Simon Hallett drops Plymouth Argyle takeover claim | OneFootball

Simon Hallett has stated in the recent Plymouth Argyle fan forum that he'd be open to selling his majority share in the club

Plymouth Argyle owner Simon Hallett has stated that he'd be open to selling his majority shares in the League One side if the right person with the right intentions was open to investing.

The Plymouth owner took part in a well-anticipated fan forum on Monday night, where he was subjected to plenty of questions about the current state of the club, which right now isn't the healthiest.

It's been just two years since Hallett revealed a five-year plan for the Pilgrims, which included, first and foremost, "to be a sustainable top six Championship club within five years, with Premier League aspirations."

With three years left of that plan, Plymouth are left closer to League Two than they are to the Premier League, sitting 23rd in League One following a poor start to life back in the third tier after relegation last year.

Hallett admitted that this was "a step too far" and that new investors were required to make that step to the top flight, and if the right investors come knocking, he'd be open to selling.

Following his claim that new investment was needed to complete the five-year plan of being sustainable in the second tier, Hallett was asked whether there is still interest in someone buying shares in Plymouth Argyle.

The chairman, who has recently passed seven years as the majority shareholder, explained that there has been interest, but he'd only be open to selling the club to someone who shares the values he holds.

"People have been interested," he said. "We've had offers from people that have been unsuitable, and I don't regret turning those down. They did not share our values of being a community-focused club.

"Argyle is still an attractive proposition. It now has an infrastructure that is appealing to investors. We've yet to find someone interested in buying the club.

"I have always been prepared to sell a controlling interest in the club. I became the majority owner by starting as a minority owner. We'd like to follow that model with somebody, but if the right person came along and wanted to take over tomorrow, I'd feel obliged to sell to them."

Hallett is a lifelong Plymouth fan and has been involved in the club since he became a director in 2016.

Evidently, he wants his successor to follow that path, but if someone were willing to take the major shareholding off his hands, he'd be open to that, too.

Plymouth Argyle fans hopeful for a change in fortunes sooner rather than later

Whether it's under Simon Hallett or someone else, Plymouth fans are desperate for something to change at the club.

The forum revealed that this season will be a difficult one financially for the club, but despite this, Argyle has a top-six budget in League One this season.

It's been a real mess in terms of recruitment, and Plymouth haven't been able to stop the freefall from last season going into this. Injuries haven't helped, but that also goes down to who the club have brought in, too.

From the forum, though, it looks like Hallett and co are set to back Tom Cleverley. Plymouth fans will be hoping that this is the right decision, and once he gets a few names off the injury list and adds a few more in January, the club will be able to look further up the table.

That's the short-term goal at least. As for the long term, the focus may likely not be on having Premier League aspirations by 2028 anymore — perhaps it will be to become a sustainable Championship side.