How Plymouth Argyle hit transfer jackpot with £0 deal for Home Park legend | OneFootball

Plymouth Argyle hit the jackpot by signing free agent Graham Carey in 2015, he became a legend at Home Park.

Plymouth Argyle struck gold with the signing of Graham Carey, who has gone down as one of the greatest signings in EFL history in recent years.

In the summer of 2015, the attacking midfielder found himself without a club after being released by Ross County after the season concluded, having played just 21 matches in the Scottish Premiership that campaign.

His new home was a long way away from his previous one, but the decision to move to Plymouth would prove to be an excellent move for Carey, who would go on to become a club legend.

During some of the most memorable times in Argyle's recent history, the Irishman would be a key figure for the club as they continued to rebuild after spending years stuck in League Two.

He would leave the club after four seasons, firmly holding legend status at Home Park, and best of all, he cost Plymouth absolutely nothing.

Graham Carey's memorable stint at Plymouth Argyle

Carey arrived in PL2 as a relatively unknown quantity, having experienced just a brief spell in the EFL on loan at Huddersfield Town in 2011. He was reunited with former boss Derek Adams at Home Park, after they worked together at Ross County.

However, the midfielder would certainly become known by everyone in the seaside city, scoring on his debut and continuing that run by netting four in his opening five league matches for the Pilgrims.

Carey's first season in green was excellent, netting 12 goals in 46 appearances in all competitions and earning the club's Player of the Year award, as the Devon-based side guttingly missed out on promotion at Wembley.

The next season Plymouth would go one better, and the Irishman was key in securing an automatic return to League One. He scored 14 goals and assisted 16 in 46 League Two appearances, and was named in the division's Team of the Season.

Despite interest from other clubs, Carey remained loyal to Argyle by penning a new contract and sticking around for their League One return. Adams' side finished a remarkable seventh, with the midfield maestro once again pulling the strings with 14 goals and 13 assists in the league.

Sadly, the fan favourite's final season ended in relegation back to League Two and the sacking of Adams. However, he still notched 17 goal contributions, which earned him a move to CSKA Sofia, thus ending a legendary career at Home Park.

£0 gamble turned into an unforgettable success for Plymouth Argyle

Whilst Adams would've known what to expect when he signed Carey for Argyle, having worked with him previously, the Scotsman's expectations would've likely been exceeded after the midfielder's first season in green.

Whilst his track record when he arrived at Home Park was far from the 30-contribution-per-season playmaker he turned out to be, the gamble Plymouth took massively paid off, and has gone down in EFL history as one of the best signings in recent EFL history.

Carey is still adored in PL2, with supporters fondly remembering the unforgettable times that they shared together, which saw the club finally escape League Two, and set the path for a more successful future.

A gamble from the Devon-based side went on to produce one of the most successful partnerships in recent years in English football, producing 107 goal contributions in 197 appearances, and four memorable years on the south coast.