BREAKING NEWS
 

Macca expects Argyle revival

Trusted article source icon
Saturday, September 01, 2012
Profile image for Plymouth Herald

Plymouth Herald

STRIKER Alex MacDonald has insisted he would not have returned to Plymouth Argyle had he thought they were set to struggle in League Two this season.

The 22-year-old has been signed on loan from Championship club Burnley until October 6, and is eligible to play for the Pilgrims against Northampton Town at Home Park today (3pm).

He travelled to Plymouth from his home in Lancashire on Thursday night and took part in a light training session yesterday morning.

MacDonald spent the final two months of last season on loan to Argyle, and played an important part in their successful escape from relegation.

Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk

myprint-247

View details

Print voucher

Our heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.

Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk

Contact: 01858 468192

Valid until: Friday, May 31 2013

Manager Carl Fletcher has been trying to bring MacDonald back to Home Park all summer, and has now finally succeeded.

The Pilgrims have picked up only one point from their first three fixtures in League Two this term, but MacDonald is convinced their fortunes will soon improve.

He told Herald Sport: "It hasn't been the best of starts for Plymouth but, as so many people say, it's a long, long season.

"They have got plenty of time to turn it around and I'm hoping to be part of a successful team.

"I wouldn't have come here if I thought it was going to be a long, hard season. The squad they have got is a good one at this level

"I enjoy working with the manager and the fans are great. They really get behind the team. So everything is positive from my point of view."

Fletcher tried to sign MacDonald on a permanent transfer earlier in the summer, but without success.

MacDonald became a father for the first time shortly after the end of last season – his daughter is called Chloe – and because of that 'it just wasn't the right time' to make the move.

Fletcher retained his interest in the striker, however, and renewed his attempts to conclude a deal earlier this week.

Argyle travelled to Burnley for a Capital One Cup second round tie on Tuesday, in a match which MacDonald started for the home side.

Fletcher spoke to MacDonald on the pitch before the game and broached the subject.

MacDonald, whose only previous appearance for Burnley this season had been as a late substitute in a 2-0 defeat at Huddersfield Town last Saturday, did not need much persuading about returning to Home Park.

He said: "I was having a chat with a few of the (Argyle) lads on the pitch before the game when the manager (Fletcher) came over.

"We had a nice chat and he asked me if I wanted to come back to Plymouth. We got things sorted the next day and I travelled down on Thursday night.

"We had a light training session yesterday and, although there are some new faces from last season, it was good to see all the lads I know. There was a bit of banter going around.

"It's something I'm looking forward to. It's another opportunity for me to show people what I'm capable of."

MacDonald's respect for Fletcher was clearly a factor in him re-signing for Argyle.

"I like the fact he's open," said MacDonald. "When I left his office yesterday he told me if I ever had any problems I wanted to talk to someone about he was there for me. Not a lot of managers are like that. Some are quite distant from the players. I like Carl's training. To me, he's a manager you want to work for."

Argyle were beaten 3-2 by Burnley in a penalty shoot-out on Tuesday, following a 1-1 draw after extra-time.

MacDonald admitted it had been a 'weird' experience playing against Argyle but said: "Work is work and you try to put that all to one side."

His latest loan spell at Argyle will cover a period of eight league games, up to and including the visit of AFC Wimbledon to Home Park on October 6. MacDonald admitted he was not thinking any further forward than that.

Meanwhile, Argyle's 18-year-old forward Isaac Vassell has signed on loan for Southern League Premier Division club Bideford until December 1.

Vassell made eight first team appearances for the Pilgrims last season, all of them as a substitute, but has not been involved so far this term.

Another Argyle youngster, winger Jed Harper-Penman, is also on loan to Bideford.

ARGYLE has released French utility player Ladjie Soukouna.

0
Tweet this article
Report

Comments

  • Profile image for FOXFAN99

    by FOXFAN99

    Sunday, September 02 2012, 12:32PM

    “Those of you who gave me a minus rating for my earlier comment regarding the fact I was sat next to a Northampton Town fan obviously havent read it properly. I WORK WITH ONE, I AM NOT ONE MYSELF.END OF.”

  • Profile image for queenie1923

    by queenie1923

    Saturday, September 01 2012, 8:29PM

    “in answer to your comment imapilgrim you are correct in every word that you say , our so called board members that sit on the board , they lack big ambitions for the club that all argyle fans want premiership football with the big boys a city the size of plymouth we should have that , but even if ollie had ambitions, it didnt stop him from doing wot he has done for blackpool a chairman and a club that have ambitions what have we had over the years a board that couldnt handle finances properly , dragged our famous club nearly to extinction and just bodly walked away from it all . they should hold there heads in shame lets just hope mr bnrent and his board members have the gyle and ambition and determination to get us back to the championship and get us the massive crowds back that we once had . good win and 3 point our first today roll on sat bring on torquay.”

  • Profile image for trex1_

    by trex1_

    Saturday, September 01 2012, 6:49PM

    “Plymouth fans please don't respond to greensensible comments. Pretend his posts dont' exsist. He get's off by those who respond to his tripe. Muppet”

  • Profile image for greensensible

    by greensensible

    Saturday, September 01 2012, 5:42PM

    “Northampton town you really need to take a look at yourselves.

    Pathetic is an understatement against a team that will never score 3 goals again.”

  • Profile image for trex1_

    by trex1_

    Saturday, September 01 2012, 5:10PM

    “Time to forget about the past, it happened, move on,learn from mistakes.

    Ollie who???? ;):)

    Great win today although I expect the doubters will put a downer on it despite Griffs getting his first goal

    Well done Plymouth Argyle!!!”

  • Profile image for imapilgrim

    by imapilgrim

    Saturday, September 01 2012, 11:57AM

    “where did i all go wrong??? well @queenie1923 its the lack of support that in my opinion frustrted ollie , fans dont like hearing this but at the time ollie actually got the team to 4th in the chmpionship the average crowd was 12000 so clearly that was as far as this club was able to go , this is NOT a pop at argyle fans ...far from it as argyle fans who go to the games are brilliant and argyle also arguably have one of the best away followings in the league ....no the problem lays with the apathy in plymouth and the surrounding area regarding plymouth argyle , its been seen time and again even recently when te clubs future was at stake ..when theclub desperately needed support how many actually turned up 7-8000 .
    so in the hours of need only 8000 max cared oh and how those 8000 cared no doubt , and when we were doing well only 4000 more showed up economics dictate wecould only spend so much based on our income so the board at that time could not match ollies ambition and as we saw even then we still overspent !
    so why do you think olie left?? lets look at it from his view ...he's at a club he's got going and the best support he can get is 12000 on average then he's offered an opprtunity to go to a club where its doomed to relegation (leicester) yet they have 17000 (at the time) screaming them on to me its a no brainer and he could only make 1 decision .
    Argyle should be better than league 2 and in time will be but and im afraid its a big but there is a limit to what argyle can achieve because only 5% of plymouthians ar really interested and thats a shame.”

  • Profile image for FOXFAN99

    by FOXFAN99

    Saturday, September 01 2012, 10:06AM

    “I am sat next to a Northampton Town supporter as I write this. Argyle have got some good young players as well as some good experienced ones so fingers crossed for the first win of the season today.”

  • Profile image for queenie1923

    by queenie1923

    Saturday, September 01 2012, 8:58AM

    “why is it that argyle do it all the time , by releasing ladje soukouna from his contract , he was still under contract , a good utility player that argyle should have kept. so why couldnt we get something for him, this i beleive has always been argyles downfall over the past 30 years. weve never been a club that find some young insperational player that can keep him away from prying bigger clubs , but some clubs take advantage of clubs situations , by putting in degrading offers on the cheap and selling them later for millions , as argyle found out in the championship when ollie was manager, we had the likes of akos buzaky , peter halmosie, sylvan -ebanks -blake, and david norris another to mention , why cant argyle just keep them keep the fantastic side that they have and get some where in football, the club worked hard to get 2 promotion , on the bounce and where they were at the time , 6th in the championship of ollies demise just prooved to the fans that the ambition that the club and the manager & players had at that time we could have gone on that year and gone to newer heights if we had kept the manager and the players , so where didit all go wrong , we will never know . 3 points today over the cobblers”

        Your comments awaiting moderation

        Be the first to comment

        max 4000 characters
         
         
         
         
         
         

        Tell us about your area

        Got some interesting news? Write about it and let your whole community know.

          Write an article