LIFE-long Plymouth Argyle supporter Capt David Tall OBE, whose devotion to the Pilgrims led to him becoming the football club?s chief executive, spoke to the business community in Okehampton last week. David, who lives at Yelverton, was the latest guest speaker at the Okehampton Business Breakfast, organised by Motivation South West. His talk focussed on his experience of both his life in the Royal Navy and inside the boardroom of a football club. David joined the Royal Navy in 1965 before retiring after 36 years service. Most of his naval career was connected with submarines, having served on 13 submarines in total, and commanded five of them. He finished his naval career as captain of HMS Drake, at Devonport in Plymouth. While with the Royal Navy, David served two years with the Royal Australian Navy. Therefore, his daughter was born in Australia, however, his son was born more locally, in Tavistock. David said his passions in life were his family, submarines and Plymouth Argyle Football Club. When he left the Royal Navy he helped with administration at Plymouth Argyle as a way of re-settling into civilian life. Using some of the experience he had gleaned while chairman of the Combined Services Football Association, David became chief executive at Argyle. Three years ago, he stepped down as chief executive and took up the new position of associate director with responsibility for youth development. David joined the club at a difficult time in its history, Dan McCauley was still the chairman of the club and in September 2000, Argyle dismissed manager Kevin Hodges. The club was languishing at the basement of the football league and had endured 12 successive years of financial losses. The stadium was outdated and needed to be renovated or rebuilt, and the club had no real outreach into the local community. On Paul Sturrock?s arrival at the club the board of directors had changed and many new faces were now on the board, including a new chairman in Paul Stapleton. A new five year business plan was established and the revitalised club obtained two promotions in three seasons and the stadium underwent great improvements. Unfortunately, as a result of the success of the club, Paul Sturrock left to manage Premiership club Southampton. In came another Scot, Bobby Williamson, who came with excellent managerial credentials having taken unfashionable Kilmarnock into European competitions. David highlighted some of the areas in which the club is getting involved in the community, including a homework programme within local schools which uses football to teach mathematics. Players are now contracted to devote a certain amount of time into community projects. He said the club also works closely with the Prince?s Trust Volunteers, the Youth Offending Team, and also Adult Offending. Argyle have also had some recent holiday soccer coaching held at Okehampton College. Business delegates posed a number of questions which initially focused on how quickly Plymouth Argyle had been transformed into a successful club and business. David put most of this down to the new approach under the new board, chaired by Paul Stapleton. Questions then turned to the recent situation when two Newcastle United footballers were sent off for fighting with each other and how such situations could be prevented from arising. Mr Tall was presented with a cheque at the breakfast for the Plymouth Argyle Youth Development programme. Mike Davies, from Motivation South West, organisers of the breakfast said he was very impressed with the obviously experienced speaker. ?He could have kept us all gripped for hours on his life. His passion for his family and his football club could not be questioned,? said Mr Davies.
