What does Argyle mean to you?

Whilst strolling around the wilds of Plympton this morning with the dogs, one's mind tends to drift, and the direction my somewhat addled version went towards, was PAFC.

The reason being, was that in my younger days, what was happening at Home Park seemed to take virtually top priority in my life. I couldn't wait until the next match, I was totally euphoric when we won, it was the end of the world when we lost. I was married, had kids, well paid job, but PAFC was one of the most important things in my life (after the family). All this was going whilst we were, in the main, languishing in the bottom two divisions, with the odd foray into Div 2. Thinking further back, even at school, my 'main' team was Argyle, not one of Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal, etc etc. Most of this probably stemmed from my old Dad, who used take me when I was 3 or 4, and I used to sit on his shoulders at the Barn Park End, near the pylon. His passion for the team must have rubbed on me and I was hooked.

Now, 50 odd years later, why has it changed so much? I'm still a fan, I still want them to win and do well, but there are now a number of things I would put in front of going to Home Park. Perhaps, as I've got older I've recognised how badly the club has been run over the years, and how much lack of ambition has been shown. 'Same old Argo' was the phrase used a few years ago, but that really does sum things up for me.

Events over the last couple of years have, no doubt, brought things to a head. 2 successive relegations, the struggles this year, the awful football, an owner trumpeted as being a saviour, on whom, for me, the jury is still out, and the constant rantings of 'proper fans' who are seemingly incapable of seeing the bigger picture, have all conspired into, quite frankly, turning me off the whole Argyle experience. It's still for life, it's my home town club and I'll always want them to do well, but perversely, I find myself not really caring if we fell out of the league. I think, well, serve them right. Poor management, no investment when it was needed and blind faith in a non football fan, will have caused it.

All very sad really. It was always one of my Dad's greatest wishes that he could see his beloved Argyle in the top division before he died. Sadly that was not to be, and it really doesn't look that it's going to happen in the next 50 odd years either. And what's worse is that I don't really care anymore. I have many more important things in my life that I enjoy. Is it just me, or are there others who feel the same?

Perhaps it's just an age thing. Anyway, glad I got that off my chest.

Scum

Our main rivals, as we are yours, simple as

PS


My kids, great grand kids will be lucky to see Argyle in the top division

PlymptonPilgrim wrote:

Whilst strolling around the wilds of Plympton this morning with the dogs, one's mind tends to drift, and the direction my somewhat addled version went towards, was PAFC.

The reason being, was that in my younger days, what was happening at Home Park seemed to take virtually top priority in my life. I couldn't wait until the next match, I was totally euphoric when we won, it was the end of the world when we lost. I was married, had kids, well paid job, but PAFC was one of the most important things in my life (after the family). All this was going whilst we were, in the main, languishing in the bottom two divisions, with the odd foray into Div 2. Thinking further back, even at school, my 'main' team was Argyle, not one of Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal, etc etc. Most of this probably stemmed from my old Dad, who used take me when I was 3 or 4, and I used to sit on his shoulders at the Barn Park End, near the pylon. His passion for the team must have rubbed on me and I was hooked.

Now, 50 odd years later, why has it changed so much? I'm still a fan, I still want them to win and do well, but there are now a number of things I would put in front of going to Home Park. Perhaps, as I've got older I've recognised how badly the club has been run over the years, and how much lack of ambition has been shown. 'Same old Argo' was the phrase used a few years ago, but that really does sum things up for me.

Events over the last couple of years have, no doubt, brought things to a head. 2 successive relegations, the struggles this year, the awful football, an owner trumpeted as being a saviour, on whom, for me, the jury is still out, and the constant rantings of 'proper fans' who are seemingly incapable of seeing the bigger picture, have all conspired into, quite frankly, turning me off the whole Argyle experience. It's still for life, it's my home town club and I'll always want them to do well, but perversely, I find myself not really caring if we fell out of the league. I think, well, serve them right. Poor management, no investment when it was needed and blind faith in a non football fan, will have caused it.

All very sad really. It was always one of my Dad's greatest wishes that he could see his beloved Argyle in the top division before he died. Sadly that was not to be, and it really doesn't look that it's going to happen in the next 50 odd years either. And what's worse is that I don't really care anymore. I have many more important things in my life that I enjoy. Is it just me, or are there others who feel the same?

Perhaps it's just an age thing. Anyway, glad I got that off my chest.

I could have written that, word for word.

And we have been rescued by an owner that I feel cares less than even evil Dan, don't get me wrong, I don't think for one moment Brent bears us any malice he just doesn't understand that existing in the BSP or even lge. 2 isn't really good enough for a club of this size, we the fan base make the effort to support the team and put money through the turnstiles and Brent does what? Answers on a post card please.

GOB wrote:

PlymptonPilgrim wrote:

Whilst strolling around the wilds of Plympton this morning with the dogs, one's mind tends to drift, and the direction my somewhat addled version went towards, was PAFC.

The reason being, was that in my younger days, what was happening at Home Park seemed to take virtually top priority in my life. I couldn't wait until the next match, I was totally euphoric when we won, it was the end of the world when we lost. I was married, had kids, well paid job, but PAFC was one of the most important things in my life (after the family). All this was going whilst we were, in the main, languishing in the bottom two divisions, with the odd foray into Div 2. Thinking further back, even at school, my 'main' team was Argyle, not one of Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal, etc etc. Most of this probably stemmed from my old Dad, who used take me when I was 3 or 4, and I used to sit on his shoulders at the Barn Park End, near the pylon. His passion for the team must have rubbed on me and I was hooked.

Now, 50 odd years later, why has it changed so much? I'm still a fan, I still want them to win and do well, but there are now a number of things I would put in front of going to Home Park. Perhaps, as I've got older I've recognised how badly the club has been run over the years, and how much lack of ambition has been shown. 'Same old Argo' was the phrase used a few years ago, but that really does sum things up for me.

Events over the last couple of years have, no doubt, brought things to a head. 2 successive relegations, the struggles this year, the awful football, an owner trumpeted as being a saviour, on whom, for me, the jury is still out, and the constant rantings of 'proper fans' who are seemingly incapable of seeing the bigger picture, have all conspired into, quite frankly, turning me off the whole Argyle experience. It's still for life, it's my home town club and I'll always want them to do well, but perversely, I find myself not really caring if we fell out of the league. I think, well, serve them right. Poor management, no investment when it was needed and blind faith in a non football fan, will have caused it.

All very sad really. It was always one of my Dad's greatest wishes that he could see his beloved Argyle in the top division before he died. Sadly that was not to be, and it really doesn't look that it's going to happen in the next 50 odd years either. And what's worse is that I don't really care anymore. I have many more important things in my life that I enjoy. Is it just me, or are there others who feel the same?

Perhaps it's just an age thing. Anyway, glad I got that off my chest.

I could have written that, word for word.

And me, except for the 50 odd years bit. And the falling out of the football league. After 92 years that would be an absolute travesty and would properly upset me. Not that I would then spend the entire summer grunting at people and kicking the dog or anything. After a couple of hours after the alcohol has worn off, I'd be fine and looking forward to Ebbsfleet and the FA Trophy.

What does it mean?

In short, a lifetime of misery, despair, frustration, and gross underachievement, interspersed with the odd dash of jubilant euphoria.

'Bout it really.

PlymptonPilgrim wrote:

Whilst strolling around the wilds of Plympton this morning with the dogs, one's mind tends to drift, and the direction my somewhat addled version went towards, was PAFC.

The reason being, was that in my younger days, what was happening at Home Park seemed to take virtually top priority in my life. I couldn't wait until the next match, I was totally euphoric when we won, it was the end of the world when we lost. I was married, had kids, well paid job, but PAFC was one of the most important things in my life (after the family). All this was going whilst we were, in the main, languishing in the bottom two divisions, with the odd foray into Div 2. Thinking further back, even at school, my 'main' team was Argyle, not one of Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal, etc etc. Most of this probably stemmed from my old Dad, who used take me when I was 3 or 4, and I used to sit on his shoulders at the Barn Park End, near the pylon. His passion for the team must have rubbed on me and I was hooked.

Now, 50 odd years later, why has it changed so much? I'm still a fan, I still want them to win and do well, but there are now a number of things I would put in front of going to Home Park. Perhaps, as I've got older I've recognised how badly the club has been run over the years, and how much lack of ambition has been shown. 'Same old Argo' was the phrase used a few years ago, but that really does sum things up for me.

Events over the last couple of years have, no doubt, brought things to a head. 2 successive relegations, the struggles this year, the awful football, an owner trumpeted as being a saviour, on whom, for me, the jury is still out, and the constant rantings of 'proper fans' who are seemingly incapable of seeing the bigger picture, have all conspired into, quite frankly, turning me off the whole Argyle experience. It's still for life, it's my home town club and I'll always want them to do well, but perversely, I find myself not really caring if we fell out of the league. I think, well, serve them right. Poor management, no investment when it was needed and blind faith in a non football fan, will have caused it.

All very sad really. It was always one of my Dad's greatest wishes that he could see his beloved Argyle in the top division before he died. Sadly that was not to be, and it really doesn't look that it's going to happen in the next 50 odd years either. And what's worse is that I don't really care anymore. I have many more important things in my life that I enjoy. Is it just me, or are there others who feel the same?

Perhaps it's just an age thing. Anyway, glad I got that off my chest.

Think I wrote something similar not too long ago. Weeeeeeem naaaaaaat praaaaaaper faaaaans !

I became increasingly alienated pre and post Holloway. My efforts to alert the BGB'S down on the farm, fell on deaf ears as they gleefully banned non believers. Nothing has changed. The lunatics have taken over the asylum.
Don't expect to see me and many, many others ,bothering to travel more than a couple of miles to be part of the pile of self promoting crap that is Pafc.
It has become so needy, nerdy and frankly, village !

PPs post sums up my position almost exactly, I even moved to Plymouth (from North Devon) to be near my beloved Argyle, but the passing years and events have gradually killed of my enthusiasm. Though I took my Grandaughter (10) to the Rovers game and we both enjoyed it and plan to go again and so another generation falls under the curse.

You'll be turning up at the Cherry Tree next Pete!

Joe ( recommends the chocolate pudding and custard.

pepsipete wrote:

PPs post sums up my position almost exactly, I even moved to Plymouth (from North Devon) to be near my beloved Argyle, but the passing years and events have gradually killed of my enthusiasm. Though I took my Grandaughter (10) to the Rovers game and we both enjoyed it and plan to go again and so another generation falls under the curse.

What did she do so wrong? Did you catch her pinching your apples? you should be ashamed grand dad

Cerbera wrote:

You'll be turning up at the Cherry Tree next Pete!

Joe ( recommends the chocolate pudding and custard.

Would love to, but her Mum is always late, was 7.15 when we were passing.

Sandford_Grecian wrote:

What did she do so wrong? Did you catch her pinching your apples? you should be ashamed grand dad

She actually took me, plays for Devon FA Ladies and they were all invited to the Rovers game but she needed an adult to go with, I did not need much persuading.

Sandford_Grecian wrote:

Scum

Our main rivals, as we are yours, simple as

PS


My kids, great grand kids will be lucky to see Argyle in the top division

One thing's for sure,they certainly won't fecking see Exeter in the top division.

Greenskin wrote:

Sandford_Grecian wrote:

Scum

Our main rivals, as we are yours, simple as

PS


My kids, great grand kids will be lucky to see Argyle in the top division

One thing's for sure,they certainly won't fecking see Exeter in the top division.

Czarcasm wrote:

What does it mean?

In short, a lifetime of misery, despair, frustration, and gross underachievement, interspersed with the odd dash of jubilant euphoria.

'Bout it really.

Just about sums it all up. Being getting it all wrong for me for over 60 years!! Fortunately my boys have no interest in any football teams so the "buck stops here"!!

Merv Plummer

I'm now 62 and can remember going to Argyle as a lad, mostly with a mate rather than my Dad who originated from Lancashire. I was born in Plymouth and have pretty much lived here all of my life. I joined the Navy at 16 and spent very little time in the City despite it being a Naval Port for the next 14 years so I stopped going. I always followed football above any other sport so I always looked out for Argyle and results even though I couldn't go to matches. When I came out in 1979 I got a job in Plymouth and was talking to a work colleague one day about Argyle and the fact I used to go. He talked me into going to a match and I have been a regular ever since.

5 years later I started to take one of my kids who was into football. He is 35 now and still attends with me. But, what does it mean to me. I enjoy the match day thing rather than going for the football. Being part of a crowd at a live event and the banter and people you get to know over the years. If ever there is a family event or other family matter then the football takes a back seat although this doesn't happen very often. If a holiday is booked and it clashes then I don't get withdrawal symptoms or anything like that. However, it is my Saturday afternoon and it is my home town club. I could never support anyone else and have never jumped on some big clubs band wagon although I can admire exceptional teams like the Leeds side of the late 60's early 70's.

Like many people it has always been my ambition to see Argyle in the top league before I die. It looked a possibility for a while but the Argyle wheels came off again and it is back to square one again. I doubt I will ever see it unless 70 clubs get liquidated. Because I enjoy the match experience, even if not the football, I will always go as long as I can. My son will probably do the same but he has 3 kids of his own now and all of them girls who are not remotely interested in football right now. I have a grandson who also has no interest in sport so can't see him ever wheeling me up to the gates. It isn't my world but it is part of it and I do care what happens to the club. If we went to the BSP I would still go.

I've got something like 36 years under my belt, but the last year or so it's felt more like a tired marriage where you both know it's over but can't quite take that next step.

The prospect of going out of the League is horrifying, but I thought I'd seen enough bad times in the past to cope with that if it arose. The last fifteen months, though, have seen so much other stuff - the reemergence of racism, the imposition of salsa verde, the spoof website and other things which take differences of opinion between supporters to a whole new level, the 'what did you do in the war' crap (especially when lots of people who wanted to do more were prevented from doing so), and so on and so on. Cap all that with the apparent disregard for the importance of staying in the League (and in a year when we're marking our foundation) and I'm finding it difficult to remember why it used to matter so much.

Which makes me very sad.

Argyle?

It's a Symons family tradition. Me, my Dad, my Uncle, my Grandad. It's probably the one thing (apart from our DNA) that we have in common. I remember as a nipper listen to Grandad talking about Jumbo Jack, Sammy Black and the rest. My Dad taking me to my first game (QPR away, the 3-0 League Cup win!), as I took my son to his first game last season; a slightly less memorable 1-0 home win over MK Dons.

Since my Dad passed away 18 months ago, one of the things I miss most about my saturdays at the football is the inevitable phone call from the old man - who played well, who played badly, what were the goals like. Much as I miss him, I'm glad he and my Grandad aren't able to see the state of the club now. It would break their hearts; my uncle, however, is still going, into his 80's and still as enthusiastic as ever. He will be heartbroken if we drop out of the league. The club has no right to do that to a man who's been following Argyle for 75 years.

So it's not what Argyle means to me, it's what it means to my whole family. We're addicted, pure and simple, and it won't be long before my boy is blaming me for introducing him to the team he'll be following for life. He won't be able to change allegiance; I won't let him.

My dad took me when I was about 8 - over 50 years ago. I was stood up on a bar against the back of the Devonport End. I was excited by the noise. I think he took me once or twice more. After that I was on my own (nothing new there.....) but didn't start going properly for another 6 years or so. In one of my first matches as an 8 yr old I was stood in the Devonport with my dad - near the front. It was during the warm-up before the game. I was looking away from the pitch but I then started to turn my head back towards it. All of a sudden a ball hit me hard and directly on my forehead. Everyone (including the Argyle player on the pitch) was immediately concerned - the balls were heavy leather in those days. I was OK and the ball had actually gone straight back onto the pitch from my head. I was hooked and never the same again. It must have been the blow to the head.

I once took my two kids to an away game in Northampton when they were about 13 & 14 - it was our closest ground at the time. They were excited also. One has continued to be. The other scorns the very idea. Well, I got it half right.

My biggest regret was that I should have played at Home Park in a cup final but that year the ground was reseeded right at the end of the season so we had to go elsewhere. Another time I left a team I was playing for to sign for another in a different league - my first team ended up in a final at Home Park. The team I went to were knocked out in our semi-final. My chance will come one day, I'm sure.

My worst experience? Watching David Kemp's awful side!!!!!

For some years it was a case of play a game in the morning for school and then for my club in the afternoon. If it was an early kick-off it was then a bit of a rush to get to HP in time to watch the game. Always in the Devonport. I once sat in the stand for a reserve match. I was there when the English League played the League of Ireland just after the World Cup and the Jules Rimet Trophy was paraded around. Norman Piper, Nicky Jennings, Steve Davey and the majestic Mike Bickle were my early heroes. My first away game was on the football special train to Cardiff at Ninian Park where we lost 4 - 1. I have actually lived longer away from this area than I have lived here. For some years I worked on Saturdays so wasn't able to go anywhere. I then went to more away games than I managed at Home Park. When I lived in the middle of the desert a battery-driven, ridiculously crackly short-wave radio was the only way I could keep in touch with the scores - which I did every week. Memories of our cup matches at Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds; the Devonport being over-run by, I think Huddersfiled (or perhaps Wolves... some DNBs anyway); the superb Ernie Machin; the return of Malcolm Allison with his Crystal Palace side; the excellent Jim Furnell, Paul Barron, Alan Nichols (I always watch keepers); the strangely attractive Andy Nelson who always made sure he kicked their centre-forward in the first few minutes - makes Purse look like a pussy-cat; Johnny Hore - he's here, he's there etc - our very own Billy Bremner. The scintillating partnership of Paul Mariner and Billy Rafferty - beyond all doubt the very best we have ever had. I even watched Mpenza play once when I was down here and for the first half he was excellent!

Will I be upset if we go down.... stupid question!

Greenskin wrote:

Sandford_Grecian wrote:

Scum

Our main rivals, as we are yours, simple as

PS


My kids, great grand kids will be lucky to see Argyle in the top division

One thing's for sure,they certainly won't fecking see Exeter in the top division.

Difference is... we know that... you sad feckers still don't... that's why you hurt more than we do

With all this nostalgia, I would feel really awful butting in and saying Argyle only have 50% of my heart. But hey I will say it anyway

(the other 50% belongs to Sandford's attempts at 'banter' )

LondonGreen wrote:

With all this nostalgia, I would feel really awful butting in and saying Argyle only have 50% of my heart. But hey I will say it anyway

(the other 50% belongs to Sandford's attempts at 'banter' )

I like the look on peoples faces when they ask me who I support. I live in Chingford which is Spurs country and people always expect you to say Spurs, Arsenal or West Ham. I've hardly been to see the greens in the last couple of years (combination of work and having kids), but to say to someone I'm Argyle means a lot. And I don't really know why, it just does.

I got asked in work the other day "what football team do you follow?"...

I grimaced.

Well, er, it can only loosely be described as 'football', per se, and they used to be quite good a few years ago, You won't have heard of them. The way we're going, come 20 years quite a lot of people in England won't have heard of them. But yeah, as I say, it's not really football. I support my home town 'team' (which is also a loose term), Plymouth Argyle.

*bemused look*

Err, they're a bit like Man U but they play in green and they're shit.

you don't understand clearly.