AN Ex-Argyle player and his wife have returned to Plymouth - and are hoping to score with the locals with their new ice cream business.
Striker Rory Fallon, 33, and his wife of seven years Carly, 36, launched the award-winning Cowlick Creamery ten months ago in Barnsley.
"The whole concept started five years ago when Plymouth Argyle went into administration," The New Zealand born athlete explained, "I realised that I needed to consider what I would do if my career in football ended. I had nothing on my CV apart from football.
"Carly had just started a cooking course. She used to bring ice-cream back for me after her classes, and honestly – it is the best ice-cream that I've ever tasted! I was so passionate about it that I was 100% behind her pursuing it."
Carly, who quit her job as a solicitor to run the business, added: "I bought myself a cheap ice-cream maker and studied the science of ice-cream. The long-term goal for me after Rory's career had finished was to have my own ice-cream parlour but I never knew when that was going to happen. I absolutely love it!"
However, after four long years away from Plymouth, Rory and Carly found the pull of the city too strong.
Now the couple hope to settle down permanently, providing hand-made artisan ice cream for local businesses and events such as weddings from their base in Estover, with the vision to eventually open a shop.
Carly said: "It feels so good to be back in Plymouth and we have so many friends here. It was always our goal to settle down here."
Rory explained: "We're sick of moving around all of the time and Plymouth really reminds me of New Zealand. It has such a great vibe."
The ice-cream is made of locally sourced ingredients. Flavours range from chilli chocolate to champagne and strawberry sorbet - and for pooches there's even exclusive lactose-free flavours for dogs.
Rory played for Argyle between 2007 and 2011 and has since then joined teams Yeovil, Aberdeen and Crawley. He now plays for Bristol Rovers.
However the ice-cold question is: what's better - football or ice-cream?
"It will always be football for me," Rory said, "it's my number one passion."
Fans of football and ice-cream alike, take a look at our super cool ice-cream 11:
