A Message From the Manager
Dear Green Army,
I am writing to you at the end of a whirlwind 20/21 Sky Bet League One season to thank you for your unbelievable support.
Without fans in the stands, this season has not felt to the same to me, or any of my staff. Your passion for our club is what makes it great, and we have certainly missed your presence cheering us on in games up and down the country.
When reflecting on our season, I am, first and foremost, satisfied that we achieved our requirement to stay in Sky Bet League One. Given the uncertainty surrounding football when we made our contract offers 12 months ago, I think this represents progress for the club in our long-term ambitions – and leaves us in a great place for when fans can return to Home Park.
That said, I am a competitive man, I want to win every game and do the best I possibly can for this great football club that I am proud to manage. We have a staff full of winners, and the final few weeks was hard to take for all of us.
At Argyle, a project is underway - from the owner Simon Hallett down through the Board of Directors and into the football staff. We reflect on our season as a whole, not just recent form, when making decisions about the future.
We played some exciting football at times – I can only imagine the scenes in the stands for moments like the last-minute 4-3 win over Lincoln City, or the away win at Sunderland. Ultimately, though, we need to reach those levels on a more regular basis if we are to achieve the ambitions that we all hold for Argyle.
I feel very confident that we understand the factors behind our season tailing off, and I have been quite honest and open with the media when discussing this. Without going into too much detail, I think our retained list speaks for itself in terms of how we want to go about our business next season. We have learned a lot from this year, and will take that with us into 21/22.
I want to take a moment to thank every player who departs the club this summer. Having worked with this group day in, day out, I have no doubt that they put their all into representing the club. It is never easy saying goodbye to players who you have worked and played alongside, but the decisions had to be made to take this football club to where we all want to go.
What currently remains is the nucleus of a young, exciting, talented squad – with a number of home-grown Academy graduates representing the club, which is a huge source of pride for everyone associated with Argyle.
It is now about using the budget to add players to the mix who can take us to that next level. We know what we have to spend, we have been working on recruitment for a while now, and we will look to spend it wisely over the summer.
One thing that cannot be underestimated, though, is how much difference your support can make for our team. I am not just talking about buying season tickets, merchandise from the club shop, or attending the hospitality and events side of things at Home Park, but also your influence during match days. During my time as manager, I have not been able to experience that nearly as much as I’d have liked, and that is the thing I am most excited about heading into next season.
The idea of a full and rocking Home Park is what motivates me, and I can assure you that we will work long and hard, every day, to build a team that you can be proud of.
I can’t wait to see you back in the stands. In the meantime, I hope you all have a happy and healthy summer.
21/22 season tickets are on sale now. Click here to get yours.