The Return Of Mr Plymouth Argyle

Plymouth Argyle club captain Paul Wotton is close to a return to the first team after 13 months on the sidelines.

The 30-year old midfielder suffered a season-ending cruciate knee ligament injury in the Pilgrims’ 1-0 defeat of Hull City at Home Park last season and was operated on by Dr Andrew Williams, a specialist in sports-related knee injuries.

Wotton has been on the comeback trail ever since and despite some setbacks along the way he is now close to finally getting back in the first-team.

Wotton could have gone out on-loan to a lower league club but the one-club player refused and only wants to wear the green shirt of Argyle during his career, a decision that highlights his love for the Pilgrims.
Instead the Plymothian will now gain some much-needed match fitness by playing in reserve team games and will play against Elmore in Westinsure St Luke’s College Challenge Bowl second round tie on Wednesday.

The skipper admits that he misses playing football, he said: ‘I think you definitely take playing football for granted.
‘Every Saturday afternoon since I was six years old I have played football, so now it’s absolute murder.
‘It’s really tough, and being out for this long is not just a physical test, it’s a mental test as well.
‘Hopefully, when I come back I’m a more mature person, a fitter player and a better player, because I have watched a lot of football.
‘It’s something I’m looking forward to.’

There can be no prouder or more successful captain of Plymouth Argyle than Wotton; the Home Park stalwart has notched up 426 appearances for his hometown club to put him in 8th place on the Argyle all time appearance list, just 6 appearances behind Mickey Evans.
Wotton has lifted two league titles with the Third Division Championship secured in 2002, quickly followed by the Second Division Championship in 2004.
The 29-year old has gone from strength to strength, improving and adapting his game each time the club has climbed into a new division and now has a chance of leading his team into the Premiership with Argyle well placed in the Championship.

Wotton has a reputation of possessing one of the most powerful shots in football with his penalties measuring up to 83mph. Wotton is also a free-kick specialist, often blasting the ball into the net from fully 30+ yards out, indeed of his 62 goals for Plymouth only two have been headers.

The midfielder is now in his 14th season at Home Park, a rare show of loyalty in today’s modern game, he has played under 11 different managers including three who occupied the caretaker role.
‘Wottsie’ came through the youth ranks at Home Park before making his first team debut in the 1994/95 season when manager Neil Warnock gave him his first big chance. But it wasn’t until Paul Sturrock arrived as manager in 2000 that Wotton’s Argyle career really took off. He was made club captain and formed a solid central defensive partnership with Graham Coughlan, helping Argyle claim the Third Division title with a record haul of 102 points.

When Argyle reached the Championship new manager Bobby Williamson converted Wotton into a tough tackling, all action central midfield player. This proved to be a masterstroke with Wotton again raising his game to cope with the demands of a higher division. The move forward enabled Wotton to get closer to goal and his ability to strike a ball from distance brought the reward of scoring more goals from open play and the honour of being Argyle’s top scorer for that season and indeed the season after as well, not bad for a midfielder!

Wotton has won the coveted Player Of The Season twice, in 2003 and 2005 and is held in such high regard by the Argyle fans that many believe that he has only got green blood!

Can the inspirational captain lead the club from the bottom league to the top and land the ultimate prize of promotion to the Premiership?
Few would bet against it.