Bim Pepple, seen here playing for Plymouth Argyle in September, 2025, learned the professional ropes through a series of team loans before finding success with Plymouth.IMAGO/George Wass/PPAUK/Reuters
While Bim Pepple’s football journey has already had more than a few stops, the young forward is clearly headed in the right direction.
The 23-year-old Pepple’s resume included the Canadian Premier League’s Cavalry FC, Spain’s Getafe, Scotland’s Inverness Caledonia Thistle and England’s Luton Town, Grimsby Town, Bromley, Southend United and Chesterfield before he joined third-tier Plymouth Argyle last July.
He has learned along the way, with his goal count growing en route. His 15 goals in all competitions this season for Plymouth caught Canada coach Jesse Marsch’s eye, with Pepple called into camp for the first time for Toronto friendlies Saturday against Iceland and Tuesday against Tunisia.
“I think he’s done really well. He’s impressed us,” Marsch said. “He’s still learning all of the things that are important behaviours for what we think. But he’s made a big impression on everybody. He’s scored some great goals already in training.
“So I think he’s had a really good start. And he’s smart. He’s a smart guy, so when you talk to him about stuff, he gets it. We’re pretty happy with him.”
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Fullback Alistair Johnston has also taken notice.
“He’s a handful, for sure,” he said.
Born in England to a Nigerian father and English mother, Pepple was five when the family moved to Calgary. Both his parents are doctors, who fell in love with Canada thanks to a visit to Banff while on vacation.
Pepple, whose full name is Aribusitamunoipirim Emmanuel Pepple, started playing in the Calgary Foothills youth system as a midfielder, shifting to winger and then striker with Cavalry.
Canadian defender Alistair Johnston has said that Pepple ‘is a handful’ in practice sessions.Eduardo Lima/The Canadian Press
“It proved to be a good decision,” Pepple said with a smile.
He made his Cavalry debut at 16 before heading to Spain for a year with Getafe’s under-19 side after tryouts with England’s Sheffield United and Leicester City. After returning to Cavalry, he scored seven goals in six games which drew more interest from overseas.
Cavalry coach and GM Tommy Wheeldon Jr. has enjoyed watching Pepple’s progress to the national team.
“I’m pleased for him because he’s humble, he’s hungry,” said Wheeldon. “But he’s just a pure goal-scorer . . . Lots of clubs were knocking at his door.”
Luton got his signature, sending him out on a string of loans to get seasoning.
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The first few loans (to Grimsby and Bromley) were tough, getting used to lower-level English football and living alone.
“By the time I went to Scotland – that was my third loan – I was like, ‘OK. Now I understand was the game is like here,’” said Pepple. “But I needed all those different loans to learn.”
At Inverness Caledonia Thistle, he worked under former Scotland striker Duncan Ferguson.
“I learned a lot from him. Just using my body and stuff like that. And getting to grips with the physicality,” said Pepple, a solid unit himself at 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds.
He started getting regular games last season at fifth-tier Southend and fourth-tier Chesterfield, where he learned under former Wolves, Burnley and Wigan midfielder Paul Cook.
Canada’s head coach Jesse Marsch, centre, is big on Pepple, calling him a smart player who has picked things up quickly in his short time with the national team program.Eduardo Lima/The Canadian Press
“From there I had a rhythm, which I hadn’t really got anywhere else before,” said Pepple. “I started scoring goals and I found confidence that I can score goals in England.
“Those two teams really set me up to kick on this season.”
Luton, meanwhile, was going through hard times, finding itself in League One after back-to-back relegations.
Pepple met with Luton last summer, with a year remaining on his contract. While the club wanted him to stay, he reckoned he wasn’t going to play as much as he wanted to.
Along came Plymouth Argyle, which was relegated from the second-tier Championship to League One after the 2024-25 season. Pepple saw more opportunity there.
“I knew I would have a chance, if not to the No. 1 [striker] choice, the second choice and play more regularly.”
He asked for his release, which Luton granted.
Plymouth Argyle currently stands seventh in League One at 18-16-5. The club is well-supported with crowds of 16,000-plus showing up at Home Park.
Pepple feels the love everywhere in the city.
“Anywhere I go really, I get recognized. Which is good. It’s nice. It makes you feel appreciated,” he said.
He concedes there were some moments of doubt on his soccer travels.
“There were times when naturally you have little thoughts, maybe late at night, ‘Is this going to work out?’ But I’ve always said my parents were so good for me. They literally did not make it an option to give up. And it was because they believed in me and I’m happy I’m able to repay them with stuff like this.
“Getting the [Canada] call up is huge, not just for me but for my whole family. Yeah, it’s been a tough journey. And I’m sure there’s still going to be more ups and downs in the future. But I get better now at handling them and riding the waves.”
That resilience was evident early on, says Wheeldon.
“He’s got his lovely air of resilience that’s been brought into him by his upbringing, from his parents, the coaches he’s had around him. He firmly believes in himself, no matter what’s happening to him.”