The practice of football clubs maintaining lists of fines to enforce discipline among players is a well-established tradition. However, Plymouth Argyle’s recent catalog of penalties for various infractions takes this practice to a new level.
Under the leadership of Steven Schumacher, Plymouth Argyle achieved promotion from League One in an outstanding campaign, amassing an impressive 101 points, surpassing Ipswich Town’s 98 points.
Upon their return to the second-tier league, they may not have reached the same heights as their competitors from the previous year, who are currently challenging Leicester at the top of the table. Nevertheless, Plymouth Argyle has made steady progress, securely holding a mid-table position.
Their record of four wins and three draws from 13 games is commendable for a newly-promoted team, and this success can partly be attributed to their coach’s strict disciplinary standards in the locker room.
A list of fines has been shared online, allowing fans to see how their favorite players are penalized for a range of offenses, from leaving a water bottle on the training field to forgetting to bring a birthday cake.
These fines vary from £10 for minor offenses such as leaving the gym in disarray or kicking a ball over the fence to more substantial fines of £250 for missing the Christmas party or failing to sing. Other fines include £5 for the losing team during Friday training sessions, presumably, and £10 for any player nutmegged during a ‘boxes’ drill the day before a match.
What stands out the most about this list is the sheer number of infractions covered, with a total of 25 different fines. Players must be incredibly cautious to avoid financial penalties during training. Any player found in violation has until the following Friday to pay their fines, or they will face the daunting prospect of having their penalties doubled.
In a particularly unfortunate scenario, a player could end up paying £180 before a match day if they leave clothing and a water bottle on the field, lose during Friday training after kicking a ball over the fence, get nutmegged, arrive late to training and a team meeting, have their phone go off during the meeting, and wear flip-flops in the showers.
This recent list of fines brings to mind Frank Lampard’s strict approach when he managed Chelsea in 2019. However, the fines set by Lampard were notably higher, with players facing fines of £20,000 for being late to training and £500 for each minute of tardiness to a team meeting, as well as penalties of £1,000 for wearing the wrong kit or having phones ring during team meals.
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