Argyle Fans' Forum Recap: Club set to lose £10.6m this season

Turnover is expected to be £18.5m, with a loss before player trading of £11.2m, Berne told an audience of supporters in Club Argyle. Player trading of £600,000 will slightly reduce that deficit to £10.6m.

Argyle's football budget this season has been £10m, which is £4m more than when the club were last in League One in 2022/23. That has placed them seventh in the division.

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Berne said: "We are striking a similar budget for next year, which we expect to be similarly competitive. We are planning to retain all contracted players, and round out the squad with the seven or eight contracts coming to an end which are currently under review."

Over the last 12 months, the club has needed £20m to cover losses, and to cover Foulston Park developments, and other capital.

Berne said: 'We took the decision to reinvest transfer proceeds from 2025/26 into the club, and this has been significantly supplemented by injection from shareholders, mostly Simon (Hallett, Argyle's owner and chairman)."

The funding income of £20.4m was £15.3m shareholder injection (mainly Hallett), £4.7m transfer income and £400,000 of 'other movements'

Scroll below for all the updates from Chris Errington at Home Park:

New Updates23rd Apr20:42 BSTThat's a wrapAfter an hour and 40 minutes, the Fans' Forum comes to an end. Much of it was based around Argyle's financial position and the search for new investment but all sorts of topics were covered including season ticket price rises, Foulston Park and the academy set-up, the women's team and even the future of Michael Baidoo, the costly £1.5 m signing currently on loan to a club in Qatar.

Take a look at the Plymouth Live website tomorrow for more in-depth details about what was said during the evening.

CommentsChris Errington23rd Apr20:33 BSTOpening date for Foulston ParkFoulston Park, the new permanent home for Argyle's academy and the women's team, is scheduled to open 'in the autumn', says Paul Berne.

CommentsChris Errington23rd Apr20:22 BST'Around 18-19' club staff made redundantPaul Berne says he 'is not going to talk about individuals, it's simply not fair'. More generally, he says 'It's not something we want to do. We are trying to reduce the cost base of the club.' Around 18, 19 people were made redundant across all areas of the club.

CommentsChris Errington23rd Apr20:13 BSTLight-hearted breakSimon Hallett has just received a video phone call. 'I'm in a meeting with about 100 people," he says, to laughter from the assembled fans.

CommentsChris Errington23rd Apr20:10 BSTPlayer trading updateThe question has been asked whether Argyle will be actively looking to sell any of their players, such as Lorent Tolaj and Bim Pepple.

Simon Hallett says the club are 'not actively looking to' but adds: "If somebody comes along and offers us a crazy amount - a decent amount - for any of them then we will consider selling them. That's the model."

CommentsChris Errington23rd Apr20:00 BSTSeason ticket debatePaul Berne has given a detailed explanation for Argyle's increased season ticket prices for 2025/26, the sales period and other issues.

CommentsChris Errington23rd Apr19:50 BSTFoulston Park updateFoulston Park is 'running over budget' confirms Paul Berne. 'The project is a little delayed' after a very wet winter, he adds.

CommentsChris Errington23rd Apr19:38 BSTCost controlsSimon Hallett says there is a League One owners' group which is advocating for cost controls. 'We are putting proposals forward to the EFL' he says.

CommentsChris Errington23rd Apr19:31 BSTHallett on search for new investors"We are actively looking for new investors," says Simon Hallett but adds geographical location of Plymouth is an issue, and in football generally "There are plenty of sellers but not so many buyers."

Hallett is 'looking for the right person, someone who can help me finance the losses, after that we want someone to invest in the infrastructure going forward.'

CommentsChris Errington23rd Apr19:26 BSTHow the club is fundedOver the last 12 months, the club has needed £20m to cover losses, and to cover Foulston Park developments (and other capital).

Paul Berne says 'We took the decision to reinvest transfer proceeds from 2025/26 into the club, and this has been significantly supplemented by injection from shreholders, mostly Simon (Hallett).'

The funding income of £20.4m was £15.3m shareholder injection (mainly Hallett), £4.7m transfer income and £400,000 'other movements'.

CommentsChris Errington23rd Apr19:23 BSTArgyle's £10m football budget this seasonArgyle's football budget for 2026 has been £10m which is £4m more than when the club were last in League One in 2022/23.

That has placed the club seventh in League One (at the start of 2025/26 they were sixth).

Paul Berne says: "We are striking a similar budget for next year, which we expect to be similarly competitive. We are planning to retain all contracted players, and round out the squad with the seven or eight contracts coming to an end which are currently under review."

CommentsChris Errington23rd Apr19:19 BST'Similar budget next year'Paul Berne says Argyle will have a similar budget next season to this term. 'We want to get back into the Championship, that's our desire.'

CommentsChris Errington23rd Apr19:15 BSTArgyle facing £10.6m loss in 2025/26Paul Berne says Argyle are set to lose £10.6 million this season. Turnover is expected to be £18.5m, with a loss before player trading of £11.2m. Player trading of £600,000 will reduce that to £10.6m

CommentsChris Errington23rd Apr19:08 BSTThree major challengesPaul Berne points to three major challenges: 'Player wages are growing (up around 80 per cent since Argyle last in League One in 2022/23), revenues are not keeping up and inflation affects clubs too.'

CommentsChris Errington23rd Apr19:06 BSTBerne speaking firstPaul Berne is giving an update on Argyle's finances. 'Significant pressure on the finances of every club in the EFL' he says.

CommentsChris Errington23rd Apr19:02 BSTAbout to beginCharlie Price welcomes everyone to the fourth Argyle Fans' Forum of the season.

CommentsChris Errington23rd Apr19:01 BSTGood eveningHello, this is Chris Errington and I'm in Club Argyle at Home Park, along with a couple of hundred Argyle fans, waiting for the start of the Fans' Forum with Simoin Hallett and Argyle's CEO Paul Berne.

I will bring you updates on what is said in this live blog over the next hour or so.

CommentsChris Errington23rd Apr18:00 BSTArgyle 'need new investor'In that same interview earlier this month, Simon Hallett spoke about the search for new investment into Argyle.

He said: "I think we have to be patient, because we're so careful about getting the right person in as an investor, or the right group in as investors.

"It's been enough money gone into the club, it's mostly been in infrastructure, which will outlive me, which I'm really pleased about.

"But when it starts to cover operating losses then I'm less happy - I want my money to build something permanent for the fans here, not just go into this year's operating expenses, so we need a new investor."

CommentsChris Errington23rd Apr18:00 BSTArgyle's financial positionSimon Hallett is sure to be asked about the club's financial position after he said in a recent interview with BBC South West that Argyle were going to 'lose a lot of money' this season.

He said in the interview: "When you come down from the Championship, players have contracts that reduce, but not by enough to cover your costs.

"And frankly a few of the other costs in the club had crept up and we weren't aggressive enough in cutting them back, so we were having Championship quality stuff and we didn't go back to League One quality stuff, so again that's something we're going to have to address as well.

"At an individual level it's heart-breaking, but we want a sustainable football club one day. We're not going to have one this year; this club is going to lose a lot of money this year like every other League One club these days.

"So it's partly football, it's partly not just the Championship - what's happened in the Championship has spread to League One and League Two, so the average club in League One now is losing over £6m a year."

CommentsChris Errington23rd Apr18:00 BSTArgyle team news for Port Vale with decisions to be madeArgyle will have two players back available but another one ruled out when they play Port Vale in their final Home Park fixture of the regular season on Saturday.

CommentsChris Errington23rd Apr18:00 BSTTom Cleverley keen on signing Argyle loan trio this summerTom Cleverley has been fulsome in his praise of Plymouth Argyle loan trio Alex Mitchell, Owen Dale and Wes Harding as he confirmed his interest in having all of them back at Home Park next season.

CommentsChris Errington23rd Apr18:00 BSTArgyle make Joe Edwards contract offerArgyle are offering a new contract to Joe Edwards and Tom Cleverley is hoping an agreement can be reached with the 35-year-old club captain.

CommentsChris Errington23rd Apr18:00 BSTBefore we beginTom Cleverley carried out a Press conference at Home Park shortly after 10am today and there were some interesting stories to come out of what he had to say. Check out the following three posts: