The most southern and western club in the Football League, Plymouth Argyle FC has been a member since its inception.

The football club was founded in 1886 as Plymouth FC by two former public schoolboys and became known by its current name when it turned professional in 1903, joining the Southern League and becoming champions in 1912-13.

In 1920, Argyle was elected to the Football League Third Division and, under manager Bob Jack between 1921 and 1927, the Pilgrims went on to finish second six seasons in a row, finally gaining promotion as Division Three South champions in 1929-30.

Plymouth Argyle FC's 20-year stay in Division Two ended in 1950 and the next 45 years were characterised by spells in the second and third tiers. The high points were the football club winning the Division Three South title in 1951-52 and reaching the League Cup semi-final in 1965.

Despite having two big-name managers in the 1960s in Malcolm Allison and Billy Bingham, success for the football club was limited until, with future England striker Paul Mariner on board in 1974, Third Division Plymouth Argyle reached the League Cup semi-finals for the second time, losing out to Manchester City.

Helped by the likes of Tommy Tynan, the Pilgrims enjoyed their best-ever FA Cup run in 1984, with the football club reaching the semi-finals for the first time but losing to Watford.

The 1985-86 season saw Plymouth Argyle FC promoted back to Division Two after a nine-year absence, but further relegations followed in 1992, despite former England keeper Peter Shilton being at the helm, and in 1995, when the football club slipped into the bottom tier.

Shilton's replacement, Neil Warnock, steered Plymouth Argyle to promotion in 1996 via the play-off final and the football club's first and only appearance at Wembley, where a Ronnie Mauge header helped defeat Darlington 1-0.

In 2001-02 the Pilgrims secured the Third Division title, notching a club record 102 points - the second highest in League history to earn promotion to Division Two.

Plymouth Argyle FC followed this with another title in 2003-04 to take their place in the Championship in its first year and have been there ever since.