Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English association football club based in Plymouth, Devon. They compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system, as of the 2025–26 season. The club was founded in 1886 as Argyle Football Club. At this time, there was no League football,"History of the Football League" . The Football League. Retrieved 28 April 2010. so matches were arranged on an ad hoc basis, supplemented by cup competitions. In January 1903, the club became a limited company and changed their name to Plymouth Argyle F.C.Danes, Complete Record, pp. 14–15. Election to the Southern League followed in March, as the club gained direct entry to the First Division for the 1903–04 season. The club were also invited to compete in the Western League, a competition which was considered secondary to the Southern League.Danes, Complete Record, p. 14.

Argyle finished as runners-up in 1908 and 1912,"Southern League final tables" . RSSSF. 25 May 2010. before winning the League championship for the first time in 1913."Plymouth Argyle" . FCHD. Richard Rundle. Archived from the original on 14 June 2008. Covers seasons up to and including 2007–08. Retrieved 28 April 2010. The club harboured ambitions on entering the Second Division of the Football League before competitive football was put on-hold in May 1915 due to the First World War.Danes, Complete Record, p. 19. The Southern League resumed in August 1919, but it was to be Argyle's last season as a member before the League's top division was absorbed by the Football League to create the Third Division ahead of the 1920–21 season."1920–21 Third Division" . Statto. Retrieved 25 May 2010. A year later, more clubs were added to the division and it was split in two, Third Division North and Third Division South. Argyle were placed in the latter."1921–22 Third Division South" . Statto. Retrieved 25 May 2010.

The club finished as runners-up for six consecutive seasons between 1922 and 1927,Cowdery & Curno, Miscellany, p. 57. before finally winning the League championship in the 1929–30 season, and promotion to the Second Division for the first time.Danes, Complete Record, pp. 20–24. Argyle remained there for almost twenty years before returning to the Third Division South in 1950. The club won the League championship again in the 1951–52 season, and Argyle's best season to date followed a year later. They finished fourth in the Second Division and reached the fifth round of the FA Cup. The club were relegated again in 1956 before winning another League title in the 1958–59 season, in the re-unified Third Division. Argyle's stay in the second tier of English football this time lasted almost a decade until they were relegated again in 1968. The club were promoted from the Third Division once more in 1975 as runners-up, the first time they had done so without ending the season as champions."1974–75 Football League" . RSSSF. Retrieved 23 May 2010. Argyle reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the first time in April 1984,"The FA Cup Archive" . The Football Association. Retrieved 23 May 2010. and were promoted from the Third Division as runners-up again in the 1985–86 season."1985–86 Football League" . RSSSF. Retrieved 23 May 2010.

Argyle were relegated to the fourth tier of English football for the first time in their history at the end of the 1994–95 season, but earned promotion again the following year, this time at Wembley Stadium in the 1996 Third Division play-off final.Danes, Complete Record, pp. 48–49. The club won their first League championship in forty-three years at the end of the 2001–02 season,"2001–02 Football League" . RSSSF. Retrieved 23 May 2010. breaking numerous records in the process, including a Third Division record points tally of 102."Football League Points Records" . The Football League. Retrieved 29 April 2010. Argyle conceded just 28 League goals that season and kept 27 clean sheets in 46 matches.Danes, Complete Record, p. 50. Two years later, the club won the Second Division of the Football League and promotion back to the second tier,"2003–04" . Statto. Retrieved 25 May 2010. which was renamed the Championship by the League's board in the summer of 2004."League gets revamp" . BBC Sport. 10 June 2004. Retrieved 29 April 2010. Argyle's success in the 2003–04 season took their tally of titles in the third tier of English football to four, which is a divisional record."Past Winners" . The Football League. Retrieved 30 April 2010. Up to the end of the 2025–26 season, Plymouth Argyle Football Club has played 42 seasons in the second tier of English football, 45 seasons in the third, and 12 seasons in the fourth. The table details their achievements in all senior first team competitions, their top goalscorer(s), and average home league attendance for each completed season since their professional debut on 1 September 1903.Danes, Complete Record, p. 15.

Table key

Key to divisions: SL Div 1 = Southern League First Division WL Div 1 = Western League First Division Div 3 = Football League Third Division Div 3S = Football League Third Division South Div 2 = Football League Second Division FLS = Football League South Champ = EFL Championship Lge 1 = EFL League One Lge 2 = EFL League Two

Key to league record: Pld = Matches played W = Matches won D = Matches drawn L = Matches lost GF = Goals for GA = Goals against Pts = Points gained Pos = Final position

Key to rounds: R1 = First round R2 = Second round R3 = Third round R4 = Fourth round, etc. QF = Quarter-finals SF = Semi-finals RU = Runners-up GR = Group stage NA = Not applicable

Winners*Runners-up¤Play-offs†Promoted ↑Relegated ↓Top scorer in Argyle's division‡

Seasons SeasonDivisionPldWDLGFGAPtsPosFA CupEFL CupCompetitionResultPlayer(s)GoalsAverage attendanceNotesLeagueOtherTop scorer(s)1903–04SL Div 1WL Div 134161381041144422341836203rdR1———217,5171904–05SL Div 1WL Div 13420181341135752391841301st*R1———297,964—1905–06SL Div 1WL Div 1342016881145234332339243rdR2———256,147—1906–07SL Div 1WL Div 1381010513315243165010331315th2nd¤R1———155,5781907–08SL Div 1WL Div 1381219511255014311449124thR2———148,537—1908–09SL Div 1WL Div 1401215610115546124713401310th3rdR3———175,900—1909–10SL Div 14216111561544311thR1———154,778—1910–11SL Div 1381514545539R1———126,140—1911–12SL Div 13823633152R1———207,441—1912–13SL Div 1382210773650*R2———288,173—1913–14SL Div 138151310464243R2———149,253—1914–15SL Div 138141651613017thR1———154,250—1915–19The Southern League and FA Cup were suspended until after the First World War.1919–20SL Div 142201012562950R3———Billy Kellock1211,1951920–21Div 34211211035344311thR3———13,7141921–22Div 3S422511632461R1———31‡14,8091922–23Div 3S422312612953R3———1711,024—1923–24Div 3S422310703455R1———2711,200—1924–25Div 3S422310773856R1———1412,610—1925–26Div 3S4224106756R3———32‡13,8151926–27Div 3S422510956160R3———3311,2631927–28Div 3S422312855453R1———1610,223—1928–29Div 3S42201210835152R4———Jack Leslie2210,808—1929–30Div 3S ↑4230983868R3———2415,2321930–31Div 242142076843618thR3———2019,261—1931–32Div 24220136649R4———2119,520—1932–33Div 242161763674114thR3———1317,465—1933–34Div 24215131469704310thR3———2815,454—1934–35Div 2421915756446R4———2113,787—1935–36Div 2422014715748R4———1616,107—1936–37Div 242181311715349R4———1721,476—1937–38Div 24214121657654013thR3———1018,5501938–39Div 242151949553815thR3———1016,847—1939–40Div 20NA——————1940–45The Football League and FA Cup were suspended until after the Second World War.1945–46FLS4231391422ndR3——————1946–47Div 242142379963319thR3———1923,2901947–48Div 242201340583817thR3———1423,239—1948–49Div 24212121849643620thR3———1522,648—1949–50Div 2 ↓42161844653221stR3———1022,054—1950–51Div 3S462413855557R3———2616,347—1951–52Div 3S ↑46295366R1———2719,126—1952–53Div 2422013656049R5———1522,813—1953–54Div 242161765823419thR4———1219,501—1954–55Div 242122357823120thR3———Eric DavisJohnny Porteous19,259—1955–56Div 2 ↓42102454872821stR3———17,122—1956–57Div 3S4616111968734318thR2———1812,127—1957–58Div 3S462513674858R3———3219,506—1958–59Div 3 ↑462316895962R3———2522,8811959–60Div 242132061893519thR3———2220,354—1960–61Div 242171781824211thR3R4——2817,6461961–62Div 2421915757546R4R1——2014,008—1962–63Div 24215121576734212thR3R2——1415,727—1963–64Div 242161845673220thR3R2——12,9021964–65Div 242161863794015thR4SF——Mike Trebilcock1714,6521965–66Div 24212131754633718thR4R2——1213,076—1966–67Div 242141959583716thR3R2——1314,235—1967–68Div 2 ↓422438722722ndR3R2——1010,667—1968–69Div 346171514534949R1R1——1210,590—1969–70Div 34616111956644317thR2R1——189,113—1970–71Div 34612191563634315thR1R1——118,704—1971–72Div 346201016746450R1R2——1410,828—1972–73Div 346201016746650R4R1——139,048—1973–74Div 34617101959544417thR3SF——197,769—1974–75Div 3 ↑46241111795859R4R1——2614,0561975–76Div 24213121748543816thR3R2——1614,800—1976–77Div 2 ↓42161846653221stR3R1——1013,3281977–78Div 34611171861683919thR3R1Anglo-Scottish CupGR136,752—1978–79Div 34615141767684415thR1R2——287,524—1979–80Div 34616121859554415thR1R3Anglo-Scottish CupGR155,775—1980–81Div 346191413564452R3R1——286,761—1981–82Div 34618111764566510thR1R2Football League Group CupGR194,7921982–83Div 3461919616665R3R1——144,537—1983–84Div 34613122156625119thSFR2Associate Members' CupSF205,3351984–85Div 34615141762655915thR2R2Associate Members' CupR132‡5,1311985–86Div 3 ↑462611885387R3R1Associate Members' CupGR168,085—1986–87Div 242161313625761R4R1Full Members' CupR12012,391—1987–88Div 244162065675616thR5R2Full Members' CupR11910,266—1988–89Div 24614122055665418thR4R2Full Members' CupR1268,627—1989–90Div 24614131958635516thR3R2Full Members' CupR2188,722—1990–91Div 24612171754685318thR3R3Full Members' CupR1146,850—1991–92Div 2 ↓46132442644822ndR3R1Full Members' CupQF156,738—1992–93Div 24616121859646014thR3R3Football League TrophyGRPaul DaltonKevin Nugent136,3771993–94Div 246251011885685R4R1Football League TrophyGR229,3571994–95Div 2 ↓4612102445834621stR3R1Football League TrophyGRKevin Nugent5,8321995–96Div 3 ↑46221212684978R3R1Football League TrophyGR187,4401996–97Div 24612181647585419thR3R1Football League TrophyQF156,494—1997–98Div 2 ↓4612132155704922ndR1R1Football League TrophyR1175,322—1998–99Div 34617101958546113thR3R1Football League TrophyR1125,322—1999–2000Div 34616181255516612thR4R1Football League TrophyR2165,371—2000–01Div 34615131854615812thR1R1Football League TrophyR2124,944—2001–02Div 3 ↑46317128R2R1Football League TrophyR1David Friio118,7882002–03Div 246171415635265R3R1Football League TrophyR2128,980—2003–04Div 2 ↑462612854190R1R1Football League TrophyR21512,654—2004–05Champ4614112152645317thR3R1——1316,4192005–06Champ4613171639465614thR3R2——13,776—2006–07Champ4617161363626711thQFR1——1413,011—2007–08Champ4617131660506410thR4R3——13‡13,0002008–09Champ4613122144575121stR3R1——1311,533—2009–10Champ ↓46112743684123rdR3R1——10,316—2010–11Lge 1 ↓46152451744223rdR1R1Football League TrophyQF138,6132011–12Lge 24610162047644621stR1R1Football League TrophyR16,915—2012–13Lge 24613132046555221stR1R2Football League TrophyQF7,095—2013–14Lge 24616121851586010thR3R1Football League TrophyR27,304—2014–15Lge 246201115553771R2R1Football League TrophyS/F7,693—2015–16Lge 24624913724681R1R1Football League TrophyQ/F148,841—2016–17Lge 2 ↑4626911714687R3R1EFL TrophyGR1510,649—2017–18Lge 1461911165859687thR2R1EFL TrophyGR1610,413—2018–19Lge 1 ↓4613112256805021stR2R2EFL TrophyGR189,847—2019–20Lge 2 ↑37 20 8 9 61 39 68 3rdR2R2EFL TrophyGR1010,0862020–21Lge 146 14 11 21 53 80 53 18thR4R2EFL TrophyGR181,8082021–22Lge 146 23 11 12 68 48 80 7thR4R2EFL TrophyGR1913,130—2022–23Lge 1 ↑46 31 8 7 82 47 101 R1R1EFL TrophyRU1715,492—2023–24Champ46 13 12 21 59 70 51 21stR4R2 — —1716,507 —2024–25Champ ↓4611132251884623rdR5R2 — —Ryan Hardie1216,537 —

Footnotes

References General

Specific

External links Plymouth Argyle F.C. official website Plymouth Argyle F.C. archive