Shrewsbury Town deal came up trumps as Plymouth Argyle landed promotion guarantee

Most football players are lucky to get promoted once in their careers; some may even be promoted twice or three times, but Antoni Sarcevic is not like most footballers.

Throughout his career, the midfielder has played for successful teams, including six Football League promotions and numerous non-league victories.

During his tenure with Plymouth Argyle, where he played over 100 times in the last decade, he became a fan favorite due to his exceptional performances and unique personality.

Sarcevic, who joined the Pilgrims from Shrewsbury Town in the 16/17 season, contributed to Derek Adams’ promotion push and offered quality to the squad.

Antoni Sarcevic helps Plymouth Argyle achieve League Two promotion.

Sarcevic, who had fallen out of favour in Shropshire, moved to Devon in January 2017 and set about making his impact as quickly as possible after being relegated to the fourth division.

A goal on his debut start for the club against Cambridge United set the tone for what was to come, as he established himself as a vital connection between defence and attack, collaborating with David Fox and Graham Carey to provide forward momentum.

The playmaker is contributing to the team’s domination in League Two, having missing the play-off final the previous season. He just scored his second goal against Leyton Orient.

With Sarcevic’s increased quality, Adams and his team were celebrating promotion in the summer, with a return to League One for both player and club a fitting reward for a great season on the field.

During their two years in the third tier, the team struggled and only won one of their first 14 league games after promotion. However, they finished the season as play-off candidates.

Sarcevic was sent off in an early 4-0 defeat to Scunthorpe United at Home Park for an off-the-ball incident, but he made amends later in the season with a number of vital goals.

Goals against Bury, Oldham Athletic, and Bradford City helped to sustain the Janner juggernaut that season, which ultimately fell short just weeks before the season finished, followed by an entirely forgettable season that ended in relegation on the final day of the season.

Plymouth Argyle bounce back from League One relegation.

With Adams leaving at the end of the 2018/19 season, Ryan Lowe was entrusted with creating a squad capable of gaining promotion on the first try, and with Sarcevic in his midfield, he knew he had a player he could rely on to perform in the fourth tier.

The ex-Fleetwood Town player scored 16 goals in a season that was cut short by the COVID-19 epidemic. A run of five goals in seven games after the start of the year proved crucial in the end.

Late levellers at Macclesfield, cool penalties against Mansfield, Crawley, and Crewe, but the best of the lot was an exquisite strike against Salford City, in a match that many Green Army members can say they were there for.Late levellers at Macclesfield, cool penalties against Mansfield, Crawley and Crewe, but the pick of the bunch was a sumptuous strike against Salford City, in a match which ranks in the ‘I was there’ list for many of the Green Army.

The Pilgrims took the lead early, but were pulled back by the hosts at the hour mark, when Sarcevic took a ball down on the outskirts of the area and dispatched it into the far corner with a swish of the outside of his right boot.

Those in the terraces behind the goal were ecstatic, and even more so when Ryan Hardie scored a late winner to seal all three points after another Ammies equaliser, with the entire spirit of Argyle at the time coming to the fore to secure the victory.

Sarcevic left Home Park for Bolton Wanderers after achieving another promotion and contributing to their League Two success a year later.

After two league titles with Stockport County, the midfielder must be one of the most decorated players in EFL history, and he still has plenty of time to add to his medal tally before hanging up his boots.

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