The Argyle Podcast

How does a lad from Staffordshire end up an Argyle fan?

Well, a series of curious events including a panini sticker book, a drab draw between Stoke City and Brighton and Hove Albion and the colour Green led BBC Radio Devon Commentator to fall in love with Argyle.

Despite not being able to get to games as much as he would have liked, Drew's affection for all things Argyle only grew stronger. When his career in broadcasting led him to the stage that football reporting was a viable option, the thought of being able to commentate on his team dropped into his head.

Just like his hero, Gordon Sparks, Drew fulfilled that dream and despite some cold nights in Manchester, being haunted by Captain Pugwash and the debacle at Accrington, the highs outlay the bad and he is living the dream.

This is the story of Drew Savage.

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The French Green.

There is a long list of French footballers who have gone on to become heroes at Plymouth Argyle and Maxime Blanchard is no exception.

A classy man on and off the pitch, his relationship with the fans in such a turbulent time for the football club was a beautiful one to witness.
The cliche goes that that the French are romantic, well Maxi and Argyle is a proper love story.

He arrived in the club in 2011, having played in his native France and for Tranmere Rovers in his early career. He played in both games the saw Argyle retain their Football League status and scored one of the best goals a defender has ever scored at Home Park.

This is the 'love' story of Maxime Blanchard.

 *WARNING: This podcast contains very strong language that some may find offensive.

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Argyle Fives on Argyle captain.

From Howard C. Grose in 1886 through to Joe Edwards in 2023, the job of the Argyle captain has always been a prestigious one.

In the second of the Argyle Fives series, Charlie Price, Kevin Nancekivell and Rob McNichol dives into the club's history to narrow the list down to just five.

There is a lot to debate with promotion winners, heroic figures, local lads and inspirational players all worthy of a mention.  Five captains have been chosen, no doubt you will have a list of your own though.

Argyle Fives is also available to watch on Argyle TV - enjoy!

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One Argyle!

It has been a busy couple of weeks for everyone involved with Argyle Women. A good couple of wins in the league was followed by the very welcome news that the ownership would be taken on by Plymouth Argyle.

But what does this mean?  Well manager Ryan Perks, captain, Panagiota Papaioannou and club legend, Katie Middleton discuss the plan ahead and what this could do for the women's game in the city.

The pod also previews Sunday's game at Home Park against Ilminster Town Ladies in the first round of the Vitality Women's FA Cup.

Tickets for that game can be purchased here.

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A journey from Bethel to Barcelona.

Nigel Martyn is widely regarded as one of the best English goalkeepers of his generation; indeed he was the first goalie to cost a team £1m. However, his journey into the sport was anything but straight forward.

A failed trial at Argyle was followed by non-league football in Cornwall. A break at Bristol Rovers got him started and allowed him to go on and playing in FA Cup Finals, the Premier League, the Champions League and at World Cups.

'Big Nige' was on pitch when David Beckham scored THAT free-kick against Greece, he put in one of the best displays in a UEFA Cup game away to Roma and played at the Camp Nou against the mighty Barcelona. His one regret though, never setting foot on Home Park.

This is the story of Nigel Martyn.

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The Lion who never roared.

The story of Jack Leslie is, now, a fairly well known one among Argyle fans. However, the intricate details of his life; his childhood, his family, his friends are not. 

Matt Tiller is a broadcaster, journalist, historian and Argyle supporter. He co-founded the Jack Leslie campaign and now is one of the most knowledgeable about one of Argyle’s former heroes.

With untold stories and unseen pictures, Matt's in-depth biography allows us to understand more behind the man, who never played for England.

This is the story of Jack Leslie, told by Matt Tiller.

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"Super Stevie Castle."

The London lad who made it big in Devon. Steve Castle arrived at Home Park, with a reputation of being an all action midfielder and with the ability to score goals; he didn't disappoint.

Despite injury in th pre-season of his first season, he went on to score 39 goals in 120 matches, including 22 in the failed promotion push in 1994.

He wasn't at Argyle for long, but anyone who watched him play will tell you, he was one heck of a player.

This is the story of Steve Castle.

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A tough Guy with family at his heart.

Guy Branston played for 19 clubs in a 20 year career. He had a reputation as a tough tackling no-nonsense defender, but in reality he was so much more.

Having proved his worth in the local leagues in Leicester, playing mens football at the age of 14, he was picked up by his boyhood club as a teenager. A physical presence, who wasn't afraid to get 'stuck in' he found the Premier League a step beyond him.

Loaned out, Guy found his home at a number of different clubs and wherever he went, he proved a success. Promoted five times and having played across four different levels in the English game, he fell back in love with the game in Devon and remembers his to spells at Home Park as some of his favourites.

This is the story of Guy Branston.

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So much promise with such bad luck.

During Argyle's darkest time off the pitch, a ray of hope sprung from the Academy. A forward, who was bagging goals for fun for the youth team was gaining a reputation amongst the fanbase.

Matt Lecointe broke into the first team aged just 16, started putting in a host of strong performances and scored in his one and only appearance for England under-18s. However, he never managed to fulfil his potential and his career ended in a heartbreaking way.

A knee injury with compleications ended a promising career in the game for Matt and sent him spiralling into a dark place for a few years. Now, he is back out the other side and is enjoying life again, with his young family.

This is the story of Matt Lecointe.

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Black History Month.

October is all about raising the awareness and celebrating the lives of black players and fans at Argyle. 

From the story of Jack Leslie and and his omission from the England team to current players like Brendan Galloway, adjusting to life in a new country as a child, following his families move from Zimbabwe - real life stories everywhere.

This episode of the podcast includes a chat with Brendan, on his inspirations and heroes throughout his life. Chair of Kick it Out, Sanjay Bhandari, also joins the pod to talk about the work the charity has been doing over the last 30 years and the challenges that still need to be overcome.

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