Greens on Screen

Greens on Screen’s first page was published in January 1999. Its early purpose was to bring Plymouth Argyle a little closer to those unable to see their team, and whilst it has changed a great deal over the years, its core themes - sites and sounds for Westcountry exiles - still stand. The site was very lucky to take on the content of Trevor Scallan’s Semper Viridis in the summer of 2007, and in 2009 launched GoS-DB, a wealth of facts and figures from PAFC’s history. A year later we embarked on a complete history of Argyle, with much-valued contributions from chapter authors.

Greens on Screen is an amateur website and proud of it. It is run by one person as a hobby, although there have been aspects of the site over the years that would be much the poorer without the hard work and much-valued contributions of a small band of volunteers.

Greens on Screen is self-taught and as a result, a little bit quirky. Amongst a few stubborn principles, advertisements will never appear (and don’t get me started on the plague of betting promotions on other sites). It began its life before many others, including the club’s official site, when there was a large gap to be filled, and although there is now a wide variety to choose from, GoS’s sole aim, to be a service to fellow supporters, still seems to have a place.

Steve Dean

The Right Honorable Michael Foot

Loftus Road, 2003

Pasty News, March 2005
Early in 2005, John Lloyd interviewed Michael Foot for an article in Pasty News (the London Branch newsletter), and very kindly sent me the recording to share on Greens on Screen. It must have been quite something for John: to sit back and listen to a man who has experienced nine decades of Plymouth Argyle, almost back to the earliest days. And what a performance from Michael, when you think that he was nearly 92 years old when the interview was recorded.
	Random memories: Millwall, Jack Cock. Robert Jack, Paul Sturrock, FA Cup 84, West Brom, Derby, Brian Clough, Peter Shilton, Fred Craig.
	Random opinions: Peter Jones, conking out, David Friio, if it hadn't been for the war, away support.
	Argyle in the Premiership? He gets his age wrong at the start of this clip by the way. Michael will be 92 in July.
	Joining the board, and speaking for Tony Blair. A shorter clip this time, and the last in the series.

Home Park, 2002

Grateful thanks to John Lloyd, and of course
Michael Foot, for allowing us to use the recording.

More about Michael: Michael Mackintosh Foot was born on 23rd July 1913 in Lipson Avenue, Plymouth. His father, Isaac, a Liberal MP, was a founder of Foot & Bowden, now Foot Anstey Sargent, one of Plymouth's leading law firms. His older brother, the late Sir Dingle Foot (Michael mentions him near the end of the first clip) also became a Liberal MP before joining the Labour Party in the 1950s. His second brother, the late Hugh Foot (who became Lord Caradon), was a British Diplomat and father of campaigning journalist, the late Paul Foot. Another brother, John, later Baron Foot, was also a politician.

Michael joined the Labour Party soon after graduating from Wadham College, Oxford, and stood for Parliament at the age of 22. He became a journalist and, 10 years later, won a seat in the House of Commons: Member of Parliament for Plymouth Devonport, which he held for 10 years. He returned to Parliament in 1960, winning a by-election at Ebbw Vale, and 20 years later was elected Leader of the Labour Party, a post he held for three turbulent years. He took a back seat in Labour politics in the years that followed and retired from the House of Commons in 1992.

Throughout his long and illustrious career, Michael has always loved his Plymouth Argyle. He enjoyed that first experience of Home Park as a young boy, over 80 years ago, and has been passionately faithful ever since. He joined the Board of Directors in 2001 and so was at the heart of one of the most successful periods in the clubs history, until he retired in February 2005. He is inevitably less mobile these days but still loves his Argyle and still believes passionately in his dream: to see Argyle play in the top flight before he dies.