Derek Adams struck £0 Plymouth Argyle transfer gold - Home Park legacy was left | OneFootball

Graham Carey left a remarkable legacy at Plymouth Argyle having arrived at Home Park on a free transfer in 2015.

Graham Carey is a modern day Plymouth Argyle legend, having joined the club on a free transfer, and going on to leave a legacy at Home Park which is still talked about to this day.

Free agent signings are always particularly satisfying when they succeed at their new club, but few in the EFL had the level of impact that Carey had when he arrived in Devon back in 2015.

The Irishman was released by Scottish side Ross County at the end of the 2014/15 season, and would go on to reunite with former boss Derek Adams at Plymouth, which would prove to be an excellent decision.

During a four-year stint at the club, Carey went on to help the Pilgrims end the nightmare of being stuck in League Two, chipping in with some key contributions, which saw the Greens reach heights that had alluded them in recent years.

Whilst they would eventually lose the midfielder on a free transfer, it wasn't the end of the world, as they paid nothing for him, and his legacy would be forever etched into Argyle folklore.

Plymouth Argyle hit the jackpot with £0 Graham Carey signing

In the summer of 2015, Argyle were looking to bounce back following the disappointment of losing out in the League Two play-off semi-finals to Wycombe Wanderers. They had appointed Adams to try and finally earn that eluvise promotion.

The Scotsman had a proven track record of bringing success on a shoestring budget in his homeland, and was tasked with building a competitive but sustainable squad to mount a promotion charge in the fourth tier.

One of his marquee signings was Carey, who'd been released by his former club, Ross County, in the summer, and was looking for a new challenge elsewhere. Adams jumped at the opportunity to reunite with the midfielder at Home Park.

It was evident from early on that the Irishman was a superstar, netting on debut and going on to score four goals in his first five league matches for the Devon-based side, as they set their eyes on a promotion place early on.

Sadly, Plymouth would miss out on promotion at Wembley that season, losing out to AFC Wimbledon, but Carey's first full season in the EFL was a huge success, scoring 12 goals in 46 outings across all competitions, and sweeping the club's Player of the Year award.

The following year would finally be the one where the Pilgrims ended their League Two stay, finishing second to snatch automatic promotion, with Carey once again playing a key role by chipping in with 30 goal contributions in 46 league outings.

It was clear how valuable the playmaker was to Argyle, and they managed to tie him down to a new deal ahead of their League One return, which was arguably the most important piece of business the club did that summer.

Adams' side were the surprise package in League One in the 2017/18 season, finishing an excellent seventh, with Carey once again being the cog that made things tick, ending the campaign with 14 goals and 13 assists to his name.

Unfortunately, Adams was unable to keep Argyle afloat in League One the following season, and ultimately ended up paying the price with his job, which was a painful moment for the Green Army, who adored their manager.

This would also spell the end for Carey too, as his involvement wasn't as prominent in the relegation season, and he would leave Home Park that summer to join CSKA Sofia on a free transfer, bringing to an end a remarkable story.

It wasn't the end of the world that Plymouth Argyle didn't make a profit on Graham Carey

After four stunning years in Devon, Carey opted to begin a new chapter in his career with Bulgarian side CSKA Sofia, following Argyle's relegation to League Two.

Sadly for the Pilgrims, they lost the Irish midfielder on a free transfer, but how his time at the club went and the fact that they also paid nothing to sign him initially certainly made the financial aspect of his departure less of a bitter pill to swallow.

Of course, it would've been nice for the club to turn a profit, which would've come as a welcome financial boost following relegation, but Plymouth couldn't be too down about it, given the remarkable legacy he'd created in his four years at the club.

To this day, Carey is still widely regarded as one of the best pieces of transfer business in the club's history, and with Adams now back as director of football, there will now be some hope that he can help unearth another gem in the near future.