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THE DAILY DIARY
A Round-up of Argyle News
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Argyle News Sites: Greens on Screen's Daily Diary is a compilation of Argyle news, with help from these and other Argyle-related sites. On This Day: Also included on the three most recent days, facts from Argyle's history. |
Friday 30th June 2023
Wing-back Kaine says that Argyle fans can expect a pacy player down the Pilgrims' flank, and says that chats with manager Steven Schumacher and some knowledge of the Greens' style of play have him excited for the season ahead. "I believe I can fit in," he said. "We've had multiple chats about ways we want to play, and how we will attack games. I think my style of play will help that. I'm ready to help in any which way I can. I had a chat with the gaffer, and he told me his plans, and where I can fit in. I thought that fit in perfectly for me to improve myself and better my career and my path. I'm fast. I like to run with the ball, take players on. I like to help out in defence and create attacking opportunities. Get a few goals and assists and I'll be happy. I love to get forward. But I do know my responsibilities at the back, and what I need to do before I get forward." Kaine's last visit to Home Park ended better for him and his team at the time than it did for us – it came in a season-closing 5-0 win for MK Dons. Now, though, he will be in green, and raring to get going. "It's great to be here at Argyle," he said. "I've been here before and played here before. It's a great place to be. The fans are amazing. I'm really glad I'm here. I'm excited. I had a fire in my belly as soon as I heard that Argyle were interested. I'm ready to kick on – I just want the season to start." 29th
Kesler-Hayden is a wing-back who plays primarily on the right, who spent the first half of last season on loan at Huddersfield Town, for whom he played 14 times in the Championship last season. Born in Birmingham, Kesler-Hayden has progressed through Aston Villa's youth system. At 17, he was an unused substitute for a Premier League fixture against Everton, and went on to make his debut in unusual circumstances, in the FA Cup in January 2021. The Villans' first-team squad were forced to isolate because of Covid restrictions, so Kesler-Hayden was one of 16 debutants to play against Liverpool, with the Villa side made up entirely of youth and development players. For the 2021/22 season, Kaine headed to Swindon Town on loan, in League Two. He played 21 times for the Robins and, although he was recalled in January of that season, he still won the Swindon Young Player of the Season award. Upon recall, Villa quickly sent Kaine out on loan again, this time to League One, with Milton Keynes Dons. Kesler-Hayden played 17 times for MK, as they finished third in the table and lost out in the play-offs. For last season, Kaine continued his rise through the divisions, and got valuable Championship experience with Huddersfield. He has also played for England Under-20s five times. Steven Schumacher said: "I'm very pleased that Kaine has agreed to join us for the season. He has excellent pedigree, and great experience for his young age, including in the Championship. He will give us energy and versatility – I am really looking forward to working with him." Director of Football Neil Dewsnip added: "I am delighted that Kaine is coming on board at Argyle for the season. He is a player we are excited to recruit. "Kaine fits the profile of similar loan players who we have brought to the club previously, and who have performed superbly in a green shirt. I am sure that Kaine will follow suit."
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In truth, it is not long since he finished. Pleguezuelo signed for Argyle just 10 days after featuring for FC Twente as they won an end-of-season play-off to secure a spot in next season's Europa Conference League. It was the conclusion to a fourth season in the Netherlands for the 26-year-old Spanish defender, but his decision to come to England is simply a move to a country he thinks of as home. Julio has two sons with his English partner and says that his six years at Arsenal, between the ages of 16 and 22, was the making of him. "My life is in England," he said, "and that's why I decided to make the step to come back to England. I love the football; I love the passion; I love how people live for football in England. Plus, I'm closer to my family, which is also a very important part of my life. During my time at Arsenal, that is where I grew the most. I spent six years there. I managed to grow my family and progress as a football player. They basically formed me to the player I am today, and I will forever be grateful. It was a very nice four years of my life in the Netherlands, in terms of career and personally. I had a lovely time out there. I'm very happy and proud of how I've seen the club grow from when I went there. Two consecutive seasons qualifying for European football is very important. I'm very happy and proud to have been part of the process. It was a bit of a difficult season for me as well. I didn't start playing at the beginning. We had three very good central defenders; I just waited for my chance. Once I got in, I stayed in the team all the way to the end. I helped them with a couple of goals and good performances. That's what I was asked to do, and I delivered it." His next challenge to deliver some more of the same for Argyle. Fortunately, he feels like both club and player are united in their ambitions and is anxious to pull on the green shirt, following his conversations with Argyle manager Steven Schumacher. "I had a lovely chat with Steven," Pleggy said. "He made me feel very, very important on the role that I can play for the team. That's the main reason why I chose to come, because I have the feeling that I can play a big part. The club has a vision; the way they are organising everything – all the arrows are pointing me to make this step. I'm a very passionate player. I live football to the fullest. A lot of tackles, a lot of energy in the pitch. I'm comfortable on the ball. I have goals and dreams in my career. I think my goals and dreams are aligning with the ones from the club. I think we can be good company for each other, to keep growing and keep pushing. And raising the level of course. I can't wait to get started. I think the moment that I'm most looking forward to trying to score a goal at Home Park. That's going to be a very, very good moment." 23rd
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Other notable fixtures include; Southampton at home for the third game of the season, Leeds United visiting Home Park in February, Boxing Day sees a trip to Cardiff City, back to back games against Ipswich Town and Sheffield Wednesday in the autumn and a visit to Ryan Lowe's Preston North End in September with the reverse fixture in March. The Pilgrims' shortest trip of the season at Bristol City takes place on Tuesday 19th September, with the Robins visiting Home Park on Easter Monday. The longest Pilgrimage of the campaign, an 800-mile round trip to Sunderland, will occur on Saturday, 10th February. The Black Cats will by then have already made their long-haul journey to Plymouth on Saturday, 25th November. Argyle will play their first game of their Emirates FA Cup campaign at the third-round stage, on the weekend of 6th January. 21st
Julio joins Argyle having turned down the opportunity to stay at FC Twente, who play in the Dutch top flight. The Enschede-based side finished fifth in the table this season and went on to play in the end of the season play-offs. Twente were successful, winning the play-off final on 11 June, against Sparta Rotterdam, to clinch a spot in next season's Europa Conference League. Twente won the last two games of their league season – 5-0 at Waalwijk and 3-1 at home to Ajax - with Pleguezuelo scoring in both. He played nearly 100 games for Twente in four seasons, after joining in 2019. Born in Palma, on the island of Mallorca, Julio spent time in the youth set-ups of Spanish La Liga sides Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, before moving to England aged 16 to join Arsenal. Whilst a Gunner, he rose to become captain of Arsenal's Under-21 side, playing alongside players such as Serge Gnabry, Emile Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson. Julio headed back to Spain for two loan spells, in 2016/17 and 2017/18, with Mallorca and Gimnastic respectively, both of Spain's second tier. In the 2018/19 season, Pleguezuelo played twice for Arsenal in the Papa Johns Trophy, and started one game for the first team, a 2-1 win for the Gunners at the Emirates. He then departed London to move to Twente in 2019. Pleguezuelo is primarily a central defender, who is able to play as a right back and a defensive midfield player. Steven Schumacher said, of his first signing of the summer: "I am delighted that Julio has become our first signing of the summer. "He joins us with good pedigree behind him having been a regular in the Eredivisie for the last few seasons at FC Twente and also coming through the ranks on English soil at Arsenal. Julio is a versatile defender who is excellent with the ball at his feet and will fit in to the style of play we try to play perfectly. He had many other options in this country and abroad for his services, but the chance to come back to England and prove himself in the Championship with Argyle really appealed to him and we are delighted to have him on board." Neil Dewsnip added: "We have been following Julio for a while and believe he fits exactly the profile of player we are looking to have at the club both on and off the pitch. He has had an excellent season for FC Twente, and it is a real coup that he has decided to join Argyle. I am delighted to get our first signing of the summer over the line and hope the fans are excited as we are to see Julio run out at Home Park for the first time." 19th
Plymouth-born Adam made 40 appearances during the 2022/23 season, as the Greens secured promotion back to the Sky Bet Championship. He scored four times in the season, every one of them a cracker, including the equalising goal in a 3-1 win at Port Vale as Argyle clinched the League One title on the final day of the season. "I am absolutely delighted that Adam has committed his future to the club," said Argyle manager Steven Schumacher. "He played a massive part in our success last season contributing with vital goals and assists. As a Plymouth lad, winning the title meant so much to him and I know he will be a key player for us in the Championship this season, both on and off the pitch. I'm looking forward to having him as an Argyle player for at least another three years." Director of Football Neil Dewsnip added: "Adam is an outstanding young footballer who fits the mould of everything we are trying to build here. As a fan he really gets the club and understands how much it means to the local area which is so important. But he is also an excellent footballer, and at just 22 he also has so much room for development which will see him become an even more important player for the club moving forward. We are thrilled that he sees his future here at Argyle and is buying in to what we are trying to achieve. Now the futures of our current squad have been decided our full attention turns to strengthening Steven Schumacher's team and we will hopefully have exciting news in due course." Randell progressed through the ranks at Home Park, gaining his first experience in the first team in the EFL Trophy and via occasional substitute appearances in the league. In 2020/21, he spent the season with Torquay United, and was a regular as the Gulls came very close to promotion from the Vanarama National League. The experience developed Randell into a capable League One player, and his involvement in Argyle's first team increased in 2021/22. He played 31 times, and scored his first goal in green, scoring a superb free kick at Hillsborough against Sheffield Wednesday. He then played a leading role in Argyle's promotion last season, and is now set to take on the Championship with his beloved Pilgrims. 16th
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Neil Dewsnip added: James has been a loyal servant to this football club and been a big character both on and off the pitch. Players departing is part and parcel of football and we are working extremely hard behind the scenes to ensure we have a squad ready for Championship football." Wilson played 95 times for Argyle, scoring one goal. 8th
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He said: "I've had so many years of people showing interest but saying: 'we don't think you can do it in the Championship', et cetera. I've got something to show people now, and I'm looking forward to the season to show people what I can do. No-one would've said this season we could win the league. Two years ago, I was looking, and the club were looking, for play-offs in those two years, and we have gone past expectations. Now we're looking forward again in the Championship and hopefully we can consolidate ourselves there. There will be games where it is a hundred miles an hour, but I do feel there are more games now where teams are respecting the other team a bit more and they know the quality of the other players, so they'll drop off a little bit more. It's harder to break down teams if they're like that. I think there'll be a lot less possession for us going into the season, obviously. There are some top sides so we'll have to maybe adapt the way we play in some games, but I know the manager will know that himself and I'm sure he is putting plans in place now to practice that in pre-season." Houghton has recently signed a new deal with Argyle as the Greens prepare for life in the Championship, citing not only the chance to continue Argyle's progress and play in the second tier, but also the fact that his wife and young daughter enjoy life in the South West. Jordan is also revelling in a position of one of the dressing room leaders at the club. "We're all happy here as a family," said Jordan. "The last thing we wanted to do was move. It's hard enough moving to another club, but moving your family as well is really difficult. We're settled; we love it down here. We're looking forward to another two years of living down here, exploring a bit more of Devon and Cornwall. I think this is probably the first place I've been where I feel one of the senior players, not necessarily on age - I'm only 27 - but in terms of my career, I'm into 300 games. When I came here, I was one of the older lads because it was a young squad. I've naturally been quite vocal on the pitch and now I feel like I'm a bit more vocal of it as well. I've come into a different role where I can help people in that way as well and use some of my experience to help some of the younger lads." A common theme, from manager Steven Schumacher and his players, has been that they were motivated by voices from outside the club not believing that the Pilgrims would sustain their promotion push. Inevitably, those attitudes are likely to bleed over into next season, as Argyle set their sights on surviving at that level. Houghton is hoping to maintain the belief and use the doubters as a motivating factor. "I feel like it's going to be a season of people writing us off before we've even started, but as we see from last season, that helped us," Jordan told Argyle TV. "I don't see why that can't be the same this season and going forward. It's going be difficult. We'll need the fans to be with us and I'm sure they will be. It's exciting for them as well. They're going be traveling to a lot of huge stadiums, big clubs. It's very exciting for them and very exciting for us, but I'm fully confident that we'll do a good job. The main thing will be to consolidate in the Championship and then build from there." 6th
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Steven Schumacher said: "It is great to have Jordan confirmed as part of our squad for next season's Championship campaign. He has been a huge part of our success over the past two seasons. He has a knack of calming us down when we need it, showing maturity and composure to be a real leader for us on the pitch and off it. I am delighted he has agreed to stay." Neil Dewsnip added: "I'm delighted that Jordan has agreed to sign a deal to stay at the club. He's an excellent passer of the ball and was a major driving force towards our success last season. His experience will be very advantageous as we look to tackle the Championship next season." |
Diary Archive: |
It is more than a dozen years since Argyle were in the Championship. That long wait was ended by the memorable League One title win of last season, and now the Pilgrims' squad have reconvened in preparation for another tilt at the second tier. Someone who has had a recent crack at the Championship – and is anxious to have another one – is new Argyle recruit Kaine Kesler-Hayden. Signed on loan from Aston Villa on Thursday, Kaine spoke to Argyle TV about his time on loan at various clubs, and how it has shaped his career so far. "I think they are massive," he said. "Everyone's career is different. I've gone League Two, League One, Championship. I'm glad I've taken this path. It's really built my character and built my game. Every league and every season I've learned more and I believe my ability has improved every season. Hopefully I can replicate that this season and become an even better player. I've had a taste of what it is like up there in the Championship. Once you've had a taste, you want more of it. It's a good level to play at. It's tough, especially with some of the teams that have been relegated down, but I think we can put up a fight against the teams in this league and hopefully finish really well."Greens on Screen is run as a service to fellow supporters, in all good faith, without commercial or private gain. I have no wish to abuse copyright regulations and apologise unreservedly if this occurs. If you own any of the material used on this site, and object to its inclusion, please get in touch using the 'Contact Us' button at the top of each page.