2 Years ago today.....

...John Sheridan appointed as Argyle manager. When you look at the Argyle squad that got Fletcher 23rd position and the sack, it was certainly a big task for any incoming manager to keep the club in the football league-only 4 of the 18 players who constituted the squad are still playing league football. Mission accomplished though, helped by some very good signings such as Bryan, Banton, Branston, Reid etc-don't think anyone would complain about that part of Sheridan's reign. The rebuilding job really began in the following summer after a fairly big clear out and an influx of players, some of whom proved more successful than others-the contrasting fortunes of Alessandra and Bocu being a case in point. Rather a topsy turvy season only really ignited by the arrival of Lavery, who gave so much impetus that a play off place was briefly attained. In truth though the team wasn't good enough and a bad result at Accrington seemed to signal a sea change in the managers thinking and another clear out and influx in the following summer, which essentially has left us where we are today, in seventh position but with doubts in some quarters as to the merits/demerits of the squad and indeed the manager.

Personally I think he's done OK, if in a schoolmasterly mode, probably seven out of ten. For sure he's no Dave Smith or Holloway when it comes to public relations and this may be a cause of Sheridan not really endearing himself to the supporters and press, which can prove very damaging to managers when things aren't going so well. There's no doubt that the squad is far stronger now than when he took over though and that would be to his credit-if he was given a free rein without having to rely on loan players and had been able to keep Hourihane, then IMHO Argyle would certainly be challenging at the very top of the league. Sheridan was a winner as a player and a record of finishing outside of the top ten only once [which admittedly was a relegation season] in ten years as a manager would suggest that the same qualities are there as a manager too. Remains to be seen if his competitive nature and eye for a player will be enough to see him through the next few months-if Argyle fail to reach at least the play offs, then the knives will be out and it would be difficult to see him surviving, no matter how shallow and short termist in terms of overall direction such a course of action may be. I wish him well, don't think he's been bad at all in spite of his much discussed faults.

My theory about the fan relations is that we see him as a grumpy Northerner and my experience is that the two people Plymothians don't like are Northerners and Cockneys.

A 7/10 seems fair. Still convinced this form is a blip but we do need a few more players..

He has made us more established a team which is no mean feet considering the shower he inherited from Carl Fletcher.

I think he's done a remarkable job. I mosey along to Home Park most weeks now fully expecting a home win - that hasn't happened for the best part of a decade. Sure, he's no Jose Mourinho, but I still think we'll probably get out of this godforsaken league in May (in the right direction).