Jason Puncheon (Barnet)
Perhaps the highlight of last season for some Plymouth fans was to see Ian Holloway's dream of managing a bigger club end in tears. It was a year of change though at Home Park and one that has left them in a vulnerable position. They started the season well and were again a side challenging for the playoffs during the first half of the season with the likes of Ebanks-Blake, Buzsaky and Halmosi the stars of the side. The star names were sold off one by one as Buzsaky, Hayles, Ebanks-Blake, Connolly and David Norris all left as well as Ian Holloway who walked away from the club after pledging his future to the club. A move that didn't go down too well as you can imagine. Some expected Plymouth to crumble
without Holloway but in came Paul Sturrock and he proved to be the
steady pair of hands they needed to guide them to a decent top half
finish.
When a club loses so many quality players it is hard to see how they can do anything but struggle. The departure this summer of Peter Halmosi was perhaps the last straw for many Plymouth fans and a season of struggle is expected. The club have brought in plenty of money through the sale of players but the clubs smallish fan base means the money has gone back into the running of the club rather than on replacements. That's not to say Paul Sturrock has spent nothing this summer. He has strengthened the squad and the arrivals of Jason Puncheon from Barnet and Karl Duguid from Colchester look decent signings to me. Puincheon is a player many clubs have looked at and this could be a big chance for him to shine at a higher level. Jermaine Easter will also be hoping for a long run in the side as he looks to take his goalscoring for Wycombe into the Championship and he did show signs at the end of last season that he is adapting to this level. The potential arrival of Simon Walton will add steel to them but they have the look of a side that will struggle this season in a division boasting far more quality than last time out. I hope they stay up as I've a soft spot
for them but I fear this could be the end of their five year stay
in the Championship. Prediction: 22nd in the Championship
I asked fans on the Rivals message board for views on the new season and here is what they had to say. How do you think Plymouth will fare this season? Bottom six but just staying up Who are your players to watch out for? We've not got many left Is your Manager the right man for the job? He's fighting a losing battle at the moment having to sell so many players but I think he'll do well to keep us up. Which three teams will be promoted this season? Reading and Birmimgham then take your pick for the rest of the division for the playoffs Which teams will be relegated? Doncaster, Southampton and Preston How do you think QPR will fare this season? Top six
By the time this goes online Simon Walton could be a Plymouth player but I'll stick with the others for now. Akos Buzsaky joined Plymouth from Porto in 2005 and was a star for them before joining QPR last season. Buzsaky had an instant impact at QPR scoring in his second game for the club and he ended the season as top goalscorer with ten goals and all of them were spectacular. Ian Holloway managed both clubs and will get different receptions should he ever return. He's still popular at QPR for the job he did at helping win us promotion and establish us back in the Championship. He joined Plymouth in 2006 and guided them to a top half finish and the FA Cup quarter finals. Last season he was on course for another top half finish before the ambition of the club was called into question following the sale of players and Holloway jumped ship to join Leicester, a decision he probably regrets now.
Rangers have faced Plymouth several times in recent years and have built up a friendly rivalry between the two sides. In the 2002/03 season Rangers faced Plymouth at Loftus Road days after lifelong QPR fan Daphne Biggs died. The club held a one minute silence before the game and it was brilliantly observed by the Plymouth fans which is something QPR were very grateful for. The game itself was a cracker. Plymouth went into a two goal lead but goals from Jerome Thomas and a last minute screamer from Richard Pacquette got us a point. The away game came as we were in the middle of a decent run to put us back in the playoff picture and Plymouth away was a big test. Pacquette got on the score sheet again and despite Lee Cook being sent off we held on for a 1-0 win. Last season the two sides met in top of the table battles. At Loftus Road Plymouth were top of the tree but two goals from Gallen and one from Thorpe got us a big 3-0 win and leapfrogged us over Plymouth to take us to top of the league. The game was voted best home match of the season on this web site. Away from home was another crunch game. A win for us would have put huge pressure on Plymouth whilst a win for them not only won them promotion but would win them the league. Plymouth won 2-0 and many of the 1,900 QPR fans stayed behind after the game to applaud Plymouth as they celebrated winning the league. in 2004/05 with both sides now promoted the games were again very close. When we met at Loftus Road it looked like it could be Ian Holloway’s last game in charge as pressure was mounting for the QPR manager. Ramon Diaz was being linked to the job and after a poor start Holloway needed a win to ease the pressure. Things didn’t start well when David Friio continued his habit of scoring against QPR with an early opener. The QPR fans were in great voice though and roared the team back into it when Paul Furlong equalised before half time. In a tight game, Rangers grabbed the lead when Furlong got the end of a long ball and lobbed the keeper from outside the box. A great run and cross by Kevin McLeod made the third goal as Kevin Gallen got on the score sheet. Plymouth pulled a late goal back but it wasn’t enough as Rangers seven match winning run was underway. The return game was on Boxing day, not the best one for travelling QPR fans and our away form was at rock bottom. An unstoppable shot from Coughlin gave Plymouth the lead before both sides had a player sent off. Micky Evans made it 2-0 after the break before Paul Furlong fired in a free kick to get us back in the game. It wasn’t enough though and Plymouth took all three points. In 2005/06 season it was Plymouth who came out on top. At Loftus Road Rangers trailed to a wonder goal from Buszacy with Plymouths only attack of the game. Kevin Gallen kept up his good record against Plymouth scoring a penalty to earn us a point. The return game was a easy win for Plymouth who were 3-0 up without breaking sweat against a lacklustre Rangers side. Shabazz Baidoo's first senior goal was the only highlight for QPR that day. In 2006/07 we faced Ian Holloway for the first time and on both occasions the games were drawn. Dexter Blackstock scored his first goal for QPR in a 1-1 draw at Home Park and during an emotional homecoming for Ian Holloway at Loftus Road we again drew 1-1 with Lee Cook scoring his last ever goal for QPR. Last season we didn't fair as well. Plymouth ran out easy winners at Loftus Road with a 2-0 win. The return game on Boxing Day saw SimoN Walton make his full debut and Rowan Vine gave Rangers a first half lead. We blew it though losing the game to late goals from Sylvain Ebanks Blake whilst a sending off after the final whistle for Leigterwood saw him banned for the next four matches. Click on the match for a report of the game from this web site.
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