Plymouth Argyle's deal with Wolves was a true masterstroke in the short-term | OneFootball

Plymouth Argyle reaped the short-term rewards of signing Niall Ennis from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2021.

Plymouth Argyle certainly reaped the short-term rewards of Niall Ennis' move to Home Park from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2021.

The striker made his move into professional football in 2015, signing his first contract with the Black Country outfit in that year. Ennis had been with Wolves since 2006 and was born and bred in Wolverhampton, so turning pro through their academy would've been an amazing feeling.

However, multiple loan moves followed in the years after he signed his professional contract, and not a lot of evidence was shown that indicated the attacker was potentially a first-team prospect in the future.

This ultimately saw the then-21-year-old make a permanent switch from his boyhood club to League One Plymouth for an undisclosed fee in January 2021.

This would prove to be an excellent move for both parties, as the Pilgrims reaped the short-term success of Ennis, whilst the player himself continued to catch the eye and hit new levels every week.

Niall Ennis and Plymouth Argyle achieved success together

Plymouth celebrating their League One title success.

When the inexperienced striker joined the club in the winter of 2021, it was fair to say that expectations weren't through the roof, as his goalscoring record in professional football didn't exactly scream of a prolific goalscorer.

However, Ennis soon endeared himself to his new supporters by scoring six goals in his first six months at the club.

The youngster was looking likely to be a key asset for Argyle the following year, but in the warm-ups for the opening game of the 2021-22 season, Ennis injured his hamstring, which ruled him out for four months.

Upon his return, the forward would score four goals in the league, as Plymouth missed out on a play-off place on the final day of the season after being thrashed 5-0 at home by MK Dons.

The following season would be the best Ennis' career to date, as he helped the Pilgrims lift the League One trophy with 101 points and finally return to the second tier after a decade-long absence.

The former Wolves starlet scored 12 goals and chipped in with six assists on his way to the League One title, firmly establishing himself as a fan favourite over his two-and-a-half years at Home Park.

Plymouth reaped the short-term rewards of Ennis

Sadly, Ennis decided to bring his time in Devon to an end that summer following the expiration of his contract. The striker turned down the offer of a new four-year deal with Plymouth in favour of joining Championship rivals, Blackburn Rovers.

His career in Green came to a rather bitter ending, but it didn't work out for the striker either, as he failed to register a single goal for the Rovers and was sold to Stoke City less than a year later, where he also didn't have the desired impact.

Now, Ennis finds himself playing in League One with mid-table Blackpool, but has managed to rekindle some of the form he showed at Home Park years ago.

Despite losing him under less than ideal circumstances, Plymouth managed to reap the rewards of signing Ennis as he helped them to achieve their short-term goal of returning to the Championship.

The 25-year-old was a key component in the club's success in the 2022-23 league-winning season, and regardless of his disappointing exit, it's fair to say Argyle got their money's worth from the deal with Wolves.