close season

Their historic Europa League triumph in Spain means they can head into the close season with a bounce in their step.

Argyle twice spent a club-record £1m on players last summer in Whittaker and fellow former loanee Bali Mumba, and the club will likely have similar funds to spend this close season.

So predictions of a close season were thin on the ground over the winter.

The Horner saga broke just days after the other massive story of the close season, Hamilton's switch to Ferrari for 2025.

After Leeds' recruitment drive in the close season and Salford's small squad being hit by those big departures and the loss of Ken Sio, the script for this opening match was for a more one-sided encounter.