‘Keep calm and pass to Banton’
That was very much the mantra taken up by Plymouth Argyle in their fight to remain in the Football League a little over a decade ago, so much so that Jason Banton even knew it himself.
That slogan was emblazoned on his undershirt as he tucked in the winner against Exeter City in one of the most crucial Devon Derbies of all time back in 2013, as he continued to be the protagonist in the Pilgrims’ great escape.
He may have only played 14 games for the club that season, but Jason Banton must be up there with one of the most influential players to put on the green shirt, with his input changing the course of Argyle’s history forever.
Jason Banton turns around Plymouth Argyle’s fortunes
Things were still looking bleak at Home Park back in the 2012/13 season, as the Devon outfit continued to fight not only for their Football League status but also their existence as a football club as the very real threat of administration continued to linger at the doorstep.
Four straight seasons finishing within the bottom four of any division they played in had seen the Pilgrims plummet from the Championship to the depths of the fourth tier, with another fight on their hands to avoid dropping into non-league as January 2013 came into view.
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With just five wins to their name by the turn of the year, nobody was under any illusions that the clouds were lifting from over the Theatre of Greens anytime soon, and with Carl Fletcher being relieved of his duties on New Year’s Day, you could even sense a feeling of foreboding around Central Park.
But John Sheridan’s arrival days later gave new life to a club who were on their knees at the bottom of the fourth tier, and before the end of the month, a history-defining move for Crystal Palace star Banton was completed.
The forward was thrown into the mix right from the off, as he featured in a dogged 0-0 affair with Dagenham and Redbridge, who themselves were clawing onto every point they could as they hovered above the drop zone.
He may not have scored on his debut, but the young loanee was already proving he was a box of tricks, with his fleet-footedness giving defenders a fright, and just a week later, Argyle would feel the real benefit of his attributes.
It took Banton just five minutes to break the deadlock in the relegation dogfight against Aldershot, with his deflected effort from range finding the back of the net, which sent the travelling Green Army into ecstasy.
There had been little to shout about in the preceding four years at Home Park, with avoiding relegation as good as it had got for some time, while every victory was hard-fought, with points becoming more precious as time went on.
Jason Banton's Plymouth Argyle loan stats (FBRef)
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So to have a player who could change all that in an instant made all the difference, with Banton grabbing his second before the break, as he curled home from outside the area to restore the advantage, and inject just a little bit of hope into the Argyle fanbase that relegation, and all the ignominy that would come with it, may not be a certainty after all.
To take all three points from a relegation rival would ultimately prove crucial at the end of the campaign, as Argyle stayed up by a single point at the end when all was said and done, but Banton was only just beginning, with another strike against AFC Wimbledon earning another point before the month was out.
While the likes of Reuben Reid, Andres Gurrieri, and Gozie Ugwu were all plugging away up top, it was the new arrival that was making all the difference, with his crafty footwork often leaving opposition defenders for dead, and giving Argyle an impetus when in possession.
But despite all that, the Greens still found themselves in the bottom two as the season neared its climax, with the likes of Dagenham, Aldershot and Barnet all picking up points and leaving the Pilgrims playing catchup.
Jason Banton (1)-1
But with their new attacking weapon, Argyle were keen to seize the initiative when they could, and another piece of magic against Fleetwood Town earned another three points, as he added to Paul Wotton’s earlier penalty to claim a 2-1 victory over the Cod Army.
That win saw the Pilgrims clamber out of the relegation spots, with Banton the hero as was so often the case, but the best was still yet to come for the young star, as a visit from the other team in Devon lay in wait.
Jason Banton writes himself into Plymouth Argyle folklore with Exeter City winner
The picture of Banton celebrating his strike against Exeter City is still very much imprinted on the retinas of Plymouth Argyle fans of a certain vintage, as a nervy Home Park erupted as he found the back of the net on the stroke of half-time.
Neither side wants to lose a Devon Derby at the best of times, but with so much at stake for Argyle, there was a whole heap of tension in the air as they welcomed the Grecians that day, with the red side of Devon only too happy to revel in the misery their neighbours found themselves in.
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City would have loved to have stuck the knife in that day to add to Argyle’s relegation worries, but a crowd of over 13,000 was willing the Pilgrims on, and with Banton on the left-hand side, they always knew they had a magic man always capable of producing something out of nothing.
And that’s exactly what he did just seconds before the break, as he wriggled free in the penalty area, before placing a shot just inside the post, sending joyful Janners all over the shop as they celebrated manically.
He knew he was the main man, and revelled in the moment, with his message loud and clear underneath his shirt: ‘Keep calm and pass to Banton’.
Once again, that game plan had worked, and Banton was the hero, with all hands on deck to keep City at bay throughout the second stanza, with a crucial three points in the bag as we entered April.
Jason Banton Plymouth
Argyle weren’t the only ones loving what they were seeing though, with Palace similarly impressed by their star; so much so that they recalled him to Selhurst Park with a handful of games remaining in the season.
He may not have been there on that famous day at Rochdale where the Greens confirmed their Football League status for another season, but in many ways, it was Jason Banton who allowed the Spotland celebrations to occur, with his massive contribution during his first stint as a Pilgrim.
The very existence of the football club may have hinged on those few months, with the drop into non-league having the potential to administer the kiss of death to the Pilgrims, given their situation at the time.
That Crystal Palace loanee changed everything, as Argyle did what they were told to do: Keep calm and pass to Banton.