Argyle Athletic Club played their first game of football on 9th October, 1886 away to Launceston (the called Dunheved) College. Their captain F Howard Grose was an old boy of the college and had been inspired to set up the team with another old boy W Pethybridge. They first met at Grose’s home in the newly built Argyll Terrace (which linked to Sutherland Road and is now part of it) off Houndiscombe (then Huntiscombe) Road, Mutley. After a couple meetings it was decided that Grose should be club captain and the team, at Grose’s suggestion, should be called Argyle Athletic. “Plymouth Pickwick” was also considered but quickly rejected and there was already a Plymouth Town and a Plymouth United. It was claimed, apparently by Grose himself, that this was out of respect for the style of play of the regimental team of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders who had apparently won the Army Cup the previous season.
Even the familiar Argyle colours of green and black are believed to have been inspired by the Sutherland tartan which in turn was adopted as the regimental colours for the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Predominantly a large green and navy check (which appears green and black) overlaid with a few thin lines of white and green this tartan does indeed have similarities to the green and black quartered shirts the Argyle Athletic’s football and rugby clubs both wore.
