Peterlin Heads South to Join Plymouth Argyle

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – After impressing during a five-match trial stint with Plymouth Argyle Football Club, former Cal Poly men's soccer midfielder Anton Peterlin has signed a one-year contract with the English League One outfit after passing a medical review on Tuesday. He is the first signing by first-year manager Peter Reid.

Peterlin (left), 23, made eight reserve team appearances with Barclays Premier League club Everton during the 2009-10 campaign, but was released from the side in June. After joining Plymouth – which plays in the third tier of English football – Peterlin made the first of his five preseason appearances on July 10 as a halftime substitute against lower league Truro City F.C.

Peterlin, who has appeared as a right midfielder, center midfielder and right back for the Pilgrims, opened Plymouth's preseason tour of the Netherlands by playing the full 90 minutes against NAC Breda on July 17. He then played 65 minutes against 2008-09 Dutch Eredivisie champions AZ Alkmaar on July 21 before making a 15-minute cameo the following day against second-tier SC Cambuur.

A three-year letterwinner at Cal Poly (2006-08) and a member of both the All-Big West Conference first team and NSCAA All-Far West Region team as a senior in 2008, Peterlin enjoyed a brief 2009 trial with San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer before joining Ventura County Fusion of the Premier Development League. While with Ventura County, Peterlin enjoyed a 10-day trial with Everton before officially joining the club on July 1, 2009. He started four of the final five reserve matches with Everton, but failed to make a first team appearance.

Plymouth, relegated from the second-tier Championship after finishing 23rd on 41 points during the 2009-10 campaign, opens its League One slate on Saturday, Aug. 7 away to Southampton. Plymouth also hosts Notts County at Home Park for a first round Carling Cup match on Tuesday, Aug. 10.