Aimson will be ‘like a new signing’ for Argyle
RYAN Lowe is excited to see what impact defender Will Aimson can make for Plymouth Argyle next season. Aimson was one of five players who followed Lowe to Argyle from Bury last summer. However, while Danny Mayor, Callum McFadzean and Byron Moore were all hits at Home Park, Aimson and Dom Telford had their seasons disrupted by injuries.
Aimson only made seven appearances for his new club due to a long-term pelvic problem.
The last of those matches was at the end of October in an EFL Trophy group game against Chelsea Under-21s.
Aimson has been working throughout the summer to a fitness programme given to him by physio Dave Galley and John Lucas, the head of strength and conditioning.
Lowe has high hopes for what Aimson and Telford can achieve in the 2020/21 League One campaign.
He said: “They are like new signings for us, especially Will. We are excited to see what Will can give us.
“Obviously, he has got to have a different type of pre-season. He has been working off season right the way through. He has got a programme off Dave and John.
“He’s looking in good condition and working hard. The injury has settled down a lot and he can do a lot more stuff.”
Aimson will compete for one of the three central defensive roles in Lowe’s starting line-up with Niall Canavan, Gary Sawyer and Scott Wootton, plus any potential new signing.
Telford had hamstring trouble throughout last season which restricted him to nine starts and 14 substitute appearances, scoring three goals.
Lowe said: “Dom has been doing an offseason programme also. For me, he’s a goal machine. He’s probably one of the best finishers at the football club yet we didn’t see the best of him because of injuries again.
“Danny, Byron and Fadz, they all did what we expected them to do.
“For Dom and Will, it’s big seasons ahead, but also big pre-seasons because the players we are looking to sign are not just coming here to sit on the bench.
“They are coming here to play, so I think every member of the squad are going to have someone else breathing down their neck.
“It’s going to be competitive and that’s what we want.
“Dom and Will, they suffered last year with injuries, they are the same. They have got to have a good pre-season to get anywhere near the starting 11, and I’m sure they will.”
Plymouth Argyle’s seven new scholars have ‘a wonderful opportunity but a very difficult journey’ according to director of football Neil Dewsnip.
Five of them have been with the club’s academy for a number of years - Carlo Garside, Lewis Moyle, Oscar Massey, Brandon Pursall and Angel Wariuh.
They are joined by two new players, former Bristol City striker Jamal Salawu and midfielder Oscar Rutherford, who has spent eight years at Southampton.
Dewsnip said: “We hope that these players understand that, relish the opportunity that lies before them, and utilise every second of every day that is available to them over the next couple of years.”