Ranking Plymouth Argyle's top 7 best managers based on PPG - Paul Sturrock = 3rd | OneFootball

Since the turn of the Century, Plymouth Argyle have experienced plenty of ups and downs, with five promotions and three relegations, and a near miss with potential liquidation.

It has been anything but plain sailing at Home Park at times, but in that time some legendary figures have made Devon their home, and thrived in the dugout at the Theatre of Greens.

A number of those leaders make the list of the top seven managers based on points per game throughout the history of the club, with some rampant Argyle sides storming to league titles over the past 20 years.

But from its founding in 1886 there have been plenty of top bosses at the club, and here we take a look at those who have managed over 25 games and been the most successful in their time at Home Park.

Love him or hate him, there is no denying that Derek Adams worked wonders during his time at Home Park, as he turned around the fortunes of a club that had been on its knees for the past few years.

With League Two survival the focus for a number of seasons, Adams took over a side that had started to rediscover some hope under John Sheridan, before he turned them into match-winning machines.

Another Scot who has found great success in Devon; Adams had his side well-drilled at the back, while the flamboyance of Graham Carey made things happen going forward, as his side battled at the top of League Two.

After playoff final defeat to AFC Wimbledon in 2016, the former Ross County man was adamant he wasn’t going to let the same happen the next season, as Argyle’s steeliness saw them earn promotion to League One.

After a ropy start in their return to the third tier, Adams kicked his side into gear for the second half of the campaign, with 12 wins in 19 games steering them towards a playoff spot, before ultimately falling short in the final matches of the seasons.

Quite frankly, the less said about his final season in charge the better, with a toxic dressing room leading to a monumental collapse, with all the hard work undone by a needless relegation, and Adams’ tenure ending days before the end of the campaign.

82 wins from 186 games still speaks volumes though, and the Scot has gone on to perform miracles with Morecambe, as well as returning to Ross County.

6 Neil Dougall and George Taylor: 1.54

The phenomenon of joint-managers isn’t one you see much these days, although Argyle did dabble with the idea at the end of the last campaign, with Neil Dewsnip and Kevin Nancekivell both in charge of first-team matters as the Greens battled against the drop.

There has been a similar case to the recent events at Home Park, with Neil Dougall and George Taylor appointed as bosses on an ‘emergency basis’ in the March of 1960, before being given the job on a permanent basis in the following summer.

In total, the pair oversaw 50 matches in their time in charge, with 23 of those ending in victory, before the pair left their role in the summer of 1961.

5 Bob Jack: 1.67

Having had two spells at Home Park, the second of which lasting for 28 years, it is no surprise to see the legendary figure of Bob Jack appear on this list.

Having initially taken charge of the club between 1905 and 1906 as player-manager, Jack moved to Southend United before returning to Devon four years later.

From 1910 to 1938 the Scot was at the helm, as he led the side to the Southern League title in 1912/13, before getting the club into the Football League in 1920, initially in Division Three South.

After a series of near-misses, Argyle eventually got promoted in 1930, and made themselves regulars in the Second Division at the time, with Jack continuing to oversee matters until his retirement at the age of 62.

With over 1000 matches in charge of the club, Jack is widely considered to be the person who made Argyle what they are in the current day, with his record never likely to be matched ever again.

4 Frank Brettel: 1.68

Another name from the pre-war era for you now, and this time it is Frank Brettel, who oversaw 99 games at Home Park between 1903 and 1905, and is considered the first manager of the club.

Having spent time at Bolton Wanderers, Tottenham Hotspur and Portsmouth, Brettel moved to Plymouth in the hope of achieving success with the side in green, and help them enter the Southern League as a professional outfit.

With his experience at a number of clubs under his belt, the boss is said to have called upon a number of contacts around the country to build his squad in Devon, and with it came respectable finishes of ninth and fourth, with 48 of his 99 matches in charge ending in victory.

3 Paul Sturrock (part one): 1.78

Having enjoyed a prolific career for Dundee United as a player, Paul Sturrock will be considered an all-time great by Argyle fans as well, after overseeing some of the finest years of football at the club.

Joining the club in October 2000, ‘Luggy’ - as he is affectionately known - began the process of building a squad that would go on to rise the divisions over the next few seasons, with an all hands on deck attitude right throughout the team.

Every single player had their part to play in a rampant 2001/02 campaign that saw them amass 102 points on the way to the Third Division (now League Two) title, which saw them lose just six games all season.

We’re talking about the grace of French import David Friio, the nous of frontman Mickey Evans, and the win-at-all-costs mentality of centre backs Paul Wotton and Graham Coughlan; these were the halcyon days at Home Park.

Rock solid at the back and plundering goals left, right and centre; Sturrock had his side competing at the top end of the third tier in the next campaign, before once again taking the league by storm in the 03/04 season.

With the nucleus of the previous title-winning team kept together, and the additions of key players like David Norris, Jason Bent and Tony Capaldi, Argyle once again dominated the division, and secured a spot in the Championship for the next campaign.

Sturrock wasn’t around to see the celebrations take place though, as he left for Premier League Southampton with a handful of games remaining, with compatriot Bobby Williamson overseeing the title-clinching victory against Queens Park Rangers days after his departure.

2 Steven Schumacher: 1.82

A man that doesn’t really need introducing, Steven Schumacher’s time at Home Park was one filled with success, as he led the Greens through a barnstorming League One campaign in 22/23, as they broke the 100-point barrier on the way to securing their return to the Championship.

Sticking with the club when former boss Ryan Lowe jumped ship for Preston North End in December 2021, Schuey put his own stamp on the Pilgrims side, who narrowly missed out on the playoffs later that season.

With a pre-season with his new side under his belt, the former Bury man turned his side from nearly men into the dominant force in the league, with 31 wins over the course of the season, as they overcame all that stood before them.

Having got Argyle back to the second tier, Schumacher continued where he left off with some strong performances back in the Championship, before making the decision to join Stoke City in December 2023.

Although many Argyle fans struggled to deal with that decision, there is no denying he is one of the greatest managers the club has ever had, with that League One winning side one of the most enjoyable to watch at Home Park of all time.

1 Rollo Jack: 1.84

Rollo Jack might not be the first name that comes to mind when you think of successful Plymouth Argyle managers, but the wartime boss averaged 1.84 points per game in his 25 matches in charge of the side between 1939 and 1940.

With records altered to account for three points for a win compared to the two of his era, Jack is classed as the most successful boss in Argyle’s history, although he was never the permanent boss at Home Park.

Having come up through the ranks in Devon, Rollo was the son of former manager Bob Jack, and featured for the first team during his playing days, before embarking on a career that saw him play for Bolton Wanderers, Clapton Orient and Swindon Town.

Returning to Devon in the mid-1930s, Jack took up an administrative role at the club, before being appointed temporary secretary-manager when boss Jack Tresadern was called up for army service; not the sort of role you hear all too often.

Like father, like son, Jack took to the job with ease, as he led the Pilgrims to the South West Regional League title, with 14 wins from his 25 league games in charge.