Argyle win over hearts at Derriford Hospital

“It was awesome,” said 11-year-old Ben Dolphin, after getting a surprise visit from Plymouth Argyle players whilst a patient at Derriford Hospital.

Ben, from Laira, was surprised to see a team of Argyle players walk onto the children’s wards at the hospital. He was made up when Pilgrims defender Pete Hartley started playing table football with him.

"It was completely unexpected,” laughed Ben in the play room on Wildgoose Ward. “It was great to play against him, even if he did have to cheat a bit to win.”

The generous Pilgrim players and staff came armed with bags of gifts.

Together with Santa and Pilgrim Pete, they spent the afternoon touring the children’s unit, talking to the children and their families and giving out teddy bears, books, selection boxes, pencil cases and other assorted goodies.

“It made my son’s day,” said Helen Tarrant from Plympton as her 12-year-old son, Matthew Cotter, proudly waved around the scarf he had been given.

“Matthew had just found out that he has to stay overnight so he wasn’t feeling great but then the players came in, spoke with him and it made his day.”

All the players took time to talk to the children and proved equally popular with the staff.

Jo Cross, Play Specialist on the children’s wards, said: “The players showed a real interest in our patients and interacted wonderfully with them.

"The children were delighted just to see them; the generous gifts that Argyle brought were a bonus. We’d like to say a huge thank you to Argyle for brightening up the day of many of our patients and staff.

“Keep up the good work boys, you’ve definitely got our support.”