Aimson determined to give Green Army some festive cheer

DEFENDER Will Aimson has declared that Plymouth Argyle want to give the Green Army something to cheer about when they play MK Dons at Home Park today.

Cheer is something that has been in short supply for the Pilgrims over the past month as they have tumbled down the League One table to 19th position.

Argyle have lost six successive league games, and conceded 17 goals during that time.

Aimson does not believe the Pilgrims are a bad team, just that they are going through a bad patch.

He and his team-mates want to start putting that right against 15thplaced MK Dons.

Aimson said: “We know where we are, it’s no secret is it? We are disappointed at the moment of the way things are going.

“We are back at home, we have got the fans there in the stadium, and we want as much as anyone to give them something to cheer about, to give them a win, so that is what we are geared up to do now.”

Aimson admitted there had been ‘honest discussions’ about recent performances and results.

“We are not a bad team,” said the 26-year-old. “We have proved we can compete in this league. It wasn’t so long ago we were sat seventh.

“I don’t think we have become a bad team, we are obviously going through a bad patch.

“We have had honest discussions, we have had to be honest with ourselves, when people aren’t playing as well as they should they have held their hands up.

“But there comes a time when you can’t keep doing that. Everyone needs to be on it and playing well.

“You will get found out in this league if not enough are playing well. That’s obviously what has happened, but we don’t blame anyone. That’s another big thing.

“We score together, we concede as a team; we win as a team, we lose as a team. We don’t single individuals out, that’s how we work here.

“But when there is stuff to be said it definitely gets said. That’s because we know how good we can be as a team and the demands are high off each other.

“Of course, it’s frustrating. We are all mates, we are all close and everyone speaks to each other.

“If I have an off day, it ruins your weekend. You ask any footballer, when you win at the weekend and you are in good form you are just high on life.

“It’s the best feeling ever, so it’s disappointing at the moment. It is gutting. We just want to give the fans what they deserve, one game at a time.

“That game is Saturday with MK so we are gearing up for that.”

It will be the second time that Aimson and his Argyle team-mates have played in front of fans at Home Park this season.

They began the campaign playing all of their games, home and away, behind closed doors due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, 1,808 fans were allowed to attend Argyle’s ‘test event’ against Ipswich Town on December 5.

That was deemed a success by the local Safety Advisory Group so the temporary capacity at Home Park has been lifted to 2,000, the current maximum under Tier 2 restrictions.

Aimson said: “It was strange at the start, playing in front of no fans. As that went on that became the norm really. Running out on the pitch when we played Ipswich, I was with Frank (Nouble) and I just looked at him and said ‘This is better isn’t it?’

“It’s massive. That’s what we want, we are footballers and we want to play in front of crowds.

“We want to give our fans something to cheer about. We know how good our fans here, they are a massive part of the club so, of course, we want to give them something to cheer about.”