History of Harper's Park/Argyle's training facilities

cheshiregreen · Jan 11, 2014

Link

The vision of Tony Waiters comes through well in this article. Hard to believe that 40 years on, the club still relies on these facilities and development of this crucial area of good standard training facilities has been so regularly overlooked.

A LANDMARK decision by city councillors in November 1974 heralded a new chapter for Plymouth Argyle.

Since his arrival as manager, Tony Waiters had quickly identified the club’s need to have its own training facilities. If they were conveniently close to Home Park, all the better.

At the time, the first team and reserve team players were training on their own ground at Ermington, but that was 15 miles from Home Park and was not regularly used.

Instead, various locations in the area were utilised.

Waiters’ dream took a step to reality when Plymouth City Council gave the go ahead for Argyle to develop seven acres of land in Central Park into a training ground.

The agreement meant that the football club would completely finance the cost of levelling the land for four full-sized football pitches. Two of those would be exclusive to Argyle, with the other two for public use.

The two-year project had an estimated cost of £30,000 – £40,000 and would, when opened, be named Harper’s Park.

Waiters openly stated that he would be neglecting his responsibility of team manager if he was to work solely for the short-term without any planning for the long-term. He believed short-term success was only sustained with long-term planning.

Greenskin · Jan 11, 2014

cheshiregreen":2piq9no2 said:
Link

The vision of Tony Waiters comes through well in this article. Hard to believe that 40 years on, the club still relies on these facilities and development of this crucial area of good standard training facilities has been so regularly overlooked.

A LANDMARK decision by city councillors in November 1974 heralded a new chapter for Plymouth Argyle.

Since his arrival as manager, Tony Waiters had quickly identified the club’s need to have its own training facilities. If they were conveniently close to Home Park, all the better.

At the time, the first team and reserve team players were training on their own ground at Ermington, but that was 15 miles from Home Park and was not regularly used.

Instead, various locations in the area were utilised.

Waiters’ dream took a step to reality when Plymouth City Council gave the go ahead for Argyle to develop seven acres of land in Central Park into a training ground.

The agreement meant that the football club would completely finance the cost of levelling the land for four full-sized football pitches. Two of those would be exclusive to Argyle, with the other two for public use.

The two-year project had an estimated cost of £30,000 – £40,000 and would, when opened, be named Harper’s Park.

Waiters openly stated that he would be neglecting his responsibility of team manager if he was to work solely for the short-term without any planning for the long-term. He believed short-term success was only sustained with long-term planning.

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What's the situation with the former cricket ground at Peverell Park these days? Seem to remember that there was a rumour at the time when Stapes and a couple of other directors bought it that they planned to use it as an addition to Argyle's training facilities.Is it just going to rack and ruin? Seems an awful waste if that is the case.

Totally agree about Waiters-a man of great vision and enterprise,but ultimately yet another manager sawn off by the inadequacies at director level when push came to shove.

Steamer · Jan 11, 2014

If my memory serves me well, When Harpers Park was being made into pitches before it was grass seeded, Tony Waiters put out the call for any Argyle fans to come along on a Saturday morning and stone pick. He wanted stones to be removed which were on the soil surface so that they wouldn't hurt the players when they trained on the pitch. He was also there picking stones along with about 30 fans. At the end of the morning we all got a pasty and I think a ticket for the match later in the afternoon. Can anyone else remember or was I dreaming.

keepthefaith70 · Jan 11, 2014

Totally right Steamer
One of my first Argyle memories is helping to collect stones from the surface of Harpers Park
Real Jumpers for Goalposts stuff!

Lundan Cabbie · Jan 11, 2014

Where exactly is the entrance to Harpers Park? In all my years driving a taxi here I have never had to go there and don't think I'd know exactly where to find it.

Ham Green · Jan 11, 2014

Opposite the Barn Park corner of the Lyndhurst, I think?

Lundan Cabbie · Jan 11, 2014

Andrew Owen":2hnhrf1a said:
Opposite the Barn Park corner of the Lyndhurst, I think?

Can you drive down there? Is there a car park?

Ham Green · Jan 11, 2014

Lundan Cabbie":vspo93n8 said:
Andrew Owen":vspo93n8 said:

Opposite the Barn Park corner of the Lyndhurst, I think?

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Can you drive down there? Is there a car park?

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?client=u ... CDAQ8gEwAA

You can't drive right past it, but the P&R car park extends close enough to make it easy walking distance.

Lundan Cabbie · Jan 12, 2014

Andrew Owen":zsrfzg19 said:
Lundan Cabbie":zsrfzg19 said:

Andrew Owen":zsrfzg19 said:

Opposite the Barn Park corner of the Lyndhurst, I think?

Click to expand...

Can you drive down there? Is there a car park?

Click to expand...

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?client=u ... CDAQ8gEwAA

You can't drive right past it, but the P&R car park extends close enough to make it easy walking distance.

I still can't work out where exactly where you mean. Even zoomed in on satelite view I can't make out where the changing rooms etc are. You say you can't drive there but the groundsman surely must have vehicular access. Maybe I should take a wander over there but I must say that Central Park has never really interested me as an open space despite it being only up the road.

Bermudian Green · Jan 12, 2014

Lundan Cabbie":18jjuzjs said:
I still can't work out where exactly where you mean. Even zoomed in on satelite view I can't make out where the changing rooms etc are. You say you can't drive there but the groundsman surely must have vehicular access. Maybe I should take a wander over there but I must say that Central Park has never really interested me as an open space despite it being only up the road.

I get the impression that you're still hanging on to your London attitude

Changing rooms? Our training ground is basically just a field. Walk down past the Lyndhurst, the entrance is a gate on the left. Don't be looking for buildings, it's not Carrington.

Lundan Cabbie · Jan 12, 2014

Bermudian Green":1nb66b5v said:
Lundan Cabbie":1nb66b5v said:

I still can't work out where exactly where you mean. Even zoomed in on satelite view I can't make out where the changing rooms etc are. You say you can't drive there but the groundsman surely must have vehicular access. Maybe I should take a wander over there but I must say that Central Park has never really interested me as an open space despite it being only up the road.

Click to expand...

I get the impression that you're still hanging on to your London attitude Changing rooms? Our training ground is basically just a field. Walk down past the Lyndhurst, the entrance is a gate on the left. Don't be looking for buildings, it's not Carrington.

Well I wasn't expecting a medical centre or even a gym but surely there is somewhere for the staff to change and clean up.

pilgrimmike1 · Jan 12, 2014

Nope,just a field with a gate :scarf:

Ham Green · Jan 12, 2014

The players use the Home Park dressing rooms and waddle on down to Harper's. I saw them many a time on my little afternoon walks.

Lundan Cabbie · Jan 12, 2014

pilgrimmike1":2vningv5 said:
Nope,just a field with a gate :scarf:

Geez.... I had no idea.

On a serious note though, if this represents the day to day life of an Argyle player, why does it not get mentioned when questioning why it is hard to attract players down here? Working conditions must be as important to footballers as they are to other workers.

Ham Green · Jan 12, 2014

Lundan Cabbie":1mk6rjml said:
pilgrimmike1":1mk6rjml said:

Nope,just a field with a gate :scarf:

Click to expand...

Geez.... I had no idea.

On a serious note though, if this represents the day to day life of an Argyle player, why does it not get mentioned when questioning why it is hard to attract players down here? Working conditions must be as important to footballers as they are to other workers.

Yeah, those poor little lambs having to walk all that way to the Grandstand.

It's a disgrace.

History of Harper's Park/Argyle's training facilities

Greenskin

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