You're the Top

GRAHAM Carey holds winning promotion with Argyle at the top of his achievement list and feels the Pilgrims rounded off their promotion nicely with their best performance of the season.

Graham scored his 15th goal of the season as Argyle glided past Newport County in their penultimate home game of the season and Argyle's magical midfielder was delighted that the Greens sealed promotion.

"Probably at the top I think," said Graham of where he ranked the achievement of promotion. "When you are playing in Scotland unless you are playing in the lower leagues you can't really get promoted. It is something different and something that means more to the club and the city than to me personally obviously, but for me it is a great achievement and something that doesn't come around often in your career and something different. You can tell what it means to the fans, it is good to win cups, but we have been in this league for far too long for the size of the club and hopefully we can push on now.

"It is brilliant. It is something we have been working towards the last two years. We were unfortunate not to do it last year. The manner we have done it, it is only fitting that we put in probably the best performance of the season really. We were so good going forward. 

"Yes, they had a few chances but I think that is probably because we were so open and so attacking. We knew we were going to have to take the fight out of them. They were obviously fighting for their lives and luckily for them results kind of went their way and they are still in their fighting. What their staff have done over the last month or two has been brilliant. Hats off to them, hopefully they stay up as well. But it is a great way to clinch promotion. I think obviously the club and the fans have been waiting for so long and to do it in that manner was special."

The Pilgrims could have been promoted at Fratton Park, but an equalising goal from Luton Town in their game against Mansfield Town meant that Argyle had to wait.

"It was kind of a blessing in disguise," said Graham. "To give the fans the day that they have done, it is a tribute to them. They have backed us all season, especially away games, they have travelled in their numbers. They are never quiet away from home and I think from the moment we kicked-off today they were bouncing. It was a tough game to start with to be honest, we knew they were going to have a lot of fight because they were fighting for something. We probably didn't start sharp enough and we gave the ball away cheaply at times but once we got into a two goal lead we put our foot on the gas and knocked the fight out of them in the second-half.

"We knew the first ten minutes of the second-half was crucial and that if we got a third goal, that would be the game. Luckily we did that and then we could push on and get more goals and close the difference on Doncaster a little bit. We have still got a huge chance of clinching the title and that would be the icing on the cake.

"I think we need to enjoy today. It has been a long time coming for the club and the fans and us as players. Especially the four of us that were here last year. I think it took us a while to get over that defeat at Wembley and we obviously didn't start the season well but I think the recruitment from the manager and the staff and the club has been first class. To get the squad and the team we have on not the biggest budget in the league is a testament to the scouting.