Plymouth Argyle pay tribute to Mike Bickle after his death aged 79

Mike Bickle, the Co-op milkman who went on to become a goalscoring great for Plymouth Argyle[1], has died at the age of 79. Bickle made 195 appearances for his hometown club from 1965 until 1971 and netted 74 times, which puts him joint 12th in Argyle's all-time list. He was forced to retire at the age of 29 following a neck injury which he suffered while playing for Gillingham and returned to Plymouth to work in Devonport Dockyard.

Argyle paid tribute to Bickle[2] on their official website where they said: "His story, of being a local boy, coming through regional football to star for his hometown club, is a classic tale which resonates with so many football fans. Mike Bickle was 'one of us', and grew to become the hero of so many members of the Green Army, to this day." For all the latest Argyle news, analysis and match reports from Plymouth Live click HERE[4]

They added he would "always be talked about in the same breath as the litany of great forwards to have graced the Theatre of Greens through the years." Bickle was signed for Argyle by manager Derek Ufton after his goalscoring exploits for St Austell in the South Western League and for his works side, Co-op Welfare, in the Devon Wednesday League. After netting eight times in six games for the reserves, Bickle made his first team debut in an away game against Southampton on December 11, 1965, and he scored in a 4-1 defeat.

Bickle completed a hat-trick for Argyle the following month, in a 6-0 FA Cup[5] third round victory over non-league Corby Town at Home Park and ended the campaign with 12 goals. He went to finish the next four seasons as Argyle's top scorer with tallies of 13, 10, 12 and 18. One of his career highlights was when he got four goals in a 6-0 Boxing Day defeat of Torquay United in front of more than 17,000 fans at Home Park in 1969.

Injury disrupted Bickle's 1970/71 season and he was transferred to Gillingham in September 1971 for GBP7,000, but his time with the Kent club was ended abruptly by his neck injury.

He went on to have a testimonial match at Home Park in 1973 when Argyle played Manchester City.

For more Argylecontent that you cannot get anywhere else, sign up for Chris Errington's weekly Inside Home Park newsletter HERE[6]

References

1. ^ Plymouth Argyle (www.plymouthherald.co.uk)
2. ^ Argyle paid tribute to Bickle (www.pafc.co.uk)
3. ^ Key numbers from Argyle's 2022/23 annual report (www.plymouthherald.co.uk)
4. ^ HERE (www.plymouthherald.co.uk)
5. ^ FA Cup (www.plymouthherald.co.uk)
6. ^ HERE (www.plymouthherald.co.uk)