Smells Like Team Spirit

THE Pilgrims’ progress under Derek Adams has been underpinned by a work-ethic that has helped create what Reuben Reid believes is the best behind-the-scenes atmosphere he can remember at Home Park.

Reuben scored both Argyle goals in Sunday’s 2-0 victory over Notts County at Meadow Lane which saw the Greens top the Sky Bet League 2 table by three points. 

The Pilgrims’ number nine might have grabbed the headlines, but the win was achieved on the back of a solid team showing and he said: “Since I came back to Plymouth, it’s been the best changing-room I’ve been in. Hopefully that can only help us, take us a long way.

“We’re working hard every single day. Every single day, the lads come in and take it to the limit. What’s boding well at the moment is that we’ve got a really honest bunch, really close-knit, and that, coupled with creative players, and players with ability who can win games...as it stands at the minute, we’re not doing so bad. Long may it continue.”

Josh Simpson also knows how it feels to be in a successful dressing room, and is buoyed by the current atmosphere in the Argyle camp. Simpson experienced plenty of success before joining Argyle this summer, securing two promotions with Crawley Town, and the midfielder sees plenty of similarities to those campaigns this time around.  

“The boys are buzzing in there,” said Josh. “We’re looking forward to the next few games now. We’ve got a lot of confidence in the camp.

“Everyone’s gelled really nicely, and I think there’s a real buzz about the place. Everyone’s really positive. The club really deserve it, and hopefully this is the season where we can really progress as a team. We’re all really happy in the changing room. 

“I got promoted from the Conference to League Two, and League Two to League One, and there’s definitely a winning mentality in the changing room, and there’s a real togetherness. 

“You can feel that before the game and after the game. We’ve gelled really well, and there’s positive vibe about the place.”

The hero at Meadow Lane, the aforementioned Reid, is as big a presence as any in that dressing room, and Simpson praised his teammate’s ability to add that clinical touch to a side regularly creating chances.

“We’ve got players that can dig in and we’ve got players that’ll finish the game and score goals,” said Simpson. “He’s done that for us today. 

“Without him, we wouldn’t have won the game today, so it shows what he’s all about. He’s clinical, he got the two goals and he killed the game for us, so it was good.

“He’s been looking very good, and he’s been looking sharp in training as well. He’s looking stronger each game, and long may it continue.”