My one issue with the Tolaj move was that he literally jumped at the first sniff of more money. He didn't back himself to get a move to a bigger club. I understand that he's been offered more money but if it were me I'd have waited it out until a really big club came along, not a moderate club in the same division. He literally jumped at the very first sniff of money. Any platitudes about wanting to play for Plymouth are a load of rubbish...it could have been any club that fluttered the money at him.

There's almost certainly interference from an agent here who has seen a quick buck but it's clearly not a career move. He could still get a move elsewhere at the end of the season but will any club be willing to pay the £1 million + that Plymouth would want for him? He might well be back in league 2 next season. If he does, it'll serve him and his agent right.

Worst defence against the worst attack in the division, which will prove to be worse on Saturday?

19 minutes ago, leedsvaliant said:

My one issue with the Tolaj move was that he literally jumped at the first sniff of more money. He didn't back himself to get a move to a bigger club. I understand that he's been offered more money but if it were me I'd have waited it out until a really big club came along, not a moderate club in the same division. He literally jumped at the very first sniff of money. Any platitudes about wanting to play for Plymouth are a load of rubbish...it could have been any club that fluttered the money at him.

There's almost certainly interference from an agent here who has seen a quick buck but it's clearly not a career move. He could still get a move elsewhere at the end of the season but will any club be willing to pay the £1 million + that Plymouth would want for him? He might well be back in league 2 next season. If he does, it'll serve him and his agent right.

You’re saying all that as a Vale fan. This is a job and a short career. He would have been daft to turn down a much bigger contract because there’s no guarantee that chance would ever come along again. Personally I don’t blame him at all for going. But he made the decision to go. His agent didn’t kidnap him and force him. 

4 hours ago, TJHValiant said:

No evidence of that. He has been rather flat at Plymouth since he left and let’s be honest here, he was great in league 2, but that was due to the lower level. Devante Cole meanwhile has never even played in league 2. 
 

 

You should go and check out his stats on something like FotMob. They’re far from flat. 

58 minutes ago, leedsvaliant said:

My one issue with the Tolaj move was that he literally jumped at the first sniff of more money. He didn't back himself to get a move to a bigger club. I understand that he's been offered more money but if it were me I'd have waited it out until a really big club came along, not a moderate club in the same division.

He’s been sold a team that should still be in League One and on paper anyway, should be doing better with opportunities of Championship football in a year or two. 
 

His move to Plymouth mirrors his move to us from Aldershot - signed for min fee release clause, and has another one of these attached. His agency clearly is working with him to get him the best opportunities and progression to the Premier League. That’s best done through transfers and being the star man. Good move for him. 
 

He will likely be sold again in the summer, and we will get a pretty 25% sell on. Higher fee if he’s still in league 1 next season (I’m told £2.5mil release fee). 
 

So I’m not at all bothered by his choices, we have lots to gain by him moving and being a star man. Any player currently would likely to command a higher fee moving from a team that’s recently in championship than one moving from our club which is coming the opposite way. 

Edited November 19, 2025Nov 19 by NW9Valiant

12 hours ago, 1 said:

Some people enjoy the losing more so they can single out, theorise about solutions and trade pessimism. I’d rather just win and have an 100 post thread about how everyone played well. 

I think you are being a tad optimistic, let's say we win Saturday and s miracle occurs it dunner change nowt because normal service will resume after that because Darren will keep chopping and changing the team and keep playing players out of position 

5 hours ago, philpvfc said:

Worst defence against the worst attack in the division, which will prove to be worse on Saturday?

Which one are we?

Football has truly gone if we’re going to politely understand why a player abandoned us at the very first opportunity for a divisional rival. Where did all this faux magnimanity come from? What has happened to us? 

Theres probably loads of rational reasons for it but we’re not supposed to be rational. The fun of football is the silly little emotions. Tolaj is the villain on Saturday and should be treated as such as it will be infinitely more enjoyable should we beat them. Football is supposed to be fun, not an opportunity to out-sensible each other.

A dreadful man and I hope he has a terrible Saturday. I’ll be launching hellfire from my seat and I’ll be very disappointed if folk politely clap and chant “we know that football is a short career and you made a wise financial decision, all the best”. Booed from whistle to whistle imo.

Edited November 19, 2025Nov 19 by JoeB2

6 hours ago, NW9Valiant said:

He’s been sold a team that should still be in League One and on paper anyway, should be doing better with opportunities of Championship football in a year or two. 
 

His move to Plymouth mirrors his move to us from Aldershot - signed for min fee release clause, and has another one of these attached. His agency clearly is working with him to get him the best opportunities and progression to the Premier League. That’s best done through transfers and being the star man. Good move for him. 
 

He will likely be sold again in the summer, and we will get a pretty 25% sell on. Higher fee if he’s still in league 1 next season (I’m told £2.5mil release fee). 
 

So I’m not at all bothered by his choices, we have lots to gain by him moving and being a star man. Any player currently would likely to command a higher fee moving from a team that’s recently in championship than one moving from our club which is coming the opposite way. 

As long as he's not star man scoring against come Saturday!!!!

1 hour ago, JoeB2 said:

Football has truly gone if we’re going to politely understand why a player abandoned us at the very first opportunity for a divisional rival. Where did all this faux magnimanity come from? What has happened to us? 

Theres probably loads of rational reasons for it but we’re not supposed to be rational. The fun of football is the silly little emotions. Tolaj is the villain on Saturday and should be treated as such as it will be infinitely more enjoyable should we beat them. Football is supposed to be fun, not an opportunity to out-sensible each other.

A dreadful man and I hope he has a terrible Saturday. I’ll be launching hellfire from my seat and I’ll be very disappointed if folk politely clap and chant “we know that football is a short career and you made a wise financial decision, all the best”. Booed from whistle to whistle imo.

I don't usually have a pop at any of your post's Joe because I think you are usually a well respected, a though out poster but you are having some major humdingers recently with this post being one of them.

Only had 1 and a half pints of hawkstone lager ,absolutely lovely at old Jug bottom of Newcastle pint of cruzampo at Piaggis (lovely food on roundabout across from Blackfriars Newcastle under lyme )and this is it for sat .

Pork pie Sausage Roll come on Cole give us a goal 

You got enjoy life and  have a sense of humour with Vale.

Sing along 

UTV 

Edited November 19, 2025Nov 19 by Dipepa delight

8 hours ago, leedsvaliant said:

My one issue with the Tolaj move was that he literally jumped at the first sniff of more money. He didn't back himself to get a move to a bigger club. I understand that he's been offered more money but if it were me I'd have waited it out until a really big club came along, not a moderate club in the same division. He literally jumped at the very first sniff of money. Any platitudes about wanting to play for Plymouth are a load of rubbish...it could have been any club that fluttered the money at him.

There's almost certainly interference from an agent here who has seen a quick buck but it's clearly not a career move. He could still get a move elsewhere at the end of the season but will any club be willing to pay the £1 million + that Plymouth would want for him? He might well be back in league 2 next season. If he does, it'll serve him and his agent right.

LV, if he did have a trigger clause in his contract that must have suited him and the club at the time. The bigger the clause the more you pay players each week. We had a promotion season out of Tolaj, so I don’t think that we can complain. Plus someone on here has stated we also have a sell on clause. The Argyle fans rave about him and as I posted sometime ago, they fear losing him and believe he’ll move on in the summer, to a championship team. Unless of course a team outside of England and Wales comes in for him in January. I appreciate everything that he did for us and feel if he wasn’t initially played out of position by the manager, he’d have had an even better season which would have meant an even bigger transfer fee. I’d like to know how many ppl if headhunted by a similar company for doing the same job, for more money, would turn down the opportunity. I’ll certainly be applauding him on his welcome back to VP. As for the result, I can’t influence this and we are in the hands of DM and whoever he chooses to play during the 90 minutes. Obviously a win for us as I think Argyle will improve, not so sure about ourselves.

2 hours ago, JoeB2 said:

Football has truly gone if we’re going to politely understand why a player abandoned us at the very first opportunity for a divisional rival. Where did all this faux magnimanity come from? What has happened to us? 

Theres probably loads of rational reasons for it but we’re not supposed to be rational. The fun of football is the silly little emotions. Tolaj is the villain on Saturday and should be treated as such as it will be infinitely more enjoyable should we beat them. Football is supposed to be fun, not an opportunity to out-sensible each other.

A dreadful man and I hope he has a terrible Saturday. I’ll be launching hellfire from my seat and I’ll be very disappointed if folk politely clap and chant “we know that football is a short career and you made a wise financial decision, all the best”. Booed from whistle to whistle imo.

This is just complete nonsense mate. 

He'll get plenty of stick on the day but honestly wish him nothing but the best in his career. Same for any other former players of ours. It's something the club can be proud of. 

49 minutes ago, Dipepa delight said:

Only had 1 and a half pints of hawkstone lager ,absolutely lovely at old Jug bottom of Newcastle pint of cruzampo at Piaggis (lovely food on roundabout across from Blackfriars Newcastle under lyme )and this is it for sat .

Pork pie Sausage Roll come on Cole give us a goal 

You got enjoy life and  have a sense of humour with Vale.

Sing along 

UTV 

Love that mindset DD.   What I'd give for a Pork pie and/or sausage roll now.

9 hours ago, leedsvaliant said:

My one issue with the Tolaj move was that he literally jumped at the first sniff of more money. He didn't back himself to get a move to a bigger club. I understand that he's been offered more money but if it were me I'd have waited it out until a really big club came along, not a moderate club in the same division. He literally jumped at the very first sniff of money. Any platitudes about wanting to play for Plymouth are a load of rubbish...it could have been any club that fluttered the money at him.

There's almost certainly interference from an agent here who has seen a quick buck but it's clearly not a career move. He could still get a move elsewhere at the end of the season but will any club be willing to pay the £1 million + that Plymouth would want for him? He might well be back in league 2 next season. If he does, it'll serve him and his agent right.

Clearly he thinks Plymouth was a good move for him. Have they got a Manager who drops players when they have played well in their last match. Or thinks he is better suited playing on the wing? Or does their Manager see him as a centre forward who should be the first name on the team sheet playing in the role he is best at and supported by an attack minded Manager?