Pepple relishing fight for Argyle starting spot

Bim PeppleImage source, Rex Features
Image caption,

Bim Pepple scored five goals while on loan at Chesterfield in League Two last season

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Plymouth Argyle striker Bim Pepple says he is relishing the competition for the place as the Pilgrims' starting centre forward.

Pepple, 22, has joined the club from Luton Town after spending the past two seasons on loan at Bromley, Inverness, Chesterfield and Southend United.

He is one of two young forwards Argyle have brought in this summer, alongside 22-year-old Owen Aseni, who joined from St Mirren.

Pilgrims head coach Tom Cleverley has stated he is still hoping to sign an experienced striker to complement the younger players as Argyle aim to return to the Championship after relegation last season.

"I think all the big clubs in world football, you have people battling for competition," Pepple told BBC Radio Devon.

"Right now, there's still competition between me and Owen, but it's healthy competition - we're pushing each other, we're giving each other tips.

"Owen's probably a bit better running in behind so I ask him 'How do you time your runs?' and he asks me 'How do you hold the ball up so well?' and we're kind of growing together.

"Whoever comes in we're sure is going to add as well and it's going to be healthy competition.

"But at the end of the day we just want to go up, so the more people who can come in and help us score goals and help to take the club up it's good for us."

Pepple says the Argyle squad is focused on promotion after coming down last season.

The Pilgrims have seen a host of experienced players leave the club with 10 new faces coming in, and more still expected.

Pepple says with so many new players, as well as a new management and coaching team, there is not the same relegation hangover as there might be for other clubs.

"It's something new and it's a new energy," he says. "No one's really focused on the relegation from last season, which is quite good and you won't get that everywhere.

"So it's just for us now to transfer that onto the pitch.

"We're still aware of what happened last season, we know that's not acceptable, but it's something new and all of us are excited, we all want to be here.

"We all love coming in every day, we're all so happy we're here - we just want to repay the faith that's been put in a lot of us young players to come in now and push this club back to where it belongs."