Plymouth Argyle eventually brought Chelsea cast off back to Home Park to great success: View | OneFootball

Securing the services of a loanee from a club like Chelsea is always promising for a side further down the English pyramid.

This was no different for Plymouth Argyle when a young Jordan Houghton arrived in March 2016.

Despite only spending a brief spell in Devon, Houghton made a memorable impact, so much so that he returned to Argyle further down the line, and remains there now.

Unsung hero Jordan Houghton

Houghton graduated from the infamous Cobham academy but never made a professional appearance in the blue of Chelsea.

Instead, loan moves to Gillingham, Argyle, and Doncaster Rovers occurred between 2015 and 2018.

Doncaster was the final of the three clubs that he joined but he spent two seasons at the Keepmoat, totalling 76 appearances and even helping them gain promotion out of League Two.

Argyle, too, were playing in the fourth tier when Houghton first arrived at Home Park. Despite being described as a defensive midfielder, the Green Army quickly saw him as much more than that. Instead, he proved to be highly technical and someone who could progress the ball as well as break up play.

He played 10 times in that campaign and many supporters were disappointed he didn't return for the following summer, which made his eventual return to the South Coast all the more satisfying.

Plymouth’s so nice, that he moved there twice

At the end of the 2020/21 campaign, Houghton was released by MK Dons, with the Pilgrims being the club to sweep in and sign him on a free transfer.

This second stint in green and white has proven much more fruitful, both from an individual perspective and that of the team, too.

For starters, it began in League One and he is now, of course, playing Championship football as an Argyle man.

Composure, experience, and footballing IQ are just some of the key qualities that he has showcased in the past few years, which is why he has been so integral in the middle of the park, making 40 or more league appearances in three consecutive seasons.

Free transfers can often be very hit or miss in the EFL and so for Houghton to now be such an influential figure for the Green Army makes this a success story.

The best form of ability is availability is quite the footballing cliché but it rings true here while placing Houghton alongside academy graduate Adam Randell would prove to be masterstroke, as the pair illustrated on the way to League One title success last year.

They have both continued to make an impact, even with the likes of former Leeds United man Adam Forshaw and Alfie Devine being added into the mix in the winter transfer window.

Joe Edwards is the club captain but Houghton certainly acts as a leader both on and off of the pitch, even donning the armband himself, showing another immeasurable quality of his.

He has been a great servant for Argyle and to see him reach new heights in the second division as the club will have been hugely satisfying for the Green Army.

Plymouth eventually brought the Chelsea cast off back to Home Park and it has been a great success.

With a contract that runs until next summer, there is still time for Houghton to grow his Argyle legacy.