My journey as The New Pilgrim
27.12.25, 10:00 Updated 30.12.25, 14:55 2 Minute Read
John Duerden
November 29, 2025, and some time during the second half of my first game at Home Park, it was clear that following Plymouth Argyle was going to be anything but boring.
It was that 3-0 loss to Northampton Town, of course. Both sets of fans were singing “you’re getting sacked in the morning” at head coach Tom Cleverley, the star striker and sole source of goals had been sent off for an elbow and reacted by booting the ball into the stands and Pilgrim Pete had been given a talking by the referee for upsetting the visiting goalkeeper.
Exiting the stadium and being serenaded by the strains of ‘Simply having a wonderful Christmastime’ from the Winter Wonderland next door, it felt very far away from Asia.
While I hail from Blackburn, I had spent over 25 years writing about football in Asia and elsewhere, covering the game for The Guardian, BBC, New York Times, World Soccer, Associated Press, ESPN and others.
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