearly four years.
Jason, who was 21 just before Christmas, first came to Home Park from Palace a little over a year ago, on January transfer deadline day.
He became a talismanic figure in the Pilgrims' ultimately successful battle to avoid relegation from the Football League, with six goals in 14 games.
The most memorable of these was the last of the six - an exquisite winner in the 1-0 Devon Expressway Derby victory over Exeter City in front of a packed Home Park crowd.
"Keep Calm and Pass to Banton" was the message that he revealed on his undershirt during the goal celebration, while, all around him, pandemonium broke out.
If that goal was worth two points, his other contributions were also invaluable: he scored twice in his second game as Argyle won 2-1 at Aldershot; netted in a 1-1 draw at Wimbledon; and helped the Pilgrims to a home win over Fleetwood Town. Only at champions Gillingham, where Argyle lost 2-1, did one of his goals count for nothing.
Jason's impact was noted further afield in the shape of the League 2 Player of the Month award for March.
John Sheridan, who won the Manager of the Month Award at the same time, and was keen to bring Jason back on loan this season.
However, Palace loaned him to League 1 MK Dons last summer in a deal that was not renewed when it ran out at the end of last year, and it seemed Argyle had seen the last of Jason.
That was, until now. Jason has been assigned the number 20 shirt and will be available for the home game against Southend on Saturday.
That was, until now. Jason has been assigned the number 20 shirt and will be available for the home game against Southend on Saturday.