From the outside looking in at least it would have been something of a surprise to see Plymouth Argyle and John Sheridan part company at the end of last season after losing out in the Play-Off semi-finals to Wycombe Wanderers.

However, after nine games of the new League Two season the decision looks a shrewd one as new boss Derek Adams has seen the Pilgrims lose just twice to sit handsomely in fourth place – a point outside of the automatic promotion places.

The Scot succeeded Sheridan in the second week of June having cut his teeth as a manager with Ross County across two separate spells.

Still only 40, Adams began his managerial career with Ross County when he was appointed player-manager in November 2007. He had already made what proved to be his final playing appearance a month earlier, though, after being handed the reigns on a caretaker basis.

In 2008 he led the Staggies into the Scottish First Division before reaching the 2010 Scottish Cup final – beating Celtic and Hibernian along the way – only to go down 3-0 to Dundee United in the final.

Having earned his UEFA Pro Licence aged just 33, Adams left Victoria Park in 2010 to become Colin Calderwood’s assistant at Hibs.

But he returned in May 2011 and in his first full season back at County he guided the side to the Scottish Premier League as First Division champions.

Adams’ side went 34 games unbeaten during the 2011/12 campaign and finished a whopping 24 points ahead of second-placed Dundee, a measure of their dominance that season.

Impressive finishes of fifth – one point off European football – and seventh followed before Adams left in August 2014, ten months before taking up the hot-seat at Home Park.

He replaced Sheridan who, at the time of his departure, expressed a desire to work closer to his family in the north of England and exited Plymouth by mutual consent.

Times Series: Plymouth Argyle skipper Curtis Nelson heads clear of Stevenage's Tom Hitchcock. Picture: Action ImagesPlymouth Argyle skipper Curtis Nelson heads clear of Stevenage's Tom Hitchcock. Picture: Action Images

Thus far the appointment looks inspired and Adams has seen his side as high as second in the League Two standings already this season, though they have won just one of their last four fixtures following back-to-back draws with Bristol Rovers and Mansfield Town.

Two players followed Adams down to the south west from Ross County – striker Jake Jervis and attacking midfielder Graham Carey – and both have thrived since moving to the other end of the United Kingdom.

Striker Jervis, formerly of Birmingham City, has already hit five goals in his first eight league starts and also netted in victory over Wimbledon in the Football League Trophy at the beginning of this month.

A spate of loan spells in the Football League and briefs stays at Elazigspor and Portsmouth preceded the 24-year-old’s move to Scotland where he scored an unremarkable four league goals in 27 appearances – ten of which were starts – last season.

However, despite only working under Adams for little over a month, he moved to Argyle this summer and has hit the ground running immediately.

Times Series: Summer signing Graham Carey in action at Stevenage. Picture: Action ImagesSummer signing Graham Carey in action at Stevenage. Picture: Action Images

With four league goals to his name already, former Celtic midfielder Carey is just behind Jervis in the club’s scoring charts.

The Blanchardstown-born number ten began his career in Ireland with Shelbourne before a move to Celtic in 2005.

He managed just one league appearance – with loan spells at Bohemians, St Mirren and Huddersfield Town punctuating his six-year stay – before joining the Buddies on a permanent basis.

After two seasons at St Mirren Park he linked up with Adams at Ross County in 2013 and made more than 60 appearances in all competitions before returning to England in the summer for the first time since his six-month loan at Huddersfield.

Plymouth Argyle XI v Mansfield Town (26.9.15): McCormick; Mellor, Nelson, Hartley, Sawyer; Simpson, Carey, Boateng; Reid, Jervis, Brunt.