This isn't a Japanese takeover, it is a partnership, says lifelong fan Todd

LIFELONG supporter Keith Todd proudly stated: 'I'm Green through and through', as he talked for the first time about his appointment as an Argyle director.

Todd and the Pilgrims' new chairman Sir Roy Gardner are long-time business associates.

The pair held senior financial positions for GEC subsidiary, Marconi Space and Defence in the 1980s.

Todd was born in Glasgow but spent much of his childhood in Plymouth and became an Argyle supporter in the 1960s.

He was educated at Hyde Park Junior School and, later, Plymstock Comprehensive.

Todd's parents both worked in the city – his father at the Royal William Yard and at the Devonport Dockyard and his late mother as a lecturer at Plymouth College of Technology.

He said: "I spent the best part of my growing up life here in Plymouth.

"I first walked into Home Park when I lived in Berrow Park Road, but I actually didn't pay to get in.

"If you remember the 1960s, the gates used to be opened at 4.30pm to let the big crowds out.

"My mates and I saw the last 10 minutes of a lot of games, and that introduced me to football."

Todd was awarded the CBE in June 2006 for his service to the telecommunications industry.

He is currently the executive chairman of FFastFill plc, a software and services company focused on the capital markets.

Todd's favourite Argyle memory was the Division Two title-clinching win against Queens Park Rangers at Home Park in April 2004.

The Pilgrims triumphed 2-0 in front of a 20,000 capacity crowd with late goals from striker Mickey Evans and French midfielder David Friio.

Todd said: "What a day that was. It was stunning stuff. And we are looking forward to having many more of those days in the future."

The new Pilgrims' director has known outgoing Argyle chairman Paul Stapleton for a long time.

And the best man at his wedding was Douglas Fletcher, former chief executive of the Plymouth and South West Co-operative Society.

Todd and Gardner have teamed up with Japanese businessman Yasuaki Kagami in the transfer of power at Home Park.

Tokyo-based Kagami has been a director of the Championship club since April 2008.

The Kagami Group, which trades by the name KK Shonan, has expertise in the consumer, property and leisure sectors.

They recently increased their stake in Argyle's parent company from 20 per cent to 38 per cent.

The Kagami Group did so by buying all the shares of former director Phill Gill.

Now Todd and Gardner are buying 13 per cent of the shares in Plymouth Argyle (Holdings) Ltd through their joint venture company KKC.

That takes the consortium up to the 51 per cent they need to assume a controlling interest in Argyle.

Their shares are being bought from Stapleton, Robert Dennerly and Tony Wrathall, who all remain on the Pilgrims' board of directors.

The Kagami Group and KKC have options to further increase their 51 per cent stake over the next 12 months.

Todd said: "This isn't a KK Shonan takeover. It's a partnership between a UK and Japanese consortium.

"Obviously, I have been on the inside and seen it, and you will experience it later, but this has been a great tie-up.

"The harmony behind the scenes here is extremely strong, and the exchange of ideas is phenomenally strong. There is a great deal of potential coming from it."

Todd had a series of discussions in Japan with Kagami and George Synan, the director of KK Shonan, earlier this year about forming a consortium to take control of Argyle.

But his close links with Stapleton were also a factor behind his interest and eventual involvement.

Todd said: "Paul, Doug (Fletcher) and I have been good friends and one thing led to another.

"Then I met George and, getting to know him, I spent a lot of days in Tokyo. We got on very, very well."

Gardner is a former Manchester United plc chairman and Todd suggested to Kagami and Synan that he should be asked to become Argyle's new chairman as part of the new set-up.

He said: "I told them, 'I have got just the man for you', and it wasn't too difficult from there. It was done over a good bottle of wine."

Kagami has only visited Plymouth twice since becoming an Argyle director 15 months ago and has yet to see the Pilgrims live in action.

But he has no doubts about the commitment of Kagami to make the new venture at Home Park work.

Todd said: "I spent a lot of time in Tokyo with Kagami-san because I wanted to find out how committed he was. I'm totally convinced.

"It's a great partnership with some great relationships – which we will talk about in the months ahead – which can be leveraged to the benefit of Plymouth Argyle Football Club.

"Don't underestimate the commitment of Kagami-san and his family to this club. It's very strong."

Despite his support for Argyle, Todd will be taking a strictly professional approach to his involvement with the Pilgrims.

Todd said: "This is a business venture, and the reason it needs to be a business venture is because that's the only way clubs can be there in the long-term, sustainably, for their fans.

"This club's strength is that it's a family club, built progressively year-in year-out.

"We lose games and we win games, but incrementally this club has continued to make progress, and that's what we are going to build on.

"With some of the ideas we have got, we think we can accelerate the pace of which the club is now growing.

"Having got onto the Championship stage, our aspiration within five years is to have Premier League football here."