The baffling excuse behind Derek Adams, Plymouth Argyle decision | OneFootball

The Pilgrims boss was always willing to do whatever he could to gain an advantage while at Home Park

Most football fans will have heard of the story of Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United’s infamous grey shirts, but what about Derek Adams’ kit concerns during his time at Plymouth Argyle.

Legend has it that Fergie blamed the dull number for his side being 3-0 down to Southampton at half-time back in 1997, with the Red Devils playing the second-half at The Dell in a blue and white number instead, although they promptly went on to lose 3-1.

Adams had a similar experience while he was in the dugout at Home Park, with the Scot trying to find a way for his side to win under the lights at the Theatre of Greens, with their midweek record at home making for grim reading.

So for the visit of Blackpool in 2017, the Greens were no longer the Greens, but the Whites, as they donned their luminescent away strip in front of their own fans, although like his compatriot, it failed to bring the results he craved.

Derek Adams blames Plymouth Argyle kit for Home Park form

After his arrival in Devon the year before, Adams had made a name for himself for leaving no stone unturned in trying to gain an advantage for his side, and the visit of the Tangerines was to prove the latest in trying to gain an edge.

Despite being in the promotion mix up throughout the 16/17 campaign, Argyle continued to struggle in front of their own fans under the floodlights at Home Park, with defeats to Barnet, Leyton Orient and Notts County costing them dear throughout the season.

So as the season began to reach its climax, Adams was keen to take drastic action to turnaround his side’s fortunes as the Seasiders came to town, in the hope of taking the emphasis away from his side’s performances in front of their own fans.

Speaking at the time, the Argyle boss said, via the Daily Mail: “We have an issue with the strip. We have changed to white socks because we feel the strip is too green.

“The green on green with the pitch and with the seating as well does blend in. We just need a greater brightness to see people.

“We just have to be careful in what we do because we have got to respect that the home shirt is the home shirt.

“But, at times, we will wear the away strip for home games. We have changed the design for next season. Everybody will be pleasantly surprised with the home and away kit.”

So on that day, Argyle emerged from the tunnel with their lumen value off the scale, with bright white shirts illuminating off the floodlights, and clear as day for all to see.

Plymouth Argyle fail to capitalise on Derek Adams’ kit decision

With every player dazzling in the Devon night sky, the Pilgrims absolutely played Blackpool off the park, with their crisp passing and neat attacking play enhanced by their unconventional approach to playing uniform.

If only that were the case. In reality, Argyle threw in their worst performance of the season that night, with Mark Cullen and Brad Potts putting the visitors two goals to the good within half an hour, before Jordan Flores rounded off the scoring in the second-half to cap a 3-0 win.

Alas, the apparel experiment had gone wrong, but just like he would always find innovative ways to gain an advantage, Adams always had a crafty excuse lined up for when things didn’t go quite so well, with his post-match review after that particular match something of an all-timer:

"A number of fans don't get to see the away kit, and it's a fitting night to do it,” he told the BBC.

"There was no reason, it's just that tonight was the night we were going to do it.”

If you say so, Derek.

Ultimately, it was immaterial in the end, as Greens, no, the Whites, no, the Greens…. Lets stick with the Pilgrims, won promotion to League One that season, with the Scot masterminding the success after play-off final heartbreak the year before.

Needless to say, the home kit for the next campaign was awash with white, while the away kit was a fluorescent shade of green largely saved for school discos, so there could be no excuses when the dark winters months came.