“I think he’ll do very well, It’s all about Plymouth Argyle staying in the Championship and I think that’s another successful season”- Plymouth legend Paul Wotton backs Wayne Rooney to succeed at Home Park as he says Pilgrims staying in the Championship will be another successful season

Plymouth Argyle legend Paul Wotton is expecting is ‘a huge challenge’ when his new-look Torquay United squad take on Wayne Rooney’s Pilgrims in a pre-season Devon derby at a sold-out Plainmoor on Saturday.

Wotton admitted it would be a special occasion for him given his long association with Argyle and he has backed Rooney to make a success of his new role as the Pilgrims’ boss.

Wotton told Plymouth Live: “I have been really lucky in my career the way some things have worked out and for my first game at Plainmoor to be against the club you can’t help but associate me with, it’s going to be great.

“Everyone knows what I think of the football club. It will always be in my heart, of course it will. It will be good to catch up with lots of friends, and make new friends with the Torquay fans.

“Being really boring and putting my manager’s hat on, it’s just another game for us that I’m hoping we come through injury-free and another game to August 10 (when Torquay begin their season at home to Enfield Town), but I’m not going to sit here and say for one second it won’t be a special occasion for me because I’m looking forward to it very much.”

While Wotton will take his place in the Torquay technical area for the first time, Rooney will take charge of Argyle for just his third match as they continue their pre-season preparations following a 2-2 draw with Orlando Pirates in Spain and a 5-1 win at Cheltenham Town last Saturday.

Wotton, joint second in Argyle’s all-time appearance list with 491 games during two spells at his hometown club, has welcomed the appointment of Rooney at Home Park.

“I think it’s fantastic for the football club,” he said. “Wayne Rooney is easily one of England’s greatest ever footballers, a world class superstar, and he’s managing Plymouth Argyle. That can only be good for the club and I wish him all the very best and I’m sure he will do very well.

“From an outsider looking in, and being someone who is now in football management, it’s all about Plymouth Argyle staying in the Championship, and I think that’s another successful season.”

“Neil Warnock has got a huge involvement at Torquay and an association with Plymouth Argyle, and there is the Wayne Rooney factor as well. It’s closest pre-season game for the Argyle fans, by all accounts it’s going to be a sunny day so it’s perfect. It goes to show the support of both clubs really that it’s sold out.

“The two clubs get on very well. When Torquay had their struggles last season I know Plymouth Argyle helped them a lot. A load of Argyle fans who I know went to watch Torquay on ‘Devon Day’. It’s a mutual respect there, definitely, so it should be a good occasion.”