Argyle spirit impresses Paris

SUMMER signing Paris Cowan-Hall has been mightily impressed by both the spirit and warmth of the welcome received from his new team-mates at Home Park.

Cowan-Hall was Plymouth Argyle boss Carl Fletcher's first new acquisition for the League Two club and the striker knew he was joining a tightly-knit squad and 'massive club'.

Argyle had fought successfully against relegation to non-league football in 2011/12, when the Pilgrims' fortitude and resilience proved to be a decisive element in their survival.

Striker Cowan-Hall paid tribute to his new 'gaffer' and said it was a measure of the esteem in which Fletcher is held by the players that so many of last season's squad had re-signed for Argyle.

A happy and settled crew is beneficial to new recruit Cowan-Hall and Fletcher's second signing of the close season – the former Watford and Ireland under-21 goalkeeper Rene Gilmartin.

Cowan-Hall told Herald Sport: "Everyone has welcomed me so very well – and it's a good team atmosphere here at Plymouth.

"I was told by the gaffer before that's how it (team-spirit) was at Plymouth, so I expected that.

"Most of the players were here last season and I know the gaffer (Fletcher) is a lot to do with that.

"I know the boys really like the gaffer which is shown by how many (of those out of contract) re-signed for him."

Cowan-Hall had been a transfer target for the Pilgrims back in January, but at that time Woking, not unnaturally, wanted to hold on to their leading goal-scorer.

Fletcher had to wait five months until June to prise the prized forward away from the Surrey stockbroker belt club, who were by then confirmed as Conference South champions.

The 5ft 8in hitman scored 17 goals in 42 games for Woking and has previously spent spells at Portsmouth, Grimsby (on loan) and Scunthorpe United.

Cowan-Hall said: "He (Fletcher) had tried to get me down here in January and had put in a bid to Woking, but it got rejected.

"We (Woking) were at the top of the league at the time and I think I was top goalscorer, so Woking weren't looking to let me go which was understandable.

"But he (Fletcher) contacted Woking about me fairly soon after the season ended. Everything was done in the correct fashion.

"I'd been offered a deal at Woking but was asked how I felt about a move to Plymouth.

"It was just too good an opportunity for me to turn down, so here I am."

Cowan-Hall said his first impressions of the set-up at Argyle had been favourable and he hoped to maintain his goalscoring form at Home Park.

"Yes, it's very good here, very professional – it's a massive club," said Cowan-Hall, who said he detected a real determination and ambition to turn around Argyle's fortunes.

"Everything is professionally organised, even to how the kit is laid out.

"We're working very hard. The atmosphere around here is like, 'We want to win and see how far that takes us'.

"I hope to keep scoring goals and playing like I did at Woking.

"The gaffer said he wanted me to replicate what I did last season and that's what I'm going to try and do."

Cowan-Hall insists joining Woking had been a terrific move for him and under manager Garry Hill and first-team coach, Plymouth-born Steve Thompson he had prospered.

"Dropping down was one of the best things I've done," said Cowan-Hall.

"I had been at big clubs like Portsmouth in the Premier League and Scunthorpe in the Championship, and playing some of my best football in the reserves for Pompey.

"I had been scoring goals for fun but I just never got a look in (to the first team).

"Everybody needs a chance to show what they can do.

"It's like work experience – everyone wants you to have experience but nobody wants to give it you. I was in a vicious circle.

"But at Woking under Thommo (Thompson), who is a very enthusiastic coach and Garry (Hill) and the rest of the coaching staff, that was the reason we got promoted.

"There was a great team atmosphere at Woking, which showed when things were going wrong we all dug in."