Western Morning News (Saturday)
Chief scout leaves as Adams talks budget
Argyle manager expects to wheel and deal in transfer window – but without any new funds
Plymouth Argyle’s chief scout has quit, just over a month before the opening of the January transfer window.
Greg Strong was appointed by Derek Adams in 2015, shortly after the Scot took over as manager. Rather than move his family to Plymouth, Strong was based at his home in the North West of England. He acted as Adams’ eyes and ears in the transfer market, and played a big part in a number of signings that the club have made over the last few seasons.
A brief statement on the club’s website read: “Argyle chief scout Greg Strong is to leave the Pilgrims.
“The 43-year-old is quitting Home Park to pursue other career opportunities. Everyone at Argyle thanks Greg for his input to the Pilgrims over the past three and half years, and wishes him every success in the future.”
Speaking about Strong back in April, Adams said: “Greg watches all the opposition games.
“He comes with us on our trips abroad as well, to get an affinity with the players.
“Sometimes he doesn’t appreciate the budget we are working with and I have to knock him back a good number of times. I have to tell him that he has to start being a wee bit realistic.”
Whether or not Argyle replace Strong, Adams does not expect a change to Argyle’s transfer policy for the foreseeable future.
Simon Hallett became the club chairman at the start of November when he took over from James Brent, who had rescued the club out of administration in 2011.
Hallett, who is also the Pilgrims’ majority owner, has provided the funds for the £6.25million redevelopment of Home Park, which includes an expanded grandstand. Adams has largely relied on free agents and loan recruits when it has come to his signings for Argyle since he was appointed as manager in 2015.
Despite the change of power from Brent to Hallett, Adams – who signed a new five-year contract in the summer – be- lieves the club will continue to operate within financial constraints.
Adams said: “We are not going to be a club that is going to be able to spend money on large transfer fees, that’s for sure. We have got a stadium to build and that has cost more money than everybody envis- aged, so the money has got to come from somewhere.
“We have got to work within the constraints that we do.
“I think that for the foreseeable future we will probably work on how we have been working for the last seven years out of administration.”
Hallett is due to visit Plymouth for the first time since becoming chairman next week, and will attend three games, starting with the FA Cup second round tie against Oxford United at Home Park.
This afternoon, Argyle are at home against Fleetwood Town.