Greatest Strikers: 15-11
THE Greatest Pilgrims, voted for by the Green Army, lists the top 25 Argyle legends in all positions and we move on to the goalscoring heroes.
Greatest Pilgrim Strikers
Ranked No.15
Marino Keith
A massive fans favourite, Marino Keith was the type of wholehearted footballer supporters love to watch.
The Scottish forward made his breakthrough at Dundee United and then played for Falkirk and Livingston before moving down to Home Park in 2001.
Although Marino was often used as an impact substitute, he filled that role with tremendous vigour and gave Paul Sturrock’s Pilgrims great energy and commitment in the forward department, as well as a decent eye for goal.
Marino more than played his part in the two promotion-winning campaigns of the early 2000s, eventually leaving Argyle in 2005 after 32 goals in 131 appearances. Injury sadly prevented him from playing much more football and his career ended with Peterhead in Scotland.
Greatest Pilgrim Strikers
Ranked No.14
Maurice Tadman
The great Maurice Tadman was Argyle’s goalscoring hero of the post-War era, finishing as the leading marksman in five of his seven seasons as a Pilgrim.
He was a junior at Charlton when World War Two broke out, briefly returning to the Addicks after the hostilities before moving to Home Park in 1947.
It was an Argyle team packed with legends, including the likes of Jumbo Chisholm, Bill Shortt and Alex Govan, but Tadman was the attacking fulcrum who led the forward line with a combination of physical power and surprising technical ability for such a big man.
Maurice was a class act on the ball and scored a total of 112 goals in his 253 appearances for Argyle. He finished his career as a player and manager in Northern Ireland football, and this great Pilgrim passed away in 1994 at the age of 73.
Greatest Pilgrim Strikers
Ranked No.13
Barry Hayles
Over the course of 18 months at Home Park, Barry Hayles formed one of the great strike-partnerships in Argyle history with his lethal combination alongside Sylvan Ebanks-Blake.
Hayles was 34 when signed by Argyle manager Ian Holloway and it was move that rejuvenated his fine career, as the powerful centre-forward brought experience, strength and quality to the Pilgrim attack.
Barry had earned his corn as a footballer, spending his early years in the non-league game before a move to Bristol Rovers, where he impressed enough to pick up a £2m move to Fulham, helping the Cottagers win promotion to the Premier League.
He joined Argyle from Millwall and was a key figure in a superb team built by Holloway. He followed the boss to Leicester at the end of 2007 and, incredibly, the Jamaica international continues to play non-league football well into his 40s.
Greatest Pilgrim Strikers
Ranked No.12
Ian Stonebridge
A fantastic young talent at Home Park, Ian Stonebridge moved to Argyle as a teenager in 1999 after being released from Tottenham Hotspur.
He was a forward who brought excitement and determination to the Pilgrim attack, as Stoney quickly established his position as a first-choice striker. He was our leading scorer in 2000-01 and then played a major role in Argyle winning promotion the following season.
The good form continued over the next two campaigns and Stoney remained an integral part of the subsequent promotion to the Championship. He left Argyle in 2004 for Wycombe after scoring 45 goals in 201 appearances.
Injury sadly ruined a blossoming career and Stoney was forced to retire at the age of just 25, but had done enough to always be remembered as a great Pilgrim.
Greatest Pilgrim Strikers
Ranked No.11
Wilf Carter
The prolific Wilf Carter was all about scoring goals and he filled his role with great style, banging in a hugely impressive 148 goals in 275 appearances over nine years as a Pilgrim.
Carter spent the early years of his career at West Bromwich Albion and it was a major coup for Argyle when he was signed in 1957. Wilf fell in love with the city of Plymouth and his contentment off the pitch was reflected on the field of play.
After settling into the side, Carter established his reputation as one of the most lethal finishers in the game and he enjoyed a happy knack for scoring hat-tricks, as defenders across the country struggled to deal with this elusive striker.
It was not the best era on the pitch for Argyle as a team but the goals of Carter rescued so many matches and he left an unforgettable stamp on the club before leaving to finish his professional career at Exeter City. This great Pilgrim sadly left us in 2013 at the age of 79.
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Greatest Striker Results So Far
11. Wilf Carter
12. Ian Stonebridge
13. Barry Hayles
14. Maurice Tadman
15. Marino Keith
16. Jack Cock
17. Jamie Mackie
18. Gordon Staniforth
19. Carlo Corazzin
20. Fred Binney
21. Adrian Littlejohn
22. Steve Cooper
23. Paul Gallagher
24. Paul McGregor
25. Derek Rickard