SHERIDAN LED ARGYLE OUT OF THE DARKNESS

Sometimes throwaway comments can reveal a lot about a person’s inner thoughts. 

One such comment made by the recently departed Plymouth Argyle manager John Sheridan could possibly reveal his decision to end his tenure as Pilgrims’ boss, as he looks to move closer to his family in the north of England. 

Before Argyle’s League Play-off semi-final second leg against Wycombe Wanderers, Sheridan - when asked about Chairboys’ striker Paul Hayes, who he had previously had on loan at Home Park said: “He’s in a vein of form; He’s probably living with his missus and kids. That’s a massive part of performing well. You are going home to your loved ones and it is a big thing. If results don’t go your way and you are stuck somewhere and you are not going home, it’s difficult.”

It was a scenario that Sheridan could relate to, as he himself - during his two-and-a-half years in charge at Home Park – was splitting his professional life - which was in Plymouth as Argyle manager – with his personal life, as his family remained in West Yorkshire. 

It is understandable from Sheridan’s respectively why he decided to do that; his children it is understood were all in their early to mid-teens and at an age where exams are a big part of their lives.

Any upheaval at that time can cause massive disruption to their educational progress and to uproot them because of their father’s career as a football manager, a profession where job security is becoming increasingly volatile, could have done just that. 

In fact, to the best of my knowledge, one Premier League manager - from the season which has just passed – is believed to live in a flat overlooking his club’s training ground, whilst his family home is in another part of the country. This evidence suggests such an arrangement is one of the sign of the times in the modern game.

For Sheridan, home was definitely where his heart was. 

However, despite this arrangement, he can look back upon his time with the Pilgrims as regard it as being reasonably successful. 

Upon his arrival, he steered the Pilgrims away from relegation to the Conference in the 2012-13 season, and won the manager of the month award for March 2013, thanks to four wins from a possible six during the month. The highlight of that run included a 1-0 home win in the Devon derby against Exeter City. 

The following campaign saw the Pilgrims end the season in 10^th place, their first top half finish in any division since the 2007-08 season, when they finished 10^th in the Championship under Paul Sturrock - following the departure of Ian Holloway. 

This was followed up last season by a seventh placed finish, which ensured that the Pilgrims would be involved with the end of season Play-offs for the first time since the 1995-96 season. 

Nothing could reflect the change in Argyle’s fortunes better than the atmosphere during their first leg at Home Park, as the Green Army sang ‘Three Little Birds’ by Bob Marley to help inspire a late comeback through goals from Zak Ansah and Jason Banton to reduce their arrears against Wycombe Wanderers from three goals to one. 

One criticism of Argyle under Sheridan could be the fact they have failed to clinch victory after conceding first since beating Barnet on March 2^nd 2013 at Home Park. However, it could be argued that the result in the Play-off first leg against Wycombe almost felt like a win thanks to the euphoria it generated and the fact that there were no points at stake to be lost. 

All in all, it could be said that Sheridan guided the Pilgrims out of one of the darkest times in their history. 

It is now down his successor – whoever that might be – to lead Argyle into the light.

YEOVIL LADIES LOOKING TO MAKE IT A MAGNIFICENT SEVENTH AGAINST BELLES

The 2015 is set to be a big year from women's football with the Women's World Cup due to take place in Canada next month.

It could also turn out to be a memorable one for Yeovil Town Ladies, who are currently in third place in the FA Women's Super League Two after embarking on a six-match unbeaten run.

In their final match before the start of the mid-season break before the World Cup, the Lady Glovers - who lie in third place in the league table - face Doncaster Rovers Belles as they look to stretch their unbeaten run to seven matches.

Despite the early season setback of losing 4-2 to Reading Women on the opening day of the campaign, in a match that saw England striker Fran Kirby net four times for the Royals, Yeovil have since made steady progress. They even managed to avenge their defeat against Reading when the two sides met again - with a 4-2 victory at Farnborough.

The close season saw the departure of leading scorer Sarah Wiltshire to Manchester City Ladies, as well as the retirements of long-serving captain Rachael Edwards and Katie Sherwood, the wife of manager Jamie Sherwood.

However, the Glovers have coped with their departures and new signings Annie Heatherson and Corinne Yorston, both from Bristol Academy, Alys Hinchcliffe and Natasha Knapman have all made a big impact and provided Yeovil with that most valuable of commodities in football: goals.

Heatherson and Yorston currently lead the club's goal scoring charts with five goals apiece and Hinchcliffe and Knapman are both joint-second - with the Glovers' Welsh wing wizard Helen Bleazard, on three goals.

One of the club's target before the start of the current campaign was to reach the WSL One within three years. However, if they are able to maintain their current progress, that objective may be achieved sooner than originally planned.

DEANO HEADS POTENTIAL GULLS TAKEOVER GROUP

As a player with Torquay United, Dean Edwards netted twice for the Gulls at Wembley - now he is a leading figure in a group interested in buying the Gulls.

Wolverhampton-born Edwards, 53, who netted for Torquay in the 1989 Sherpa Van final and 1991 Division Four Play-off final against Bolton Wanderers and Blackpool respectively, is heading a locally based consortium who have tabled a six-figure offer to buy the 80% of shares that outgoing Chairwoman Thea Bristow deposited with the Gulls' board.

Since 2010, Edwards has been employed by United as the club's commercial manager, after a spell as manager of Hednesford Town in his native West Midlands, and has a strong affection for the club dating back to his playing days which spanned from 1988 to 1991.

The group headed by Edwards is one of three groups hat have shown an interest in taking over the Gulls, one of which is believed to be led by Jed McCrory - the former Swindon Town Chairman, who was ousted from the County Ground by current Robins' Chairman Lee Power in December 2013 in an ownership battle that was settled in the High Court.

Time is now of the essence, as manager Chris Hargreaves is awaiting the completion of the proposed takeover so he can get on with building his squad in preparation for the start of the 2015-16 season.

RYAN HOPING TO COMPLETE UNIQUE WEMBLEY FAMILY DOUBLE

Whilst Plymouth Argyle failed to reach the League Two Play-off final this season, the city of Plymouth will be represented at Wembley by Plymouth-born Southend United midfielder Ryan Leonard.

The 22-year old, who turns 23 on Sunday, will be looking to help the Shrimpers mastermind a victory over the Pilgrims' conquerors, Wycombe Wanderers, and complete a unique family double.

His father Dave Leonard was a Wembley winner in 2007 with Truro City when, as a manager, he led the White Tigers to victory in the FA Vase final against AFC Totton.

Leonard senior was also a Wembley winner as a player with Tiverton Town in the 1998 and 1999 FA Vase finals respectively and this Saturday, Leonard junior will also be looking to emulate him by helping Southend to overcome the Chairboys.

Ryan had previously started his career with Argyle and made his debut as a substitute in March 2010 against Blackpool under Paul Mariner. However, he failed to feature under Mariner's successor Peter Reid and was released at the end of the 2010-11 after the Pilgrims had plunged into Administration.

Since then, he has rebuilt his career at Roots Hall when he was enticed to Essex by former Argyle manager Paul Sturrock in 2011, and has become a regular fixture under Sturrock's replacement Phil Brown.

Another former Pilgrim Will Atkinson, who enjoyed a loan spell at Home Park during the 2011-12 season, is also set to feature for the Shrimpers.

GULLS TAKEOVER TALKS RE-OPEN

Talks have re-opened over the future ownership of Torquay United, as majority shareholder Thea Bristow looks to offload her majority shareholding.

Mrs Bristow, who has been working with former Oxford United Chairman Kelvin Thomas to find a buyer for her shares, is writing off £3million worth of loans, as she bids to hand the ownership baton onto new investors.

This will ensure that the new owners will not be inheriting any debts at the point of the handover of the shares. However, the preferred bidder will still be required to underwrite any future losses incurred by the club.

Their ability to do this will be a major factor in determining how successful their ownership bid turns out to be.

One group believed to be interested in buying the club is a group of fans, which is understood to include Steve Breed - who often commentates on Gulls' matches for BBC Radio Devon and runs the Travel Club for away fans.

Mrs Bristow had originally agree to fund the club until the end of the financial year on June 30th, but she has agreed to extend this period until mid-summer, with 80 % of her shares in Plainmoor Ltd, the holding company that owns the club, passing onto the current board.

On completion, two of the biggest tasks facing the preferred bidder would be ensuring that manager Chris Hargreaves has a competitive budget to compete in the newly named 'National League' next season, and some work will also be required to be done on the club's training ground at Seale Hayne.

Two areas which the current consortium, which has been funded by Mrs Bristow and her late husband Paul, has invested heavily in is the club's youth set-up and the stadium, following the construction of Bristow's Bench.

These are two areas that would not necessary require the immediate attention of any new owner.

PILGRIMS LOOK TO FURTHER PROGRESS AFTER MISSING OUT ON WEMBLEY

After missing out on what would have been a second trip to Wembley, Plymouth Argyle have started looking towards the 2015-16 season after releasing their retained list.

The Pilgrims failed to overturn their 3-2 first leg deficit, eventually losing 5-3 on aggregate to Wycombe Wanderers with former Argyle loanee Paul Hayes once again opening the scoring for the Chairboys.

Seven out of contract players have been informed by manager John Sheridan that their services are no longer rerquired at Home Park - just like last season - including Jason Banton, Dominic Blizzard, Marvin Morgan, Ollie Norburn and the homegrown trio of Jamie Richards, Matt Lecointe and River Allen.

Banton - scorer of the Pilgrims' second goal against Wycombe in their first leg at Home Park- is arguably the most notably of the departees, whilst Morgan, who has spent much of the second half of the season on loan at Hartlepool United, is probably the least surprising.

Perhaps even less surprisingly, player-coach Paul Wotton has officially announced his retirement from playing, after not featuring this season. 

New deals have been offered to Lewis Alessandra, Tyler Harvey, Anthony O'Connor and James Bittner, whilst the club are also taking up the option of extending the contracts of Aaron Bentley and Peter Hartley.

Loan signings Tareiq Holmes-Dennis, Bobby Reid, Gethin Jones and Zak Ansah have returned to their parent clubs. 

SHERIDAN HOPING EVERYTHING WILL BE ALRIGHT ON THE NIGHT FOR ARGYLE

Following their late comeback against Wycombe last Saturday night, Plymouth Argyle have given themselves a fighting chance of reaching the League Two Play-off final at Wembley.

After trailing the Chairboys by three goals going into the final five minutes of their semi-final first leg, substitutes Zak Ansah and Jason Banton as Argyle reduced their deficit to a single goal in the most dramatic of fashions.

One dilemma likely to be facing manager John Sheridan is whether to possibly include Ansah or fellow substitute Ryan Brunt, who replaced leading scorer Reuben Reid on 65 minutes, at the expense of his first choice strike partnership of Reid and Lewis Alessandra.

Over the course of the campaign, Reid and Alessandra have found the back of the net 33 times in all competitions and Reid has been playing with a foot injury of late.

Ansah and Brunt also started together at Shrewsbury Town in Argyle's final league fixture, which they won 2-0.

There is another the question of whether to include Banton in their starting eleven as well.

Scoring goals is likely to be crucial to any success for the Pilgrims at Adams Park, as Argyle's defensive unit of goalkeeper Luke McCormick and their central defensive trio of Curtis Nelson, Peter Hartley and Carl McHugh have proved to be very difficult to break down this season.

A repeat of the result they were able to pull off at Adams Park earlier in the season, when they won 2-0 courtesy of goals from Alessandra and Hartley would be the perfect outcome for Argyle.

It is also worth mentioning that when they last reached Wembley in 1996, they made it there after losing their first leg and winning their second against Colchester United.

KEEP CALM AND PASS IT TO BANTON - WITH ONE MINUTE LEFT

Plymouth Argyle winger Jason Banton believes his second goal for the Pilgrims against Wycombe Wanderers is more important than the goal he scored against Exeter City in March 2013.

Banton's strike against the Grecians, which proved to be crucial in the 60th league meeting between Argyle and City, helped to ease Argyle's relegation worries in the 2012-13 season.

Against the Chairboys, Banton - who came off the bench on 53 minutes - struck in the 89th minute to reduce the Pilgrims' arrears to a single goal after fellow substitute Zak Ansah had scored three minutes earlier.

But he thinks his most recent effort against the Chairboys can give the Pilgrims the belief that they can go to Adams Park and compete with Wycombe.

"I was coming on, I could literally see the third goal going in, " said Banton.

"But the gaffer’s (John Sheridan) message was to get a goal back and put them under pressure.

"That’s what we did with Zak’s (Ansah) goal and with a goal in the last minute of normal time, and I was happy to get that one.

"You could see at the final whistle that they (Wycombe) didn’t look too happy.

"The goal I scored against Exeter (in 2013) was a good goal and a very clean goal, but I think this could be a bigger goal, as it gives us the belief that we can go to Wycombe and compete."

The former Crystal Palace starlet also paid tribute to the club's Australian Performance Manager John Harbin, who has helped to instil that level of belief in the Pilgrims.

He said: "John Harbin has taught us throughout the season - and since he has been here at the club- to never give up regardless and show good character, and the fans had a big part to play in that. "

 

 

LATE SHOW FROM ZAK AND JASON EASE PILGRIMS WORRIES

Just when Plymouth Argyle's Play-offs hopes looked to have taken a major blow against Wycombe Wanderers, two late goals from substitutes Zak Ansah and Jason Banton provided the Pilgrims with fresh momentum going into Thursday's second leg.

The Chairboys led 3-0 thanks to goals from former Argyle loanee Paul Hayes, Aaron Holloway and Steven Craig, but the introduction of Ansah and Banton sparked a revival for the Pilgrims, which resulted in the duo scoring in the 86th and 89th minutes respectively.

Banton's second goal could prove to be every bit as important, if not more, than the goal he scored against Exeter City in March 2013.

At 3-1 down going into their return at Adams Park, Argyle would still have had a mountain to climb, but now - at half-time in the tie - they can go there believing that an early goal can put the pressure right back on to Wycombe.

Earlier in the season, the Pilgrims beat the Chairboys 2-0 thanks to goals from Lewis Alessandra and Peter Hartley.

An identical score line on Thursday, in a match that will once again be televised on Sky TV, would be enough to see Argyle reach Wembley.

PILGRIM'S PLAY-OFF FACTFILE

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE:

League position: 7^th

 

Previous Play-off appearances: 1993-94 Division Two, 1995-96 Division Three (winners) 

Top scorer: Reuben Reid 20 

Last season’s league finish: 10^th 

Last promotion success: 2003-04 Division Two Champions

WYCOMBE WANDERERS: 

League position: 4^th

 

Previous Play-off appearances: 1993-94 Division Three (winners), 2005-06 League Two, 2007-08 League Two 

Top scorer: Paul Hayes 13

Last season’s league finish: 22^nd

 

Last promotion success: 2010-11 League Two Runners-up

ARGYLE REACH ANOTHER LANDMARK

For the first time since they exited Administration in October 2011, Plymouth Argyle now have a genuine opportunity to win promotion from League Two after reaching this season’s Play-offs.

Two legs with Wycombe Wanderers, who finished 13 points clear of the Pilgrims in 4^th place in the league table, is all that stands between Argyle and a first Wembley appearance since the 1996 Division Play-off final with Darlington. 

Over the past couple of years, a number of milestones have been achieved by the club. Top scorer Reuben Reid became the first Pilgrims striker since Tommy Tynan to score 20 goals or more in a season. 

In this current campaign, he became the first Argyle forward since Tynan to manage the feat twice.

Also this season, goalkeeper Luke McCormick kept 21 clean sheets, which is a higher number than any keeper in Europe this season. 

And manager John Sheridan now has the opportunity to join a list of Pilgrims managers that includes Tony Waiters, Dave Smith, Neil Warnock and Paul Sturrock who have led Argyle to promotion in living memory.

In a career that has seen him appear in two World Cups and score a winning goal in a League Cup final as a player, and win a League Two title and Johnstone’s Paint Trophy as a manager, further success with Argyle would sit very comfortably alongside them.

PILGRIMS SECURE PLAY-OFF SPOT

Plymouth Argyle can now look forward to a two-legged League Two Play-off semi-final with Wycombe Wanderers, after securing their fourth and final spot with a win away at Shrewsbury Town.

Whilst the Pilgrims needed a point to wrap up 7th place in the table, the Shrews - who included former Torquay United defender and childhood Argyle fan Mark Ellis in their side - needed to win to be with a chance of clinching the League Two title at the expense of Burton Albion.

First half goals from Bobby Reid and Kelvin Mellor proved to be enough to see the Pilgrims tame the Shrews and seal the fourth and final Play-off place.

It is the only the third time in Argyle's history that they have been involved in the end of season showdown. The other two occasions were in the 1993-94 season when they lost in the semi-final to Burnley in the 'old Division Two', and two years later when they defeated Darlington under Neil Warnock at Wembley after beating Colchester United in the semis.