Greatest Strikers: No.3

THE Greatest Pilgrims, voted for by the Green Army, lists the top 25 Argyle legends in all positions and we move on to the goalscoring heroes.

Greatest Pilgrim Strikers
Ranked No.3
Paul Mariner

If it was down to pure football talent and accomplishments in the game, Paul Mariner would comfortably top the list of greatest Pilgrims.

Few could have predicted the illustrious future ahead of Mariner when he arrived as a fresh-faced youngster from Chorley in 1973. He quickly formed a brilliant strike-partnership with Billy Rafferty and his goals led Argyle to promotion in 1975.

Mariner was a powerful centre-forward who also had the rare gift of superb ball control and football intelligence. He could score goals and provide for others, as it soon became clear Argyle had signed a player capable of reaching the very top.

After 61 goals in three years as a Pilgrim, Mariner was sold to Ipswich Town, where he won the FA Cup and UEFA Cup. This great Pilgrim also played for Arsenal, Portsmouth and in the United States, winning 35 caps for England in a brilliant career.

He went into management in the USA and returned to Home Park as boss in 2009. A truly great Pilgrim and a great footballer.

For information on the Greatest Pilgrims, please click here.

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Greatest Striker Results So Far
3. Paul Mariner
4. Sammy Black
5. Sylvan Ebanks-Blake
6. Billy Rafferty
7. David Kemp
8. Reuben Reid
9. Dwight Marshall
10. Bradley Wright-Phillips
11. Wilf Carter
12. Ian Stonebridge
13. Barry Hayles
14. Maurice Tadman
15. Marino Keith
16. Jack Cock
17. Jamie Mackie
18. Gordon Staniforth
19. Carlo Corazzin
20. Fred Binney
21. Adrian Littlejohn
22. Steve Cooper 
23. Paul Gallagher 
24. Paul McGregor 
25. Derek Rickard