As Plymouth Argyle prepare to face Bolton Wanderers in the final of the Papa Johns Trophy final at Wembley, we will now look back at the last Argyle side to play at Wembley in the 2016 League Two Play-off final.
Many of these players are still playing, although only two have retired, and a number of them have playred in countries as diverse as Bulgaria, Finland and India.
Luke McCormick:
Luke McCormick added to the two promotions he won under Paul Sturrock in 2001-02 and 2003-04 when he helped the Pilgrims win another automatic promotion under Derek Adams in the 2016-17 campaign. He finished his career with the Pilgrims in 2019 and became a club ambassador.
Kelvin Mellor:
Returned to his native North West to sign for Blackpool in the summer of 2016 and helped them to win promotion from League Two in the 2016-17 season, where they beat Exeter City in the play-off final.
He served under Derek Adams at both Bradford City and Morecambe before he signed for his current club Carlisle United.
Curtis Nelson:
Argyle’s Wembley defeat proved to be Curtis Nelson’s final appearance for the Pilgrims as he joined Oxford United for a fee of £250,000. He is currently plying his trade in the Championship with Cardiff City.
Peter Hartley:
Centre back Peter Hartley moved to League One to sign for Bristol Rovers and went on to appear for Blackpool, Motherwell, Jamshedspur in the Indian Super League and is currently in his second spell with Hartlepool United.
Gary Sawyer:
Another player who helped win automatic promotion under Derek Adams in the 2016-17 season. He retired from playing at the end of the 2018-19 season and became a club ambassador.
Carl McHugh: Joined Scottish Premier League side Motherwell in the following summer and is currently playing in India for ATK Mohun Bagan FC.
Hiram Boateng:
Crystal Palace loanee Hiram Boateng returned to his parent club Crystal Palace and had further loan spells with Bristol Rovers and Northampton Town before returning to Devon to sign for Exeter City in the 2017-18 season. He is currently appearing for MK Dons in League One.
Jake Jervis:
One of several players to have appeared for Derek Adams at both Ross County and Argyle, Jake Jervis remained with the Pilgrims until the summer of 2018 when he joined Luton Town.
Whilst with the Hatters, he was loaned to AFC Wimbledon and Salford City and then headed abroad where he had a spell with SJK in Finland prior to his move to his present club East Bengal in India.
Graham Carey:
Irishman midfielder Graham Carey, who also played under Derek Adams at Ross County, helped the Pilgrims to win automatic promotion in the 2016-17 season and displays earned him a place in the League Two team of the season. Carey was a key part of the Argyle side that finished seventh in the 2017-18 campaign. The Irishman left Home Park in 2019 to sign for Bulgarian side CSKA Sofia for whom he appeared in the Europa League for against Jose Mourinho's Roma side.
Carey returned to the UK in 2022 to sign for his present club St Johnstone.
Gregg Wylde:
Scottish winger Gregg Wylde left Home Park in 2016 to sign for Millwall but later returned to the Pilgrims in 2017 and stayed for two further seasons.
He then returned to Scotland and had spells with Livingston, Clyde, East Stirlingshire, East Kilbride and is currently playing for Dumbarton in Scottish League Two.
Jamille Matt:
Jamille Matt scored five goals in 11 appearances while on loan from Fleetwood Town and later appeared for Blackpool, Newport County and Forest Green Rovers, where he won the League Two title in the 2021-22 season.
Subs:
Jordan Forster:
Centre back Jordon Forster joined the Pilgrims on loan from Hibernian, who he appeared in their 2013 Scottish Cup final defeat to Celtic.
He returned to England in 2017 to sign for Cheltenham Town under current Torquay United manager Gary Johnson and remained for two years before heading back north of the border to join Dundee.
Forster is currently appearing for Kelty Hearts.
Craig Tanner:
After spending the 2015-16 season on loan with the Pilgrims from Reading, Craig Tanner returned to Home Park for a second loan spell in the 2016-17 campaign.
Tanner then had a spell in the Scottish Premier League in Motherwell before joining Aldershot Town and he is currently with National League South side Ebbsfleet United.
Reuben Reid:
In his second spell with the Pilgrims, Reuben Reid became one of the select band of players to join all three Devon clubs when he signed for Exeter City later in the year. He later went on to play for Forest Green Rovers before returning to Yeovil Town and is currently appearing for Weston Super Mare.
