Argyle launch new five-year plan

Following Argyle’s Sky Bet League One title winning campaign, we achieved Chairman Simon Hallett’s five-year plan to become a Championship club, ahead of schedule.

Since that special day in May, attention has turned to how the club can evolve that strategy and look forward with further optimism for the next five years to continue to grow this great football club and not stand still.

An incredible amount of work has gone on behind the scenes in shaping what that future might look like for Plymouth Argyle. Chairman Simon Hallett, Chief Executive Andrew Parkinson, Head of Finance David Ray and Director of Football Neil Dewsnip presented the new strategy in an all-staff meeting this afternoon, and it is now ready to be shared with the Green Army.

Argyle’s previous strategy was no secret to Argyle fans or staff, alongside clear vision, and values that the club lives by, day by day.

Our vision is for Argyle to be a successful football club supported or respected by everyone in the South West and beyond.

Our values are:

• Fan Focus;
• Community Focus and Environmental Responsibility;
• Honesty, Openness and Integrity;
• Respect, Diversity and Inclusion;
• Excellence;
• Financial Prudence, and
• Efficiency and Organisational Strength.

These values describe how we run the Club and will continue to be integral to how we operate - the next five-year plan is an evolution of those principles that have served the club so well and been so successful since inception in 2020.

The Club is very optimistic about the future, with everyone hugely ambitious to keep developing.

That is why Argyle’s new mission is:

 ‘To be a sustainable top six Championship club within five years, with Premier League aspirations.’

Argyle’s new five-year plan will build on five key pillars that the Club believes are key to achieving our target mission.

1. Fan, visitor, and partner experience with an intent to create an environment where our supporters, visitors and partners feel valued, engaged, and emotionally connected to the club.
    
2. Financial Strength, with an intention to continue to operate sustainably and invest in key identified areas providing the club with long term financial strength and growth.
    
3. Brand and sense of place with Argyle keen on creating a clear, authentic, and compelling identity that is deeply connected to its geographical, cultural, and historical roots.
    
4. Our People are integral to everything we do and will be the ones who deliver this new strategy. That is why they form our fourth pillar, as Argyle looks to become recognised as the employer of choice in the region and beyond, by creating an environment that allows our people to excel both on and off the pitch.
5. Efficiency and ways of working with decision-making being process-oriented and data-led, enabling us to outperform competitors on and off the pitch.

Upon the announcement of the new five-year plan, Hallett commented: “Having achieved our previous strategy ahead of schedule, the Board and Directors felt it was time to deliver a new plan that our staff, on and off the pitch, can live by every day and the Green Army can look at with great optimism.

“After being successful, it is important not to look for drastic changes when you have found a blueprint that works. This new strategy evolves our previous plan but looks towards how we can become a top six Championship club with Premier League aspirations.”

Talking specifically on the five new pillars, Hallett added: “We believe these five pillars are vitally important to our development as a football club as we move forward over the next five years.

“Fan, visitor, and partner experience is integral as we want everyone who comes to Home Park or any club owned facilities to have a memorable experience and have a real affinity with the club and the place they are attending. This is underlined by the work currently ongoing with the Brickfields development around what it means to the city of Plymouth.

“Financial strength and the word sustainable are something Argyle fans will have heard me mention multiple times. Our beliefs will never sway from this principle as it is vitally important the club moves forward in a way that is financially viable.

“Brand and sense of place is so important as we look to grow our identity and fanbase throughout Devon and Cornwall but also nationally and beyond. Our incredible People are the ones who will live and breathe this plan every day under the leadership of Andrew Parkinson. We have an incredibly talented team of staff here and it is vital we retain them and continue to keep them energised by moving forward.

“And finally, Efficiency and ways of working will continue to form a big part of our plan over the next five years. We are a very data-driven club, with processes for everything we do, and we will not deviate from the strategies that have been so fruitful so far.”

Simon Hallett is enjoying leading the club more than ever but does not rule out future investment to help Argyle achieve the objectives set out above. He added: “I’ve always been clear that my resources can get us to the Championship but after that, if we are to have further aspirations, I will need support. 

“To achieve our mission, we need to ensure that our resources are on a level with those of the clubs with whom we are competing. That means continuing investment in infrastructure, human resources, and players.

“Although we will seek to broaden and strengthen our shareholder base, I will continue as a major shareholder and as Chairman. I’m having too good a time to stop now.”

Argyle’s position in the city and the region has never been stronger, and a strong Argyle is a strong Plymouth. We now need the Green Army to be as incredible for the next five as they have been for the last three years, as together we can achieve what we have set out to achieve.

Commenting on the role the Green Army have to play over the next five years, Chairman Hallett said: “The success we have had in the last few years has of course been delivered by the staff on and off the pitch for which I want to thank them personally.

“But, you, the fans have also played a major part as well. I hope I have always been transparent and open with you since I have been Chairman, I have always appreciated the relationship I have with the Green Army.

“As we lay out the next five-year plan, I urge you to come on the journey with us, just as you have so brilliantly in the last few years. Together, we can achieve whatever we want to achieve, and who knows? Maybe one day that might be the Premier League…”

Argyle fans will have their chance to have their say on the new five-year plan, with a Fans’ Forum taking place on Thursday, 30 November at 7pm in Club Argyle. If you have a question you wish to ask, please email media@pafc.co.uk before Friday 24 November.