Overview:
After finishing in 10th place in League Two last season, Plymouth Argyle manager John Sheridan will be looking to build a side that can mount a promotion challenge.
Sheridan has made eight signings over the summer, which includes the permanent acquisition of Reuben Reid- who became the first Argyle striker to score 20 goals or more in a season since Tommy Tynan whilst on loan from Yeovil Town.
Argyle also have a new captain in the form of Curtis Nelson, following the sale of Conor Hourihane to Barnsley, and new signing Peter Hartley has been installed as vice-captain.
The Pilgrims are now in a position where they are beginning to emerge stronger from a number of years of financial turmoil to the point where a Play-Off place would be seen as a minimum objective from the forthcoming campaign.
Summer Business:
In: Deane Smalley (Oxford United), Lee Cox (Swindon Town), Reuben Reid (Yeovil Town), Carl McHugh (Bradford City), Peter Hartley (Stevenage), Kelvin Mellor (Crewe Alexandra), James Bittner (Salisbury City), Oliver Norburn (Bristol Rovers)
Out: Conor Hourihane (Barnsley) £200,000, Luke Young (Torquay United), Neal Trotman, Jake Cole (Woking), Isaac Vassell (Truro City), Andres Gurrieri (Club Social y Deportivo Tristan Suarez), Durrell Berry, Maxime Blanchard, Matt Parsons
Player to Watch: Jason Banton
'Keep calm and pass it to Banton'; that was the message that was emblazoned on a T-shirt worn by the then Crystal Palace loanee, which he revealed after he scored the crucial goal which decided the Pilgrims' Devon derby meeting in March 2013.
That was the sixth goal of Banton's loan spell from Selhurst Park- which earned him the League Two Player of the Month award for March 2013, and also helped John Sheridan to pick up the managerial award for the same month- and ensured that he finished the season as the Pilgrims' top scorer.
He made a permanent return in January 2014, but- save for a stunning in Argyle's final home game against Hartlepool- he hasn't quite hit the heights of his loan spell.
However, Sheridan has described him as 'his brightest spark' of the Pilgrims' pre-season campaign, and if he can recreate the performances that he turned in during his loan stint- then he can be a match winner for Argyle again.
Prediction:
During his career as a player, John Sheridan helped Sheffield Wednesday to win the 1991 Rumbelows Cup final by scoring the decisive goal in their 1-0 victory over Manchester United and also played his part in helping the Republic of Ireland shock Italy in the 1994 World Cup in the USA.
As a manager, he has registered career victories over David Moyes and Paolo Di Canio and led Chesterfield to promotion and the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.
Now, he is aiming to join the list of promotion winning Plymouth Argyle managers that includes Bob Jack, Jack Rowley, Tony Waiters, Dave Smith, Neil Warnock and Paul Sturrock.
One of the hallmarks of lower league promotion winning side is the quality of its strikers; with a roster of attacking talents that features Reuben Reid, summer signing Deane Smalley, Lewis Alessandra, Marvin Morgan and Matt Lecointe, the Pilgrims should be able to establish a strike partnership that can find the back of the net 30 or 40 times during the course of the 2014-15 campaign.
The current Pilgrims' squad possesses a strong spine and, in the centre of midfield, the return of former loanee Lee Cox and the signing of Oliver Norburn should compensate for the summer sale of Conor Hourihane and the release of Luke Young. In the wide areas, Nathan Thomas and Jason Banton will surely be asking a lot of questions of League Two defences this season.
Argyle also plenty of strength in the centre of defence and new signing Peter Hartley looks set to form a solid partnership with Curtis Nelson. Carl McHugh can also play there, but he will probably be filling in at left back, where his understudy is likely to be young prospect Ben Purrington. At right back Kelvin Mellor will take over from Durrell Berry.
In Luke McCormick, the Pilgrims have arguably one of the best goalkeepers in League Two and he has gone from strength to strength since he returned to Home Park for a second spell last season.
All in all, the Pilgrims will be looking to reach the Play-Offs with a squad that can plenty of experience of playing in League One. However, whisper it quietly, a top three finish may not be beyond their capabilities as Sheridan has previous experience of winning promotion from League Two- he guided Chesterfield to the title in the 2010-11 season.
