THE DAILY DIARY

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On This Day:

For the three most recent days, facts from Argyle's history.

Friday 3rd September 2010

On This Day:

1947: Argyle 0 Leicester 0, the end of a club record nine successive defeats.

2nd

Yannick Bolasie is unlikely to be fit for Argyle's next game at Colchester United on September 11th. Peter Reid said: "I wish he could play at Colchester, but I think it might be too early for him. Obviously, he's a player who can go past people and is an attacking option we've missed, without a doubt." Bolasie had keyhole surgery on August 18th to trim cartilage in his injured knee and Reid added: "Yannick's due to see a specialist next week, so we'll have to see. He's been training with the physio and coming on really well. There's been no problem with his rehab."

Peter Reid plans to run the rule over Sheffield Wednesday this Sunday when they visit Brentford. "Even though it's a free weekend for the club, it won't be free for me," he said. "I'll try to pick up a game tomorrow and on Saturday, and then Brentford on Sunday. I just like watching football matches."

Peter Reid continues to seek a replacement for John Carver on his backroom staff. Reid currently has Paul Mariner and Adam Sadler on his staff, and said: "I haven't found anyone at the moment, but I'm actively working on that."

Peter Reid hopes international clearance for Stephane Zubar 'will be a formality'. He said: "We're hoping it will be a formality, but obviously these things take time. I'll be checking on it day to day."

Argyle under-18s lost 3-1 to Swansea City in the Football League Youth Alliance Cup at Millbay Park yesterday, the goal scored by Jordan Copp. Argyle: Ord, Stephens, Nelson, Pearce, Clifford, Young, Harper-Penman, Berry, Rickard, Copp, Baker. Subs - Coombes (not used - Sims, Vassell, Hart).

On This Day:

1939: Sheffield Wednesday 0 Argyle 1, the last match before the Football League was abandoned for six years.

1st

Peter Reid has described the presence of Reda Johnson at training this week as a pleasant surprise. Reid admitted he was unsure of the circumstances surrounding his removal from the Benin squad, but said: "We got documentation through about it, and then I think the coach has had a word with him and told him not go out there. That's my understanding of it, which I find a little bit strange. I don't know the whys and wherefors of it but it's a pleasant surprise for me. The boy doesn't seem overly concerned." Johnson was Argyle's captain for their defeat by Peterborough United due to Carl Fletcher being ruled out by a thigh injury. Johnson and Bondz N'Gala formed a young partnership at centre-back for the game and, while they struggled on the day, Reid remains convinced both have bright futures. "Reda has got pace and I think he's very commanding," he said. "He needs to keep it simple, though. He tried a drag-back in the final third on Saturday, which wasn't good for my heart or the supporters' hearts. What you must remember is he's still learning, but he has got great qualities in pace and strength and I think he will get better."

Peter Reid was frustrated in his attempts to add a striker to his squad on transfer deadline day, but that does not mean he has abandoned his plans to do so, far from it. Reid will renew his search when clubs are allowed to make loan signings, starting next Tuesday. He did come close to recruiting one striker on loan from a club in Scotland, but the deal collapsed late on. Continued speculation about Rory Fallon proved inaccurate. It had been thought Fallon could depart Home Park but a suspected hernia put an end to that possibility. "A striker is my main priority and I haven't got one in yet," Reid said. "But, as everyone knows, you can still do it in seven days' time and I'm actively working on it. I thought I had one tied up but it fell through at the last minute, which was a bit of a blow for me. It was one that needed to get done before the deadline because it was a boy in Scotland. I don't want to mention his name but, unfortunately, his club got a couple of injuries and it kiboshed the deal. It's just one of those things." Fallon has been ruled out of the last two games because of his injury, which has been assessed by a specialist. Reid added: "We haven't had confirmation yet, but if I was a betting man I think it might need surgery. You can't legislate for injuries in football."

Chris Barker completed a permanent move to Southend United yesterday.

Jim Paterson has decided against a transfer to Greek club Kavala. Paterson trained with Kavala last week and they wanted to sign him, but he could not agree financial terms. "I don't think the deal in Greece came up to his standard so he is still here," said Peter Reid.

Peter Reid has hailed the versatility that Stephane Zubar will bring to his squad. Zubar was signed on an initial one-month contract before the transfer window closed but he will sign a longer term deal when the club receive international clearance. Zubar had a trial with Argyle during pre-season, and impressed Reid, but his financial terms could not be agreed upon. Reid said: "He's a right-back who can play in a few positions. He's a strong boy and he impressed me in the summer, but we couldn't do the deal. I couldn't afford it then, but the deal has changed now so I'm delighted. He did very well in the game against QPR." Zubar's brother, Ronald, is part of the Wolves squad and Reid added: "It was a recommendation off Mick McCarthy, who is a big pal of mine. Zubar was training with them before he came to us."

On This Day:

1903: Plymouth Argyle's first professional fixture, West Ham Utd 0 Argyle 1. Scorer of the first goal: Jack Peddie.

31st August

Argyle are set to sign French defender Stephane Zubar before today's transfer window closes. Zubar spent some time at Home Park during pre-season and played in the friendly at QPR. The deal will depend on the club being able to obtain international clearance.

Speculation about Argyle making an offer for Rotherham United striker Adam Le Fondre has been rubbished by Peter Reid, but there remains a strong possibility of arrivals and departures at Home Park before the transfer window closes today. A website report yesterday claimed Argyle had offered cash plus Rory Fallon to Rotherham for Le Fondre, but Reid said: "That's absolute rubbish. I don't know anything about it."

Reda Johnson has been thrown out of Benin's national squad for a second time, according to reports. Benin fired all 23 members of their African Nations Cup final squad in February for 'indiscipline and a lack of patriotism'. Their new coach, Jean-Marc Nobilo, named 10 of the 23 in his squad for this week's game against Burundi, but the Federation refused to accept two players, including Johnson. According to Le Matinal newspaper, the pair are 'always undesirable to the Federation'.

Karl Duguid had to wait patiently for his first league start of the season, but the 3-0 defeat by Peterborough United was not the way he wanted the occasion to be marked. But now he has returned to the line-up he hopes to stay there. Bondz N'Gala reverted to his preferred position of centre-back against Peterborough, and that led to Duguid being called up. He said: "To be fair to Bondz, he did well in the first few games. He did a job for the team, which was fantastic, but he's a centre-half and he really wants to play at centre-half. I'm old enough now to know you have got to be patient, and just do things right. I trained as hard as possible, as I always would whether I'm in the team or not, and my chance has come round. Obviously, it wasn't the result I wanted, and I hold my hand up for the third goal, but apart from that I was quite pleased with my performance. But when you lose, that doesn't count for anything."

Argyle's youth team are moving to a new home ground. The under-18s will be playing their home games at Millbay Park this season. Last year they used Elburton Villa's Haye Road ground and it is hoped one of the benefits from the move will see more supporters watching the team in action. Gordon Bennett was delighted the excellent facilities at Millbay Park would be available to the team. He said: "The background to the move is that during the summer Football League officials expressed concern about our existing ground-sharing arrangements with Elburton Villa. That was due to the inevitable limitations of flexibility in rearranging games postponed by bad weather. We enjoy a good relationship with Elburton Villa, but had to take notice of the comments of the Football League. We are most appreciative of the kind offer by the Royal Artillery 29 Commando in making their excellent facilities available to us. The main advantage is Millbay Park is available every Saturday for us, so the rearrangement of postponed matches should be a lot easier. We are also hoping that, being a city centre venue, it will be easier for more Argyle supporters to come and watch our promising young players more frequently." Bennett added: "We are pleased we shall continue to have Elburton Villa's ground on stand-by in the event of wear and tear at Millbay Park making the pitch unavailable. We shall also continue to play schoolboy games at Elburton Villa on Saturdays and Sundays."

Peter Reid believes Jordan Trott and Sean Kinsella will learn a lot from their one-month loan spells with Bridgwater Town. He said: "Reserve league games are few and far between and these lads need games. It's important for them to be playing regularly at their age."

30th

Peter Reid admitted signing at least one striker on loan remained a priority for him after Argyle’s defeat by Peterborough United. He said: “Ideally, you would want to go out and get a couple of strikers. I’m working to do that on a loan situation, but it’s hard work the way it is at the moment.” Reid would not disclose any details of players he was trying to bring in. He added: “It’s no use me talking about it and then it doesn’t come off. But I’m actively working on it.” It was suggested to Reid the supporters who had seen Argyle beaten by Peterborough would be desperate for some new arrivals. “So is the manager, without a doubt,” he replied. “The fans have been great. I thought they stuck with the team again today. There were a few moans, but I don’t blame them. There were a few moans from the bench, to tell you the truth.” Joe Mason and Rory Patterson led Argyle’s attack against Peterborough, and Steve MacLean was a 70th minute substitute for Mason, but did not make any impact on the match. Reid said: “I thought Mason showed some great touches but got tired. Patterson gave us everything he had got, but didn’t get on the end of most things.” The main attacking threat came from Craig Noone, his first appearance in League One this season. Reid said: “I thought Nooney did all right, but he got a little bit frustrated at times and put the ball in too early, instead of picking people out.” Argyle took on Peterborough without two of their most experienced players in Kari Arnason and Carl Fletcher. Arnason was suspended and Fletcher was sidelined by a thigh injury which he suffered in training last Thursday. Reid was not prepared to use their absence as an excuse for the defeat though, and said: “To be fair, that’s why you have a squad. Certain teams will have players out. That’s part and parcel of football and you have just got to get on with it. You are hoping the people who go in do a job for you, so that’s not an excuse.” Reid was annoyed two of Peterborough’s goals came from set pieces. He said: “You have got to pick up off dead-ball situations. It’s not rocket science. I thought it was quite an even game until that first one went in. It was a bad goal from our point of view because players are detailed to mark, and we haven’t done it. Then we got stretched and ragged, and we paid the penalty. They got on the end of things in our box, and we didn’t get on the end of things in their box. Ultimately, if you don’t do that, you are going to get beaten.”

Karl Duguid admitted Argyle paid the price for poor defending at set pieces when they were beaten by Peterborough United on Saturday. He said: "It was a bit of a chalk and cheese performance. We felt we did well in the first half. The manager and Paul Mariner were very pleased with it at half-time. It was comfortable. The lads felt good, the shape was good and we created a few chances. Then, in the second half, Peterborough kept hitting straight balls in behind us and we didn't deal with them as we probably should have done. And we have conceded two goals from set pieces, which you can't afford to.I think the first one was Patto's man, and the third goal was my man. You can dominate a game and it can all change on a set piece. They were individual errors and we have held our hands up. We should do better than that. we know that. Once the first goal went in, we didn't carry on doing what we did in the first half. That's the disappointing thing. As much as we were pleased with the first half performance, that's how disappointed we were with the second half. The only thing you can do is take the positives out of the first half and rectify the mistakes. You have got to stay with your man at set pieces. If your man scores it's your fault. It was as simple as that today with the first goal and the third one." After Mackail-Smith opened the scoring, Argyle had a chance to equalise when Craig Noone had a far post header from a corner saved by Joe Lewis. Duguid said: "When the first goal goes in you have just got to relax and get on with it, and I don't think we did that today. We started rushing to try to score a goal quickly, but you have got to be patient. We weren't patient after we conceded the goal and that has gone against us. We have spoken about that in the changing room." At times in the first half, Argyle had played some decent passing football. Duguid added: "We have got a fantastic football pitch now and there are no excuses for you to be pumping it up the field. That's the way we had to play last season. I think you have to mix it up a bit. You can't just keep popping it about for the sake of it. Peterborough proved today, with the amount of balls they put in behind us and with the quick front men they have got, that does work as well. You have got to mix it up. You can't just keep putting it forward, and I think we did that today. There was some lovely play down the left. Bas and Moly did well. And Nooney showed us what he is all about. Hopefully, we can get that out of him more often than not. I'm sure he will create a lot of chances for the front men."

Argyle’s youth team won 4-0 at Bournemouth on Saturday, the goals scored by Matt Rickard, Jed Harper-Penman, Lewis Coombes and an Elliot Ward own goal. Argyle: Ord, Hart, Stephens, Pearce, Clifford, Harper-Penman, Young, Berry, Baker, Rickard, Copp. Subs - Bradley, Sims (not used - LeCointe, Varazinskis).

29th

Peter Reid is working hard to add forward options to his squad ahead of Tuesday's transfer deadline. "I am actively trying to bring in new people," he said. "Ideally, I would go out and get a couple of strikers but it is hard work. If you look at Peterborough's strikers, that's why I went with pace at the back. McLean, Mackail-Smith and Boyd have pace in abundance. I would like a couple of things but it is hard work getting people in and out in today's climate. Peterborough are not bad at this level and they have some decent players. The fans have been great. They stuck with the team again. There were a few moans, which was understandable. They were a few moans from the bench as well."

Craig Noone pledged that Argyle will work hard to get back to winnings ways and begged the fans, 'Stick with us.' He said: "We'll keep playing as best we can, giving 110% every time - stick with us because our performances are going to get better. The boys are disappointed at losing, obviously. In the first half, I thought we played good football. We can take a lot of positives from that. We created chances, but we didn't really make the 'keeper work. Peterborough's strikers were lethal and, I'm not saying ours weren't, but we never finished our chances. Obviously, we need to work on taking our chances, and that's what we are going to do. We've got a bit of work to do on the training-ground, finding the back of the net, because we've had a problem with that."

28th

Argyle lost 3-0 to Peterborough at Home Park. Argyle: Button, Duguid, N’Gala, Johnson.R, Molyneux, Clark, Parrett, Noone, Bhasera, Patterson, Mason. Subs - MacLean, Peterlin, Paterson (not used – Larrieu, Timar, Summerfield, Nelson). Attendance - 7,712.

Four Argyle players will be on international duty next weekend and Peter Reid has admitted he can only hope they return to Home Park without any injuries. "We have got players who have been called up for their countries so we have got to get on with it," he said. "That's just the way it is. There is no use moaning about it. You are hoping they come back fit. That's the biggest concern."

Onismor Bhasera signed a one-year extension to his contract with Argyle earlier this week, even though he had a deal until June 2012. Peter Reid said: "He's a left-back, but he has done me a good job on the left-side of midfield this season. There was a wee bit of speculation in the summer about people being interested in him, so we had a chat and I'm delighted he has signed a new deal for us. He's a good footballer and I think it's good business for the club."

Sean Kinsella and Jordan Trott have both joined Bridgwater Town on one-month loan deals.

27th

Joe Mason and Rory Patterson will continue as Argyle's strikeforce for the game against Peterborough United tomorrow, which means that Steve MacLean and Bradley Wright-Phillips, as long as he recovers from illness, will start the match as substitutes. Rory Fallon is still sidelined by a groin injury. Peter Reid said: "Mason and Patterson will play up front again tomorrow. I was pleased with Joe's finish for the goal. I was also pleased with the amount of chances we created, but we have got to learn to hit the target. We did some team-play and finishing in training yesterday. I thought we created about half-a-dozen decent chances last Saturday, but the biggest thing for me was we didn't work the goalkeeper enough. The one shot that was on target went in the net. Out of six good chances, we have got to get more on target." Argyle led 1-0 at half-time against Walsall, before conceding two goals in a second half dominated by the home side. Reid thought one of the reasons for that was his team’s inability to hold the ball up when it was played forward. He said: "I thought in the second half, when we were under pressure, the hold-up play could have been better. It kept coming at us a bit too much. That's something we need to work on. When you are under pressure, the front men are the first line of defence. The young boy is still learning the game, but I thought some of the movement between them was excellent. I think they are lads who will score goals. They are two different types of players but they will work defences." Reid does not expect there to be any player arrivals or departures from Home Park before tomorrow, but with the transfer window set to close next Tuesday, he is working busily behind the scenes to add at least one new recruit, a striker, to his squad. Reid added: "I'm working on one or two things, but it wouldn't be fair to mention names."

Peter Reid has revealed he will start his search for a new coach to replace John Carver next week. "I have had plenty of interest in the position," he said. "Let's get this game over and then I can concentrate on it for a couple of weeks."

Jim Paterson has returned to Home Park after flying out to Greece for talks with Kavala FC. Peter Reid said: "I spoke to Jim and he's still in negotiations with them, but there is nothing sorted out at the moment."

Peter Reid has called for an improved defensive display when Argyle face Peterborough United at Home Park tomorrow. He said: "They are a good side. Their two front men are a threat, and so is Boyd. They play some decent stuff. Coming from 2-0 behind to beat Huddersfield is a fantastic result. I have watched the DVD of that game and they did play well, so it's going to be a tough one for us. I thought some of our play last Saturday was good but, on the other hand, the defending wasn't great. If you defend like that at this level you get turned over, and that's what happened to us. We need to defend better against a good side." Reid holds a high regard, in particular, for Peterborough's attacking trio of Boyd, Mackail-Smith and Mclean. He said: "I have seen them a few times and think all three of them are excellent players at this level." Argyle will take on Peterborough without Kari Arnason, who is serving a one-match suspension after his red card against Walsall. Reda Johnson will almost certainly make his first start of the campaign at centre-back. Reid said: "I have got Reda, and N'Gala can play there as well. I have got to pick a team and it's a chance for someone to come in and do well." Unlike Peterborough, Argyle were not involved in the Carling Cup this wee, but Reid does not believe there is any advantage for his side that they did not have a midweek match. "I wish we had been playing," he said. "A lot of people go on about the amount of games there are, but I think players like playing football matches. I think it will be a good game. We are going to try to get it down and play. Last Saturday was a good football match. I just want a different result this time and for us to be stronger at the back." Craig Noone and Anton Peterlin will both be available after being sidelined against Walsall.

Dean Parrett spent Monday and Tuesday at Spurs' training base, and then, after returning to Plymouth, watched on TV as Tottenham qualified for the UEFA Champions' League. Now he is hoping to play his part in a second win of the season for Argyle when they take on Peterborough United tomorrow. "That would cap off the week brilliantly," he said. "Hopefully, we can get a win and three points on the board." Parrett and David Button were watched at Walsall by Spurs' head of player development, Chris Ramsey. He and Tim Sherwood, Tottenham's reserve team coach, went through DVDs of those two matches with them. Parrett said: "They told us what we did well, and what we didn't do well. They told me I needed to try to control the game more, and get on the ball more, which I want to try to do. It's good to have a look at the DVD because when you watch it back you get a whole different picture, so you can see where you should have run, or if you didn't run, or where you should have played a ball. The more opinions you can get, the better. Obviously you have your own opinion, but I have got the gaffer and people at Tottenham. So you get a rounded view on the game. I think the coaches are all working together in what they do, and Tottenham are going to back the gaffer as much as possible." Parrett was reasonably content with his performance against Walsall. "I think, on the ball, I did okay, but there is more to come," he said. "I have already spoken to the gaffer and he told me I needed to work harder off the ball, make sure I'm always in the right positions and do everything early instead of leaving extra work for myself. If I play tomorrow, I'm going to try to work on that." Argyle's game against Walsall was very different in style compared to what Parrett has been used to previously. "I had to adapt to it quickly," he said. "I like to play the ball on the floor and it went over our heads quite a lot. So I need to get used to the fact I have to work hard off the ball, get the ball and then play. The ball isn't going to come to me without working hard. You also have to be a lot sharper in your thoughts and where people are." Parrett enjoyed playing alongside Carl Fletcher, who provided some invaluable advice. "He knows the game and has been in it for a long time," said Parrett. "And he talks to you a lot, which is what you need as a young player. If I was out of position, he would boss me around. Obviously, because I haven't played a lot of first team games it's going to take some getting used to different positions, and stuff like that, but it's great for me to learn off someone with such a steady, experienced head."

26th

Peter Reid will not stand in the way of Chris Barker, whose one-month loan spell ends on Friday, staying at Southend United. He said: "I have no objection to that. I should imagine we will have a chat with Southend later this week." Another left-back, Jim Paterson, could also be set to leave the club. Paterson has been on trial with Greek club Kavala and Reid said: "I think they have offered a deal to him, from what I hear from the agent who set this up." Meanwhile, David Button and Dean Parrett were set to return to training with Argyle today after spending the early part of this week having their fitness checked by Spurs' staff. Reid said: "A proviso of their deals was that they will go back to Spurs at intermittent periods and be assessed by them. That was agreed with Harry Redknapp and I have got no problem with it."

John Carver has insisted it was not easy to decide to leave Argyle to become the first team coach at Sheffield United. He said: "It might seem like an easy decision to make, but it was a wrench leaving a club I was enjoying being at. I think I had a good relationship with Roy Gardner and Keith Todd. And I know for a fact I had a good relationship with all the coaching and medical staff at the club. Peter came in and was great. He let me get on with the coaching as normal. But I think he realised this job was an opportunity for me to go back up north and get closer to my roots in Newcastle. It also gave me the chance to get back up to the Championship, at a club with a fanbase of over 25,000. But it was still a tough decision for me because I was leaving behind a good friend and good pro in Paul Mariner. That was the hardest part." Carver had the opportunity to leave Argyle only a month after arriving at Home Park, when Burnley wanted him to become their first team coach. But, out of a sense of loyalty to Paul Mariner, he stayed put, and was rewarded with a two-and-a-half year contract by Argyle. Carver said: "That was the main reason why I decided not to go to Burnley. But you can't keep turning jobs down and, being honest, the goal-posts had changed slightly this time. Before, Paul didn't have the title of manager but he was the number one." When Mariner was appointed as head coach last October, the intention was for him to take over control of the first team from Paul Sturrock at the end of the season. But, after a series of poor results, Mariner was promoted after only seven weeks. Carver said: "It was earlier than Paul expected and, to be honest, I think between us we did a half decent job, given the circumstances. It has been a tough few months for him, but he's a big lad. He has had to take it on the chin and just get on with it, and that's exactly what he has done." Carver believes Reid can lead Argyle to success, but has warned it could take time and patience. He said: "It's a big job, and the expectation levels have got to be managed. We lost some of our best players, such as Jamie Mackie, Damien Johnson and David Stockdale."

25th

Peter Reid has revealed he has spoken to several Premier League managers about signing players on loan for Argyle. Reid was at Manchester City's win against Liverpool on Monday and was seen sitting next to Sir Alex Ferguson. He also attended the reserve team match between City and United at Hyde FC last night. Reid said: "I have spoken to a lot of Premier League managers about players. I don't think it's fair to name any individuals, but it's definitely something we are looking to do. I have known Sir Alex for a long time and we had dinner at the game on Monday with a mutual friend."

Peter Reid and Paul Mariner will attend a dinner in Manchester tonight being hosted by England's 2018 World Cup bid team where the special guests will be a six-man delegation from FIFA. Reid is keen to play his part in England's, and Plymouth's, push to stage the tournament. He said: "I was a kid in 1966, the last time the World Cup was held in this country. I remember the incredible interest generated on Merseyside because Brazil were playing there. We could get a chance of that in 2018. For the people of Plymouth, Devon and Cornwall it would be absolutely amazing. It would generate incredible excitement, before you even go into the commercial side of it and what that would mean for the city and the two counties." Keith Todd and Paul Stapleton will also be attending the dinner.

Onismor Bhasera has signed a one-year extension to his contract with Argyle and is now tied to the club until 2013. Peter Reid said: "It's always pleasing to have a good player secured at the club. It's good for the manager to have players who can play in different positions and he has done really well so far."

As expected, Reda Johnson has been called-up to the Benin squad for the African Cup of Nations qualifier against Burundi on September 4th.

24th

Joe Mason has targeted back-to-back home wins for Argyle after their inconsistent opening to the season. He said: "It has been a bit stop-start, to be fair. We really need to settle down. From now on, we have just got to do what we are good at and get up that table as quickly as possible. We need to make it like two or three years ago, when clubs used to hate coming to Argyle. We have got two home games now and all we want is six points, nothing less." Mason scored his fourth senior goal for Argyle against Walsall, and is now hoping to stay in the side permanently. He said: "I'm happy to be starting. Macca is a quality player and I have got to try to cement my place in the team." Without Rory Fallon leading the line against Walsall, Argyle tried to play a more passing style of football. "I think we created quite a few chances," said Mason. "We should have scored more goals really. On another day we could have won three or four-nil, but it just wasn't to be. I'm happy we are playing the ball to feet, and I'm sure the rest of the team are. And I'm sure the fans would rather us play the ball to feet as well. We are confident we can play very well with the ball on the floor because we aren't the biggest side. The players we do have are players that are good with the ball at their feet. We need to do that more, not just when we take the lead. We need to do it right from the beginning." Mason's goal against Walsall came when he swivelled and shot past 'keeper Jonny Brain after a low right-wing cross from Luke Summerfield. Mason said: "Summers is a clever player and I knew he was going to cut it back. I knew I had to get a decent half-touch on it and that the defender wasn't close enough so I could turn and shoot. Luckily enough, it has gone in." Mason took some of the blame for Walsall's equaliser, after losing possession of the ball. He added: "I put my hand up for the first goal. I lost it in the middle of the field and they got round the back of us too easily, and there was no-one picking up at the back post." Argyle will come up against a more direct style of play in League One, compared to when they were in the Championship, according to Mason. He said: "Our defence is definitely going to have to get used to the difference. Whereas last year a lot of the teams would get it down, this season most look like they are just going to smash it up the field and play off second balls."

David Button and Dean Parrett are both training with Tottenham for the next couple of days. Paul Mariner said: "They are training at Tottenham today and they will be back with us on Thursday. It's just a normal thing you get with loan deals. They go back for Tottenham in a similar way to David Stockdale did with Fulham last year. Tottenham will just check them out physically. They've both settled in well, but, like we thought, it's not an easy league. They are young players and they will have to learn quick."

The Argyle squad were given a high intensity training session at Marjon yesterday. After Saturday's defeat, the coaching staff opted for a training session designed to lift the spirits. "We wanted training to be bright today, so we set the session up accordingly," said Paul Mariner. "We went straight into some high intensity passing and moving before moving on to a finishing exercise involving positioning and reaction. It was a short session but high intensity. We just wanted to get the lads jollied up and sharp."

Paul Mariner has joined Peter Reid in heaping praise on Joe Mason. "As everybody has been saying, it was an absolutely fantastic finish at Walsall," he said. "The ball that came in from Summers had some pace on it and he took it down instantly. He just seemed to know what he is doing. He didn't put a lot of the pace in the shot but he kept it down, which is always difficult for goalkeepers. I've been working with Joe for a while and Peter Reid has immediately seen the quality in the lad. He is the typical fox in the box. He is very intelligent in his play. He is quiet and unassuming, but he knows what he's doing and is a tremendous finisher."

Argyle’s game with Brighton and Hove Albion, which was due to take place on September 4th, has been postponed due to international call ups. Rory Patterson, Joe Mason and Onismor Bhasera will all be on international duty, while there is also a chance Reda Johnson could be away.

23rd

Peter Reid blamed some sloppy defending for Argyle's defeat at Walsall on Saturday. "I thought it was a very entertaining game and there were plenty of chances at both ends," he said. "I was disappointed with our defending in one or two instances, and I would call their goals soft ones. Well I would do, wouldn't I, from our point of view? But they will be happy with theirs. We have been defending well recently and I just thought we were sloppy, so I'm disappointed." Joe Mason made his first start of the season for Argyle and celebrated with a goal. Reid said: "I thought our goal was really good. It was a great touch by the boy, who looks a decent prospect, and a great finish. When you are 1-0 up you want to try to capitalise on that, but even before then it could have been three-each because the game was that open." While Reda Johnson was to blame for losing possession in the build-up to Walsall's second goal, David Button should have dealt with the shot and Reid added: "I don't like criticising individuals but, from where I was, I thought it went in too easy that one. Their two goals came after we were in comfortable possession, and that is disappointing. You can't afford for that to happen at any level and, certainly, Walsall capitalised on it." Mason's goal was further evidence of his undoubted potential. Reid said: "He's bright. He has got a good touch and he's intelligent. He's a lad who has certainly got ability. I thought he was a little bit unlucky not to get a penalty in the second half. He turned the guy and went through and I thought he might have got something there, but referee deemed it wasn't. Mason's strike partner was Rory Patterson, who was making his full debut. Reid said: "I thought Rory had the best chance of the game. It was really good build-up play by Parrett. Walsall were well organised and held the line well, but Parrett broke from the midfield and slid a lovely ball in. In those circumstances as a striker, you have got to hit the target. Paul Mariner should be here answering that one. Paul says you should pass those in, and he's right." Lee Molyneux was substituted in the 60th minute when Chris Clark was sent on. Clark played on the left-side of midfield, with Onismor Bhasera moving to full-back. Reid said: "I brought Molyneux off because he got booked, and I didn't want a sending-off, but I got one elsewhere. And I thought Krisztian was tiring a bit so I brought Reda on. When the ball went beyond the back four before Walsall scored their first goal, I thought Timar was really slow in the recovery. I thought we deserved something out of the game. But we defended badly and we gave away too many chances, and you can't afford to do that."

Despite his bitter disappointment at Saturdays defeat Kari Arnason had words of praise for Joe Mason. He said: "Everybody knows he has that quality about him. He's going to be a brilliant player in the future. He's a great finisher and we just hope he keeps progressing. I can't compliment the lad highly enough."

22nd

Kari Arnason had no doubts about where the game at Walsall was lost. "Personal mistakes were the key to our failure today," he said. "We have to neutralise those mistakes to be candidates for promotion. There were mistakes that led up to the goals which are key to our lack of success in this league. We have to be more sharp. The standard in this division is quite high but, it is the same thing - if you make mistakes, you will lose football games. That was the key last season and it is the key this season."

Peter Reid and Kari Arnason both felt the Icelander's sending-off at the end of Argyle's defeat at Walsall was cruel. "I'm not here to criticise referees - it's a hard job out there - but I thought it was a harsh one," said Reid. "I'm not sure what the contact was, but it doesn't matter what I think. Those things happen in football." Arnason explained: "We were not organised at the back and I saw the ball coming for miles. It was a great ball and he had yards on me. I had my arms up, looking at the ball, and he moves into me. He gets a touch on me but made the most of it and the ref buys into it. He was a long way from goal. I thought it was harsh. It slowed him down, but he was still going." Arnason will now miss Argyle's home games against Peterborough United and Brighton & Hove Albion. Reid added: "I've got Reda who can go in there. I've got N'Gala. That's why we have so many players in the squad these days. It's a chance for someone to go in and do a job for us."

Rory Patterson has been selected for Northern Ireland’s trip to Slovenia for the European Championship qualifier next month and Joe Mason is in the Republic of Ireland under-21 squad for their trips to Switzerland and Turkey.

21st

Argyle lost 2-1 at Walsall, the goal scored by Joe Mason after 30 minutes. Argyle: Button, N’Gala, Arnason, Timar, Molyneux, Summerfield, Parrett, Fletcher, Bhasera, Patterson, Mason. Subs - Clark, Johnson.R, MacLean (not used – Larrieu, Wright-Phillips, Duguid, Nelson). Attendance - 3,966.

Rory Fallon will sit out Argyle's game at Walsall today because of a groin injury. Peter Reid revealed he had been struggling with the problem since playing for the reserves on Tuesday, and he also confirmed that Fallon had turned down the chance to sign for Rotherham United. "Rotherham have been in touch about Rory," said Reid. "I asked him did he want to go and he said 'no'. Unless anything changes, I expect the boy to do his best for us." Rotherham manager Ronnie Moore said: "We have had a sniff but he wants to sit tight and see what develops. I think he is waiting to see whether Swansea come in and that's a shame because I think he would have given us what we want. Fallon has started three games for Plymouth but I think he's ready for a change. We will be keeping an eye on the situation." Craig Noone is also out of today’s game because of a knee injury he suffered in training on Thursday. It is not thought the damage is too severe, however.

Peter Reid has reiterated that he will not tolerate a repeat of the reserves' display against Swindon Town earlier this week. In addition to Paul Mariner's report on the game, Reid had his card marked about the performance by a couple of his contacts in the game, and was not impressed with what he was told. "I have dealt with it," he said. "I can take getting beaten, but it was the manner in which we were beaten. There are a couple of people I know who rang me up after the game. I pride myself on making my teams hard to beat, and trying to be professional and run it right, and then that happens. I wasn't happy at all. It's the first and last time it will happen."

Peter Reid is predicting a 'dramatic reduction' in the fees paid to agents by clubs over the next year. Argyle paid out £275,000 in agents' fees last season and Reid said: "Given the current economic climate, it's worrying to see such a significant amount leaking from the game. This year's figures demonstrate a considerable increase on those of last season. It's essential clubs work to reduce this liability over the coming campaign. It's better for the game if the vast majority of the money stays in the game. I understand agents have to make a living, but some of the figures bandied about are not bad at all." Reid has signed three players since taking over as Argyle manager, but none of them have been for transfer fees. He said: "I'm used to dealing with agents, but you can't spend money you haven't got, so it's a good out for me, that one. I think it's really biting in now, and when we get these figures next year I'm sure we will see a dramatic reduction."

Steve MacLean's rehabilitation as an Argyle first-team player has given him the opportunity to appear in all three games so far this season, and he thinks the side are on the right track. He said: "We've had mixed results. We went away to Southampton on the first day of the League season and got an excellent result. Then we went out of the Cup to Notts County, although the gaffer made a few changes on the night, and then we took a point in the League against Carlisle last Saturday. That was a good result, because we weren't anywhere near our best on the day. We'd have taken four points from our first two League games, there's no doubt about that. Looking at it now, after dropping two points at home, it's probably a little bit disappointing, but we'll be right up there if we can win on Saturday." After beating Southampton away, today's assignment should hold few fears for the team. "It will be a very difficult game, like any game in this league, but we've got to go to Walsall looking to win the game," MacLean said. "We're confident, and we'll be trying to take three points wherever we go. We're a solid team, with three centre-halves at the back and three central midfielders in the middle. Whatever team the gaffer puts out, we'll be solid and competitive, and we'll be happy with that if we can keep picking up results." When he was asked to assess his form, MacLean said: "I think I've been OK. I think there's improvements to be made, I'd like to get amongst the goals. If I'm selected on Saturday, hopefully I can score then, but what's most important is getting the points." MacLean played in League One in 2004-05, and helped Sheffield Wednesday win promotion. He said: "I had a few different strike partners that season, so my role changed to suit who I was playing with, but maybe I was more of a penalty-box player. That's what I've got to look to do here. I've got to get in the box, and grab more goals. I'm sure I can do it, because I've done it in this league before. I'm sure it won't be a problem."

20th

Argyle today confirmed that John Carver has left the club to join Sheffield United

David Button is determined to repay the confidence shown in him by Peter Reid. He said: "It's nice for me to start games because that's what I came here to do. The gaffer has showed faith in me, which I really appreciate, and now it's time for me to pay him back with some good performances." Button has not been overworked in his first two appearances for Argyle, and said: "It's always nice for a goalie if you don't have too much to do. The defence has done okay. Overall, I think I have been fairly solid. I just need to take each game as it comes and make sure I keep my place. I know Romain is here and he's going to want his position back, but it's up to me to keep it." Button's arrival at Home Park was followed a week later by that of Dean Parrett, which went down well with him on two counts. "We are good mates, so it's nice to have him down here," he said. "But, from a team point of view, I do really rate him as a player. I'm not just saying that because he's my friend. I think it's a great signing for the club and, hopefully, he will do well here." Button has been satisfied with the start to the season made by the team. He said: "To be honest, I think we would have taken four points from the first two games before we played them. But, with the great win away to Southampton, we would have liked to have got a more positive result against Carlisle. Obviously, that wasn't to be, and it has highlighted a few things for us which we know we need to work on. There are a lot of decent teams in League One who, I would imagine, play a similar style of football to Carlisle. They are the sort of teams we are looking to beat, especially at home. We need to really if we are going to kick on and get promotion." Argyle only avoided defeat by Carlisle after a last-gasp equaliser from Rory Patterson. Button added: "It gave everyone a lift. It wouldn't have been nice to lose that game. The fact we showed a lot of spirit and a lot of determination to get back into the game was good." Button is settling into his new surroundings and has no regrets about making the move to Plymouth. He said: "I have been really enjoying it. All of the staff have been fantastic. We are working with Adam Sadler, who has been good. And the gaffer and Paul Mariner have been great as well, so I'm learning a lot."

Adam Sadler has taken on first team coaching duties at Argyle with the impending departure of John Carver to Sheffield United. Sadler holds a UEFA Pro Licence and is in pole position to replace Carver on a permanent basis, but Peter Reid insisted no decision would be taken on that until after the game against Walsall. Reid, who expects Carver to complete his move, said: "It's 99 per cent certain. I'm sorry to lose him but I don't think we could have stood in his way. He's nearer Newcastle, which I think is a big sway for him. He knows Speedo from Newcastle, and knows Sam Ellis from working at Leeds and Luton. So, with a great deal of reluctance, we have allowed him to go. Adam will be helping out with the first team. The game against Walsall is the most important thing now and we will get that out of the way and then take stock of it." Explaining Sadler's arrival at Argyle, Reid said: "John knew him, but it was a big recommendation from Sam Allardyce that swayed it. Adam has got all the coaching badges, goalkeeping, the UEFA Pro Licence, he has done everything. So he will have no problem joining us. I know he has really enjoyed working with the youth team, and this has all happened so quick we haven't had time to sit down and have a chat about it."

Anton Peterlin is set to be sidelined by a hamstring injury for Argyle's game at Walsall tomorrow, but Reda Johnson should be in the squad for the trip. Peter Reid has three options as to how to replace Peterlin alongside Carl Fletcher in the centre of midfield, Luke Summerfield, Chris Clark and Dean Parrett. Reid said: "I don't think Peterlin will make it so there will be a change in there. I have got a few options. Fletcher is one of those players that you don't realise what he does until he's not there. He fills holes and his stats in the last game against Carlisle, in terms of being on the ball and keeping it passing-wise, were excellent, so I think that's what he brings to the team. He's an influential player in there." Craig Noone suffered a knee injury in training yesterday, which was being assessed by Argyle's medical staff today.

Curtis Nelson will feature in the squad against Walsall after Peter Reid admitted his performance had been one of the few plus points to come out of the reserve game against Swindon. "He was terrific," Reid said. "He's with us all the time now, and he has handled training really well. He will definitely be in the squad tomorrow." Rory Patterson is expected to make his first start for Argyle tomorrow and Joe Mason is also pushing for a call-up. Reid added: "I think Mason is a really good footballer, and I have never ever been afraid to throw youth in there, so that wouldn't be a problem to me."

Onismor Bhasera has been named in Zimbabwe's squad for an African Nations Cup qualifier at Liberia on September 5. With Rory Patterson likely to be wanted by Northern Ireland for a European Championship qualifier in Slovenia on September 3, and Joe Mason expected to be part of the Republic of Ireland under-21 squad to face Switzerland and Turkey, Argyle’s game with Brighton and Hove Albion could be postponed.

19th

Peter Reid has admitted he will be having 'a few words' with the players who took part in Argyle reserves' 4-0 defeat at Swindon Town on Tuesday. He said: "All my players are aware of the standards I expect from them at this football club. You can't always predict how a side will do. However, I'll be having a word with a few of them and reminding them of that when we meet today."

18th

John Carver has been given permission to talk to Sheffield United, who named Gary Speed as their new manager yesterday. Peter Reid said: "Sheffield United called me, and I have given them permisison to have a chat wth John."

The return of Krisztian Timar has been good news for Argyle so far this season. He has fought off strong competition in the centre-back area to start the first two league games of the season, and even tried his luck as a left-winger in Saturday's draw with Carlisle. "I stayed up after the corner and just tried my best on the wing," he said. "Once, I played as a striker against Watford. I'm really happy to be playing in the first-team again. I had a good pre-season and I'm happy with the start, so I'll just keep going. There is good competition because we have a lot of good players in that position. It makes us play better and work harder. I am the kind of guy who always works hard but competition does give you even more motivation to stay on the pitch. Support from the fans is a really good thing for a football player. I work hard for the team and I always give me best, so maybe that's why. I wanted to come back and show everybody, the manager and the supporters, that I can play at the same level as before."

Argyle reserves lost 4-0 at Swindon Town yesterday. Paul Mariner said: "We came up against a very resolute Swindon side. I thought we were very much in the game at half-time, but we gave away some soft goals. One particularly from a corner was a free header inside the six-yard and it knocked the stuffing out of us. I think 4-0 was a bit rough on the lads but we certainly didn't help ourselves as a unit." One positive as far as Mariner was concerned was the performance of Curtis Nelson, and he added: "Some good did come out of the game. I thought Curtis did very well." Argyle: Larrieu, Duguid, Seip, Nelson, Clifford, Noone, Clark, Parrett, Kinsella, Fallon, Wright-Phillips. Subs – Stephens, Young (not used - Rickard, Harper-Penman, Chenoweth).

Peter Reid has made signing a new striker for Argyle his top priority. He said: "I have changed one or two things, but I'm still not there in terms of what I want in or what I want out. But there are a lot of managers in the same boat. I think as we get closer to the deadline things will happen. I was pleased Patterson got a goal, and I'm pleased with Mason, but that front-man is still a concern for me. He could be tall or quick, anyone who can stick it in the back of the net will do me. I have got a few irons in the fire and I'm hoping it will come to fruition."

Peter Reid has admitted the performances of Anton Peterlin have been one of the early season plus points for him. "I think he's getting to the pace of it," said Reid. "He's one of those players who keeps the ball well. With me trying to get the team to pass it, I think he has been one of the plusses to be perfectly honest. Like I have said, we have got to get that anxiety out of our play. We have had small-sided games in training, trying to get the passing going. It has been short and sharp."

Peter Reid is placing increased emphasis on the final ball into the box and one of the key components to that improvement will be Onismor Bhasera. Reid said: "I don't think it comes overnight but Bhasera's energy is good in there. We got down the left once or twice but we've got to get more quality. The final ball is so important. You can have all the build up in the world, but, if you don't get that delivery in at the end, it's waste of time. We'll be working on that but he's done well."

Joe Mason is looking for even more regular involvement in the first-team after coming on as a substitute in the draw with Carlisle. "I am happy with how it's gone so far," he said. "My aim was to be involved with the squad and I was happy to get on against Carlisle, and it was a great feeling to get a point in the last minute. Rory Patterson is obviously number one at the moment and I have to get a goal as well because confidence is a big thing. As a striker, you just want to score goals. If I can get a goal as soon as possible, I'm confident I can score goals in this league and do a job for the team. If we have three or four players getting into double figures, we should be alright. I feel most comfortable as a striker but if I'm asked to play out wide, I obviously will. It is up to me to work hard on the training ground and take the chance if it comes."

17th

Rory Patterson knows there is a lot for him to work on before he really starts to make his mark at Argyle. While thrilled at opening his goalscoring account against Carlisle, he was not overly pleased with his performance. "I did alright, but it was no great shakes," he said. "Obviously, I got a goal, which is the pleasing thing, but there is still a lot of room for improvement in my game. With the coaching staff we have here, and all the training I'm doing, hopefully all I can do is get better and better." Patterson had impressed Paul Mariner and John Carver while on trial last season, but admitted he had wondered whether the decision to appoint a new manager would scupper his chances of signing for the club. He said: "Football is such a cut-throat business. You can be flavour of the month one minute and then the next minute you are out. So I was a bit nervous. I knew Paul liked me and John liked me, but they could have been away from the club, or the new manager might not have fancied it. Luckily, I got here and I'm just looking to stay here now." Peter Reid has hinted Patterson could be rewarded for his last-gasp goal against Carlisle with a first start in the game at Walsall this Saturday. Patterson said: "I want to stay in the team now and get as many goals as I can. That's what I'm concentrating on." Argyle will travel to Walsall seventh in the table after picking up four points from their first two matches. Patterson added: "Obviously, we would have liked six points. We went to Southampton and got a good result, and I think everybody was kind of expecting us to win on Saturday. But give credit to Carlisle. They came here with a gameplan and they stuck to it the whole 90 minutes. Luckily, we got something out of it in the end."

Yannick Bolasie is set to have a knee operation tomorrow and will be out of action for around a month. Peter Reid said: "We are hoping he will be back in a month. We had to wait until the bone soreness went out of his knee before we could do anything. We are going with the medical advice of the specialist. It's a blow for us because he can stretch people with his pace, and he has the ability to go past defenders, but we have just got to get on with it. We have got to get him back as soon as we can now."

Reda Johnson sat out training yesterday because of a continuing ankle injury. Peter Reid said: "We are hoping Reda will be back in training in the next couple of days. He had a knock on his ankle against Notts County and it was too sore for him on Saturday. We thought we would get away with it, but that wasn't the case." Anton Peterlin suffered a hamstring strain during the draw with Carlisle United but is due back in training by the end of the week. "He'll be out for a couple of days," Peter Reid said. "We'll assess him on Thursday, and hopefully he can get back into training."

Rory Fallon seems certain to be included in the New Zealand squad for friendlies against Honduras and Paraguay in October, meaning he will miss at least one match for Argyle.

16th

Peter Reid has already shown in his short tenure as Argyle manager he will not shirk decisions and there was further evidence of that in the draw with Carlisle United on Saturday. Reid took off Rory Fallon in only the 37th minute of the game, replacing him with Rory Patterson. Reid was far from impressed with his side's display, but took some consolation from the way they stuck to their task until the final whistle. He said: "Carlisle came and made it difficult for us. The best thing about it is we kept on going. The passing and the anxiousness in our play is a worry. I'm trying to be brutally honest, and we have got to work hard on the training ground, because that wasn't good enough." Argyle have not won at Home Park since March and have lost five of their seven home games since then, drawing the other two. Reid said: "We have got to try to relax on the pitch, but it's easier said than done. In our training sessions, we get the ball down and pass it, but when we are out here on a brilliant pitch, for some reason, we find it difficult. I don't know whether it's pressure, but they have got to handle that pressure. We have also got to have the mental strength to pass the ball."

Anton Peterlin put the team first as he battled on for Argyle despite suffering a hamstring injury near the end of the draw against Carlisle United. Peter Reid, who had already used his three substitutes when Peterlin was hurt, said: "Anton tweaked his hamstring and I have got to give him all the credit in the world for keeping going." Reda Johnson was ruled out against Carlisle because of an ankle injury.

Rory Patterson rescued a point for Argyle on Saturday wearing a pair of boots he had bought from a city centre shop only 24 hours earlier. Patterson's previous ones had been lost on his return from Northern Ireland's friendly in Montenegro. He said: "I think I will keep hold of them for a while! I usually get boots sent to me, but they wouldn't have got to me in time for so I had to go and buy some myself. It doesn't bother me about breaking boots in. It might have been a blessing losing the other ones." Patterson had missed Argyle's defeat by Notts County last Tuesday because he was on international duty, but did not get the chance to add to his three caps. He said: "There is nothing I can do about that. It's up to the manager who plays. Obviously, it was disappointing because we had a Carling Cup match. I think I might have had a shout for that one, and I would have had a full week's training. I'm looking forward now to getting started again on Monday." Patterson admitted words of advice from Paul Mariner had played a part in his equaliser against Carlisle. He said: "There were a lot of balls bouncing about in the box, and we got a few bodies in there. Timar and Bondz were up, to be a bit of nuisance, and I think they did that. It just fell nicely for me and I put it away. If anything falls to me inside the box, I just try to hit the target. That's what you are taught to do as a striker, and Paul Mariner has drilled that into me. If you hit the target, you have always got a chance of scoring. So I was just trying to concentrate on doing that, and today it has paid off." Carlisle had taken the lead in the 68th minute and were on the brink of victory when Patterson struck. He admitted Argyle had failed to impose themselves on the match, and said: "They came with a plan and they did stifle us. They were quite hard to break down and played some decent football. But at home we did need to be doing better. We need to be dominating teams so that was disappointing."

Argyle begin the reserve-team campaign at Swindon Town on Tuesday and Peter Reid will use the match as an opportunity to give the fringe players in his squad some valuable game-time. Reid is also including Dean Parrett and Rory Fallon in a bid to remove the rustiness in their play. "Deano will be playing for the reserves to give him some more football time," said Reid. "Fallon will be having another game because he needs football, as will Wright-Phillips, Clark and the lads that haven't been playing. It's a competitive game and there will be a few of the senior professionals." Craig Noone will also feature and Reid will be closely assessing the quality of his delivery. "He's a lad who has ability," said Reid. "He had plenty of the ball last Tuesday but his end delivery was poor. It's alright getting plenty of the ball but you've got to do something with it. He's got to improve on the final ball and he's got to create chances. The boy has got ability, so we'll see how he does in the reserve game."

The conversion of Bondz N'Gala to a right-back has left Peter Reid with a conundrum. Signed as a centre-back, N’Gala has shown his defensive qualities in his new position but Reid is looking for more going forward. "Defensively, he is ok but there is a problem when we go forward," said Reid. "He needs to be better and more comfortable on it, so he's got to improve. Ryan Leonard will be playing 45 minutes for the reserves at Swindon and so will Karl Duguid. He is a utility player; one of those players who can play a few positions."

15th

The Argyle youth team won 3-1 at Oxford United in their first Football League Youth Alliance game yesterday, the goals scored by Connor Clifford, Luke Young and Curtis Nelson. Argyle: Ord, Stephens, Nelson, Sawyer, Clifford, Young, Harper-Penman, Berry, Rickard, Sims, Copp. Subs - Hart, Coombes, Baker (not used - Pearce)

Rory Patterson expressed his delight at opening his league goal-scoring account yesterday. "It's pleasing just to get off the mark," he said. "Obviously I'm glad it didn't take too long - the ball seemed to be bobbling about a bit and I just tried to get myself a bit of space." Having already had a couple of chances earlier on in the game against Carlisle, Patterson left it late before making an impact as Argyle looked set to lose in the first home game of the campaign. Patterson said: "The first one, he's pulled off a good save but, fortunately, the last one fell to me and I put it away. If I get anything in like I got in Ireland, then I'll not be doing too badly. It's a different standard over here but hopefully I can get a few goals and just take it from there." After being sent onto the field of play ten minutes before half time, Patterson added, "You don't usually get on that early in a game, unless someone is injured, but he has put me on and I just went out and tried to work as hard as I could."

Rory Patterson is the toast of Argyle tonight. "He also had one shot saved and mis-hit one past the post but while he was on, he showed desire," said Peter Reid. "I might have started with him but he got back from Montenegro on Thursday night and he lost his bag in Bristol, so he had a torrid time in getting back. I made the decision early and stuck him on, and he deserves his place next week." Joe Mason and Dean Parrett were also introduced early, as Reid sought to change the pattern of a frustrating afternoon. "I love Mason as a footballer but I have to be careful with him," said Reid. "He gets in behind and he's a clever player. I had a hell of a lot of young players out there. If they're going to do it, I'll play them. The players pick the team and that gives an insight into the team for next week. It was a gamble, making three changes, because you're always looking out for injuries, and we did get one. Anton Peterlin has tweaked his hamstring and I give the boy all the credit in the world for keeping going. I put Parrett in at the deep end and he will be able to handle it. He has shown he can handle a football and he'll have a week with us training now and getting to the pace of it. It's a bonus that he's got some time on the pitch."

David Button produced a wonder-save on his home debut for Argyle, a stunning block from Ian Harte's whipped free-kick in the draw with Carlisle. "It was a great save," said Peter Reid. "I know Harte from when I had him at Leeds and he won us a game at Arsenal with a free-kick, so when he stepped up, I feared the worse. It was a terrific save because it had plenty of dip on it. The kid looks as though he's got a chance of being a top keeper."

14th

Argyle drew 1-1 with Carlisle United at Home Park, the goal scored by Rory Patterson in the 94th minute. Argyle: Button, N’Gala, Arnason, Timar, Molyneux, Summerfield, Peterlin, Fletcher, Bhasera, Fallon, MacLean. Subs - Parrett, Patterson, Mason (not used – Larrieu, Paterson, Clark, Noone). Attendance - 7,782.

The Argyle squad will be bolstered today by the return of Joe Mason and Rory Patterson from international duty. Mason was an unused substitute for the Republic of Ireland under-21s against Estonia on Tuesday and returned to training with Argyle on Thursday, but Patterson was not back until yesterday. He had been an unused substitute in Northern Ireland's away defeat against Macedonia on Wednesday. Both could also miss out on Argyle's game against Brighton and Hove Albion on September 4th if called up again. Peter Reid was pleased neither had seen any international action, therefore not running the risk of sustaining any injuries."I'm delighted they didn't play," he said. "I would prefer that. As long as they trained while they were away, it's not a problem."

Curtis Nelson started pre-season as a young apprentice looking for a professional contract at the end of the season. He is now training regularly with the first-team and made his professional debut in the Carling Cup defeat to Notts County. "I've found it a challenge and a big difference to playing in the youth-team," he said. "It's a lot quicker and more physical. I played quite well on Tuesday and enjoyed it, which is the main thing. Training with the first-team has given me a lot of confidence. You get used to new faces and start to gel with them, and the pros talk to you a lot more, which gives you the confidence to relax. I was very nervous going on against Notts County. I wasn't expecting to go on so early but half-an-hour is a decent amount of time. It gives me a lot more confidence with the youth team because it shows I can step up to the senior team. I hope it will help the other young players as well because I will get more experience. I have to keep working hard for the pro contract I'm hoping to get at the end of the season."

13th

Dean Parrett was one of the stars for England at the European Under-19 Championship in France last month and Peter Reid has been trying to bring him to Home Park ever since. Reid said: "I have been chasing Dean for a bit. I have been at Harry and Tim Sherwood at Spurs. They kindly let us have David Button and now Dean has come along. He played for England in the European Championship in the summer. I already knew about him, but I thought he did really well as an attacking, creative midfield player. He missed the crucial game against Spain because of two bookings, which was a blow to England. You could see in training yesterday morning what he can do with the football. So it's another option in the middle of the park. He's an attacking player who can open things up." Reid revealed the signing of Parrett was part of a deliberate policy on his part to add more youth to his squad. He said: "From my point of view, you look at Peterlin, Molyneux, Button and Parrett and they are young players, with young legs. That's what I want. I have got the experience, but I have got to have more energy. People say kids don't win things, well, Alan Hansen said it and was proved wrong. The way I want the team to play, I think you have got to have a mixture of youth and experience. I thought we were anxious against Notts County and I want people with legs who are uninhibited in their play, and who can get it down and pass it. Young players sometimes go out there and have got no fear at all. That's the reason behind my thinking." Reid added: "I'm still looking for another striker, to be honest. But in terms of a midfield player who can hopefully create and get the odd goal, I'm delighted Dean is here." The capture of Parrett has ended Reid's interest in Norwich City midfielder Owain Tudur-Jones.

Dean Parrett is excited about continuing his football education under Peter Reid. "I was really excited to get down here and work with him, especially as he has managed at the top level as well," said Parrett. "I think it will be brilliant for my progression, playing under someone with his experience and stature. I'm an attacking midfielder who likes to get forward. I like to get on the ball and try to link the play up. I like playing off the striker as well for third man runs and, hopefully, I can get on the scoresheet. I'm just thinking about the next few games, to be honest. I have got to work hard to get into the team, and once I get in there keep my place in it. I'm not expecting to go straight in. I have got to work hard for it." Harry Redknapp and Tim Sherwood both believe Parrett will flourish under Reid at Argyle. Parrett said: "They told me to come down here and enjoy my football, and show people what I can do. They told me I would be working under a good manager, who would look after me and not let me get away with anything. It will be a good learning curve for me, so they are quite excited for me to be down here too." Parrett trained with his new team-mates for the first time yesterday morning. He said: "I really enjoyed training. It was quite a sharp session and I definitely got the journey out of my legs! There are some good players here, the quality is high, so I can't wait to start." Parrett has played at Home Park once before, for Tottenham in a FA Youth Cup fifth round tie against Argyle in February 2009. He captained the Spurs' side who won 3-0, in a match which only went ahead after two pitch inspections following heavy rain. Parrett said: "It was a good game. The pitch cut up but we tried to play on it. It's a nice stadium so I enjoyed it a lot."

Argyle will try to put an end to a run of four consecutive home defeats when they play Carlisle United tomorrow. Peter Reid said: "We need to get back to winning ways tomorrow. I want us to go out there and play football, and be relaxed. I know there is pressure at home sometimes, but you have got to handle that. We have got a great crowd, and the new pitch is great, so let's go out there and play. I will be making changes again and, hopefully we can get a decent result." Reid believes hard work is the key to turning around the home form. He said: "You can't go out there and have a fear of playing. You have got to go out there and play and enjoy it. It's a new start. It's the first home league game of the season. Let's be positive and get a result." Reid also believes the introduction of young players such as Lee Molyneux, Anton Peterlin and Dean Parrett will lead to an improvement in Argyle's fortunes at Home Park. "I'm trying to change bodies, slowly but surely," he said. "With some young legs coming in, allied with the experience we have got, I'm hoping that does it." When asked whether the starting line-up against Carlisle would be the same as at Southampton, Reid replied: "I don't think you have to be Einstein to sort that one out. There will be some disappointed players, but that's football. It's up to me to pick the team I think will win the game. It's something that hasn't bothered me in the past, and it's something that won't bother me in the future. Managers get paid for that." One particular cause for concern for Reid has been the number of needless free-kicks his team has conceded in their first two matches. Notts County's Ben Davies went close to scoring on a couple of occasions from free-kicks, and Carlisle boast set piece specialist Ian Harte in their line-up. "One of the things I will be impressing on the players is not to give stupid free-kicks away," said Reid. "You put yourself under too much pressure. As good as Davies is, Harte is even better. I know him from my days at Leeds United. The percentage of goals scored from free-kicks and corners is massive, so we need to stop giving them away."

12th

Argyle have signed Tottenham midfielder Dean Parrett on loan until the end of the season. Peter Reid said: "Harry Redknapp and Tim Sherwood have helped me out - Dean's a young attacking midfield player who has played for England so it's a good prospect for us. I just feel we need somebody to open things up in the middle of the park and I'm hoping Dean will be the man and I'm sure he will be. I'm excited to be working with the boy and hopefully he can get on the pitch and do the job for us." Parrett also knows David Button, a factor that Reid believes will be important in bedding the youngster down. He said: "I spoke to the boy on the telephone and he's says he's a big mate of Butts so that just mean when he comes he knows somebody so he'll fit into the surroundings even better."

Jim Paterson is set to hold talks with Greek club Kavala FC, and Peter Reid said: "Jim Paterson is going to speak to a Greek club. He is going out there tomorrow and I've got to be creative in the market. Lads have gone and I'm bringing lads in. Jim has been on the fringe of things but I have got to say he has been a model professional. He has been different class. If professional footballers conduct themselves the way he has, and I know it's frustrating not being in the team, but he deserves a chance. If he can get a deal, then he deserves it."

Peter Reid has blamed 'naive football' for Argyle's loss to Notts County on Tuesday. One positive he did take out of the contest was the support of the fans who turned up for the game. "I thought the crowd were great considering we didn't give them too much to cheer about," said Reid. "When we got a bit of momentum going in the second half they got behind us, but we have just got to improve. I would be the first to say that wasn't really good enough. I wouldn't have a go about the workrate, but I would have a go about naïve football and a lack of care passing it." Argyle could have no complaints about the condition of the Home Park pitch, which was laid during the summer. Reid said: "All in all, it was disappointing the way we played the game on Tuesday. That pitch is tremendous and we didn't pass it well enough. We gave it away in too many areas where we weren't under pressure. You can understand it if people are shutting you down, but there were too many sloppy passes." Craig Noone played on both sides of the midfield during the game but without much end product. Reid said: "I thought he had plenty of the ball, but he got too anxious too early. I like crosses going in, don't get me wrong, but you have got to mix it up. If a cross goes in every time, defenders know it's coming in. You have got to mix your football up, and I thought we got a bit one dimensional instead of being patient sometimes. When we got some momentum in the second half we gave away free-kicks in stupid areas. That stops the momentum. It was naïve football, and you can't afford to do it, so that's disappointing. They worked hard and I hope they learn their lessons on things. Sometimes you can't get to balls, so why make a foul? Sometimes you have just got to defend." Two plus points to come out of the match for Reid were the performances of Lee Molyneux and Jim Paterson. He said: "I thought Molyneux had a really good first half. He didn't have much of a pre-season and I was delighted he got another 45 minutes. And Jim Paterson is a great pro, so I wanted to get him some time on the pitch as well."

Yannick Bolasie will not be back in action until September, at the earliest. Peter Reid said: "He's got some bone bruising on a knee, and he's going to be out for a month to six weeks. We're going to have a word with another consultant, because we're not sure about it yet, but we've got to be guided by the medical people."

11th

Curtis Nelson made a confident debut for Argyle as a substitute in the defeat to Notts County last night. Peter Reid said: "He is only a young boy and I thought I'd give him his debut. He didn't look out of place and he had a good header at the back stick. Those chances in football are where you need your strikers on the move and they weren't on the move. He headed it back into a good area and that's the difference, but the lad acquitted himself well."

Joe Mason was an unused substitute as the Republic of Ireland under-21s beat Estonia 5-0 last night

10th

Argyle lost 1-0 to Notts County in the Carling Cup first round tie at Home Park. Argyle: Larrieu, Duguid, Arnason, Johnson.R, Molyneux, Clark, Noone, Peterlin, Bhasera, Fallon, Wright-Phillips. Subs - Paterson, Nelson, MacLean, (not used – Button, N’Gala, Seip, Summerfield). Attendance - 5,454.

The multi-ball system will encourage flowing football, according to Peter Reid. Argyle are introducing the system for the Carling Cup meeting with Notts County and fans are being asked to play their part. If the ball goes into the crowd, it is very important fans return them to the ball assistants. Returning the ball straight to the pitch can cause delays and fines are imposed on the club if the multi-ball system breaks down. "The multi-ball system is coming into operation and you could see how it kept the game flowing at Southampton," said Reid. "When the ball comes out of play and there are so many seconds lost, it cheats the supporters. The referee doesn't add that time on, so, the sooner you get the ball back in play, supporters are getting their value for money and it keeps the game flowing."

After two years as a bit-part player, Craig Noone is determined to make this season one to remember. Noone is desperate to start tonight's game with Notts County and said: "If I get the chance to play tonight, it's up to me to prove a point that I want to be in the side. I want to play as much as I can this year. I'm at the age now where I've got to play every game I can. You have got to go with the manager's decision because he picks a team to do the job. It's all up to me to try and impress. You want to win every game and this is the first game on a new pitch in front of our fans. The new pitch is lovely. It suits players like me because you can dribble on it far better than last season. We have got to start making this a place that teams don't want to visit. Notts County don't want to come here on Tuesday tonight and it's up to us to do the business for our fans."

Reda Johnson had no complaints about not making Argyle's starting line-up for the win over Southampton on Saturday. He said: "I hadn't played for three weeks so it was hard for the manager to start me in the first game. I understand that. I was a substitute, and I was okay with that. I'm a professional footballer and I need to accept that. After Arnie was injured, I was sent on for him and I worked hard for the team. That's my job." Johnson was modest about his tackle on Lee Barnard, when the Saints' forward seemed certain to equalise from close range. "That's my job, I'm a defender," he said. "I was happy for the team because we had three points at the end of the game. It's better than one point." Johnson has spent a lot of time with the physios over the past three weeks as he has battled back to fitness. Johnson added: "Sometimes I feel my groin a little, but it's okay. I have been working with Paul and Ian, and it's okay. I don't have a big problem." Johnson believes it is important that the team build on their victory when they take on Notts County tonight. He said: "It's good for confidence to win games. If we lose we are out of the competition, so we will give it our best." But their main target is gaining promotion back to the Championship at the first attempt. Johnson said: "We are all here for one reason, to go up to the Championship. We know it will be very hard, but we have a good manager, good coaches and good players. I think we can do a really good job this season."

Peter Reid will shake up his side for the Carling Cup tie against Notts County at tonight. Reid said: "I think it's only fair to tell the fans there will be changes tonight, basically because I have got a squad of players. Some of the players who were disappointed at the weekend will be in the team and, hopefully, show me what they can do. The players who were left out think they should be in the team. This is an opportunity for them to show me I made a mistake. That would then give me a headache for Saturday. I thought it was a good performance at Southampton. We did have to defend in the first half, but, I tell you what, we did defend well. And, in the second half, we were excellent, so those are the standards the lads who are going to come into the side have got to meet, or even better them. It will show me, in a competitive game, the strength of the squad as well, which is good for me." Marcel Seip and Bradley Wright-Phillips did not travel to Southampton, instead staying behind in Plymouth to train with former player and manager Kevin Hodges, who is now part of the club's centre of excellence coaching staff. "I thought they were better training, than being on a coach for four hours," said Reid. "It's important they still get their legwork in, even though they aren't involved in the squad, and that's what happened."

Argyle will be playing on their new £500,000 Fibrelastic Turf pitch for the first time tonight, and Peter Reid believes it will prove to be beneficial for them this season. The squad trained at Home Park yesterday to get accustomed to the playing surface and Reid said: "It's very impressive, and it's conducive for real good football. You can zip the ball around on it. With a little bit of rain on it yesterday, it was great. It looks like a good investment by the football club, I have got to say." Argyle opted for a new pitch after severe problems with the previous one last season. Reid added: "I saw it on TV, and it wouldn't have raised an eyebrow when I played all those years ago. But, obviously, things have vastly improved, and we needed to keep up with it. This pitch is certainly terrific for the football club."

Damien Johnson has admitted to being disappointed and frustrated at leaving Argyle with unfinished business. He said: "I definitely have a feeling of frustration and disappointment at not finishing the job with Plymouth. I had been looking forward to repaying the fans for their support last season by helping get the club promotion from League One. I think all the players felt a sense of responsibility for what happened last season, even though the club had been struggling for a while. I personally did, and I don't think the fans really saw the best of me in my time there. But, again, I understand the reality of the financial situation at Argyle at the moment. I had been told there were a couple of clubs inquiring about me, but even so the move to Huddersfield came out of the blue." Johnson added he had given up playing for Northern Ireland in order to devote his time and attention to Argyle, which he admitted had been more difficult than he had imagined. He said: "I hadn't realised at the outset just how hard and difficult the job was going to turn out to be. I gave up playing international football to concentrate on helping Plymouth. I love the area and have enjoyed my time down there, and have great respect for Paul Mariner and John Carver, and the new manager Peter Reid. The team has a lot of quality in it and I still think they will do well this season, that's my great wish anyway. Obviously, I want to do well for Huddersfield. Hopefully, they will both end up getting promotion. But I didn't want the fans to think that I wanted to go, because I didn't."

Yala Bolasie may need surgery after damaging his knee in the pre-season win over Saltash. Although the ankle area caused initial distress, a scan has revealed a knee problem that came from the same incident. "We should find out today what they're going to do with it," said Peter Reid. "He's got a problem with his knee as well from the same incident, so there might be surgery. We've had the results of the scan and we're now deciding what to do."

International scheduling has left Argyle without the services of Joe Mason and Rory Patterson for the Carling Cup clash with Notts County tonight. Peter Reid confirmed that both would have played tonight but Patterson is representing Northern Ireland in Montenegro and Mason is playing for the Republic of Ireland under-21's against Estonia. "It is a bit of a blow because Mason and Patterson would have played," said Reid. "I am just the same as any other manager. I am a great believer in international football, as pathetic as we were in the World Cup, but I can't see what this fixture does for any international team. The big league starts at the weekend and I just can't understand it. The powers that make these fixtures, it must be FIFA, I find very strange. They're talking about too much football at UEFA and FIFA, and then they throw this game in."

Steve MacLean is a happy man after helping Argyle to an opening day win at Southampton. "It was good to be back playing," he said. "Pre-season is hard work and everybody's striving to play in that first of the game. It was good to get the nod because it means you've had a good pre-season. I was even more pleased with the result against a really good side. We weathered the storm in the first-half. Rory and I were saying it couldn't go on like that and the gaffer had a word at half-time. We played further up the pitch, got in their faces, won more second-balls and we passed the ball better as well. Luckily we got the goal and defended well. For the goal, big Rory won the header and I saw it was going past me, so I just tried to flick it and hope that Summers would be coming in."

9th

Peter Reid will try to add to his squad after the departure of Damien Johnson. Reid said: "I think there will be comings and goings before the end of August deadline. Of course it was a blow to see Jonno leave. I think we saw against QPR what a player he is. But sometimes circumstances dictate that. I understand that. We have just got to get on with it." When asked whether Johnson's departure would free up money for him to use on new recruits, Reid replied: "It gives me scope to have a look."

The Argyle youth team, reinforced by four over age players, won 4-2 in their friendly at Arsenal yesterday. Peter Reid, with Arsenal's prior consent, used the match to give match practice to trialist Laurent Manuel and three first-year professionals - Ollie Chenoweth, Jordan Trott and Sean Kinsella. The goals were scored by Matt Rickard, Sean Kinsella (2) and Jed Harper-Penman. Argyle: Chenoweth, Manuel, Nelson, Sawyer, Trott, Harper-Penman, Kinsella, Young, Copp, Rickard, Sims. Subs - Ord, Harper-Penman, Clifford, Pearce, Stephens, Hart, Clarvis, Berry

8th

Lee Molyneux, who was released in the summer by Southampton, praised his team-mates after the victory over his former club. He said: "The whole team grafted, from the front right through to the back. It was organised. We came with a plan to keep our shape, be solid, and do the simple things right, and everything else looks after itself. We all did our jobs and sneaked a goal and won it." The goal came in the second minute of the second half after Argyle had survived a tough first 45 minutes. Molyneux said: "We didn't come out and say 'let's get a goal', we just wanted to pick it up because we were a bit short, in the first half, at closing people down, getting in people's faces and not letting them play. We did that and then it was about concentrating and keeping the lead." Molyneux found himself up against former Argyle player Jason Puncheon. "He's not just one of Southampton's better players - I think he's one of the best players in the league," said Molyneux. "He was unfortunate not to get his chance at Plymouth because you could see today the quality he's got. I think he'll be one of the toughest opponents I will play against this year. It wasn't just me - it was a team effort, and I'm glad we got a clean sheet. Southampton are the strong favourites, so it's good to get a win. We've set our standards. We've now got to keep the ball rolling and stay up there." Molyneux has not had a full pre-season, but stuck to his task for 90 minutes. "It was a struggle, but I got through it," he said. "Towards the end of the game, it's about mental strength and concentration. If I stay in the team, I think my fitness will come through."

Peter Reid was full of praise for his players after the 1-0 win against Southampton. "There were a lot of good performances out there and I'm pleased for Summerfield that he got the goal," he said. "It was a good position, he followed the ball in and it was a good finish. A lot has been said about the lack of goals over recent times and we have had a chat about wide midfield players getting in those areas, Joe Mason does it as well, and that's what we've been trying to do." The spirit of the team was typified by a superb block tackle by Reda Johnson in injury-time. "We did that all over the park," said Reid, "but none more so than Reda, who's got extendable legs. It was a terrific block. Beside the goal, defending like that wins you football matches." Johnson was on the pitch as replacement for Kari Arnason, who was kicked in the face by Lee Barnard at the end of the first half. Reid said: "He got a kick in the eye and the medical people said one of his pupils was bigger than the other so, on medical advice, we changed it round." That meant a change of partner for Krisztian Timar, who also gained the approval of his manager. "I thought he got a bit anxious, and gave away a couple of free-kicks in dangerous positions," said Reid, "but, considering it's his first real competitive game for a long time, I've got to give the boy all the credit in the world. Fantastic." Three players made their Argyle debuts yesterday, David Button, Lee Molyneux and Anton Peterlin. Button was chosen ahead of Romain Larrieu, and Reid said: "It was just a gut feeling, if you like. Romain has been brilliant in pre-season. David didn't have a lot to do but he looked assured. He did well. It's competition for places, like I said. Lee Molyneux, considering he has had two and half weeks for us, I thought did great against a really good player, Puncheon. Peterlin looked lost for 45 minutes but got stronger and stronger as the game went on, which is another plus. I was delighted for him, as well." Rory Fallon was partnered up front by Steve MacLean, who laid on Summerfield's goal. "I thought he did terrific," said Reid. "He held the ball up. He was tired at the end, but that's what I want. Rory Fallon, I thought was tremendous. First half, he didn't win much, but second half he was a different player." Reid's final praise was reserved for the Green Army, who took 1,200 supporters to St Mary's. "I felt they were absolutely marvellous," he said. "This is a big job and we need everyone pulling together. They showed what the club needs. Superb."

A half-time chat turned Argyle's fortunes round and paved the way for their opening day victory at Southampton. Peter Reid said: "We had a chat about it, but the players deserve all the credit. It was just a back-to-basics and they did it well. We did have a chat at half-time, as you do, but the players are the ones who responded really well. It was much better. We won second ball, passed it better, got up the pitch, got a goal, defended when we had to and looked threatening on the break against what I consider a good side in this league." Despite being under pressure in the first half, Argyle limited Southampton to just one shot on target "You are not going to play well all the time," said Reid, "but I have got to say, to my players credit, that even though we didn't play well, we looked really dogged and hard to break down. We defended really well, even though we didn't play good football - the 'keeper didn't have much to do, even though we weren't at it. Asked whether he was glad to be back in club management after a break of five years, Reid added: "The first 45, I didn't enjoy; the second 45, I didn't enjoy; I enjoyed the final whistle. No - win, lose or draw, I thought it was much better in the second half." The manager also urged the fans not to get too carried away after such a fabulous start to the new campaign. "We've had a good start," he said. "It's nothing more than that. There's a long, long way to go, and there will be ups and downs."

Luke Summerfield is setting his sights no higher than cementing his place in the Argyle starting 11, despite his winning goal at Southampton. He said: "Three points away from home and a clean sheet is a great way to start the season for us. I was pleased to be in the starting 11 even though it was a little bit out of position for me, I still worked hard for the team and it was great win for the whole team. We didn't play that well in the first half but we still defended well as a unit; in the second half, we played much better and kept the ball a little bit better." Summerfield found himself in direct opposition to former team-mate Ryan Dickson, who was making his Southampton debut. "We had great times in the Argyle youth team, me and Dicko," said Summerfield, "so I wish him all the bets. Hopefully, he can play a lot of games here." The victory has whetted Summerfield’s appetite to stay on Peter Reid's team-sheet. "I still see myself as a central midfield player - I'd like to play there week in and week out - but, at the end of the day, getting in the 11 is what I want to do," he said. "So, even if it's out of position, I'm going to fight really hard for the team. I've been working hard in training and it's got me in the starting 11. Hopefully, I can keep working hard and stay in the 11."

7th

Argyle won 1-0 at Southampton, the goal scored by Luke Summerfield after 47 minutes. Argyle: Button, N’Gala, Arnason, Timar, Molyneux, Peterlin, Summerfield, Fletcher, Bhasera, Fallon, MacLean. Subs - Johnson.R, Patterson, Clark (not used – Larrieu, Noone, Duguid, Mason). Attendance - 21,727.

David Button is expecting a good battle with Romain Larrieu to be Argyle's first choice goalkeeper. He said: "First of all, since I have come here Romain has been fantastic towards me. He has made me feel really welcome and in training you can see he has got quality, and he has got a lot of experience as well. It will be tough competition, but I'm also confident I can bring qualities to the team as well. It will be a good battle for the season, and I think it can only improve us both." Button revealed Peter Reid had asked about taking him on loan at the start of pre-season. "He knows Harry Redknapp quite well so there was a bit of interest then," he said. "But I think Harry Redknapp was quite keen for me to be involved with Tottenham this pre-season. I have been on their trip to America, and played a couple of games since I have been back, which has been good for me. But, with the season starting, it was important I got out on loan and Plymouth came up, so it was ideal really." Button signed a three-year contract with Tottenham in May, but there is a lot of competition among keepers at Spurs. So it has been important for his development to spend much of his career out on loan. He said: "It's important for me, being a young goalkeeper, to be playing games. Tottenham have pulled out of the reserves' league so if you aren't in the first team there isn't too much opportunity to play games. So, being young, coming out on loan is the best way to improve." Button made 26 appearances for Shrewsbury Town last season and found that very beneficial. He said: "Going out on short loans isn't ideal, at all, really. You need to find your rhythm, which I thought I did at Shrewsbury. It ended up being quite a good season for me personally. Hopefully, I will be able to emulate that again this season and become part of the club. It's a bit of security for me, and for the club, knowing I'm going to be here all season. Hopefully, I can just kick on and start impressing people." It has not only been Larrieu who has made Button feel at home at Argyle. "My first impressions have been very good," he said. "The staff have made me feel welcome. "I have really enjoyed the training I have had so far. And then the players as well, there are a few younger lads I'm getting to know, and then there are the more experienced ones who can give you tips and advice. Everyone has been really welcoming." Button has sensed his team-mates are desperate to make an immediate return to the Championship, after relegation last term."You can tell there is a determination with the players to get back to where most people feel the club belongs," he said. "It's a big club with a good set-up."

Huddersfield Town manager Lee Clark is delighted at landing Damien Johnson on a season-long loan and confirmed the reason that the midfielder left Argyle. He said: "I'm very pleased, Damien has been on the radar for a while. To get someone in who has played his entire career in the Premier League and Championship is brilliant. It's not easy to get good players in. Having spoken to Peter Reid, I know he didn't really want to lose Damien. But it is something he had to do, financially, and we stepped in."

6th

Peter Reid has admitted he could not be happier as Argyle get ready to open their season. "As the pre-season has gone on, I have been happier and happier with the players — their fitness levels, sharpness and attitude," he said. "I have got to know them and they have got to know me. I could not be happier, but obviously the acid test is tomorrow against a very good side. They are the bookies' favourites but you have got to play them sometime, why not at the start? I'm looking forward to it." Reid was at St Mary's last weekend to see Southampton beaten 4-2 by Reading. He said: "They have got a threat up front in Lambert, who's a decent player and has got a lot of goals. The other boy, Barnard, has got very good movement. He was at Tottenham as a kid. So they have got threats, and are very experienced at the back, but we have got some decent players as well. I'm sure we will give a good account of ourselves." Lambert did not play against Reading because of a groin strain, while French midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin was also injured. Reid expects them both to be in the starting line-up tomorrow though, and said: "I think there might be a couple of changes to the team I watched but, basically, they have got a good shape about them and are well organised." Southampton are 6/4 favourites to win League One, with the next best-priced teams being Sheffield Wednesday and Argyle, at 8/1. Reid said: "I think the bookies very rarely get things wrong. I haven't seen a bookmaker going skint recently. They must have looked at the squad Pardew has got there, but championships are never won and lost in betting offices. It's all done on the football pitch. It's an incentive for us to play against the favourites in the first game. We know it's going to be difficult and we will give them respect, but we are going there to try to win it."

Carl Fletcher believes home form holds the key to whether Argyle will be a force at the end of the season. He said: "I think if you look at any side that has achieved anything, no matter what division, they always seem to do well at home. We have got to make Home Park a fortress as Plymouth is a long way down in the country and not a lot of people want to come down here. So, we want to make the journey worse for them by making our visitors think 'Argyle's home form is good and they're getting a lot of good results here' then that's going to be better for us. Obviously, we've got to perform well away, too, but it all starts off with doing well at home." Fletcher said that he sensed a mood in the Argyle camp wanting to make up for the disappointment of relegation. He said: "Obviously, last season was disappointing and the players want to repay the fans who followed us week-in, week-out, when things weren't going well. But at the end of the day, that's down to us, in getting results on the pitch. All fans want players giving 100 per cent and to win as many games as possible. And there are a lot of players here who want to do that and if we can show the fans that then, hopefully, they'll come back." Fletcher has been encouraged by the progress in pre-season under Peter Reid. "We've had a new manager coming in and we've been transferring his ideas into games," he said. "Hopefully, we can start off well and then confidence will grow and it will then snowball. But it's going to take an awful lot of hard work, not just from the XI but from everyone, the whole squad. Goals were hard to come by last season, but it's down to all of us to create chances for the strikers to put away. But I'll take 46 scrappy 1-0 wins to be honest. Promotion, well, every new season is a big season and this one is no different. Everyone's worked hard in pre-season and everyone's looking forward to the new campaign starting."

Bondz N’Gala is confident Argyle will secure promotion back to the Championship at the first attempt. "I'm confident that we can get promotion this year, after all we've done well in our pre-season games," he said. "The aim is to win promotion definitely, so we must have good home form. But we must also have good away form, too, in order to achieve promotion. That's a fact. And as we're coming down from the Championship, as one of the bigger teams in this league, it that means we'll be expected to do well. But we've shown we can do well in our pre-season games against bigger opponents. We played QPR who are in the Championship and, arguably, should have won up at their place. So we've already shown that we can mix it successfully with teams in a higher division." N'Gala also praised Paul Mariner and John Carver as well as Peter Reid, who he said were crucial in persuading him to sign a two-year deal in May. "What persuaded me to join Plymouth in the first place was John and Paul who were very good to me and looked after me when I was here on loan last season and they stood by me," he said. "So, they being here influenced my decision to come back, and I have to say the training at Plymouth is as good as anywhere, to be honest. Obviously, John has already spent time at the top in the Premier League and his coaching is superb. Paul has played at the highest level, as has the manager, so it can only improve me as a player, as they've got all that experience. And to be fair there's no shackles on us, they encourage me and all the players to express ourselves and to go out and enjoy our football. Hopefully, we can do that this season. And I know there is competition for places at central defence, but that's only healthy for this football club and will help get the best out of all of us. I've already played at full-back in pre-season, too — it's a position I've played in before, so it's not unfamiliar to me. I think I can do a job in that position. But to be honest, whether it's full-back or centre-back, what's important is to do the best for the team."

Krisztian Timar has experienced the high and lows of professional football over the past two seasons. However, he now wants to focus on the future, rather than on the disappointment of the past couple of years. "Last season wasn't my best," he said. "But I don't want to think about it too much. It has gone now, and I'm happy to come back from my injury. I don't want to say why I didn't play last season. I'm trying to concentrate on the present and the future. I want to stay fit and try to play as many games as I can. And I really want to help Plymouth go back up to the Championship. Relegation is one of the worst things that can happen to a team, but we have to forget about that now. We have got to concentrate on getting promotion from League One. I don't know much about League One, but we have had a successful pre-season. We have got a new manager and some new players. I really believe we can go up. We need to concentrate on our team and play our game, and then I don't think that will be a problem." Timar has enjoyed the day-to-day involvement with the rest of the Argyle squad during pre-season, after his long lay-off. "It has been really good to train with the guys again," he said. "Injuries are always the worst thing in a footballers's life. I think I have done a good pre-season, but my fitness level needs to be a little bit higher. As long as the manager is happy, then I'm happy. That's one of the most important things." Peter Reid has wasted no time in imposing his authority on the squad, and Timar is one of many who have welcomed that. "He's a very straight man," he said. "He tells you what to do, and if you don't do it he will tell you." Reid has five players vying for the two available centre-back positions and Timar added: "It's healthy to have competition between the players in the squad. Maybe the biggest competition is at centre-back, but it's good for everybody because it makes you play better."

Peter Reid could have carried on as the assistant boss to Tony Pulis at Stoke City this season, but instead, he opted to take over as the manager of Argyle. "I genuinely think it's a club I can get going forward," he said. "It's a club with a tremendous catchment area. I could have been comfortable working with Tony Pulis. There wasn't the pressure you get as a manager. But I like that pressure. I like making decisions and having the responsibility of managing a club. People will say it's a difficult job, but you don't get easy ones, so I'm just delighted to be here. I can be a bit abrasive at times, but that's my nature. I like the players to work hard, but I like them enjoying it as well. There are plenty of laughs around the training ground now they have got used to me. When you first come in as a manager you lay markers down about certain things you want done. But I think the players have responded well and the confidence is gradually coming back because sometimes there is a hangover after relegation. The biggest thing is being hard to beat, but enjoying it. That's my philosophy on it. I think there are some decent players in the squad. It's a level down from last season, and there are people who can get goals for us. The problem last season was getting goals, and confidence is a big thing when it comes to that. If you have got that confidence it works wonders, and I just feel it's coming back. There are big plusses, and I think we will give a good account of ourselves this season. I really do believe that." One of the main areas of concern for Reid is the size of Argyle's squad and he knows there needs to be more departures as the club tries to balance the books. He said: "It's just trying to get the balance right. There are areas where we have got too many players. But I tell you what, you ask any manager and they are never happy. I have got to drive the board of directors now to try to wheel and deal, which I will do." Reid has not managed in League One before, but that is not a concern for him. He said: "I watched a few games for Stoke last season. I went to Huddersfield, Leeds and Oldham, so it's not that I don't know anything about the league. I think it's going to be a very competitive league, and a very entertaining one." Asked about his target for this season, Reid replied: "To win the first game. Ask me after the first one, and I will say 'to win the next game.' It's the standard answer. I have got to try to get this club up. I'm not saying I will, but we will have a real good go at doing it. And I think the players are looking forward to it. That's the most important thing." Reid is looking forward to the challenge, too. He added: "To get paid for what I do is ridiculous, and I have done it since I was 15, so I'm a lucky person." Reid's first impressions of Plymouth, as a city, have been positive. "The people have given me a very warm welcome and it's a fantastic area," he said. "There is plenty of travelling involved, but I don't mind that."

Joe Mason has made a very positive impression on Peter Reid, who said: "You don't like talking about young players too much but he's a lovely mover and he has got a football brain. It's no coincidence he gets in the right positions. He knows the game, has got good control and has got a good temperament. It's going to be hard for him to play 46 games because it's a demanding league, but with the new pitch we have got at Home Park I think it will help us in terms of skilful players. It's not going to be a mudbath, which I think is a major plus for us, and the likes of Joe Mason." All three of Mason’s goals last season came from off the bench, and he could see a lot of action in a substitute role to start this season. But Reid said: "I wouldn't be surprised if he's knocking on the door for a regular start as well."

Yannick Bolasie has been ruled out of Argyle's season-opener at Southampton by the ankle injury he suffered at Saltash United on Monday. Peter Reid said: "It's a blow for us because he's a player who can go past people and do the unexpected." Reid has not given away any clues about his team selection for the game but is expected to start with Kari Arnason and Krisztian Timar in the centre of defence, and Bondz N'Gala at right-back. Lee Molyneux looks set make his debut at left-back, with Onismor Bhasera playing in front of him. Anton Peterlin and Luke Summerfield will compete for a central midfield slot alongside Carl Fletcher, and Rory Fallon and Steve MacLean are likely to be the Pilgrims' strikeforce. David Button will compete with Romain Larrieu to be Argyle's first choice 'keeper and Reid has been pleased to add both Button and Molyneux to his squad. "Both of them could play," he said. "I think Molyneux has done well, and it's against his former club. And even though Button is a young goalkeeper I'm not afraid to throw in youngsters. So if I feel it's necessary for him to play, he will play. But I have got two good goalkeepers at this level. Romain has done nothing wrong, so it's a decision I have got to make." Molyneux was frozen out at Southampton after Alan Pardew took over as manager but Reid does not want him to be distracted by trying to prove a point. "If he's selected, he has just got to play his normal game," said Reid. "I have impressed that on him. He's a young player and he's enthusiastic. I don't think it will faze him. I think it will be more of a help than a hindrance."

Peter Reid is hoping to see Owain Tudur Jones in action again before making a decision on him. Reid said: "He did smashing at Saltash and he's done well this week. He can handle a football but I want to see him in a competitive game again. He's been with us a week and I'll probably watch him for Norwich reserves first." A decision is expected on American trialist Laurent Manuel this weekend. "We're just having a look at the situation but something should happen over the weekend with that one," said Reid.

5th

Chris Barker has joined Southend United on a month's loan

Damien Johnson has joined Huddersfield Town on a season-long loan. Peter Reid said: "Sometimes circumstances dictate comings and goings at a football club, and this is one of those occasions. The lad is a terrific player and a good pro, but I've brought people in. The American Anton Peterlin has done well. I've got Carl Fletcher, Luke Summerfield and players that can do the job in there. Johnno has been brilliant for me since I arrived and I wish him good luck for this next stage of his career." Johnson will not be allowed to play in either of the games between Argyle and Huddersfield, nor if the teams are draw against each other in a cup competition.

Keith Todd expects Argyle to be challenging for a play-off position this season and believes the appointment of Peter Reid has given the club a great chance to make an immediate return to the Championship. He said: "I think it will be an exciting season and, like all fans, I'm looking forward to us turning Home Park into a fortress again. We have retained the core of the squad that we wanted to keep to ensure we had the best chance possible of bouncing straight back into the Championship. I fully expect us to be in the play-offs, at least, this season. My heart says I want to see us going for automatic promotion, but my head says it's a tough league with some quality teams in it. I expect us to be competitive and in amongst it from early on in the season." Todd hopes one key to improved results at Home Park this season is the new pitch. He was heartened by the way the team passed the ball in their recent pre-season friendlies at Hereford United and Queens Park Rangers and said: "My hope and expectation is the new pitch at Home Park will encourage that style of play. It was a great surface at QPR and the team responded to that. Let's be honest, we have had a field to play on in recent seasons, but that has all changed now." Todd had no doubts about the decision to spend so much money on the pitch and added: "We have felt all along it was more important to sort out the infrastructure than sign a 'superstar' player. We have signed some good young talent but the pitch is the tools of the trade, so to speak, for the players. I also understand the pre-season training at UCP Marjon went exceptionally well. It's about getting all the pieces of the infrastructure in place, and then we can take it from there." Todd is convinced Reid, while ambitious for success, understands the financial restrictions at Argyle. Reid was chosen as the new manager in late June after a seven-week selection process by the club. Todd said: "It was incredibly interesting. I met a number of people who I have only ever seen on the TV. I know there were comments about the time it took, but the important thing was to get the decision right. We wanted to not only get a proven, experienced manager but the right character as well. We aren't going to be a big budget club because we need to redress the financial balance of the past couple of seasons. But that doesn't mean to say we are going to sell the crown jewels. We haven't done that in terms of key players for the future of the club. Peter is not only the right character for the job but he's very much up for working with the board with today's realities." One financial measure the club want to take is reducing the size of their squad and Todd admitted more has to be done to get the budget under control. He said: "We will expect one or two others to move on, either between now and the end of August, or maybe even before the season starts. Peter and I speak multiple times each day and we keep nudging a few situations around. He has got a very good assessment of the squad and I think he knows in his own mind what he's going to do with the team on Saturday. Everything else will follow on from that. We have got to get right behind Peter and the players and I'm hoping the Green Army will be out in force, not only for the game against Notts County, but also when we play Carlisle United in the league next Saturday."

Lee Molyneux yesterday completed his move to Argyle on a five-month contract. "I'm overjoyed," he said. "I just needed to get somewhere sorted and I was given the opportunity to come down here and prove myself. I am happy to have it sorted and can concentrate on my football. I've never been in the situation of being without a club before. You've just got to hope and, if you get a chance, you've got to be ready to take it. I kept myself ticking over and things come good if you work hard. It would be a great story to play at Southampton. Things didn't work out at there, maybe not because of me, but the new management came in and they had money to invest in more experienced pros. I am not going back there to prove anybody wrong. I'm just going back with Argyle to hopefully get a result." A left-sided partnership with Onismor Bhasera has already caught the eye of Peter Reid, although Molyneux insists defending is his bread and butter. "I am a defender first and foremost," he said. "I'm here to stop goals going in but I do like to link up going forward. It's about getting the right balance and playing your own game. I knew a few of the lads before, Craig Noone, Georgie Donnelly and also Bradley Wright-Phillips from Southampton, but all the lads have helped me settle in." Another settler for Molyneux has been a family connection with his new boss. He added: "His parents live across the road from my grandma and they've known each other for 25 years. I don't know how well the manager knows my family but it is a strange coincidence."

A detailed planning application for the new main stand at Home Park will be made in early October, Keith Todd has revealed. "This is going to happen," he said. "We just need to make sure we all get behind the team to make it a success because that will ensure all the other plans we have become a success. All the pre-application design pieces are pretty well advanced. We are expecting to submit a detailed application by the early part of October, and very shortly, in the next two or three weeks, we will announce a public consultation. That will be to do with not only the stand but all our plans for Home Park. It will give us some input from people on what they think, which will be very useful to us." Meanwhile, Todd has insisted he and Roy Gardner are still committed to increasing their stake in the club, through their company Mastpoint. The pair had 12-month options to buy shares from Paul Stapleton, Robert Dennerly and Tony Wrathall but the deadline was at the start of July, and passed without any deals being done. Todd said: "Our priority has been to provide reasonably substantial funding for the club. We wanted to put money into the club rather than buying somebody's shares. That is on the backburner now, but Sir Roy and I would expect over a period of time we will end up with a significant part of the club, as we originally aspired to. We want to give Peter Reid the backing to get the team stabilised."

Argyle could be poised to give a debut to Lee Molyneux at Southampton on Saturday. Peter Reid said: "I've been very impressed with him, and I think he has earned that contract. He has a chance of playing against his old club. He's quick, I think he can get beyond people, and he's naturally left-footed, and it gives me a chance to put Bhasera in front of him. I think those two can inter-act naturally."

Onismor Bhasera is attracting interest from other clubs, but his priority right now is simple, he wants to help Argyle kick off their campaign with a victory at Southampton. "We have done enough preparation, and everyone is ready," he said. "There are some good players here, and we hope we are going to be able to do well in our first game of the season. We hope it will be the first step towards winning promotion at the end of the season. The guys are looking good. It is going to be a headache for the manager, who is going to start, because everyone wants to play in Saturday's match." Bhasera missed the pre-season tour as Argyle were unable to secure a Dutch entry visa for him. "It was frustrating," he said. "I don't know what happened with my visa, so I had to stay behind and work with other players who were here for family reasons. Life goes on." Bhasera made up for missing the Dutch trip by playing well against Hereford United and Queen's Park Rangers. He has also found a new role on the left side of midfield. "I enjoyed those games," he said. "My fitness is very good, and I am up for it. We will see how it goes when the season starts." Bhasera is no stranger to playing on the left side of midfield, having done the job with Kaizer Chiefs. He added: "I have played there before, so it is not a big change for me. I know what is being asked of me. When you have played left-back, you are conscious of what can happen when you lose the ball." Bhasera was brought to Home Park by Paul Mariner and John Carver, but the man who now wants to reap the benefit is Peter Reid. Bhasera likes his new boss. He said: "He is a good manager. We have enjoyed working for him, and the lads are very happy. He is straightforward and honest, and that is what we need. We just have to work as a team, and make sure we do what he wants us to do." Having spent most of last season in England trying to secure a contract, Bhasera was able to spend some time at home in May and June. "I went home for a holiday, and I switched off from football with my family," he said. "It was good." He was still able to watch some football, starting with Zimbabwe's 3-0 friendly defeat to Brazil in Harare at the start of June, a match he might have taken part in if he had been fit. "I watched that game," he said. "I was injured, so I could not play." After that, he was able to watch some World Cup football in South Africa. "I watched the first match, South Africa against Mexico," he added. "I watched Portugal against Brazil, I saw Italy lose to Slovakia, and I saw Ghana lose to Germany. The atmosphere was good. It was the first World Cup on African soil, and everyone was up for it. The tournament was a success, the organisation was good, and it made me proud to be a southern African."

4th

Yala Bolasie is looking doubtful for the season-opener at Southampton after injuring an ankle on Monday at Saltash. "He is very sore and a bit down, so we're going to scan him," said Peter Reid. "I thought it was a block but he said his ankle rocked as he went to hit it. I wasn't going to play him as well, just give him 45 minutes, but it always happens that way. I am kicking myself more than anything but that's football."

Peter Reid will not be pursuing any further interest in trialist Stephane Zubar, but American Laurent Manuel and Owain Tudur Jones are both still at the club. Manuel was included in the squad for the club's official photocall at Home Park yesterday. Tudur Jones scored one of the goals against Saltash and Reid said: "He cruised through the game and looked a decent player. We are going to have a look at him for a week or so."

Luke Summerfield believes versatility could help him have a successful season. A central-midfielder, Summerfield has worked on his ability to play a wide role which he feels is very important. "I've been pleased with a couple of my performances in pre-season," he said. "I had 90 minutes under my belt in Holland and I was happy with my performance against QPR, where I was a little bit out of position. You've got to have a few strings to your bow in football. I don't mind playing out there. I'd obviously like to play in my natural position in the centre but, if there is a shirt on a Saturday, I would like to be in it. Anywhere in the midfield, I would obviously take the shirt and try to play well. The first couple of weeks of pre-season always go slowly because you're working so hard. Now we're in the week before the Southampton game all the boys are looking forward to it. Saturday can't come quick enough. Every pre-season, I feel confident in my ability to be in the team. Last year, I had a few starts early on in the season. It has been different this season with a new gaffer but my performances in pre-season will hopefully take me forward, and get me a few games. We look strong and everybody is feeling fit and strong. Hopefully, we can stay niggle-free and have a strong squad to pick from on Saturday. We're training well and there are enough numbers to do well in this league."

Steve MacLean has revealed why he wore a bandage around his head for Argyle's pre-season games at Hereford United and Queens Park Rangers. He suffered a cut above his right eye in a training-ground accident last Tuesday, and said: "I got smashed by one of the young lads and I had to get it glued. They told me I couldn't get it wet, or banged, for five days. The physio wasn't sure whether I should play or not, but I said I would be all right, and I just had it bandaged up. It was okay."

Curtis Nelson impressed Peter Reid in the pre-season friendly against Saltash and the defender will now train with the pros on a regular basis. "I was very impressed with young Curtis," said Reid. "I like young players and he will be training with us all the time now. He played centre-back last year but he can play midfield as well. I don't like talking about young players too much but he didn't half impress me."

3rd

Argyle look set to sign Lee Molyneux on a five-month contract. Peter Reid said: "He has looked a decent player and I've been impressed with him. He's quick, naturally left-footed and it gives me a chance to put Baz in front as well. Those two can interact and he has got beyond people. He did that a couple of times against QPR. He's got a chance of playing against his old club. As an ex-player, it is one of the things you'd like to do. He hasn't had a pre-season, so there is more to come."

Argyle have signed goalkeeper David Button from Tottenham Hotspur on a season-long loan. Peter Reid said: "I have spoken to Harry about him and Tony Parks, the goalkeeping coach, and he comes highly recommended. He has been away on tour with Tottenham and played games, so I'm delighted to have him. He is competition for Romain in the nets. I have seen him play on video and I remember in 1996 bringing in a young Shay Given to Sunderland on opinions, as you sometimes do. I would have liked to bring in Doyle as well but circumstances meant I couldn't - I wanted to have three. He is a really good goalkeeper but that's the way it goes."

Onismor Bhasera is attracting interest from other clubs but the speculation does not concern Peter Reid, who sees Bhasera playing a more advanced role than his normal left-back position. "I haven't heard anything from QPR but there has been interest from Palace, which we turned down," he said. "He's a good player but Manchester United didn't want to sell Ronaldo. There are certain things you have to do. In an ideal world, I wouldn't have sold Ashley Barnes but we had to move things around. Everyone's got a price but Bhasera has impressed me with his attitude. The pushed-on position suits him. He's got energy and a lovely left-foot to knock crosses in. He is our player and I'm delighted he's our player. I don't get worried about things like this. I see it as a compliment."

Argyle won 8-0 at Saltash in their final pre-season friendly last night, with one of the goals scored by Welsh international midfielder Owain Tudur Jones, who is on trial at the club from Norwich City. The other goals were scored by Bradley Wright-Phillips (2), Rory Patterson (2), Craig Noone, Joe Mason and Curtis Nelson. Argyle: Doyle, Manuel, Seip, Paterson, Trott, Noone, Mason, Tudur Jones, Kinsella, Patterson, Wright-Phillips. Subs – Chenoweth, Young, Harper-Penman, Nelson, Bolasie, Rickard).

With the pre-season friendlies over Peter Reid is looking forward to the start of the new season. "There's nothing like the start of a season," he said. "It's a big game. It's live on Sky, which is great for both football clubs, so the British public in general can have a look at us. I'm looking forward to it. I watched Southampton on Saturday against Reading and they are a good side, but I've been quietly satisfied with the way we have been progressing, even though it's going to be a real good game. I've got a bit of competition for places." Nowhere in his squad is that rivalry keener than in the middle of the back four. "Reda Johnson and N'Gala are strong," he said, "but you've got to say Timar has come back really strong, and Kari Arnason, so there's real competition, which I'm glad about." Rory Patterson and Bradley Wright-Phillips scored four goals between them last night, but that may not be enough to get a starting place against Southampton. Reid said: "I've got to say Rory Fallon and MacLean have been sharp. So I've got a few problems, but I'll settle for those sorts of problems. I've enjoyed working with the players, but it's ultimately about football results. I was very impressed with Southampton - they have got strong squad - and it's going to be a real good test for us."

Owain Tudur Jones comes to Argyle highly recommended. Peter Reid said: "Ian Rush, who I know well, had a word with me about him and recommended him. So we're having a look at him see if he likes us and we like him." Tudur Jones scored the third goal and played the entire 90 minutes against Saltash last night. "I thought he did alight," said Reid. "We're having a look at Laurent, too. He's been injured but he was very determined tonight. I'm just trying to balance the squad. It's difficult to say who I'm going to take on. There are certain things I've got in my mind and they will probably come to fruition in the next few days. Doyle has done terrifically well. I think it might all boil down to finance. I'd like him."

Peter Reid paid tribute to Saltash United after seeing his side win 8-0 in their friendly last night. "It is always good to get out in the local community and play football matches," said Reid. "The crowd was excellent and the facilities were good. It is a small club and these are the lifeblood of communities. I'm delighted we came here to play. Saltash have had a good go but are obviously inferior opposition, without any disrespect to them. We passed the ball and, in terms of shutting down when we haven't got it, which I keep going on about, I think we denied them a lot of space. Then we got our passing going. Games are always better than training. It's good exercise. Young Curtis came on and showed what a good prospect he is - I think he's got a chance, Rory Patterson has hit the back of the net, Bradley Wright-Phillips has got a great goal, Jim Paterson and Marcel Seip have got 90 minutes under their belt. So there's a few things there; it is worthwhile."

Tony Capaldi's on-off move to Argyle could be back on following the collapse of a deal with Crystal Palace. Peter Reid held positive talks with Capaldi on Saturday, who said: "Plymouth are definitely my preferred option. I know the players from having been on tour with them and they are a good bunch. I know the club and I know the city. I'm sure my kids would settle pretty quickly so, hopefully, something will get sorted out."

Chris Barker is on trial, with a view to a one month loan, at Paul Sturrock's Southend United. Peter Reid said: "It's a chance for the lad to go and play games. He wasn't going to get many games here. I hope the lad does well."

Argyle centre of excellence schoolboy Dan Barrow has been named in the Welsh under-17 squad for two friendlies away to Estonia later this month. Barrow made his international debut for Wales in two under-16 friendlies against the Republic of Ireland in May.

2nd

Trialists Lee Molyneux and Stephane Zubar are continuing to train with Argyle as they try to secure contracts with the club. Peter Reid admitted he had been pleased with them on Friday against QPR. He said: "I thought both of them did well. Molyneux has missed a lot of pre-season training and his fitness level isn't at its best, but I was pleased with him. He's doing really well." With Molyneux playing at left-back, Onismor Bhasera moved onto the left-side of midfield. Reid said: "I think Bas showed that he can play pushed on one, which is a plus. There were a lot of plusses from the game." Another trialist used against QPR was Laurent Manuel, who was sent on in the 79th minute. Manuel had been training with Argyle earlier in the pre-season, but suffered an ankle injury, which meant he missed out on the tour to the Netherlands. Reid said: "I just wanted to have a look at him. I haven't seen that much of the boy but he has done alright in training so it was a little taste for him."

Steve MacLean has insisted he remains committed to the cause at Argyle, despite not playing any competitive first team football for the club since last September. He said: "My situation is the same as it has always been. If I'm here, I want to play. I will always give my best for my team-mates and for the manager. That's the same situation now. As long as I'm here I'm desperate to play and I want to do well for myself, for the club and for the fans." Peter Reid is a no-nonsense character and MacLean has taken to that approach. He said: "I like the manager. Black is black and white is white with him. That suits me. What he says goes. If he's not happy he tells you, and I don't mind that." Reid is under pressure to reduce the size of the club's wage-bill, and MacLean is one of the top-paid players. MacLean said: "It's hard for me to comment on that. Let's be honest, the club are probably looking to get rid of a few players. I think it's common knowledge. Whether I'm going to be here or not, I don't know. But if I'm here I will be working hard, I will want to play and I will be trying to get in the team. That's all I can really say. I haven't been to the manager and told him I want to leave. I'm here working hard and I want to do well. We will see where it takes me." Argyle will kick-off their season at Southampton on Saturday and MacLean is in contention to start the match based on his recent performances. He said: "I have done okay, and I would like to think I have got a good chance. Obviously, it's down to the manager. He will pick a side that he thinks will beat Southampton and, hopefully, I can be in it if I'm here. I had a good record before I came to Plymouth and I think I can do a job if I get a run of games. Last season, I didn't get a run of games. If somebody gives me a run of games and shows a bit of confidence in me, I think I will repay them. Let's just hope so."

1st

Argyle’s youth team lost 3-1 in their friendly at Aston Villa, the goal scored by Luke Young. Argyle: Chenoweth, Stephens, Nelson, Pearce, Clifford, Young, Harper-Penman, Berry, Rickard, Sims, Copp. Subs - Ord, Hart, Clarvis, Young, Vassell.

31st July

Argyle drew 1-1 in their friendly at QPR last night, the goal scored by Luke Summerfield after 11 minutes. Argyle: Larrieu, Zubar, Timar, Arnason, Molyneux, Summerfield, Peterlin, Johnson, Bhasera, Fallon, MacLean. Subs - Doyle, N’Gala, Manuel, Paterson, Duguid, Clark, Noone, Patterson, Bolasie (not used - Wright-Phillips, Seip).

Steve MacLean came in for praise from Peter Reid after the draw at QPR last night. Reid said: "I have set MacLean some targets, in terms of fitness and workrate, and at this moment in time, he's coming up with the goods." Reid has admitted he must move on some players to reduce the size of the wage-bill at the club, but would not welcome any approaches for MacLean. He said: "I haven't had any interest in him. He has done well, and if he keeps those standards up I don't want any interest in him." Argyle took the lead in the 11th minute with a penalty from Luke Summerfield after a foul on MacLean. Reid said: "I thought we worked very hard without the ball, which I have been impressing on the players, and the passing was a lot better. Some of the movement was good. I mixed it around a lot in the second half, but we looked half decent. Even though it was a friendly, against really good opposition, the players have set themselves standards, with and without the ball. If they maintain those standards, they will win football matches. That is spot on."

Argyle have been handed a bye in the first round of next season's Johnstone's Paint Trophy, meaning the club will not be involved in the competition until the second round in October.

Colin Doyle and Lee Molyneux will remain at Home Park during the build-up to the new season. Both played in the draw at QPR, as did French defender Stephane Zubar. Peter Reid said: "I thought both of them did well. Lee has missed a lot of pre-season training. His fitness level isn't at its best, but I was pleased with him. Doyle's with us, so that's a decision I will have to make. I'll chat with him. He's looked great, as has Romain - he's not conceded many goals this pre-season."

Last night’s draw at QPR was achieved without the injured Carl Fletcher and Reda Johnson, and sick forward Joe Mason, meaning Peter Reid's starting 11 is far from settled. "In terms of the side, it's still open house," said Reid. "I've said from day one: 'I want problems'. I want problems with players who think they should be in the side by their performances and I'm getting stick because I don't play them. That's what it's about. I've got to pick 11 players. Some will be disappointed but they have still got to play at the standard that they have done. The important thing about football is consistency. It's alright having one good game every month. You need it every week. That's what I've said to the boys. Fallon's had two 45s after coming back late - tremendous. There were lots of pluses - Timar, Arnason, Johnson. I mixed it around a lot but I thought we looked half-decent. We looked a lot better than Torquay. Weight-wise and body-fat wise everyone's made vast improvements from when we started, and you can see it. We haven't got Reda here, we haven't got Fletch, we haven't got Mason, who are certainly vying for places. You look it and you think: 'That's not bad, that'."

Steve MacLean has fallen back in love with football, and that should be good news for Argyle. MacLean, who has scored twice in Argyle's pre-season, said: "I've done alright. Hopefully, if I can get a run of games, I can show everybody that I can score goals, and that I can do other things. I'm confident that I can score goals and create goals, and do whatever the manager wants me to do." It was while on loan at Aberdeen last season that MacLean was reported as saying he did not want to play for Argyle again. However, he said: "I think I got a bit misquoted in Scotland. All I said was it looked like I wasn't going to be playing at Plymouth, and it would probably be better if I moved on. All footballers would say the same thing. It wasn't a good season for me, although the last bit of the season was decent because I went up to Aberdeen and got myself a few goals, and did okay. I enjoyed my time playing football again, which I had to do, and it's got me back, loving football again, and wanting to play games and score goals. You lose the love when you're not playing." Peter Reid was critical of MacLean shortly after he arrived but the player has responded appropriately. He said: "He asked me to lose a bit of weight and a bit of fat, and I've done it. I feel a bit sharper. He seems to think it's worked, and that's the most important thing - he's the man that makes the decisions, so he's asked me to do it and I've done it. I've scored goals in League 1, and I've won promotion from League 1 with Sheffield Wednesday. It's a tough league but, if I can play, I can hopefully score goals again."

30th

Argyle have held talks with Birmingham City about signing goalkeeper Colin Doyle on loan. Peter Reid said: "We have had a chat with Birmingham and I think we might be able to get him. Romain has done great, but you need competition for places. It's important people have got to play well, and are looking over their shoulders to see if they are going to be in the side. That's what I'm looking for." Should Doyle sign on loan for Argyle, it would not be purely as a number two to Romain Larrieu. "If he plays well, he plays," said Reid. "I was pleased with Doyley against Hereford. I thought he looked assured and his starting positions were good. We are a quiet side, and sometimes during the game his was the only voice that I could hear, which I thought was a big bonus."

Argyle will play their final full-scale pre-season friendly against QPR tonight. Karl Duguid could return to action but Carl Fletcher and centre-back Reda Johnson are still sidelined. Peter Reid said: "I'm still undecided in a couple of positions so I will have another look at it. It's important I take the opportunity. Paul and John have been brilliant with their comments but it's always best to see things with your own eyes. I'm still learning a little bit about the players, but there's a long time to go. I know the game against QPR will be a real good test for us, so I'm looking forward to it."

29th

Argyle won 1-0 at Hereford United in last night’s friendly, the goal scored by Steve MacLean after 60 minutes. Argyle: Doyle, Seip, N'Gala, Arnason, Bhasera, Clark, Peterlin, Johnson.D, Bolasie, Patterson, Fallon. Subs – Timar, Paterson, Noone, Summerfield, Wright-Phillips, Molyneux, MacLean (not used – Larrieu). Attendance - 1,333.

Peter Reid was satisfied after the 1-0 win at Hereford. "All in all, in terms of effort and work - great," he said. "The passing could be better, but we're getting there. We are looking particularly strong at the back. Any team that has a decent defence and doesn't concede has got a chance. We've got to keep working. I will be doing team shape every day, because sometimes they switch off, but we have just got to get a bit more quality on the ball and a bit more support to the front men. It's gradually improving. Hereford are a decent side and that was a good performance by us." The game saw trialist Lee Molyneux make his Argyle debut as a second-half substitute at left-back. "Lee hasn't played many games and I think he's lacking in fitness, but he showed that he's got plenty of energy," said Reid. "He made a couple of great runs into the box. He'll be down for a couple of weeks." Tony Capaldi was the Argyle left-back during the visit to Holland, but he has since had a trial with Crystal Palace. "We've offered him something," said Reid. "He's having a chat with Palace. It's a Championship club - if they offer him something, I might be struggling, but I have to say that the boy's been a credit." Another trialist, Stephane Zubar did not take part in the game as Argyle could not obtain the necessary permission from his club to play him.

Rory Patterson has been called-up to the Northern Ireland squad for the friendly against Montenegro on August 11th.

Damien Johnson has announced his retirement from international football, having earned 56 caps for Northern Ireland. He said: "I wish to formally announce my retirement from international football. It has been a huge honour for me to have represented Northern Ireland and I have enjoyed many special moments throughout my international career. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped me during my time with the Northern Ireland team: the managers who I have played under; the backroom staff; all of the players I've played alongside; and the incredible fans for their support. It hasn't been an easy decision for me to make but, with the help of my family, I feel it is the best decision for my career. I'd particularly like to thank Nigel Worthington for his support and understanding over the last couple of weeks. I wish Nigel and the team every success in the forthcoming European Championships."

George Donnelly has signed for Stockport on a six-month loan. Peter Reid said: "We're top heavy with strikers so we thought it was a good opportunity for George to play games. He's delighted to go there and hopefully he can get a few games and a few goals for Stockport. The boy has great physique but just needs to play football matches to get his education in the game."

Joe Mason will miss the Carling Cup first round tie against Notts County next month due to his call-up to the Republic of Ireland under-21 squad. Argyle could request the postponement of their league game with Brighton should three or more players be called up on international duty, but that rule does not apply to the Carling Cup. Football League spokesman John Nagle said: “The clubs agreed to forego the opportunity to ask for postponements in these instances, in preference to playing the first round before the league campaign kicks off.”

Steve MacLean may yet have a future at Argyle, according to Peter Reid. After MacLean scored at Hereford he said: "Strikers are paid for getting goals and getting in the box. It was a good save but Steve was on the move. That's a sign of a decent striker. It was an opportunist goal, and he took it well. Last year, we didn't get enough goals, so, if he keeps on sticking them in, he's knocking on the door. I'm not ruling anybody out."

Peter Reid likes the sound of Birmingham City goalkeeper Colin Doyle. Trialist Doyle kept a clean sheet in the 1-0 win at Hereford and Reid said: "Doyle looked very assured, a good stature in there. I thought he did well. We're a quiet side and, sometimes during the game, he was the only voice I could hear, which I thought was a big bonus. It's an important position. Romain's done great, but we need competition for places. That's important. Hall has gone back and we'll be taking another look at him because I think he's one that needs work, in terms of positional sense and things like that."

28th

Anton Peterlin passed his medical and completed his move to Argyle this morning. He will provide competition for Carl Fletcher and Damien Johnson but has proved to Peter Reid in pre-season he can also be effective on the right-side of midfield. Reid said: "It looks like he will be coming in. It's a case of dotting the i's and crossing the t's. He has done well in the games he has played and has plenty of energy. We have got experience in there with Fletcher and Johnson, but he has younger legs. When it goes through, I will be delighted to have him on board."

Rory Fallon will play his first game of pre-season against Hereford United tonight. Peter Reid said: "His basic fitness is still there, it's just about sharpening it up." Despite his late start, Reid has not ruled Fallon out of his plans for the visit to Southampton on August 7th. He said: "The first game of the season is way away, and everyone has got a chance of playing in it." Onismor Bhasera and Marcel Seip are also set to start against Hereford, after missing out on the trip to Holland. Argyle will take on Hereford without Fletcher, Karl Duguid and Reda Johnson. Fletcher injured an ankle in the defeat by AZ Alkmaar, Duguid suffered a badly bruised shin in the same match and, although he trained yesterday, will not play tonight. Johnson, meanwhile, sat out all three of the matches in the Netherlands because of a groin injury and has not resumed training.

Anton Peterlin is excited about both the prospect of signing for Argyle and their chances of success in the forthcoming campaign. He said: "I'm excited to play League One football. It would be nice to get some first-team action, to get my name out there. And I would like to help this team get up to the Championship again. There are some quality players here and if we buy into the principles of the gaffer I think we can go far." Peterlin has been on trial with Argyle since the start of pre-season and made an instant impression as he topped the charts for the players' fitness tests on day one. "It was nerve-wracking to start with, because you know you have got to play well," he said. "But once you get past the first few days and you are okay with the fitness, and you start playing football and getting into the rhythm, then it comes pretty natural. It's definitely very exciting because you are striving to be the best you can every day." Peterlin has played in all five of Argyle's pre-season games, making two starts and three appearances as a substitute. He said: "Pre-season has gone well for me. The lads have been really nice to me and we have done a lot of good work in training. The gaffer and his coaching staff haven't killed us, but we are definitely fitter than we were at the start of pre-season. We have played well in our matches and we are becoming more and more organised." Peterlin did some research on Reid before starting his trial with Argyle, and added: "I know the gaffer was an England international and was a very good midfielder. He played the position I prefer, so I will definitely be looking to him for guidance. Hopefully, he will help me out."

Argyle return to English opposition when they face Hereford United tonight and Peter Reid is looking for a different approach from his team. "The games in Holland were good for fitness because of the way they shift the ball and pass it," he said. "The games in England are a different style and it's what we expect to face during the majority of the season, and I'm sure the players are ready. We did ok in Holland. Defensively, our shape was really good in denying the opposition a lot of clear-cut chances. Our work-rate was terrific but we need to improve on the quality when we've got the ball."

27th

Rory Fallon faces a race against time to force his way into the first team plans of Peter Reid after making a belated start to pre-season training yesterday. Fallon said: "It's going to be tough, but I have been through tougher, I believe. Hopefully, I will have a great two weeks' training and see what happens." Fallon started his preparations last week, running every morning and also boxing with Plymouth-based trainer Dave Smith. That was done with the approval of Reid. Fallon said: "I like to do my own stuff sometimes, and have a good think when I'm training. Now I'm ready to go. It feels kind of surreal, being in a situation like the World Cup, coming back and training on my own and then going into a team environment again. It's quite strange, but it's another challenge I'm looking forward to. I had a few knocks during the World Cup. My groin was hurting a bit, and I got a massive dead leg as well, but I'm feeling good now. I want to be as fit as I can, be as strong as I can and be mentally prepared for a new season. Every player wants to do well, and I'm no exception. I'm just going to give 100 per cent, like I always do, and see what happens." Fallon believes the appointment of Reid, after a seven-week recruitment process, was a good one. He said: "I heard about the new manager when I was in South Africa. I think it's a brilliant move for the club. It shows the club want to kick on and, hopefully, he can do well." Fallon is under contract to Argyle until next summer and there has already been interest in taking him away from Home Park, with Fallon revealing one foreign club wanted to sign him but that he had turned them down. For now, Fallon is focused on getting ready for the start of the season, rather than the possibility of moving to another club at some stage. "All I'm thinking about is training well," he said. "I will take it one day at a time. I don't want to kill the club and leave on a Bosman because I know they paid money for me. I don't think that would be fair. Both parties would have to be happy."

Anton Peterlin is set to join Argyle on a one-year deal, subject to passing a medical

Peter Reid is checking out two new trialists, defenders Lee Molyneux and Stephane Zubar. Molyneux left Southampton last month and Zubar has been with Romanian club SC Vaslui for the past two seasons. Molyneux was born in the same town, Huyton in Lancashire, as Reid, who said: "He's from the same road, believe it or not. I know his mum and dad, and his grandma, very well. It's a big coincidence, so we just see how Lee does." Zubar, whose older brother Ronald plays for Wolverhampton Wanderers, will not feature against Hereford. Reid said: "Mick McCarthy put me on to him and he will have a few days with us."

Argyle are still negotiating with Tony Capaldi over a possible return to Home Park. Peter Reid said: "We are speaking to Capaldi at this moment in time. He has got interest from another club, so that's ongoing." The ‘other club’ looks to be Crystal Palace, who Capaldi is reported to be playing for in a friendly at Bromley tonight.

Trialist goalkeeper Freddy Hall has left Argyle, for now. Peter Raid said: "Hall has done ok. He will be going back to Bermuda to finish off the season but there is a possibility we'll be getting him back towards the end of the year. He just needs a bit more coaching. He's done smashing to be fair but we're negotiating with the club to get him back. I don't think he's experienced enough to come in at this moment but he has got potential. I have got a couple of ongoing things and I will probably bring in another one or two keepers."

Joe Mason been called up to the Republic of Ireland under-21 squad for their UEFA 2011 qualifier against Estonia on August 10th.

26th

Krisztian Timar is enjoying 'every minute' of his return to football after being out for seven months. He said: "I'm really happy to be playing football again. I have worked very hard to come back from the injury and I enjoyed every minute on the pitch against AZ." Timar was playing only his second game on loan for Oldham last season when he snapped his hamstring. He said: "It was a rare injury because the hamstring was totally torn and it needed to be operated on. Unfortunately, the recovery time is a really long one. And I also wanted to make sure when I came back that I could give the same level of performance as I did before the injury. So I had to take my time for a good recovery." Timar's return to action was further delayed at the start of pre-season by a toe injury and he had to sit out Argyle's first three friendlies before playing against AZ. Timar said: "I was really confident I would be okay against AZ because I had worked really hard over the summer to make the hamstring strong. There was a little bit of tiredness in the muscle at the start of pre-season, which isn't unusual, and I rested a few days. Then I had a problem with my toe, but now I'm fine. I didn't know I was going to play the full game, but I was really pleased. It was good for my fitness." Peter Reid had not planned to let Timar complete the 90 minutes against AZ but admitted afterwards he thought the defender ‘deserved’ to finish the game after his solid display. Timar said: "I was really pleased to hear that and I will just keep working hard." Timar was partnered at centre-back by Kari Arnason, who was returning from a thigh strain, and said: "Arnie worked hard to come back as well. There are a lot of good players in the defensive line so everybody must play really well. It was a good work-out for the defensive line. Apart from the really soft penalty decision from the referee we kept a clean sheet. They didn't have many big chances, apart from the last minute save from Romain." Timar should get another prolonged run-out in at least one of the two remaining pre-season games this week. "I hope as my fitness levels get higher and higher, my performances will get higher and higher," he added.

25th

The Argyle youth team lost 3-2 at Reading yesterday, the goals scored by Curtis Nelson and Lewis Coombes. Argyle: Chenoweth, Stephens, Nelson, Sawyer, Clifford, Hart, Young, Berry, Sims, Coombes, Rickard. Subs - Ord, Copp, Golby.

24th

Peter Reid is keen on signing trialists Tony Capaldi, Freddy Hall and Anton Peterlin. All three impressed him on the pre-season tour but it is not clear whether the club have the finances to complete deals. Reid said: "I don't really like talking about that because I think it alerts other people, but all three of them have done well. I think there are deals to be done if it's in the scope of our budget." Reid admitted he had found the tour to be very beneficial to his planning for the forthcoming campaign. He said: "I know now what the strengths and weaknesses of the squad are, and there will be some changes as we go on to the season. But it's hard work in the market, getting people in and out at the moment. I think as the season gets nearer, people will get more business done and I'm hoping to do the same. But, all in all, it has been a really good tour." The squad returned to Plymouth yesterday and they will resume training on Monday. So, too, will Rory Fallon, after his break following the World Cup. All of the players will have their fitness levels tested again, as was the case at the start of pre-season. Reid has seen Karl Duguid, Carl Fletcher, Reda Johnson and Bondz N'Gala all pick up injuries this week. None of them are thought to be serious, though. He added: "Obviously there have been knocks and bruises, but that's the nature of a physical, contact sport. But, in terms of pulls and strains, I'm really pleased with the way it has gone."

23rd

The recurrence of an ankle injury to Bondz N'Gala proved the turning point in Argyle's 3-3 draw against SC Cambuur last night. N'Gala was taken off in the 67th minute with Argyle 3-0 up, before conceding three times in only 11 minutes. Peter Reid took a lot of positives out of the final match of the pre-season tour. He said: "I think if the centre-half stays on we win the game. But he has had to come off because he has got a knock on his ankle again. It was a precaution. It's disappointing to concede three, but there are a lot of things I was delighted about. All in all, it has been a really good trip. I think Bondz got a whack on his ankle early and it just got progressively worse. We got him off to make sure he's right for next week. Mason has done well and Liam Head, a centre-forward, did fantastic at right-back. It was a fairly young side out there and they have done great." The scheduled 7pm kick-off was delayed by more than 20 minutes as Argyle did not get to the ground until 6.40pm. Reid admitted that had not been ideal preparation for his players. He said: "We got here a bit late. The bus didn't come on time, but the lads have acquitted themselves really well. We shut Cambuur down a lot earlier tonight, which I wanted us to do." Joe Mason has taken the chance to show his goalscoring potential to Reid during the trip. "He's a good young player, and he's an intelligent player," said Reid. "From that right-side of midfield, he gets in dangerous areas where he's difficult to pick up. The boy has done well, but there were a lot of plusses out there tonight. I thought Summerfield played ever so well." Trialist Freddy Hall was Argyle's goalkeeper against Cambuur and put in a decent display. Reid said: "He has done smashing. He came out for crosses, and hand on heart I don't think he had a chance with any of the goals."

The shin injury suffered by Karl Duguid against AZ Alkmaar on Wednesday night is not a serious one. He did not need crutches as he watched last nights game from the sidelines. Peter Reid said: "He's still a bit sore but we don't think there is any real damage in there. It's just soft-tissue damage, which is good."

Keith Todd has denied he and Roy Gardner are ‘profiting’ from a Home Park mortgage arranged via their company Mastpoint. Todd said they were receiving no ‘fees or margins’ from the arrangement, set up to help the football club out of a financial hole. He was responding to a story in the Guardian's sport section which ran under the headline ‘Gardner still profiting from Plymouth's plight’. "The club has been losing money, that's no secret," said Todd. "What we have done, and had to do, is continue to provide the finance to the club to enable us to develop some plans we have for the club going forward. The second mortgage is a means of helping the club borrow money more cheaply. Nothing comes to us. It's cost me personally in time and effort. It's difficult for football clubs to raise finance, it's not the most attractive investment for many people. Secured lending is low-cost, it makes sense to provide that finance. We were able to reduce the cost of that financing. We made no fee, no margin, on any of that finance as shareholders of Mastpoint."

22nd

Argyle drew 3-3 with SC Cambuur in their final tour match this evening, the goals scored by Craig Noone after 21 minutes and Joe Mason (55 and 59). Argyle: Hall, Head, N'Gala, Paterson, Trott, Noone, Kinsella, Summerfield, Mason, MacLean, Wright-Phillips. Subs - Donnelly, Clark, Peterlin, Patterson, Capaldi (not used - Larrieu, Johnson.D, Bolasie).

Peter Reid was upbeat despite Argyle’s loss to AZ Alkmaar last night. "All in all, in terms of fitness and the way the players have responded, I've got to be really pleased with them," he said. "For the first 15 minutes, we were still on the coach. We had an hour and a half journey and we didn't start in terms of shutting down; we were leggy; we didn't win a second ball. But after that, besides not really testing them, from a defensive point of view, the lads were really terrific. We put a bit of pressure on with corners and might have got a header last in the second half, but I've got to say I'm pleased with the way the players have done it today against a really good side. AZ have just won a tournament in Germany - they beat Anderlecht and Fenerbache - so really good for the lads. They had a lot of possession but we defended well. The way we defended, the way we got our shape, was terrific. If you look at their chances, there was the penalty...and the keeper made a save in the last minute. Timar, who has been out of the game for a long time, was terrific on his game back - he stuck at it - and Arnason did well. Both of them looked ever so solid. We got some injuries and I didn't want them to do the 90 minutes, but they did and have done fantastically well. If there was one criticism, I thought we didn't hold the ball as well as I would have liked it."

Peter Reid did not think Steve MacLean deserved to be sent off in the defeat by AZ Alkmaar. MacLean saw red after a something and nothing coming together with AZ captain Kew Jaliens midway through the second half. Reid said: "I'm not going to criticise referees because it's difficult, but there were a couple of decisions that - let's just say - didn't go our way. I did have a word with the referee before the game and asked him that, if there was any trouble, just give me a nod and I'd drag the lad off, so I was a little bit disappointed. It was a good, competitive game, but I didn't think it was a sending-off." Similarly, Reid did not agree with the referee's decision to award AZ the penalty from which they scored the winning goal. "The penalty was debateable," he said. "I didn't see anything wrong, but the referee's given it." The penalty also baffled Krisztian Timar. "I couldn't see anything," he said, "but I think he was the softest referee in my career. I think the penalty and Steve MacLean’s red card were an absolute joke."

The pre-season trip to Papendal has been invaluable for Rory Patterson as he settles into his new club and he admitted the trip has speeded up his acclimatisation to Argyle. Patterson said: "It's probably the best way you could think of because you are with the lads all day and night. You have breakfast and dinner together, so you get to know each other a lot easier. It's a great set-up here. There are a lot of facilities and the pitches are all decent. It's good." There has been excellent weather during Argyle's stay so far, and that suits Patterson fine. He said: "It's a nice change from back home. I would rather train and play in this sort of weather than in wind and rain. I'm just doing my best to get my fitness up to what it needs to be. The rest will just follow, so I'm plugging away at that. We have got the hard training out of the way, and now it's getting to know the lads and the way they play. With every game I play, I'm getting more of the ball. The players are starting to understand me and I'm starting to understand them. It's coming along nicely, and by the start of the season we should be alright." When Patterson joined Argyle the club had not appointed a new manager, meaning he has had to impress Peter Reid during pre-season. Patterson said: "He's a very experienced man. When he stands up and talks, everyone listens. He's well respected and, obviously, has managed some big clubs. The set-up is great. You have got Peter Reid as the manager and John Carver knows his stuff. And, obviously, it helps to have a former striker like Paul Mariner working with you. He knows when things are going right and when they aren't going right, and what to say and what to do. He helps you along and takes us on our sessions, so that can only help us score goals." Patterson only had a short summer break because he played for Northern Ireland in two friendlies against Turkey and Chile after the end of last season. He added: "I went away with them for 10 days and we did a lot of training in hot weather. We played Turkey and Chile so they were big fitness tests, but I didn't mind. I knew that was going to happen. I'm just happy to be here and getting started now."

Karl Duguid will have a leg injury assessed today after being carried off in Argyle's 1-0 defeat by AZ Alkmaar last night. He was hurt in a heavy collision with AZ's Nick Viergever in the 24th minute and was stretchered off after a few minutes of treatment. But the injury to the right leg is not thought to be too severe, and he emerged from the dressing room on crutches during the second half. Peter Reid said: "We will just see how it is overnight. It's swollen and he's having ice on it now." Carl Fletcher was substituted at half-time after turning over on an ankle when blocking a shot, but that was a precautionary move.

Krisztian Timar returned to first-team action after a seven-month absence with a solid performance in the loss to AZ Alkmaar last night. "I worked hard and I couldn't wait to play again," he said. "I am really pleased to be back in the first-team after a long time. Listen, especially after my head injury, many, many players have finished football with similar injuries. But I have got a really good attitude and I tried to push myself. I really wanted to come back so I can show I can be the same as I was before." Timar knows he faces competition for his position, and added: "That's not my problem," he said. "I will just try to do my best, to work really hard, and then it is the manager's problem."

The Argyle youth side lost 5-0 at Watford this afternoon. Argyle: Chenoweth, Stephens, Nelson, Sawyer, Clifford, Copp, Harper-Penman, Berry, Baker, Coombes, Sims. Subs - Ord, Young, Rickard, Hart, Gilby.

Peter Reid will resist the temptation to pull on his boots again when Argyle round off their Dutch trip against SC Cambuur tonight. With a growing injury-list Argyle are stretched, and Reid has already made a decision to play some of the squad's fringe players against Cambuur. "All the young lads will be playing, and Freddy will get a game in goal," he said. "We'll have a big change around. I'll have to have a look at the injuries, but I'm loathe to let some lads who've had 90 minutes against AZ go out there again because that's when you do pick up injuries." The changes will definitely not involve Reid, despite the suggestion of one of his coaching staff. "John Carver's trying to get me to play," he joked, "but I'm not going to."

21st

Argyle lost 1-0 to Alkmaar Zaanstreek in tonight’s friendly. Argyle: Larrieu, Duguid, Timar, Arnason, Capaldi, Peterlin, Johnson, Fletcher, Clark, Donnelly, Patterson. Subs - Bolasie, Summerfield, Noone, Mason, MacLean, Paterson (not used - Hall, Kinsella, Head, Trott).

Argyle will finish their pre-season visit to the Netherlands by playing back-to-back matches on Wednesday and Thursday in which all fit members of the party will see action. Peter Reid said: "I think Wednesday will be more of a test and, on the Thursday, I'll get people who haven't really played that much in the game. It's important everyone gets football time under their belts." Tonight’s opponents Alkmaar have already won a pre-season tournament involving Anderlecht and Fenerbache and Reid added: "It shows you what you are up against. They will be up to speed in terms of games because you don't win a tournament like that if you're not nearing full fitness, so it's going to be a really good game for us. Reid did not name his team to face AZ yesterday, but said that Carl Fletcher and Damien Johnson will anchor midfield, while Krisztian Timar and Kari Arnason would be his centre-back pairing, and not just because Bondz N'Gala and Reda Johnson are injured. He said: "I'm not saying the injuries have come at a good time - you never want injuries but the are not bad ones - but I wanted to see Timar and Arnason play anyhow. There would have been changes and they would have been the changes. As everyone knows, Timar has a history, over the last couple of years, of terrible injuries. He's worked hard in pre-season. He's had a little niggle but he's fit now so we'll start him and monitor him because it's his first game for a bit. He looks alright; he looks solid enough in training." Reid continued: "And, of course, Arnason is back in the fold. He can play in a few positions so it will be good to see those lads on the park." Reid was 'quite open' to the idea of playing Arnason in midfield at some point. He said: "This trip has been invaluable because I have been able to do teamplay, but I'm still trying to get over what I want. I think some of the lads find it a little bit different, which is understandable. But I will keep doing my 10-20 minutes a day until they get it. I have enjoyed getting to know them. I might ask people to play in positions they haven't been used in before. I don't mind doing that. I have done it at other clubs I have been to and been quite successful. Pre-season is the time to try things. I want the players to try to express themselves, and not worry about it, especially some of the young lads. Sometimes when they get in the squad they are a bit nervous and apprehensive. It's just a matter of them relaxing, but, overall, I have been pleased with the way the trip has been going."

George Donnelly will start for Argyle in the second game of their pre-season tour tonight. Peter Reid said: "He has done all right in training and he will start tonight. He has looked sharp and he has earned a chance to show what he has got. It will be interesting to see how he goes."

The reason for the absence of Onismor Bhasera from the trip to the Netherlands this week has been explained. The Zimbabwe international has not been able to secure a visa for entry into the country and instead, he has been training at Home Park. A club spokesman said: "Unfortunately, Baz has become entangled in some red tape regarding his visa application for Holland. The club has done all it can and the matter is now in the hands of the Netherlands Embassy. While the red tape is being untangled, Baz is training at Home Park with team-mates who are not on the pre-season visit to Holland."

Kari Arnason is ready to return to action after overcoming the thigh strain he suffered early in pre-season and is set to play against AZ Alkmaar this evening. On Sunday he trained for the first time since suffering the injury at Truro, taking part in both sessions. Arnason said: "I thought about taking some shots, but I didn't feel totally secure, so fortunately my brain took over and I decided not to!" Arnason was philosophical about getting injured so early in the first pre-season friendly. He said: "It's actually better to get it now, than when the season starts. It's a case of keeping your head up and, hopefully, I will be injury free when the season starts. It was a spasm in my right thigh, and it might have been a grade one tear. It was a strange sensation really." Argyle are staying at Papendal, near Arnhem, for the first time this week and Arnason has been impressed with the set-up. He said: "It's really good here. The grass on the pitches are a bit long but, other than that, it's perfect. There are basically three things you have to have on a training camp – a decent bed, a decent pitch and decent food." AZ, tonight's opponents, include two Icelandic compatriots of Arnason, midfielder Johann Berg Gudmundsson and striker Kolbeinn Sigthorsson. Arnason said: "I think AZ are a better team than NAC. I actually know a little bit about them because they have some Icelandic boys there. They are going to play the same style of football, but I'm guessing they will probably be sharper up front." Peter Reid is already the third different manager Arnason has played under at Argyle. Arnason said: "He's working on shape, which I thought we needed, so that's really positive. He's very straight-forward and has an authority about him, which I think is a good thing."

Bradley Wright-Phillips is ready to start over following his injury disrupted first season at Home Park. He initially hurt his knee in pre-season before an aborted comeback attempt in January. "Last season like three pre-seasons, because I came back and got injured again," he said. "I did think I was ready, but it was frozen, the ground was hard, and my knee just went again." The first injury occurred at Exeter's Cat & Fiddle training-ground in a behind-closed-doors friendly. "I was playing out of position," said Wright-Phillips. "It wasn't a bad foul. I tried to turn too sharply for my ability." Now he has set his sights on getting a starting place for the season opener at his former club, Southampton. To do that, he will have to overcome serious competition for places. "You need that," he said. "As long as everyone gets a fair crack, I don't mind. I just want to play every game - it will be the same the week after. It's like starting again."

Krisztian Timar will tonight play his first game for Argyle since October last year. "I can't wait to play," he said. "I need to play games to test the strength of my hamstring." Looking back on his temporary move to Oldham, he added: "It was really frustrating. I went there, I played one game, I had three weeks' break because of the snow, and then the injury happened only ten minutes into my next game." What made it worse for Timar was the fact that he had suffered a badly fractured skull while playing for Argyle in May 2008. "My head injury was much more dangerous than the hamstring," he said. "It was much worse. You can't compare, but I have been out for a longer time because of the hamstring. It has been hard to come back." After two troubled years, Timar now feels that he deserves an injury-free season. He added: "Two really big injuries so close to each other was tough, but that's football. For eight years before then, I had no serious injuries, so I hope my luck has changed again now." The next target is regular first-team action, at Argyle preferably, but elsewhere if needs must. Timar said: "I am 30 years old, and I want to play football. My first aim is to impress the new manager, and after that we will see what happens. I am enjoying training with him, and now I just want to play football. I am really pleased to be fit, and to be able to play games again."

20th

Anton Peterlin is staking a strong claim to be offered a contract by Argyle. Having impressed in all three friendlies so far, Peterlin has also stood out in training sessions. Peter Reid said: "He has done well. I thought he did ever so well in the game against Breda. We started him at right-back and moved him to the right-side of midfield. He ended up in the centre of midfield, and he's a boy with plenty of energy who doesn't give the ball away. He has acquitted himself really well. The lad has got a chance."

Reda Johnson has not trained since the victory over NAC. He suffered a groin injury in that game, but it is not serious and should not sideline him for long. Bondz N'Gala also sat out both training sessions yesterday due to an ankle injury, and Peter Reid described the decision to rest him as a precautionary one. "The two lads have got little niggles but they aren't serious ones," he said.

Peter Reid is ready to embrace new technology to prepare his squad the best he possibly can, but he is also an advocate of some old-fashioned principles as well. "Most clubs have got sports scientists," said Reid. "Scott Russell monitors everything on a computer, such as heart-rates. But you have still got your eye as a manager and whether I think they need a bit more work, or to ease off. So that's still there. We are guided a lot more by sports science and the players are a lot more professional."

Peter Reid has been playing a full part in training while Argyle have been on their pre-season camp, and not just as a coach. The manager has participated regularly in the warm-ups, and even taken part in practice matches. "We were a man short and I drew the short straw," he said. "The old legs don't go well these days, but it's nice getting out - if I could turn that clock back, I'd pay anything. To work with these young players, and try to improve them, that's what it's all about, being a coach." Reid has been assisted by head coach Paul Mariner and assistant head coach John Carver. He said: "Paul has been, as everyone knows, a fantastic striker, in terms of knowing how to put the ball in the net, so he took the strikers for the finishing. I basically like taking the team-play; and John's done the possession. They are good coaches so you utilise everything, don't you? We have chats before we go out, and we have a weekly programme, but that can be changed, depending on what you see in games and what you see on the training-pitch."

Joe Mason made his mark early in his first pre-season tour with Argyle, scoring the winner against NAC Breda from a cross by Yannick Bolasie. Mason always relishes scoring goals, regardless of what level he is playing at, and is aiming to continue doing that this season. He said: "You want to score in every game you play. It's still a good feeling, even if it's pre-season. It gives you confidence going into the season and, hopefully, it will hold me in good stead." Bolasie was playing as the out-and-out striker for Argyle in a 4-4-1-1 formation when he created the chance for Mason. "You know Yala is always going to get a cross in, with the pace he has got," said Mason. "I just had to get in front of the first man and make good contact. Luckily enough, it went in." Mason showed his goalscoring instincts by popping up where he did when Bolasie had pulled out wide. "It's just natural, I think," he said. "If Yala is on the right I know he's going to get a ball in and I want to score goals." NAC enjoyed a lot of early possession but Argyle stuck to their task and, gradually, they showed more attacking intent themselves. "They kept the ball really well to start with, but I thought towards the end of the first half we started to break them down," said Mason. "I should have scored again in the second half, but we were happy with just the 1-0 in the end. I wasn't aware of how good they were before the game, so it was quite a good coup for us." Argyle have two more challenging matches on their tour and Mason believes playing against such strong opposition will benefit them. He said: "It's better than playing against lesser teams and winning 10-0 every game. I know that's good for confidence but it doesn't show how you are doing. We are playing AZ Alkmaar, who were in the Champions' League last season, so that's going to be a really good test." Mason was a first-year professional last season, and was not included in the squad for the pre-season training camp at the University of Stirling. "I didn't get to go last year, so this is my first one," he said. "You are together 24/7 pretty much and you get to know everyone. It's good for the young ones, especially the lads who weren't really involved last season." Mason has noticed a fundamental difference in the pre-season preparations under Reid this year compared to Paul Sturrock in 2009. He said: "Straight in, on the first day last year, we were running really hard, but this year we have been eased in. I think that's better because you don't want any injuries in the first few days. I feel like we are getting up to full fitness now. I would say we are about 60 per cent so, there is a bit more to do, but we are getting there slowly but surely." Argyle's victory over NAC was their third game of the pre-season and Mason added: "It has been a bit of a mixed bag, but we are trying to get a winning mentality for the season. Towards the end of last season we had a bit of a losing mentality. We want to go into every game thinking we can win, and get the confidence as high as we can. Everyone is feeling more comfortable on the ball now. The new manager wants us to play it on the floor, and we have got players who can do that. It will play to our advantage."

Luke Summerfield will use the experience he gained on loan at Leyton Orient last season as an incentive to win a place in the Argyle starting XI. He said: "When I was at Orient, I played in every game that it was possible for me to play in and I enjoyed, come three o'clock on a Saturday afternoon, putting my shinnies on and going out to play football. That's what I want to do. I am a footballer. That's what I enjoy. All I want to do is go and play football, enjoy myself, wear a kit. I had a great time at Orient but, here, it's been a bit stop and start. The gaffers have been changing and this and that, and I've had a stint in and stint out - as a footballer, that's not enjoyable, to be honest. I've been trying my best in training and in the games, and I'm going to do my utmost to stake my claim. My aim is play as many games as I can. It's all about games for me. I'm at the age now when I need to have a good season."

Kari Arnason has been something of a spectator in the opening days of the pre-season trip to Holland, but has been impressed with what he has seen. "The team looked good, really good actually," he said. "The shape of the team was very good. The first 15 minutes didn't look very good, I thought we were going to get pumped, because NAC are really good footballers, but we just beat them tactically. It was a good start to the trip. Let's hope the rest of it goes in the same direction. We are working on shape much more and that's the most important thing in the game. As the small teams in the World Cup proved, you can beat anybody if you have the right shape and you have the right tactics, and you work hard." Arnason has not worked with Peter Reid before, but he knows all about him from his younger days in Iceland. He said: "He was quite a big thing with Sunderland when they had Niall Quinn and Kevin Phillips, they were actually my favourite striking duo at the time. I watched Sunderland quite closely back then."

Romain Larrieu came close to leaving Argyle following last season and when asked to explain the events of the summer, he said: "I wanted to play still, and I didn't feel I was going to be given the opportunity if I stayed. That was why I didn't want to sign the contract I had been offered. I wanted to wait, to see if somebody out there wanted to give a playing contract. But May went, and I can honestly say there was not much happening in terms of me finding a club. I waited, and there was still nothing happening in June. In the end, I thought: 'I know this place'. I thought I could be a champion with this club next year for a third time, which nobody has done. I always believed there was talent in this team, even though we went down last season and I'm sure we can be a very solid team in League One. We need to believe that." When Larrieu signed his new contract last month, he knew that Paul Mariner would not be in charge, but the new manager had not been hired at that time. "I thought, given my past with Plymouth, I would be given a crack," Larrieu added.

19th

Anton Peterlin has now come to Argyle in search of first-team action and played well in the win over NAC Breda on Saturday. "It's a great group of lads, and I've had a lot of fun," Peterlin said. "We work very hard together, we train very hard, and we got a good win today. It's gone very well so far." When Peterlin was asked what he had learned from his year with Everton, he replied: "As a person, I learned to live so far away from home, and it changed me incredibly as a player. I was training with amazing players like Pienaar, Saha, Rodwell and Phil Neville every day. They push you, and they make you much better." He is now hoping to use that experience to good effect with Argyle, and said: "I've been happy with my games so far. I've been listening to the senior players, like Carl Fletcher, and I'm learning the style of play. It's going pretty well, I think." Peterlin played at right-back, right-midfield and centre-midfield against NAC Breda on Saturday. "Centre-midfield is where I'm most at home," he said, "but I'll play wherever the team needs me to play. I'm enjoying being with this team."

18th

Argyle’s youth team beat Chelsea 2-1 at their training complex at Cobham yesterday, the goals scored by Lewis Coombes and James Golby. "We weathered the storm in the first 20 minutes and needed Ollie Chenoweth to produce three fantastic saves," said assistant youth coach, Kevin Nancekivell. "Once we got through that period, we found our feet and gradually imposed our game on Chelsea. The second-half was very even. We looked bright and threatened as much as Chelsea, and in the end, got our reward. I also have to say the attitude and application of the lads in the first two weeks of pre-season has been absolutely outstanding." Argyle: Chenoweth, Stephens, Nelson, Sawyer, Clifford, Harper-Penman, Berry, Hart, Baker, Rickard, Sims. Subs - Hurley, Copp, Coombes, Golby

Onismor Bhasera and Marcel Seip could swell the numbers on tour in Holland this week. Bhasera is expected to join his team-mates on Monday after illness. Seip's participation at the pre-season camp depends on the birth of his imminent first child. "I haven't heard from Marcel," said Peter Reid, after the win over NAC Breda. "I'm waiting for a phone call. He's going to get in touch with us when his wife gives birth. We'll play it by ear. I'll see what the boy says and see how it goes back home. The lads at home will train if they don't come out. I'm quite flexible."

Peter Reid was a picture of contentment following Saturday's 1-0 win over NAC Breda. "I commented that you learn something when you get defeated and I learned something at Torquay," he said, "but hopefully I've seen a true performance. I thought we were excellent. Our shape was good; we frustrated them when we didn't have the ball, some of the counter-attacking play was good. The plan was to frustrate them, which we did, and, as the game went on, we changed things, we got a bit more pace up front. Everyone's had a good run-out today and I'm pleased with everybody that took part. It was a good performance." Reid, though, is keen to keep the team on an even keel. "I said, after the defeat at Torquay, that my main concern was Southampton, first game of the season, and that hasn't changed and will not change," he said. "It's a good performance, a good result, and now we go to work again. We had a chat before the game about what I wanted and the players were smashing, really good. I was pleased with the way they went about it."

Tony Capaldi will talk to Peter Reid about a possible return to Home Park when the club return from their pre-season visit to Holland. The left-back, who played the first 45 minutes of the win against NAC Breda yesterday, said: "I had a phone call on Wednesday morning, asking if I fancied coming down for training on Thursday and then going off to Holland for a week. I haven't done anything for the first two weeks of pre-season because I twisted a little muscle in my back, and I have been lounging around the house, two kids crawling all over me, so it's good get out. I'll get myself fit and I'll sit down with the gaffer, and we'll have a chat and see what happens. I know he's got a big squad, and I don't know what the financial situation is, but, as I say, we'll get this week out of the way and take it from there. I've had a few offers to go to clubs, but nothing overly appealing so far. We're getting close to the start of the season and I want to get something sorted. I want to make sure I'm fit first, that's the most important thing, to make an impression, and then, after that, we'll see. I'm 28 now, I don't know how many years I've got left in the game, so I want to start playing as many games as I can. If it's Plymouth, brilliant; if not, I'll look elsewhere." Peter Reid was more than content with Capaldi's contribution to a the victory. "He did terrific," said Reid. "He showed his experience. He has been training by himself and he needs games, but he showed what he is, a good, experienced professional, and he did very, very well." Capaldi added: "It's the first pre-season game. I never look forward to them. The grass is long, the pitch is a bit bobbly. NAC weren't a bad side; you're not quite sharp, not quite on the ball; your touch isn't quite right. I had my first training session the other day and my first game today. I'm not fit or sharp yet, but it is good to get a little 45 minutes under my belt, and we'll see what happens from here."

17th

Argyle beat NAC Breda 1-0 in this afternoon’s friendly, the goal scored by Joe Mason after 74 minutes. Argyle: Larrieu, Peterlin, N'Gala, Johnson.R, Capaldi, Duguid, Johnson.D, Fletcher, Clark, Patterson, Wright-Phillips. Subs - Mason, Paterson, Summerfield, Noone, Donnelly, Bolasie.

Steve MacLean has already shown his versatility in just two games of Argyle's pre-season campaign. Having scored as an outright striker in the win at Truro City, MacLean played a deeper role in the defeat at Torquay United. He is also enjoying a full pre-season and training with the Argyle squad again after spending the second part of last season on loan at Aberdeen. "It's the first couple of weeks in pre-season, so I'm just trying to get fit," he said. "It's nice to be back and playing in the games. It is always hard coming back from your holidays but it's nice to be training again, and back to reality. The gaffer has worked on different formations. On Saturday, I played up front and I naturally try to find holes. We played a different system on Tuesday, so I was playing a different position. My job was to be deeper and I'll play where the gaffer puts me. I just want to do well for the team and help the team win, wherever I play. I want to play as many games as possible and see what happens from there."

Karl Duguid has admitted the support structure is in place for Argyle to have a successful season and has been impressed by the straight-talking approach of Peter Reid. Duguid said: "He says it how it is. I think it's great in football if you have got a bit of honesty. If you don't like it at times, so be it, but that's football. That's what it's all about. What's said is said in the changing room, and that's how he wants it. And that's how I think it should be. It's black and white. I think it's probably what a lot of players want, and that's what we have got. We are all looking forward to it. He has been there and done it. He has played at the top level and managed at the top level. He has got it all there for us to respect him. He has got his ideas, like every other manager, but the club are doing everything for us this season. You have got the manager, Paul Mariner and John Carver. We have also got a fitness coach. You can't ask for any more really. They will do their bit and then it's down to us on the Saturday, the Tuesday, or whenever it is, to play and do the business. They are going to try their hardest to make sure we are right for each game." Argyle won only seven of their 23 league games at Home Park last season, and the players, Duguid included, regularly bemoaned the dreadful state of the pitch. But the new playing surface should be a considerable improvement and Duguid is convinced that will aid the team. He said: "I think it was important for the club to get the pitch done. Last season, to be honest, I think it looked better from the stands than it actually was. But's that not an excuse this season is it? Hopefully, it's going to be all settled in by the Notts County game. It's going to be a better playing surface, and I think the pitch is going to be a little bit bigger as well." Duguid has extended his stay at Argyle for a third season, after a clause in his contract was activated, and he is relishing the prospect. He said: "I had to play 25 games last season to get another year, and that just kicked straight in. Lucky enough, I played 46. If I played double, I didn't know if I would get another year on top! I have enjoyed the two years I have been here, even though we got relegated last season. In my first season I was captain and played centre of midfield. I really enjoyed playing there. Then, last season, the manager went and Paul Mariner came in. I really enjoyed playing under Paul Mariner and John Carver. They had some great ideas in the things they wanted to do. But they are still here, and the new manager has said himself he's willing to listen them. They are not there just to be 'yes' men." Duguid added: "I played right-back towards the end of last season, which is where I was signed to play by Paul Sturrock. But I think I have probably only played around 20 games there. It's nice to get back there and start playing where I really want to play but, like I have always said, wherever the manager wants me to play I will give 100 per cent."

Anton Peterlin is fighting hard for a contract at Home Park. "My agency was talking to John Carver and Paul Mariner and they got me out here on trial," he said. "It has gone really well. Training has been great and it's been good to be involved in the games. I have always had good lungs. My mum was a semi-professional tennis player, so maybe I got my lungs from her. I'm looking for minutes on the pitch to show what I've got. My ultimate goal is to win a contract with Plymouth - it would be awesome. They are a good team and it's been a really good experience so far." Peterlin's presence at Argyle stems from a season spent with Everton, which helped him to develop his game. "I had a trial with Everton and did really well, so David Moyes took me on for a year," he said. "I trained with the first-team and played with the reserves. Ever since I was a kid, I've wanted to play in Europe. I've been blessed so far and, hopefully, I can keep that going."

Argyle may be up against it in their first two pre-season tour fixtures, but that does not bother Karl Duguid. He knows that results only matter when points or cup-tie’s are at stake. "We've played two games already, against Truro and Torquay, and we're playing some good sides in Holland, but pre-season is all about getting through games with no injuries," he said. "Getting fit is the main aim, along with getting to know the new manager and his ways." Argyle did not play well last Tuesday, when they went down 3-1 at Torquay United. "We know we're better than that," Duguid said, "but Torquay were a good side. They do the basics very well." Duguid is no stranger to pre-season tours, and added: "It will be good to get away and play a few games, and to get to know the new lads."

16th

Peter Reid has a simple philosophy for his developing squad. The new manager has enjoyed taking training sessions with his squad and at the forefront of his approach is the essential requirement of good fitness. "I like taking sessions," he said. "When I got the job I said the basics of football are what I will never stray from. When you haven't got the ball, you've got to work as hard as you can to get it and when you have got it, you've got to keep it and pass it. You can have a bad day passing. You can have a bad day in the office. Players can have a bad day on the pitch but there is nothing that stops you from giving everything on the football pitch, in terms of shutting down and energy for the shirt. Even if you've had a bad day passing it should be a pre-requisite you get that out of players. We have core sessions for 15 minutes and I can do it as well, if not better, than most of them, and that's wrong. They should be at least up to my level. It's the same with body fat. I'm not being dictatorial. It should be the norm as professional people that get paid that you should be fit. Other managers have different ideas but that's the way I want it done."

Tony Capaldi has returned to Argyle on trial. Capaldi was released by Cardiff City in May and began his trial yesterday morning when he took part in training at Marjon. Capaldi has been included in the squad for the pre-season tour to the Netherlands. Peter Reid said: "He's training with us, and he's going to come away with us. I have seen him play before and he has good energy on that left side. He's an experienced player and I asked him to come down. He's going to come away with us, so he will have a look at us and we will have a look at him. I think he can play at left-back or on the left of midfield equally well. He's a clever player." Reid believed it would be a benefit that Capaldi was so familiar with Argyle. "I don't think it harms, let's put it that way," he said. "I think it helps." Capaldi is two weeks behind the rest of the squad when it comes to pre-season training. Reid added: "He might have a bit of catch-up to do, but he looks a naturally fit boy so I don't think that will be any problem for him." Two other players who have been on trial with Argyle, Laurent Manuel and Manuel Mence, have not been included in the tour party.

Peter Reid believes he will learn a lot about his squad during their pre-season tour. He said: "I think the better opposition you play the more you find out about your players. I can understand the other argument, where you play weaker teams, you win 8-0 and you get your confidence up, but I tend to think that's a false confidence, to be perfectly honest. I would rather go in against more difficult sides. That shows your failings, and it shows some of your strengths." The tour was set up before Reid was appointed as manager, but he is all in favour of it. He said: "I have been to Holland on many occasions, both as a player and as a manager. It's a great area. When you are with the players for a week you get to know them better. And I think, on the other side of it, they get to know me. When a new manager comes in there is a bit of apprehension about. So I think it will be beneficial to the players and it will be beneficial to me as well." Marcel Seip will be part of the squad, despite his wife expecting to give birth to their first child at any time. Reid said: "I gave him the choice of whether to stay at home, but he told me he wanted to go with us. If anything happens then, obviously, he will get straight back." Seip has had his troubles with Argyle but Reid is not bothered about that. "That's history isn't it," he said. "He has done everything I have asked of him so there is no problem."

Peter Reid has sympathised with Simon Walton over the injury which has ended his season-long loan to Sheffield United. He said: "I had a similar injury to his when I was 20 and was out for a year. Thankfully, medical science has vastly improved since then, but it's still a crushing blow to the lad. We have had a chat with Sheffield United and I think he's going to have the operation and do the start of his rehab at their end. He took a six-month let on a flat up there. I have been trying to get hold him, as we speak, to have a chat with him. It's terrible for the lad because it was a real good chance for him to kick-start his career up there." Meanwhile, Kevin Blackwell has confirmed that United will continue to pay Walton’s wages. He said: "It doesn't help us going back into the market and getting someone else in. We're effectively paying money on a player who cannot play for you, cannot help you, so that's a blow. I don't know yet whether it will be another loan player or not. I didn't want to have too many loans but I was prepared to take one or two, and Simon covered me in more than one position and it meant I didn't have to go looking at specific right-backs."

15th

Chris Barker is set to leave Argyle after being told by Peter Reid that his future is away from Home Park. "Chris Barker won't be going on tour," said Reid. "We've had chat about it and I think his future is away from the club, and I've told him that. I've made the decision as the manager. You have to make those decisions because that's what I'm paid for. I have nothing against the boy; it's just a professional decision."

Peter Reid will be taking 26 players on the pre-season tour of Holland on Friday. The notable absentees include Chris Barker, and injured youngster Ryan Leonard. Krisztian Timar and Kari Arnason are still in the touring party despite minor injuries, as is Onismor Bhasera, who has been suffering from a cold. Trialists Freddy Hall, Tony Capaldi and Anton Peterlin are also included. "I have got a couple of niggles out there," said Reid. "Bhasera is bit under the weather with a cold, so the doctor has kept him in. He will travel but whether he comes out a bit later will be down to the doctor.

Peter Reid admits he might have to depart from his ideal football philosophy if he is to get the best out of the current squad. "I want to play a passing game but if we can't do it I've got to change it," he said. "We might have to go earlier up to the front man and get support up there. We lost the ball too many times in midfield areas and Torquay were at us. It wasn't great." Reid introduced two triallists during the friendly, Bermudan goalkeeper Freddy Hall and striker Manuel Mence. Reid said: "Manuel is just a French boy who's come over, who's out of contract. We're just having a look at him. And Romain had just done his groin so I didn't want it to get any worse. I thought Hall was a bit rash for the goal, but he's a young kid and one we're just having a look at." Reid admits he is constantly learning about his squad and will try to give each of them a fair chance on their pre-season tour, for which they depart tomorrow. "I'm giving everyone a look," he said. "We have got a sprinkling of experience and a lot of young players and I'm just giving everyone games and seeing how they go. I'm learning a lot about the players and sometimes you learn an awful lot in defeat. I certainly did this evening. I'm not pleased with the result or the performance, but I'm pleased I've got something out of it. It taught me a lot about the players."

Neil Warnock has revealed he might return to Home Park, but only on a voluntary basis. Warnock, who has a home near Plymouth, admitted he had thought about returning to the South West before joining QPR, and said: "I did, as I always intend to live here permanently. But the QPR offer came out of the blue at a time when I felt I really had to go. I was really pleased, as the Rangers people and the fans were superb with me as they knew I had put up with so much in the previous 18 months. Some of the Argyle fans have said that they'd wish I'd come back but, in a way, because I want to to live down here, I'm not sure that it would be the right thing for me. I'd like to help Argyle in some voluntary capacity when I retire from the game as I love the people and Devon and Cornwall." He added: "Peter Reid has a tough task on his hands but he has a decent squad there and I hope he gets it together, as I have always had a soft spot for Argyle."

14th

Argyle lost 3-1 in last night’s pre-season friendly at Torquay United, the goal scored by Craig Noone. After the match Peter Reid said: "I thought the better team won. I thought Torquay were better; I thought they were hungrier and wanted it more than us. We started off well, passed the ball well, and got a really good goal. But, after that, our passing went and our shape went and, to be fair, Torquay looked a lot stronger and fitter than us. It's a friendly and I made so many changes that you are not going to get any continuity, but we worked on shape and the shape completely went. Whether that's tiredness or not understanding it, we'll get it right on the training-ground." Among the changes made by Reid during the game were the introductions of trialists Freddy Hall, and striker Manuel Mence, formerly of Martinique side RC Riviere-Pilote. Reid admitted that the defeat may have long-term benefits. "I'm learning," he said. "I'm learning about the players. Sometimes you learn an awful lot in defeat, and I certainly did this evening. It's been invaluable for me. I'm not pleased with the result and the performance, but I am pleased I have got something out of it. There's plenty of time to go before the first game of the season. One of the good things about today is that it is today, and it is not the first game of the season. We have got plenty of things to work on. I was very disappointed with certain aspects of our play. There's no excuse. It was just basics. I don't think we passed the ball. I want to play a passing game but, if we can't do it, I've got to change it. I might have to go a bit earlier up to the front man and get support up there, because we lost the ball too many times in midfield areas and Torquay were at us and it wasn't great. Even though it's a friendly, I don't like getting beaten in games." Argyle: Larrieu, Duguid, Ngala, Johnson.R, Barker, Noone, Johnson.D, Fletcher, Bolasie, Patterson, MacLean. Subs – Hall, Seip, Paterson, Clark, Summerfield, Peterlin, Mason, Mence (not used - Wright-Phillips, Kinsella, Head, Trott, Manuel). Attendance - 1,794.

Simon Walton looks set to return from his loan at Sheffield United as he has been ruled out for the rest of the season after rupturing cruciate knee ligaments during a friendly against Mansfield Town on Monday.

13th

Rory Patterson is looking to improve his game as he battles for a first-team place with Argyle. Peter Reid gave Patterson the thumbs-up for his contribution to the team effort in the win at Truro. He said: "I thought he created a chance, worked the channels very well, but I thought he could be a bit fitter." Patterson, himself, said he was happy to be at Argyle. He said: "I've come back and I've been doing all the training and I was just happy to get out on Saturday and see what it was like playing with the other lads. Yes, I can improve, but it was our first game, and there was a bit of rustiness there, although I thought we deserved to win." Patterson said he saw no reason why he shouldn't score goals for Argyle. He added: "I always try to bring people into the game and, if I get a run of games and service from the wide men, I don't see why I shouldn't score a few goals for Argyle. I've just broken into the national team and got my move over here and into the fold with Plymouth, having played non-League football in the north. This season, I've just got to get as many goals as I can and stay in and around the first team. There wasn't very much striking options for the team I played in the north, but here, there's a lot more strikers. Now I'm here, I want to crack on. I want to get into the Argyle first team and stay in the international side."

Romain Larrieu insists Argyle have got to get the winning habit before the League One season starts and shrugged off suggestions that getting good results in pre-season friendly games didn't matter. He admitted the team had shown some understandable rustiness against Truro, and said: "It was good. We showed some rustiness, but it's about getting the legs going again. Losing a pre-season game doesn't mean the end, but it's important to win all your games to try to get a winning habit. It's a habit which is easy to lose, but difficult to get back." Larrieu made it clear that the squad should put being relegated last season behind them. He said: "We've got a big job on our hands this season. Last season, when we were relegated, that's gone now. We are professional players and no matter how disappointing last season, most of the players who were involved are still here and they've got the opportunity to put it right."

Peter Reid has told two of his strikers they've got to work harder. Bradley Wright-Phillips and Steve MacLean were told to step it up after their performances in Argyle's first pre-season match. Reid said: "I was delighted with the squad on Saturday, I thought it was a good test. Bradley Wright-Phillips is fit, but what I would say is that I spoke to him after the game and I told him that to play for me, he needs to work harder. He's been lively in training, but whether he didn't fancy the pitch on Saturday, I don't know, but I certainly expect more." Reid said he also felt MacLean did not work hard enough during the game. He said: "He got a good goal, but I would expect more from my strikers. I'm not being harsh on the players here, I've only told you what I've told them. They either buy into it, or they don't. I was pleased with MacLean's finishing and I was pleased with the positions he got into. But I thought he could have held the ball up more and that he could have worked harder. This isn't me being miserable, or picking players out, I honestly think they can improve. I know their capabilities. It's not good enough for me at the moment and I don't think it's good enough for them."

Rory Fallon will not be rejoining the Argyle squad until they return from the tour of Holland. Peter Reid said he had taken advice from the club's sports scientist, who had concurred that the striker needed a decent break before returning to action. He said Fallon had visited Home Park after returning from the World Cup and Reid had talked to him. He said: "I've told him I don't expect to see him until after we come back from Holland. I've been in a World Cup myself and I know what it's like."

Argyle have arranged a pre-season friendly at QPR on July 30th, with a 7.30kick-off.

12th

Argyle are giving a trial to Bermudan international goalkeeper Freddy Hall, who has been recommended by former West Ham and Portsmouth ‘keeper Shaka Hislop. Hislop is a coach at Quinnipiac University in the US, where Hall has made quite a reputation for himself in college soccer. He may get an opportunity to impress when Argyle play Torquay United tomorrow. When Peter Reid was asked whether Hall would play during the friendly, he replied: "I'm not sure yet, but I'd like to get a look at him. Shaka Hislop recommended him to Paul, so we've got him over and are having a look at him." Reid was less reticent to comment about speculation linking Argyle to Japanese forward Shinji Okazaki and Gillingham's Canadian striker Simeon Jackson. "I don't know anything about them," he said. "Nothing at all."

Peter Reid was joined on the training-ground today by his brother Shaun and former Newcastle United coach Adam Sadler. Shaun Reid does not look like he will be staying long, but Sadler may have a future at Home Park. "Shaun has come down to see me," said Reid. "He's just having a look. The lad doing the goalkeeping session, Adam Sadler, has come down from Newcastle to be with the team for a few weeks and we'll take it form there." Asked whether any future role for Sadler might include working with the goalkeepers, Reid said: "It would be mixture of things. He's got a good CV." Geoff Crudgington was given responsibility for the club's scouting at the end of last season, although Reid will be looking at the entire operation afresh. "I might be updating the scouting system," he said. "I think the scouting system for finding players is very important. It's something I'm having a look at. I will be updating it over the next couple of weeks. Geoff will be involved in some way - he knows the area and has got a good knowledge of goalkeepers, so we will be tapping into that."

Argyle’s contingent of trialists has shrunk following the release of Cody Arnoux. Anton Peterlin and Laurent Manuel remain at Home Park and when asked if either or both had a future at Argyle, Peter Reid said: "I'm monitoring it. I'm chatting to someone I know in America about the situation. I thought the midfield player, Peterlin, did particularly well at Truro. He had plenty of energy and I liked the look of him. I'll make my mind up, within the next couple of days, on both of them." Reid has delayed naming the squad for the pre-season training-camp in Holland, and added: "I'll do it after the game at Torquay on Tuesday. Knowing me, I'll announce it and then get about four injuries. I'll wait to assess things on Wednesday or Thursday and make my mind up."

Peter Reid has hinted that more players may be on their way out of Home Park in the near future. Reid did not give away any details about who might be the next player to leave but, speaking after Argyle's win at Truro City, he said: "There are three players gone out and I wouldn't be at all surprised if there were a few more going out." Reid said of the Truro game: "I thought it was a very good work-out and it was a good experience for the players. Truro were well organised and it was a difficult pitch – a bit lumpy."

11th

Argyle won their first pre-season friendly yesterday, beating Truro City 2-0 at Treyew Road. The goals were scored by Yannick Bolasie after 34 minutes and Steve MacLean (64). Argyle: First-half - Larrieu, Duguid, Arnason, Johnson, Bhasera, Bolasie, Johnson, Summerfield, Paterson, Patterson, Mason. Subs - Trott, Head. Second-half - Larrieu, Manuel, N'Gala, Seip, Barker, Clark, Fletcher, Peterlin, Noone, Wright-Phillips, MacLean. Attendance - 1,700.

Peter Reid declared himself ‘delighted’ after he kicked off his Argyle managerial career with a comfortable victory over Truro City yesterday. Reid fielded separate 11’s in each half and, despite minor injuries to Kari Arnason and Jim Paterson, was content with what he saw. "I'm delighted," he said. "We got a couple of knocks, which isn't ideal, but I said, before we went out, 'if anyone feels anything, come off' so it's just precautionary. The knocks aren't bad ones and they should be training with us in the next few days. All in all, everyone's got 45 minutes and I thought it was a very good work-out, a good test for us against good opposition. Truro were very well organised and it was a difficult game for us. I've got to pay compliments to Lee Hodges and his coaching staff. It's only a start and it's early, but I'm very pleased with the way it went. At the end of the day, you can do all the training in the world on training pitches but two 45 minutes tell you a lot so I've got plenty out of that." Argyle now have a another friendly at Torquay on Tuesday night before the tour of Holland. "I think we'll announce the squad on Monday," Reid said. "We'll check on the injuries and go from there. There'll be a lot of hard work. I'll have the players there, solidly, for a week, and we'll hopefully iron out a few faults."

Carl Fletcher was one of the first names on the Argyle team-sheet last season but knows he has to prove himself all over again to Peter Reid. "Even if it's a manager you know, you have got to prove yourself every day in training and every time you play," said Fletcher. "I'm no different. There are 27 players that are going for 11 spots. It's pressure, and that's the way football is, but you have to deal with it, get your head down, and hopefully that will be enough. It's going to take time to adjust to what he wants us to do, but he's spelled that out to us, so we have got to get it done." Fletcher played the second 45 minutes of the win at Truro and admitted: "It's nice to get out there, instead of training all the time.

Argyle’s youth team won 2-1 against West Bromwich Albion at the Baggies' Birmingham Road training ground yesterday, the goals scored by Matt Rickard and Isaac Vassell. Allan Evans said: "The boys played some good football and fully deserved the win. Our two full-backs, Jack Stephens and Connor Clifford, played very well and, considering it was the first pre-season friendly, the boys all looked fit and sharp." Argyle: Ord, Stephens, Clifford, Sawyer, Nelson, Pearce, Harper-Penman, Hart, Rickard, Sims, Baker. Subs – Berry, Palmer, Copp, Golby, Vassell

10th

Carl Fletcher insists Argyle have the ability to win promotion this season. He said: "For me, anything other than promotion would be disappointing. That's just my personal view and some people might say something different. There are a lot of big clubs in League One, but anything other than promotion would mean it would be a disappointing season." Asked about the change of management at the club, Fletcher said: "I think it was a bit of a shock, to find out at the end of the season that the board didn't give Paul and John the chance to continue. I think a lot of things last season weren't down to them, and perhaps they didn't have a chance to do it their way. From that point of view, they'd have probably liked more time. But once the decision had been taken, and the board have obviously taken their time, they have found the right man. I was pleasantly surprised. You can't find anyone better and with more experience than Peter Reid. At the end of the day, the people upstairs have made the decision and we'll just go along with whatever decision they have made." Fletcher said despite the pain of dropping down a division he had no regrets at joining Argyle and living in Plymouth. "You can look at it two ways with Plymouth," he said. "Some people will think of it as being a long way from everywhere, and I don't want to be stuck there. Or you can look at it and say it's got great potential with a good, solid fan base. It's a club you can push on with and achieve things with in the future. That's possibly what Peter Reid thinks. We're glad he's here. The main focus at the minute is pre-season. We'll perhaps study the opposition closer to the time. Southampton is our first game and everyone here is looking to try and get in the side. You've got to go out there and prove yourself every day in training, so that you're in the XI on Saturday, August 7. Southampton are a big club. They spent a bit of money last year and have again, I think, this season. Without the 10 points deduction they'd have been in the play-offs at least last season. Obviously they're going to be contenders this season. And you've got to play a lot of matches throughout the season, so you may as well start with the big one. We're all looking forward to it — there's nothing to fear as long as everyone does the right things and works hard. You should go into each game without fear."

Peter Reid and Carl Fletcher are both looking forward to kicking off the pre-season programme at Truro City today. "I'm looking forward to the match — it's our first competitive game after all," said Reid. "It's about fitness, so I'll be using two teams, who will get 45 minutes each. We've got to go in there looking to win every game — that's just part of my make-up. But, like I say, the match is mainly about the fitness. Speaking to people about Truro, they've got some good ex-pros in their line-up, so it'll be a difficult game." Fletcher echoed his manager's thoughts on the opposition and can't wait to get cracking after almost two months of inaction. "It's the first game, so you've got to try and get as much as you can out of it," said Fletcher. "It's no good peaking now — you have to do that on the August 7 in the first league match. And, as far as today's match is concerned, I'm sure it's going to be hot."

9th

Argyle confirmed today that Alan Gow has been released from his contract

Argyle have confirmed a third fixture for their pre-season visit to Holland, a game against AZ Alkmaar on Wednesday July 21st, 24 hours before an already scheduled game against SC Cambuur. The game against Alkmaar will take place at Sportpark Kleine Sluis in the town of Anna Paulowna, at 7pm.

Bradley Wright-Phillips and George Donnelly are both rated doubtful for Argyle's friendly at Truro City tomorrow. Another doubt for the trip is Ryan Leonard. Peter Reid said: "Donnelly and Wright-Phillips are just feeling their hamstrings, while Leonard is feeling his patella tendon. They're not full blown, just tightness. If there were to be a problem I wouldn't risk it. I'm always careful with muscle injuries and you have to be careful with the young boy's patella." Reid intends to field two sides at Treyew Road, but said he is undecided whether to give all three of the trialists an outing. One of the trio, Cody Arnoux, has already come a cropper, although Reid felt the striker's injury wasn't serious. "He has just got a slight problem and didn't train today, but it's nothing to worry about," he said.

Ashley Barnes has completed his move to Brighton, for an undisclosed fee.

Peter Reid is seeking competition at the goalkeeper position. With Romain Larrieu the only senior ‘keeper Reid is looking to challenge him. He said: "I want one in and I would like one as soon as possible, but sometimes you can't get have what you want. There is a list and it's just a matter of getting someone in. I don't want anyone comfortable. I need competition all over because that's part and parcel of it. The kid Chenoweth has done alright. He lacks experience and a bit of strength, but he's only a young lad, and that's why I need another one."

Peter Reid has challenged his players to pick the team for him. He said: "I pick the team but the players are the ones that really do that with their performances. If any player does well, they're in the team. If any player doesn't do it right from a discipline point of view, they will be treated the same way. I've said to the players that they can come and see me. I have said from day one that anybody that wants to come and see me, just knock on the door. Players win football matches. I might seem hard on players but I'm not - I just want things done right, and I think players like that. If any player wants to see me and they're not happy, I can sort it out. If I had a player with a problem and they didn't want to see me, I would find it ridiculous if you can't come and see your manager. I am not an ogre. I've already had players coming to see me and asking certain things, and it's not a big deal. I tell them what I think and we get on with it."

Alan Gow looks set to become the next player to leave Home Park with a return to Scotland expected soon. Peter Reid, who admitted a deal was 'close' said: "There is a deal which is close to conclusion and should be done within the next 24 hours, hopefully. But I don't like speaking about it if the deal is not done. And it is a Scottish club, Notts County was just the press who, and I won't say as usual, got it wrong." Asked about Marcel Seip's status Reid claimed he was operating a clean-slate policy. "I'm a new manager and he's one of the players at the club," said Reid. "As I've said before, I pick the team but the players are ones who really do. If he does well as with any player who does well, he gets in the team. If any player doesn't do it right from a disciplinary point of view, then they'll get treated the same way. Like I've said to all the players, if they've got a problem then come and see me. But he hasn't done that."

8th

Ashley Barnes is set to join Brighton & Hove Albion. He should complete the move today, subject to a medical and the usual formalities. Peter Reid said: "I have got a lot of strikers at the club, and want to trim the squad. Brighton were keen to have Ashley back, and Ashley enjoyed a successful spell there last season. So this move makes a lot of sense for everyone involved. We wish Ash all the best for the next stage in his career."

Argyle may have lost out on up to £1million following Dan Gosling's decision to walk out on Everton. Gosling took the club to a Premier League inquiry to prove he is a free agent after claiming Everton failed to offer him an extension to his initial contract in writing, meaning he could expose a legal loophole. Gosling's decision to leave Everton means Argyle will miss out on money they were expecting as part of the deal that took him from Home Park to Goodison in January 2008. The initial fee was £1million but that figure could have risen to £2million depending on appearances and international honours. Gosling was just three games away from netting Argyle an extra £250,000 and Argyle, like Everton, are believed to be unhappy about the situation. Players under 20 cannot sign five-year deals, which is the length of the contract Everton wanted to offer him when he joined them from Argyle. But the initial agreement he did sign came with a verbal understanding to extend it by another two years on improved terms. Everton are considering appealing the Premier League's decision to allow him to leave without compensation.

7th

Peter Reid described Simon Walton's move to Sheffield United as the player's last chance to prove his doubters wrong. Reid said: "He's joining a good club, but I think it's his last chance, even though he's still only 22. It is in the boy's hands, he's got to decide whether he wants to play football or not. Walton looked a very good player as a youngster, but he's lost his way. Hopefully, he'll find his way up there. I had the boy at Leeds and he looked like he had a bright future. But to be perfectly honest, when he trained here, I thought he was sloppy and I'm not telling you anything I haven't told him. So he did have massive potential. But at 22 and being at Crewe Alexandra last season, his reports weren't that clever. And he's got to get it on track, but he didn't want to do it here. And like I've said before anyone who doesn't want to play here, it's no use me keeping them, they've got to go. I want players who want to play for us."

Argyle look set to add former Newcastle United and Gateshead coach Adam Sadler to their backroom staff. Sadler quit his job as first-team coach at Gateshead with the club's manager Ian Bogie stating, 'Adam has been offered an opportunity to join Plymouth'. Argyle have vacancies for both a youth and goalkeeping coach.

Peter Reid has insisted he has had no other 'firm offers' for his players following the loan of Simon Walton to Sheffield United. Reid is under pressure to trim his squad, but only two other than Walton, Alan Gow and Rory Fallon, were absent from pre-season training yesterday. Reid said Gow had a hamstring injury but did hint that he could be returning to Scotland sooner rather than later. Reid said: "There hasn't been anything concrete, just a wee bit of interest in him. Gow came back with a hamstring problem and he's been with the physio, who will give us the go-ahead when he can come back in. He will try and catch up as much as possible, but sometimes when you're injured you'll work harder which is the way I like it as a manager. I think anybody who is injured should work harder. He's got a hamstring which means he can't do running, but he can do body work and use the weights. And Fallon's away getting his rest, obviously I'll need to chat with him when he comes back. But there has been no interest in anybody else at the moment — there's always inquiries, but nothing concrete."

Peter Reid is settling into his task as Argyle's new manager. After a week assessing the players on the training ground, he is pleased with the blend of youth and experience, and the general fitness levels of his squad. "There is a nice blend of younger players and experience, which is not bad to have at this level," he said. "Early on, it was conditioning work but we got into a little bit of football, seven-a-side and 11-a-side. They've taught me one or two things and it's always good seeing the lads involved in a game with your own eyes. It hasn't been a quick tempo but it's been really beneficial to me. When you talk about feedback, last year, I think there were seven or eight strains, or little niggles. We haven't got any, so that's really good from our point of view because in terms of the fitness testing we did on Friday, the results have been very positive. A few of the lads need to get their body fat and weight sorted out, but we're dealing with that on the nutrition side. On the fitness side and the conditioning side, we're really pleased. It's about building them up and getting the work into them. There is still room for improvement but it has been better than I expected. You have got to keep raising the bar but the players have done everything we've asked of them, and you can't ask for more than that."

Peter Reid will only take players on the pre-season tour of Holland that he feels are worthy of a place and made it plain that any player not pulling their weight in pre-season training will be left at home. "I should imagine about 25 will go and it won't be a problem in whittling that down," he said. "I will just decide and that will be it. It will be based on training and how it goes on Saturday in the friendly at Truro - that's the best way to do it. If I think someone doesn't deserve to go, they won't go."

Peter Reid is continuing to assess the two trialists at Home Park, Cody Arnoux and Anton Peterlin and the pair will probably be given a chance in Saturday's friendly at Truro City. Reid said: "I've just had a look at them in a football match and they've done ok. It's early yet. I'd like to assess them and I might try to get them involved at the weekend in some sort of way to see in a fairly competitive game. On Saturday, I'll probably play two sides for 45 minutes. I should know better by next Monday. I would hate to say something on them after just two days of football. I will have a better picture on Monday." Argyle have also taken American defender Laurent Manuel on trial. Manuel has recently been playing in the US league after a youth career with Marseille and Hapoel Tel Aviv.

6th

Simon Walton today joined Sheffield United on a season-long loan. Peter Reid said: “For one reason or another it has not worked out for Simon at Argyle. This is a good opportunity for him to make his mark elsewhere. We hope it goes well for him.”

5th

Joe Mason and Yannick Bolasie have been given a vote of confidence by Argyle's new management team. Paul Mariner admits the pair are some way from being the finished article but both have been given boosts by Mariner and Peter Reid. Mariner said: "There's no doubt he's got ability and he could be a very good young player, but he's a young player and he's inexperienced. Peter said that he could be anything. Bolasie came on against Barnsley last season and completely changed the game. As young players do, they go and go and go, and then they go back, so we have to keep working with them." Reid added: "We've got to teach Bolasie the game. He does go at people all the time, but that's not what you should be doing, sometimes. You've got to learn to use your brain." Reid said it was possible Bolasie could be used across the entire forward line, instead of being employed solely on the flanks. He said: "He can't half run with the ball and he may be one of those who can play in a couple of positions." Mariner added that he felt both Mason and Bolasie were 'a long way away' from being pitched into the first team on a regular basis. But he said: "Their potential is boundless, but you don't know what is going to happen in football, so you have got to be careful with young players. You've got to put an arm around their shoulders or you've got to give them a rocket." Reid added that young players had got to have the desire to succeed. He said: "We can help them with certain things, but they have to have desire to be a player and a winner."

4th

Bondz N'Gala is looking forward to a pre-season campaign with an achievable objective at the end, gritting his teeth through the fitness work in the hope of a starting berth on the opening day of the season. "The bleep test is a long process but we got there in the end, and got it all done," he said. "None of the boys like the bleep test - it is a bit of a grind. It works you hard and pushes you to your max. It certainly tests your lungs and legs. It is early days in pre-season and we've still got six weeks to get much fitter for the start of the season. There has been a lot of ball-work so far, as there was at West Ham, so it's been quite enjoyable. My aims and ambitions are, firstly, to get in the starting line-up for the Southampton game, and push on from there. It's exciting. This is the first time I've come back for pre-season looking to get in a starting line-up. I hope to push on and, hopefully, we can win promotion."

3rd

Argyle fitness coach Scott Russell is busy preparing the players for pre-season. Along with the sports scientists at Marjon, Russell has been assessing the fitness of the squad after the long summer break. "We do the obvious tests of height and weight, plus the fat test with callipers, sit and reach, football-related stuff and also the strength test," he said. "We also do the yo-yo test for endurance. It is quite competitive. The players don't enjoy it when they hear it's a fitness test but once they get going, they enjoy a little competition amongst themselves. For me, it's an individual thing because we build up a profile of each player. When someone is out of the team or injured, we can go back to that information and, as the season goes on, we can look at the stats and make comparisons. It's a brand new facility at Marjon and I wish we could have something like this for ourselves. Marjon have been really helpful, not just this season. They have been doing it for a number of years now. They will put together the reports and we'll get that information next week, so it will make interesting reading, but the players do come back quite fit. It's not like the old days when they do nothing in the close-season. They were given a programme at the end of last season but there will be differences because some people had injuries toward the end of the season."

2nd

Peter Reid is insisting on his squad being fit before they kick-off the new season. Most of the 29-strong squad took part in their second day of training yesterday, the exceptions being Rory Fallon, who is taking two weeks off after the World Cup and Onismor Bhasera, who had been suffering from a cyst which was removed by his doctor in South Africa. The defender has fully recovered and is expected to join the squad today. "It is only fair that Rory gets another two-and-a-half weeks because he is going to be shattered," said Reid. "Bhasera had to see his doctor and we thought it would be wise for him to have the check-up first. He had a little cyst, which has been removed." Reid stated that the squad would be undergoing fitness assessments today, paying particular attention to the players' weight and the amount of fat in their bodies. He said: "That will be interesting once I find out about that, because I feel that if you are paid as a professional athlete, forget about playing football, there shouldn't be any body-fat or excess weight. If anyone is overweight, they will have a nutritional programme, a diet and they will have a strict regime to get it off and we will see how we go from there." One player who saw limited training action was Alan Gow, and Reid said: "Alan Gow was doing some work by himself and he tweaked a hamstring, so he will be with the physio". But he said the squad had been working well since they had all got together at the beginning of the week. Reid added: "We have had two days and I'm getting to know the lads. They have done everything they have been asked to do and they have done it well."

Peter Reid has given the impression that he, Paul Mariner and John Carver were melding into a good partnership. Carver was not present at yesterday's pre-season media call, but Reid and Mariner seemed to be at ease with each other. Reid admitted the players seemed a 'bit wary' of him, but said: "Considering it was relegation last season, there doesn't seem to be any aftershock or despondency among the players. They seemed bubbly and they seem all right. Obviously Paul's been laughing and joking, so it's been OK." Reid said the players had been eased back into training. He said: "In my day and in Paul's day, we would have done about 600 miles in two days. But nowadays it's sort of charted out."

Paul Mariner has revealed he was delighted when Peter Reid was appointed Argyle manager and made it totally clear that he was happy to be part of the new backroom team. He said: "It's been interesting, to say the least. When I heard Peter was possibly getting the job, I was delighted. I enjoy my role and in football, you have got to be flexible and move onto the next thing. Whatever needs to be done, you just get on and do it." Reid made it clear that he was boss, but said Mariner and Carver's help in getting to know the players had been 'terrific'. He added he and Mariner had known each other for a long time. Reid said: "We go back a long, long way, we were just having a laugh about it. Maybe we're having too much of a laugh. We have known each other for so long and seen each other in the north-west and we know what type we are. Obviously, at the end of the day I'm the manager and it's down to me, but if he wants to say something and tell me that I'm wrong, then I'll listen — and that goes for John as well."

Peter Reid has insisted he has plenty of time to get his squad sorted out. He said: "Our real football starts on Monday, when we will start some pre-season work. We'll be doing seven-a-side and three-a-side just to get the legs going. I know the Truro game isn't far away, but we've got plenty of time." Reid made it clear that the game in Cornwall would be used to give as many players as possible some game time. He said: "What I hope with that game is possibly that I can give everybody 45 minutes and do it that way."

Peter Reid has already identified a couple of specific areas in his squad that he would like to strengthen. Although reducing the size of his squad remains a priority, Reid is keen to bolster certain positions and pre-season training has already seen a few trialists dropping in. "There are a couple of areas we have identified that we would like to get a couple of players in," said Reid. "We are just having a look," added Paul Mariner. "There is no harm in having a look at players. There are a couple of lads who were at Everton last year. Also, one lad from Europe." The two former Everton players are Anton Peterlin, a defensive midfielder, and Cody Arnoux, a striker. Reid continued: "I've spoken to one or two of the squad. At the initial meeting we had yesterday, I told them that if anybody wants to come and see me, they can. No-one has been to see me up to now but I'm sure I'll get a knock on the office door. If you know what agents are like, then you know they'll be working on behalf of their players. That doesn't bother me because that's the way football is nowadays, and you're not going to change that. If deals should be done, it's good for all concerned but while they're here, they're Argyle players. We pay their wages, so they've got to do their jobs."

Argyle are in talks with another club over a possible move for Simon Walton. Peter Reid confirmed that the story may well develop toward a conclusion. "There might be something for Walton in the next day or two," he said.

Rory Patterson could be the answer to Argyle's goal-scoring problems and Peter Reid has been impressed by the glowing reports he has been given by Paul Mariner and contacts in Ireland. "I have spoken to Paul about him and I've got contacts in Ireland, who have said he hits the back of the net," said Reid. It will be interesting to see him. If you have got people who can score goals, who knows. If you get the spine of the side really solid, you can then build round that."

Joe Mason has already impressed Peter Reid with his enthusiasm in the opening days of pre-season training. Reid also gave the club a ringing endorsement for nurturing young talent all the way to first-team duty. "Mason has shown loads of enthusiasm," said Reid. "You can see that in training and you have got to give the club credit for that. Bringing young players through is what everyone wants. If you can bring young players through at a football club, it's a massive bonus for everyone. The fans like home-grown players as well. He looks a good athlete and Paul says he has got a football brain as well, so we've got to nurture that. Players have got to have the desire to be a player and be a winner." Mariner added: "You have to be very careful with young players. You can put an arm round them or give them a rocket. All you can do is give them information."

Peter Reid and Paul Mariner were both full of praise for the wonderful training facilities Argyle having been using at Marjon. "The facilities are unbelievable and the sports science department here allows us to do rehab with the lads, so I'm delighted," said Reid. "It is a really nice liaison we have Marjon and something we need to develop," added Mariner. "You know what the weather is like in the autumn, so we're always looking for different sites. In previous years, we have been all over the shop."

1st

Argyle's two remaining out-of-contract players agreed new deals yesterday. Karl Duguid signed a contract extension that will keep him at Home Park until the end of next season, and Yannick Bolasie agreed a new two-year deal. Duguid said the appointment of Peter Reid was instrumental in his decision to stay. He said: "The manager's been named now and I think it's a great appointment. It is a good coup for the club." 21-year-old Bolasie was delighted with his new deal. "I want to be in the 11 on the first day of the season, but not just that, all season, and show some consistency," he said. Both players would have been out of contract today, but guided by Paul Mariner and John Carver, new manager Peter Reid said he is delighted to have ended speculation about the pair's future. ""Obviously, with the players only just back for pre-season training, and me new to the position of manager of this football club, I am relying a lot on Paul and John for help. They've filled me in on the two players and their qualities, and that's good enough for me. John and Paul's help has been invaluable, but from now it will be me assessing the players, which I have already done on our first day of light training."

Peter Reid has confirmed that all but Rory Fallon and Onismor Bhasera were at UCP Marjon for assessment yesterday. Zimbabwe international defender Bhasera was due back from South Africa yesterday, while Fallon has been allowed 'a couple of weeks off' to recover from his exploits in this summer's World Cup for New Zealand. Reid said: "It's only been a bit of light training — getting the boys' legs working again — nothing too tough to start with. They'll have another work-out today with games and ball-work included and then be assessed tomorrow to see if they've stayed in shape. When I was a player, I couldn't wait to get back to the training ground. As far as I'm concerned, being as fit as you can be is a core part of being a successful player."

30th June

Peter Reid is clear that trimming Argyle's bloated playing staff is one of his higher priorities. Most of the squad underwent fitness tests today, and their pre-season training schedule commences tomorrow at University College Plymouth St Mark & St John. Reid, accompanied by Paul Mariner and John Carver, will have his first chance to assess what he has to work with. The new manager said: "The squad does need cutting. We all know that. When I was going to speak to the board of directors, I got on the internet and looked at the squad list. I kept on seeing more and more players. I couldn't believe how many players there were, and that's a fact. There are too many to work with. I'm all for wanting pressure to be put on the board to buy players, but there are too many. I need to trim it down, without a doubt, and that's with no disrespect to anybody." Reid will hope to make good use of his contacts to try to find new homes for the club's surplus players. He said: "There are ways of wheeling and dealing in the transfer market, and that's what I'll have to do. I think there have been negotiations about certain players going out, but I've said that has to stop for now. I deal with all that, which is the only way it can be. As a manager, I want to stamp my authority on the squad." Reid added: "I have to work within the budget, which is right, but I want to see the players. I want to get my assessment of them, because I have certain ideas about how football should be played." Reid was honest enough to admit that disagreements will be inevitable from time to time within the dressing room or on the training ground. He said: "We will fall out, we will have our ups and downs, but, once I've had an up and down, the next day it's over with. Everyone gets a chance. It's up to them. I don't pick the team, the players pick the team, by playing well or by playing badly." Reid wants to give the men he is inheriting opportunities to prove their worth, before he turns to the transfer market. "I have ideas on players," he said, "but I might have players here who can do the job. I'm a great believer in basic things in football, like strength through the middle. A good goalkeeper, strong at the back, in the middle of the park and up front. If we have players here who fit that criteria, then they'll get in the side, but I'm sure there will be comings and goings during the season."

Deputy chairman Paul Stapleton believes that exciting times lie ahead at Home Park, and that Peter Reid has all the credentials to make Argyle a force within League One this term. "He is so experienced, he's got a lot of contacts in the game and he knows what he wants to do, and that's what we need," the former chairman said. "We need someone to handle the players, somebody to get the buzz back and get a bit of fun into football. We've had two years of relative doom and gloom and it's time now to turn over a new chapter and look forward to exciting times." Reid's positive approach – both in his interviews for the job and again at Monday's first media call – has won favour with Stapleton, who will take a particular interest in the future of his son-in-law, Marcel Seip. "Marcel will report back this week, the same as the other players," added Stapleton. "I know from speaking to him he still wants to be a Plymouth player. He has a house down here, but who knows what is going to happen in football? A lot was made of what happened at Blackpool last season, but that was nothing to do with Marcel. He's a footballer at the end of the day, and was just doing his job."

The Pilgrims' away game at Bristol Rovers next season has been moved from Monday 3rd January to Tuesday 4th January to avoid bank holiday policing costs.

Out-of-contract left-back Gary Sawyer, who made it clear some months ago that he saw his future away from Plymouth, has signed for Bristol Rovers.

29th

Argyle's players return to pre-season training tomorrow, so Peter Reid will not have to wait too long to take a closer look at the squad at his disposal. One man who will be absent, however, is striker Rory Fallon, who has been given an extended break following his exertions at the World Cup finals with New Zealand.

Argyle have confirmed seven pre-season friendlies, including some previously unannounced games. A trip to Torquay United on the evening of Tuesday 13th July has been added to the list, three days after the now traditional opener at Truro City on Saturday 10th July. The Greens will depart for their pre-season tour of Holland on Friday 17th July, facing top-tier NAC Breda the following day. On Thursday 22nd July, they will meet Dutch side SC Cambuur, with one further tour fixture yet to be announced. After returning to England, Reid's men will complete their season's preparations with trips to League Two club Hereford United on Wednesday 28th July and Saltash United on Monday 2nd August.

Argyle's youth-team head coach Mike Pejic has left Home Park to join Ipswich Town's Academy. The former England full-back has guided the young Pilgrims to unprecedented success in the FA Youth Cup, as well as delivering promising players to the first-team squad. An Argyle spokesman said: "Mike has come to the end of his contract and, although he was offered another one, he decided to move on. We thank him for his hard work on behalf of the club, and wish him well for the future. A replacement will be sought under manager Peter Reid's leadership. In the meantime, Centre of Excellence manager Allan Evans will look after the Pilgrims' apprentices until such time as a permanent successor is appointed."

28th

Sir Roy Gardener introduced Peter Reid as the club’s new manager at a press conference at the city’s Mount Batten Centre today. The 54-year-old has agreed a two-year contract with the Pilgrims, heading up the coaching team of Paul Mariner and John Carver. Sir Roy said that the club is hoping the appointment of Reid will help revitalise Argyle after the disappointment of last season. "It's taken seven or eight weeks to sift through the applicants that we had" he said. "But at the end of the day, it was down to the guy who really demonstrated the most passion for taking the manager's role at Plymouth, and that was Peter. With his playing career and his managerial career, people will have a lot of respect for what he's managed to achieve and I think he will enthuse the people around him. You can never be overly confident (about promotion) but we have a great coaching staff now, so we've got the platform right and we've just got to get the playing squad sorted now."

Introducing himself to the press, Peter Reid expressed his delight: "When the opportunity arose to join a club like Plymouth Argyle, which has got tremendous history and a great catchment area, I was delighted to accept the opportunity and I'm really excited. It is a great football club and I want us to try and improve, and get back in the Championship. I played here as a youngster against Paul Mariner and Billy Rafferty, and Bobby Saxton, who was my number two at Sunderland and a great friend of mine, and he speaks so highly of the area and the football club." The new manager went on to express his belief that the path to success comes from an adherence to the basics of the game. "People over-complicate football at times" he said. "I want to get back to the basics of when you haven't got the ball, you have to work hard to get it back. When you've got it, you try to keep it, create chances and score goals. From a park pitch to the Premier League, that is still the way to go."

Reid will meet up with his coaching staff of Paul Mariner, John Carver and Geoff Crudgington before the players return from their summer break on Wednesday. Fitness will be a pre-season priority for Reid but the balls will also be introduced as he begins to assess his new squad. "It is not that I don't anything about the football club, the ambitions and the support. I know Paul Mariner and John Carver as coaches, and I'm just looking forward to getting started. You always learn. You can go on every coaching course in the world and I've got every badge, but nothing can teach you about being in that hot-seat. I have had that experience and I expect players to give everything in training and on match-days, and I don't think I'm asking a lot. To be 100% fit is the very least. You're not going to play well all the time but as long as you give everything you have on that park for the shirt, you will have no complaints from me. If you don't, then you've got a problem. I like my teams to be fit. As a professional athlete who is getting paid, you should be fit and you should give everything. It's quite simple really."

One of the first issues Reid said he will deal with is the size of the squad at Home Park, with 27 players currently on the books. He said: "There's a lot of players at the football club - in fact I think there's too many and it needs trimming down. Everyone starts with a clean slate so I'll assess it, see how we go and then hopefully move on from there."

25th

Tony Pulis has given a ringing endorsement to Argyle's new manager Peter Reid. "His enthusiasm for the game, and his contacts, are second to none," said Pulis. "He's such a bubbly character and the people at the football club, and the players that work with him, will be bowled over by him. Peter has been really keen to get back into management for some time and have a go again. I think he has got something to prove, and not only to the people at Plymouth. It's very important to him that he does well at Plymouth and gets them going. I'm convinced he will do that." The Stoke and former Argyle manager added: "If you take a look at Peter's record, it's fantastic. He did really well at Manchester City and Sunderland, and kept Leeds United in the Premier League one year when they were in financial meltdown. What happens as a manager sometimes is when you keep over-achieving at clubs you end up getting tired. I think when Peter was at Coventry he was worn out from his experiences prior to that. But he had some time away and he's refreshed now — and I think Plymouth will see the benefit. He's a great lad." Pulis had no hesitation in recommending Reid to take up the chance of becoming Argyle boss. "Peter asked me what it was like at Plymouth and I told him it was a good club to manage," said Pulis. "I had a great time down there and I think the world of the football club and the people."

Rory Fallon's World Cup dream has ended. He appeared for New Zealand in all three Group F games, including a stunning 1-1 draw against World Champions Italy, and ended his summer in South Africa without being on the losing side. New Zealand finished third in the group, ahead of Italy.

Argyle's opening game of the season at Southampton will be shown live on Sky, with a 12.15pm kick-off.

24th

Sir Roy Gardner announced today that Peter Reid has been appointed as the successor to Paul Mariner. Sir Roy said: "The Plymouth Argyle Board of Directors are delighted to have secured a manager whose high reputation precedes him. Peter has a wealth of experience after a lifetime in the dressing-room and dug-out which made him the stand-out candidate to progress the club on the pitch. We look forward to many years of success together." The Argyle Chairman added: "We said all along that we were seeking a man with proven experience who could help us realise our aspirations and ambitions - we want to get back to the Championship and, after that, move on. Peter fits that criteria perfectly. He is an international manager and player, and, domestically, he has achieved success in both spheres at the highest echelon. He also knows how to mix it outside the Premiership, winning lower league titles on the pitch and from the sidelines. He is well connected, commands respect, and has a depth of knowledge of the game that few of his peers can match."

As a player, Reid made more than 600 senior appearances, the bulk of which were for Bolton Wanderers, Everton and Manchester City. Whilst with Everton, he won the old First Division twice and FA and European Cup-Winners' Cups, and was the Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year in 1985. The same season, he was fourth in the World Soccer Player of the Year award, behind Michel Platini, Preban Elkjaer and Diego Maradona. Reid also won 13 caps for England and was a key member of the 1986 World Cup team in Mexico. The 54-year-old Liverpudlian began his managerial career in 1990, when he was appointed Manager of Manchester City. His next job came at Sunderland, where he spent seven seasons, taking them up to the Premier League twice in 1996 and 1999. He left the Stadium of Light in 2002 for a brief spell at Leeds United, and his last domestic managerial position was at Coventry City, where he left in 2005. Since then he had a spell in charge of the Thailand National side before his latest role as Assistant Manager at Stoke City.

Reid's predecessor in charge of team affairs, Paul Mariner, will remain at the club as Head Coach, and Mariner's assistant, John Carver, will also stay on the Pilgrims' coaching set-up. Sir Roy said: "As I said last season, Paul and John did a good job, without getting the results, and Peter's appointment is about improving what we have. Peter's arrival now gives Plymouth Argyle a management and coaching set-up which boasts unrivalled experience and knowledge. We need to utilise that experience as a launch-pad from which to move forward."

Reid leaves his post as assistant to former Pilgrims' boss Tony Pulis at Premier League Stoke City to take up the reins at Home Park, and will be formally introduced as the new Argyle manager at a club Press Conference next Monday.

23rd

Sir Roy Gardner has said that the announcement of Argyle's new manager is close to being made, probably before the end of the week, with Peter Reid still reported as the favourite to be offered the job. Reid, 53, became Stoke's assistant boss last August, after resigning as national team manager of Thailand. Stoke chairman Peter Coates has admitted that Reid would take over at Home Park with the blessing of everyone at the Premier League club. He said: "Peter has been a valuable member of the management staff over the past season, but there was always the possibility a man with his experience and record would get an offer from somewhere. He has always expressed an interest to return to management if an appropriate opportunity arose, so he would definitely go there with our best wishes." Gardner said last night that the club were on the brink of making an announcement. "We are in the last throes now and we will probably make a decision tomorrow," he said. "I'm still hopeful we will make an announcement by Friday. If not, then on Monday. We are really quite close."

Argyle have abandoned plans to stage a pre-season game against 'high-profile English opposition' on Saturday, 31st July. The new £500,000-plus Fibrelastic Turf pitch at Home Park will not be used until the Pilgrims take on Notts County in the Carling Cup first round, almost certainly on Tuesday, 10th August. Work on digging up the old playing surface started on 9th May, and the seeding of the new one was completed on Saturday. Chief operations officer Tony Campbell said: "There will not be a game on the new pitch prior to 10th August. It was something we had looked at, but we have decided, taking everything into consideration, it's probably better to leave it until the season starts. The longer we can leave the pitch the better all-round. The weather we have got at the moment is perfect and we aren't anticipating any problems at all for the pitch being ready for the start of the season. It could have been a problem playing on August 10th had there been any delays, but everything has gone smoothly."

Further details of Argyle's pre-season tour to Holland have been released. They will play Dutch top-flight club NAC Breda at non-league SC Franeker on Saturday, 17th July, and then face SC Cambuur, a second division side, at the same venue on Thursday, 22nd July (not at their opponents' home ground as previously stated). Argyle were also scheduled to meet newly-promoted top flight club De Graafschap on Saturday, 24th July, but De Graafschap are playing a Turkish side on that date, so the Pilgrims' tour organisers are trying to arrange another game.

22nd

Rory Patterson has admitted his career has reached make or break time. He said: "This is the most important time in my life. I'm at an age where I need to be cracking on. I haven't played in League One before but I'm confident I can come in and do a job for Plymouth, and for the new manager." In addition to the transfer fee Argyle paid Glentoran, the Irish club negotiated a sell-on clause for Patterson, and also have first refusal on him should he return to play football in the Irish League. Patterson said: "I signed the pre-contract agreement for Glentoran because there hadn't been any interest in me from England. I didn't think anything was going to happen, and I was in the last six months of my contract at Coleraine. Then I had a good run of goals and made my international debut, and a few teams from across the water started to take notice. As soon as Plymouth came in for me it was no contest. I think Glentoran knew I was an ambitious person and, having broken into the international team, I'm hoping playing in League One for Plymouth will get me some more caps. No disrespect to the Irish League, but it would probably have been harder for me to do that had I stayed there. But, first and foremost, my job is to score goals for Plymouth and, hopefully, I can get off to a good start." In March he spent three days training with Argyle, and impressed both Paul Mariner and John Carver. Patterson said: "It went well. The training was fun and I got to know all the players and what the set-up was like. I was very impressed with it. It's hard when you go somewhere as a trialist, and the rest of the players have been there all year, and you are going in to try to get a place in the squad. But all the lads were very friendly and made me feel welcome." Patterson was not put off signing for Argyle, even though Mariner will revert to his role as head coach and there will be a new boss. "Plymouth are a big club, and I know Paul Mariner has still got an important role to play," he said. "He has played at the highest level for England and scored goals wherever he went. You can always learn off people like that." Northern Ireland have been drawn with Italy in qualifying for Euro 2012, their other opponents being Serbia, Slovenia, Estonia and the Faroe Islands. Patterson added: "As a footballer, you want to play at the highest level possible. We have got some big games in qualifying for Euro 2012. I would love to be part of the set-up because I have enjoyed every minute of it so far."

Argyle can apply for some of their games in League One next season to be postponed should they have three or more players called up on international duty from under-19 to senior level. There are no international breaks in League One or League Two, unlike the Premier League and Championship.

Argyle will play a pre-season friendly at Saltash United on August 2nd. The first pre-season friendly will also involve a trip into Cornwall, at Truro City on July 10th. Truro's new manager is Argyle legend Lee Hodges.

21st

Newspaper reports suggest that Argyle's search for a manager could come to an end this week and that Peter Reid is rumoured to have been offered the job.

20th

Rory Fallon started, and played for 62 minutes, as New Zealand drew 1-1 with Italy in their second World Cup game.

19th

Peter Reid and Jim Magilton are the latest names to be linked with the vacant Argyle manager’s job and both are reported to have had interviews with Roy Gardner this week.

Argyle reserves will not play Bristol City, Reading or Southampton in the Wales and West Division of the Combination next season. All three clubs have pulled out of the league, as have Salisbury City and instead, will arrange their own reserve team friendlies. It leaves Argyle with only six opponents in the Wales and West Division, including newly-elected Torquay United.

18th

George Burley, a rumoured candidate for the vacant Argyle manager position, was yesterday named as the new boss of Crystal Palace. Another target, Steve Cotterill, has been confirmed as the new Portsmouth manager.

17th

Argyle will play Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium on August 7th to kick off the 2010/11 League One season. Argyle asked the Football League for their first match to be away to allow time to prepare the new pitch at Home Park. Argyle’s first home game of the campaign will be against Carlisle United on August 14th. Other notable fixtures are the two Devon derby games against Exeter City, at Home Park on December 11th and the return at St James’ Park on April 30th.

Rory Fallon has taken time off from his World Cup duties to back Argyle’s plan to appoint an experienced manager. He said: "I'm still buzzing and on a high from our game with Slovakia and just being in the World Cup. But I'm definitely being kept up to date with what's happening with my club at Plymouth, too. I've heard from one of my mates back in the city, who is Argyle mad, that the board are close to making a decision on a new manager. That's got to be good news as the club need an experienced man to work with Paul and John. I've got a lot of time for Paul who is a really great guy and also a top coach and very good to work with. But there's no substitute for experience, particularly in English league football, which is hard. And that's the only factor that Paul is lacking."

Rory Fallon is keen for himself and his team-mates to build on their encouraging start at the World Cup, starting with their next game against holders Italy on Sunday. "Playing for New Zealand at this World Cup is like living in a movie, it's so amazing and just doesn't seem real," said Fallon. "Running out onto the pitch to face Slovakia, I had to pinch myself that we were about to play in the finals, so you can imagine what it felt like when our equaliser went in as the clock ran down in added time. Shane Smeltz did well to get the cross in and I was licking my lips at the far post behind Winston Reid as it floated towards us. But my room-mate did the business and after I got the goal that took us here in our play-off against Bahrain, I am starting to think maybe I have that effect on people! Anyone who saw the celebrations after he headed it inside the post knows what it meant to us all." However, Fallon insists the celebrations will now be replaced by a seriousness as they prepare to tackle the Azzurri. "We can kick on and do even better, that's the beautiful thing about our team – we believe we can do it," he added. "I personally believe that we can go through to the next round. I'll never go out onto a football pitch thinking I'm going to lose. I'll always go out onto a football pitch believing I can be the best and that we can beat the best, and I know that we've got a good enough team to do that. You saw with Italy against Paraguay that they struggled on crosses and diagonal balls and hopefully we can get into the game through that." But whilst Fallon admits his immediate focus is on the World Cup, he is also thinking of life back home. He said: "I just want to thank all the Green Army for their support. It's been a tough two years, but they've just got to keep believing as well. All of these things happen for a reason and with the Green Army going down I believe that they're in the rebuilding stage and it's like the phoenix from the ashes. It's just like New Zealand football, we've been in the ashes for a long time and we've been waiting to rise back up and today we've done it. But we've got to keep on believing and keep on working hard."

16th

George Burley is reported to be on the final shortlist of three candidates to take over as the new Argyle manager. Newspaper reports suggest that Burley had a second interview with Roy Gardner in London yesterday. Paul Ince is also being considered for the post. Gardner hopes the new manager will be appointed by the end of next week. He said: "I'm in the throes of interviewing the final shortlist of three candidates. I'm hopeful we will be making an appointment, and an announcement, in about 10 days' time. But if we find that one of the candidates is absolutely outstanding then we may well accelerate the process. We had a lot of applications, and while we haven't seen all of them we have seen quite a few of them. We had a good list of candidates, and all of them met the criteria we set — of being a proven, experienced manager." Gardner has taken a hands-on role over the appointment of the new manager, after being criticised for his lack of involvement in the running of the club last season. He said: "Keith Todd and the rest of the board have taken part in various stages of the interview process. Not all of the interviews have taken place in London, I should add. It's a very important decision for us because we want to return to the Championship as soon as possible. That's why we are going with somebody who has got a proven track record." Burley would be prepared to work with Paul Mariner and John Carver as his backroom staff, which has been a stumbling block for several of the leading candidates to become manager. When asked whether Mariner and Carver would be staying at Home Park under a new manager, Gardner replied: "That's still the plan. That's what we are discussing with each of the candidates." The Argyle squad will report back for the start of pre-season training on June 30th.

Argyle will play Notts County at Home Park in the first round of the League Cup next season.

Rory Fallon played the entire game as New Zealand drew 1-1 with Slovakia in their first match at the World Cup yesterday, becoming the first Argyle player ever to appear in the World Cup Finals.

15th

Argyle will not announce their full programme of pre-season friendlies until a new manager is appointed, which could be within days, according to newspaper reports. Truro City have confirmed that Argyle will play them at Treyew Road on July 10th and Argyle also hope to play a game against 'high-profile English opposition' at Home Park on July 31st, as long as the new Fibrelastic Turf pitch is ready for use.

Rory Fallon says today's World Cup game with Slovakia is a 'massive opportunity' for him and New Zealand. He said: "I just can't wait to get started — it's such a huge game for us and such massive opportunity for everyone. We know that Slovakia are our best chance of getting something, although I'm sure they will be thinking the same about us. I'm not thinking about the Italy nor the Paraguay games yet, all my thoughts and focus is on Slovakia and getting ourselves off to a good start. Like all the other New Zealand guys, I just want to stay out here as long as possible — playing in the World Cup is every footballer's dream. And today I hope to be living it." The Jabulani ball which is being used in the World Cup has come in for criticism and unpredictability, particularly at altitude. Fallon has sympathy with the viewpoint, but admitted he is hoping to exploit it to the full during the campaign. "The ball pings all over the place and I'm practising hard at shooting from just outside the penalty area," he said. "I went to the official shop and bought one myself, so that I could have more time with it. If you can catch it right, the ball flies hard and straight — but if you don't it can go anywhere. That's the kind of problem all players are facing during the competition — not just goalkeepers — although I am sympathetic to their problem in reading the flight of the ball. But, I'll be doing my best to make sure any 'keepers I play against feel uncomfortable." Fallon is pleased with the playing surface at Rustenburg and the stadium itself. "It's a terrific stadium and the pitch is excellent," he added. "I've had a look around it and the grass is short and there doesn't seem to be any bobbles. It's certainly a lot better than the Home Park pitch I was playing on last season."

14th

Argyle are still waiting for Karl Duguid and Yannick Bolasie to sign new contracts but club officials insist they are far from panicking over the pair not yet agreeing a new contract. A source said: "There's been no movement on either of the players' contracts, but there's no special deadline on either of them. It's not like it used to be — there's a lot of people to talk to about contracts these days. The club has made both players an offer, but we are not yet at the point of a serious deadline situation. It's not like the season is going to kick off tomorrow."

Rory Fallon is expected to line-up for New Zealand against Slovakia tomorrow and if he does he will become the first Argyle player to ever play in a World Cup. “We arrived in Johannesburg last Saturday and we have all caught World Cup fever,” he said. “We don’t play until Tuesday, but time is flying now and I can’t wait for the tournament to start.” New Zealand have only reached the World Cup finals on one previous occasion but Fallon insists they are determined to do well. “We are not going into these finals just to collect shirts,” he said. “New Zealand have never won a point at the World Cup and only scored two goals in our other appearance, in 1982, but getting through the group is the goal. That would be success for us. I want to make history like my dad, who was a New Zealand coach last time. Before that my parents had nothing, and just qualifying gave my dad a job in football for the rest of his life. That has given me a job and at one point my brother Sean too. Hopefully I can pass it down to a son one day. We are full of ambition, but that doesn’t mean we underestimate the size of our task. Every game we play will be David v Goliath.” Fallon scored the goal that booked their place in South Africa and also netted in their recent warm-up game against Slovenia. But it was New Zealand’s warm-up win over Serbia that sticks in Fallon’s mind. “Our friendlies have been good, but facing Serbia at our Austrian training camp is the match which stands out,” he said. “The dressing room was rocking afterwards. Maybe we can pull off a shock in South Africa.” New Zealand are based on the outskirts of Johannesburg. “It’s like a home from home,” said Fallon. “We are in a gated community and there is a street of houses within it that have been vacated for us. I’m sharing a four-bed house and they are all huge with some nice personal touches. It is so much better than a hotel. If there is any frustration for us it is that we can’t get to see the local people because of terror fears. There is an Aids orphanage out here and I want to visit to show my support. Hopefully, I can sort out the logistics but we are not really supposed to leave the main complex.” New Zealand will be playing at altitude and Fallon has been working on his long-range shooting to try and take advantage of the conditions. He added: “The altitude isn’t too bad for your breathing, you get used to it, but you ping the ball and your team-mate can’t control it. And the goalkeepers have been all over the shop. Crossing and finishing drills are tough. You have to try to anticipate, get as much of your body behind the ball as possible — or knock it on the floor. I’ve tried to change my game a bit and have worked on my shooting from outside the box. It is definitely worth a gamble. As long as the connection is nice, it will fly, so you might see some spectacular goals.”

11th

Argyle yesterday confirmed the details of their pre-season tour of the Netherlands. The squad will fly out to Schiphol Airport on July 16th and return on July 25th. They will be based at the Papendal National Sports Centre, near Arnhem. The club have lined up a friendly with Eredivisie side NAC Breda but the venue and kick-off time is yet to be finalised. They will then play SC Cambuur on July 22nd at their hosts' Leeuwarden Stadion and end the tour against De Graafschap, at their De Vijverberg home stadium on July 24th.

Rory Patterson is being tipped to become a big hit with Argyle next season. John Carver said: "When Rory came to us for three days back in March, it was obvious then that he was the best striker on our books, without doubt. He can shoot with either foot and heads the ball really hard — he's going to really excite the Argyle fans and also attract a lot of interest from other clubs. Rory is also physically strong and can hold the ball up well — he's a coach's delight to work with. And, Paul Mariner and myself quickly formed the impression that Rory was eager to learn and get up to speed in the English game. The reported transfer fee makes him a real bargain buy for Argyle. Like Joe Mason, Rory is a natural goalscorer, and Paul and myself are looking forward to working with him when we come back for pre-season on June 26."

Argyle may be waiting to see if Portsmouth hire Steve Cotterill before deciding on their new manager, according to newspaper reports. Sources at Home Park have also stated that Stan Ternent, Lennie Lawrence and Paul Ince have all been interviewed by the board of directors. There have also been recent rumours that Argyle have made enquiries about the availability of Nigel Adkins, although that has been denied by the Scunthorpe United boss.

9th

Romain Larrieu has signed a new two-year deal. He said: "I'm obviously delighted because it will take me to over ten years with the club which is something that is very rarely achieved these days and to do that gives me a lot of pride. We've been working at different aspects of the contract and maybe waiting to have a manager, which I know the board are keen on resolving, and I wanted to stay here. It would have taken something really, really good to have tempted me away. League One is a league that I've played in and won. There are a lot of really good clubs in that league now but we should fancy ourselves. We need to prepare properly, have a good pre-season and then take every game as it comes."

Argyle’s youth team have arranged a series of challenging pre-season friendlies this summer. Mike Pejic’s team start with a game against West Bromwich Albion at their Birmingham Road training ground on July 9th and then face Chelsea at their Cobham training headquarters on July 17th. There are then two games within the space of three days - a match against Watford at their London Colney training ground on July 22nd followed by a game with Reading at their Finchampstead training ground on July 24th. They play Aston Villa at the Bodymoor Heath training complex on July 31st, Arsenal at their Bell Lane training headquarters on August 6th and finish with a visit to the Southampton Academy at Staplewood on August 11th.

8th

Stan Ternent is rumoured to be a candidate for the Argyle manager’s job, according to newspaper reports.

7th

Rory Patterson will be determined to impress the new Argyle manager and also prove himself to be a bargain buy for the club next season. His agent, Steve Scott, said that despite 'having several teams interested in him' Patterson had no qualms about joining managerless Argyle. "Rory is very, very excited about making the move to Plymouth and is not in the least bit put off by the fact they have yet to appoint a new manager," said Scott. "Rory is fully aware he has to start from square one in that sense, but isn't fazed at all. It's a fact of life all footballers face at some point that they will have to show the new manager what they can do, and Rory's confident he can do that. He's also sure that he'll make the step up to League One standard and is definitely keen to make the move work. Rory has scored goals wherever he's been and sees the move to Argyle as a fantastic chance for him to help his new club and also to win more international caps. I tell you one thing for certain, defenders in Ireland will be delighted to learn that Rory Patterson won't be scaring the wits out of them next season."

5th

Argyle today signed Northern Ireland international Rory Patterson for an undisclosed fee from Glentoran, on a two-year contract. Paul Mariner said: "Rory trained with us for three days in March and he just kept finding the net, whether it was right-foot, left-foot or his head. You don't often find modern players who can do that and, although he needs to work hard to reach the required standard, he has the hunger and ability to succeed." Patterson declared himself a delighted man after signing. "I am massively delighted to be joining such a big club," he said. "I have always scored goals and I can't wait for the challenge of hitting the net in League One. I just want to make the step up and impress." Patterson first came to Home Park in March and impressed the coaching staff with his finishing. "It was good to train with the Argyle squad and it was clear there are some very good players at the club," he said. "I have also enjoyed playing in the national team, alongside top players from England's Championship division and the Scottish Premier League. Now, I just want to be a success at Home Park."

Rory Fallon started, and scored New Zealands goal in their 3-1 friendly defeat to Slovenia yesterday

John Carver is being linked with a return to Newcastle United. Newcastle's reserve team coach Alan Thompson has quit and is expected to be part of the backroom staff at Celtic. Sources on Tyneside believe Carver is in the frame to fill the vacancy.

Roy Gardner and Keith Todd appear poised to increase their stake in the club. The two have options to add to their shareholding in the Argyle parent company but the start of next month is the deadline for any deals to be done with existing members of the board. Gardner and Todd last summer negotiated a 12-month option to increase their stake but, as yet, have not done so. Todd has, however, given a broad hint they intend to add to their shareholding. He said: "There is no more to add to that at the moment, but July 1st is the first anniversary of our involvement in the club and I think there might be some statements then."

Truro City have announced that they will play Argyle in a pre-season friendly at Treyew Road on July 10th.

Colin Lee almost became Argyle manager six years ago, an episode which cost him his job as Walsall boss. He has not, however, given up the quest and would relish being considered for the job at Home Park. "I would be absolutely delighted to have to the opportunity to manage Plymouth Argyle," he said. "It would be a massive challenge to take on a big club like Argyle, and try to turn things around. I think I could do a really good job for them, and it would generate interest being a local lad." Lee knows that Argyle are short of financial resources. He said: "Working with restrictions doesn't really concern me. It's all about getting the best out of players who are there." When Argyle declared a month ago that they were seeking a manager, they stated that they wanted whoever they appointed to work with Paul Mariner and John Carver. Lee added: "I tend to work with people, not against people. If those two are there, I haven't got a problem with it. In some respects, it could be an advantage, because they do know the players and they got some good results."

4th

Newspaper reports suggest that Argyle have decided on who they want to be their manager and have agreed a deal, in principle, with their chosen candidate. However, it is believed the new boss wants to bring his own backroom staff to Home Park. That has delayed the appointment because Paul Mariner and John Carver are contracted to Argyle for another two seasons.

Argyle's head of sales and marketing, Steve Davies, has been made redundant as part of the cost-cutting measures being carried out by the club. Davies will, however, assist in Plymouth's World Cup 2018 bidding city campaign until August. He said: "After amicable discussions with Keith Todd, the club have decided to make the position of head of sales and marketing redundant. It's a shame after the three seasons I have been here, and the improvements to commercial income and facilities that I have been responsible for, but understandably times are tough."

2nd

Argyle could be ready to let Damien Johnson leave this summer, according to reports. Johnson is one of the highest-paid players at Home Park and the reports suggest he would seriously consider any offers from other clubs.

Newspaper reports suggest that Paul Mariner was in London yesterday for a meeting with Roy Gardner and Keith Todd and it is thought there will be further talks today. It is possible Mariner has travelled to London to meet potential candidates for Argyle's managerial vacancy.

1st

It could be another two weeks before Argyle appoint their new manager, according to Keith Todd. He confirmed that some candidates had been already interviewed, with more to follow. Todd was reluctant to put a timeline on when the new manager would be appointed but admitted it would almost certainly be before the squad report back for pre-season training on June 30th. Todd said: “The process is active. We are trying to be careful not to rush it and to get somebody we think is right for the club. The start of pre-season training is a very natural deadline for a decision. But it would make a lot of sense for it to be concluded a couple of weeks before that, to give whoever is appointed the chance to make plans and assess the players before they turn up.” Asked whether there was any possibility of an announcement this week, Todd replied: “You should never rule out anything, but I wouldn’t expect there to be. There were probably 20 names that came our way. We have spoken to some candidates — I’m not prepared to say how many — and there are more interviews still to take place. Paul Mariner and John Carver have got pre-season set up, so we know what we are planning on doing. Whoever comes in might want to make a few changes to that, but it’s not as if there is a blank sheet of paper.” Todd insisted Argyle had not come grinding to a halt, despite the search for a manager, pointing to the fact that Bondz N’Gala had been signed and confirming talks were continuing with out-of-contract trio Yannick Bolasie, Karl Duguid and Romain Larrieu. He added: “We are in active conversations with all of them. I think the situation with each one is likely to be resolved before the new manager arrives. I’m hopeful of making some progress on these fronts, but it takes two to agree on certain aspects.”

Diary Archive:

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