Paul Wotton says Plymouth Argyle's will to fight relegation is strong as ever
PAUL WOTTON insisted the will to pull Plymouth Argyle away from the drop zone remains as strong as ever ahead of the club's busy three-match search for League Two survival points.
Argyle travel to Macclesfield Town on Saturday followed by a home clash with Barnet on Tuesday and then conclude the seven-day programme with a trip to Accrington Stanley next weekend.
-
Paul Wotton
Wotton said the Pilgrims squad 'to a man' view every game as 'winnable' and claimed 'this team are capable of beating any side in the league'.
Although Argyle have secured just one victory since the turn of the year, Wotton felt there was no 'fear factor' in the Pilgrims' dressing room.
The Plymothian proudly pointed to the never-say-die attitude exemplified in the draws with high-flyers Crawley and Southend, when home defeats had seemed the likely outcomes.
Wotton said having suffered relegation with Southampton in 2008/09, he had fresh experience of a dispirited dressing room.
But since returning to his boyhood club after being released from Yeovil Town last month, Wotton claimed there was none of that gloom and despondency at Home Park – was far from it.
Wotton told Herald Sport: "The spirit in the dressing room is top quality and not like a team fearing relegation.
"I've been there with Southampton when you could sense the lack of confidence and smell the defeatism as soon as you entered the dressing room.
"Sure, we've still got a long way to go to make sure we're safe, but I can honestly say these players are united in one common aim – and that's to win football matches.
"The fact we were all disappointed at not winning against Crawley and last Saturday to Southend just shows the sense of self-belief that's there.
"In no way do the players resemble a team still in the relegation zone.
"There are still a lot of league points to play for and matches to win, and that's what we're focused on.
"I know it's a cliche, but it's definitely one match at a time and we're not looking past Macclesfield on Saturday."
Wotton, a former double title-winning captain in the early to mid-noughties under Paul Sturrock, rejoined Argyle in time for the 2-1 home win over Burton Albion on January 14.
The Pilgrims have also drawn 2-2 with Sturrock's promotion-hunting Southend, courtesy of two late goals from strikers Nick Chadwick and Alex MacDonald, while defender Maxime Blanchard's last-gasp leveller earned Carl Fletcher's Argyle a 1-1 draw with Crawley.
Macclesfield have not won at all this year and are presently on a five-match losing run, but Wotton draws no inspiration from those statistics.
"It means nothing to me or the lads what another team has or hasn't done, it's all about us on the day," said Wotton.
"If we play like we did in the second half against Southend, I'm confident we'll do all right, but it's up to us.
"Like I said, these lads believe they can win every match they play in."
18 Comments
View all
by griffintag01
Sunday, February 12 2012, 9:37AM
“It's not 'cut and paste' at the Herald...they are so far behind the times it will probably be 'Gluepot and scissors'...:-)TAG”
by plymgeorge
Friday, February 10 2012, 3:13PM
“Good to have a local lad with a real passion for the football club in the dressing room, Sturrock did the playing side at Argyle a lot of damage when he released Paul and his midfield partner Lillian Nallis,that is when the decline started,now beginning to look a more balanced unit with a good mix of youth and experience.
Pity about the game being off tomorrow,Barnett on Tuesday hopefully will bring in those much needed three points that could well start a run of victories,lets hope so.”
by mackad
Friday, February 10 2012, 1:29PM
“Do the wasters who keep knocking PAFC, even know where Home Park is? by the way that is Plymouth's ground at Central Park, if you find it pop in on a saturday afternoon when the team is playing, then feel free to make comments on this site!!”
by alanajwood
Friday, February 10 2012, 12:45PM
“The difference this year is that Wotts is in the dressing room and in the media saying we can, and should, stay up. When Wottsy speaks most fans believe him and, more importantly, the other players do. It also has an effect on opposing teams who now know that the Greens are not the pushovers of early season. Those who have played team games will understand how team spirit and leadership often makes the collective whole better than the sum of its parts. Whatever our guess at the outcome of this season I think we can all look forward to an entertaining/nailbiting/interesting/heartbreaking/joyous last few weeks. (Delete as appropriate). I wouldn't swap being a Green in our position for a Man Utd supporter in their's. They never have times like this.”
by PaigntonGreen
Friday, February 10 2012, 11:52AM
“Tomorrows game is off, Expect the Herald will update their site sometime with a cut and paste from the Argyle site”
by sensiblegreen
Friday, February 10 2012, 10:13AM
“3 points tomorrow Albert would but be nothing short of a miracle.
You came out with the exactly the same bo**ocks last season and the one before that!!”
by PlimuffLad
Friday, February 10 2012, 10:12AM
“It's only fair to judge Fletch's point scoring record since Argyle came out of administration, and that is 14 points in 11 games. Not fantastic, but if we'd scored like that from the start of the season, we would be sat somewhere just below halfway in the division. Carry on in the same vein to the end of the season, and the chances are Argyle will finish a couple places above the drop-zone. Not where I would like us to be in the league structure, but a damn sight better than the prospects we had a few short weeks ago. Let's get behind Fletch, he's doing a decent job.”
by alabar1
Friday, February 10 2012, 9:00AM
“@Stalagluft66.
No one questions the right of other supporters to express thier views,but equally I am entitled to mine,and at this time a positive attitude and genuine support for the team is in my mind required.
As we all know at the end of the season should we keep our league status (and i am sure we will) the posters on here who can only offer criticism at the moment, will claim that they knew all along that we would survive and and that Fletch was the right choice.
anyway good luck tomorrow FLETCH 3points would be great.”
by helterfc
Friday, February 10 2012, 7:49AM
“Yes, Wilf, to be realistic, we are struggling big-time. However, it doesn't stop me being more upbeat than several of the posters on here as I have to hope we'll be good (?) enough to avoid another relegation. I am an optimist. COYG.”
by WILFWASTHEMAN
Thursday, February 09 2012, 9:49PM
“It would appear that to some a snide comment is one they disagree with. Would it really help matters if we were all amazingly upbeat instead of giving an honest opinion? I repeat again its not a never say die spirit that will keep us up - its if our skill levels and ability to score goals is better than at least 2 other teams at the bottom.And I certainly get no sense of satisfaction from seeing the team I have supported passionately for 40 years in the league 2 relegation zone.”