The Crystal Palace deal that saved Plymouth Argyle’s skin
‘Keep calm and pass to Banton’
That was very much the mantra taken up by Plymouth Argyle in their fight to remain in the Football League a little over a decade ago, so much so that Jason Banton even knew it himself.
That slogan was emblazoned on his undershirt as he tucked in the winner against Exeter City in one of the most crucial Devon Derbies of all time back in 2013, as he continued to be the protagonist in the Pilgrims’ great escape.
He may have only played 14 games for the club that season, but Jason Banton must be up there with one of the most influential players to put on the green shirt, with his input changing the course of Argyle’s history forever.
Jason Banton turns around Plymouth Argyle’s fortunes
Things were still looking bleak at Home Park back in the 2012/13 season, as the Devon outfit continued to fight not only for their Football League status but also their existence as a football club as the very real threat of administration continued to linger at the doorstep.
Four straight seasons finishing within the bottom four of any division they played in had seen the Pilgrims plummet from the Championship to the depths of the fourth tier, with another fight on their hands to avoid dropping into non-league as January 2013 came into view.
With just five wins to their name by the turn of the year, nobody was under any illusions that the clouds were lifting from over the Theatre of Greens anytime soon, and with Carl Fletcher being relieved of his duties on New Year’s Day, you could even sense a feeling of foreboding around Central Park.
But John Sheridan’s arrival days later gave new life to a club who were on their knees at the bottom of the fourth tier, and before the end of the month, a history-defining move for Crystal Palace star Banton was completed.
The forward was thrown into the mix right from the off, as he featured in a dogged 0-0 affair with Dagenham and Redbridge, who themselves were clawing onto every point they could as they hovered above the drop zone.
He may not have scored on his debut, but the young loanee was already proving he was a box of tricks, with his fleet-footedness giving defenders a fright, and just a week later, Argyle would feel the real benefit of his attributes.
It took Banton just five minutes to break the deadlock in the relegation dogfight against Aldershot, with his deflected effort from range finding the back of the net, which sent the travelling Green Army into ecstasy.
There had been little to shout about in the preceding four years at Home Park, with avoiding relegation as good as it had got for some time, while every victory was hard-fought, with points becoming more precious as time went on.
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