A Plumper Cushion

Blackpool 2 - 1 Plymouth Argyle

OOPS!

Blackpool 0 - 1 Plymouth Argyle

A last minute goal, two disallowed goals and a big of blood and snotters and Argyle are now 4 points off the relegation zone. Time to breath easy for a while? Well not really, the next game is VITAL!

Luckily for Argyle Blackpool's two goals were ruled void due to handball, and as the game looked headed towards a 0-0 which would have done both team, for once a well timed substitution, Sawyer finds the net in a great way to end many's weekend away.

By many accounts it was a good showing by the Greens with determination to want the 3 points, which is what needs to be seen on the pitch. But it's not quite out of the woods yet unfortunately, though Southampton's possible 10 point administration deduction might seal two of the three drop places, and it is still all to play for. But for at least a week Pilgrims fans have something to smile about. Makes a change.

Championship Predictions

As I'm sure you're all aware the Pilgrims are in a bit of a precarious position at the minute... Not good. I've had a look at the weekend's fixtures and thought I'd offer my thoughts on what will happen to the teams around Argyle at the weekend, fingers cross they get the win at Bloomfield Road and the results elsewhere won't matter so much.

Southampton Vs Charlton

This one shouldn't matter that much to be honest, Charlton are already gone and it looks as if the Saints will be going into administration - a ten point deduction should kill off their hopes of survival. Charlton have looked a bit better of late, but not much better and I think the home side will just nick this one. Prediction: 2-1

Barnsley Vs Nottingham Forest

If only both teams could lose! This is a derby of sorts and Barnsley seem to do quite well against their local rivals (they've beaten both Sheffield Wednesday and United this season). Home advantage should spur the Tykes on and I think they'll add to Forest's woes. Prediction: 1-0

Norwich Vs Sheffield Wednesday

Wednesday haven't won in five and have been inconsistent all season. Norwich are a fairly poor side but Wednesday are absolutely abysmal away from home. This is a tricky tie to call and I'll definitely be leaving it off my betting slip but too hazard a guess it could well end in a draw. Prediction: 2-2

Derby Vs Burnley

Derby are still just about in it, though I doubt they'll get relegated. If you still do fancy them to go down I reckon you'll get fairly good sports betting odds on it but I think they're just about safe. All that could change though if Forest, Argyle and Norwich all win on Saturday so I thought I might as well offer my prediction anyway. I've rated Burnley this season and Owen Coyle is turning into a decent manager. I expect the Lancashire side to continue their promotion push at Pride Park with a fairly comfortable win. Prediction: 0-2

Doncaster Vs Watford

Like Derby I think both these teams are just about out of it. Donny have lost their last three but they were against Birmingham, Reading and away at Coventry, none of which are easy ties. Other than Charlton I think Watford have the worst away form in the league and Donny should see off the Hornets in this encounter. Prediction: 1-0

Green Arrogance

One thing that's really getting on my nerves is the sheer arrogance of Green Army supporters who believe that if the worst should happen in 6 games' time that Argyle will pulmerise League One and bound straight back up. A 6 point pasting at St James' Park being the optimum certaintly, that even if we end up losing all our best players what we have "built" in the Championship far outclasses the teams in League One.

Haven't we heard similar before? Team after team in the Championship believe it's their god given right to beat the likes of Argyle at every opportunity, that poor Plymouth are the runt of the litter and it's their right to be in the Premier League. Hmm, smacks of the same attitude really, that the likes of League One are not good enough for Argyle with their right to be in the Championship.

Notwithstanding the financial dung heap the club will be in by dropping off the bottom meaning that financially it might not cope with the lower leagues, try telling the same to Leeds fans who were just as arrogant when they left the Championship (administration aside, and that could well be Argyle on -10 points). There is however Leicester who were on 100 points by the end of winter ready to rebound following their Holloway enduced downfall. Millwall have likewise spent time in the lower doldrums. Although 2 of the league leavers have a chance of returning straight away, Colchester are languishing in Argyle's favourite place - mid table.

There are no certainties in life. It is not certain that Argyle will go down. It is not certain that they will come back up again. But it's far too early to be predicting 2009/10's table. Pride comes before a fall.

Stack-ed Off

Well, keeper Graham Stack seems to have had the last laugh as he joins League leaders Wolves on loan till the end of the season.

Stack was Argyle's first choice keeper until the run of 5 defeats back in September and some backstage politics when he disappeared off the radar altogether but has now secured a spell with the best team in the Championship rather than sitting at home with relegation hopefuls. Even if he doesn't play I'm sure he'll be laughing all the way to the bank.

An Argyle Win

Plymouth Argyle have won the Football League Family Excellence award for 2008/09. The award recognises the features that Argyle have introduced over the last two years to become more family friendly including the Family Stand in Block 1 and its associated entertainments and discounts and was judged by a team of mystery shoppers.

It makes a change for Argyle to win something, but this may rouffle a few feathers amongst those who believe football is already too sanitised. With the launch of Plymouth Argyle Disability Association earlier this year, here's hoping that overthe next two years their efforts are recognised.

Time to Say Goodbye

Plymouth Argyle 1 - 2 Burnley

Och no, Burnley didnae deserve that winning goal we wuz all over em. Tough. It's now full brown trouser time and no denying it. We'd best start preparing the place in League One, and be grateful for a skin of the teeth escape. There's no two ways about it this season Argyle have been woefully crap. From year on year improvement to plain bollocks. The omens are there: the 10th finishing team has more times than not been relegated, out of 6 relegations a team beginning with B has relegated them. Last game of the season? Barnsley.

A lot of questions will be asked, few questions will be answered. Some supporters will have got what they wanted- never mind an established Championship team, how about a high-flying League One team? Tell that to Leeds.

There's still an escape - but just like the booby traps in the pyramids - the door's closing.

Losing without even Playing

Barnsley 3 - 1 Crystal Palace

Relying on the misfortunes of others doesn't always work and tonight it proved an ill-founded idea. The win by fellow bottom leaguers, Barnsley, has meant the teams swapped places with Argyle falling 2 positions to just 2 points off the relegation zone. A win by Forest this Saturday and a loss or draw by Argyle mean that the the Greens are well in the shite (and a win the following game by Southampton would be unbearable). Let's quote the new cliche:

Saturday's game is vital!

Three - is it the magic number?

After defeat at the hands of fellow strugglers Norwich, in a pretty abysmal display, Luggy has said Plymouth need three more wins to survive, but I think it might take a little more than that. There are still seven games left and granted three victories would push the points total up to a pretty tasty 52 but Barnsley, Southampton, Forest and Norwich all look capable of picking up the points and it's tight at the bottom.

Speaking to BBC Radio Devon Luggy said: "The important thing for us is that we need to win three games,
"We need to get into the 52 point bracket if we're going to be safe.
"That puts a lot of pressure on us, but in the last three or four games we've been undefeated at home and we're going to very much have to call on the players again."

I imagine most of the Home Park faithful would be happy if the season ended now, out of the bottom three and ending a campaign that started with a lot of promise but failing to deliver. Unfortunately though, that can't happen and promotion-chasing Burnley visit on Saturday.

As a neutral (I say that but since writing on this blog I've been looking out for the Argyle scores and watching high-lights, reading match reports etc so probably not as neutral as I once was) I've had a look through the remaining fixtures to see if I can pick out where these three wins are going to come from.

The smart betting money will probably go on Burnley this Saturday but as Sturrock said, the Pilgrims have been pretty good at home lately. I don't want to jinx anything but I can see Plymouth getting a draw out of this, maybe even a win, Burnley have played nearly 50 games this season and they travel to Ipswich tomorrow night. As yet I haven't seen many signs of fatigue from Coyle's boys but all that football will catch up with them sooner or later.

The real bonus for the Pilgrims is they've got four remaining fixtures at home and three away. The away ties are against Blackpool, Birmingham andf QPR. Probably best write the games against Brum and QPR off and if they get anything there it's a bonus, but beating either is not beyond the realms of possibility. The Blackpool game in two weeks could be crucial and they have been beaten nine times at home already, this is probably the game Sturrock will want to win most but even if they are beaten there are still five games after that to salvage the season.

Home ties against Barnsley, Doncaster and Coventry all look like ties Plymouth should win on paper. Donny have impressed me this season and they've upset the sports betting odds somewhat by staying up, as they all but have. Plymouth have more quality in their side than Donny and now they've done the work they might take their foot off the pedal and be an easier side to beat. Coventry play some nice football and I'm a big fan of Coleman (anyone know why Fulham sacked him? I'm still amazed they did that), they're another mid table side and you would hope Argyle will have enough about them to beat a team with very little to play for.

The Barnsley game could be massive, it's on the last day of the season and if both teams are still in the mix it could be a real battle. The Tykes aren't a bad side and they've beaten both Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday in their derby games this season. I'm a lot happier the game is at Home Park and I think if they need too, and the fans get behind them, the Argyle should be able to see the Yorkshire side off.

I'm fairly confident the Pilgrims will be alright at the end of the season. I do think it might take a bit more than the three wins Sturrock has targeted though, but the fixture list has been fairly kind and they should be able to rack up enough points to preserve their Championship status.

What's that Noise?

Norwich City 1 - 0 Plymouth Argyle

It's the groan that came from everyone who asked me the score today upon receiving the answer.

I was at a wedding today rather than making the godforsaken trip to mustard country and as I recived a text from the QPR fan nearing the end of the ceremony I knew it was game over. Sturrock's team has nevr come back from being behind this season, so when the news came that the greens are 1-0 down I gave up hope. And was proved right. Again.

It didnt matter to anyone who asked why or how the loss came, just that it happened and they all in some way or another said that Argyle were in the shit. Which they are. You see we can blame the ref for the Swansea defeat and gloss over the ineptitude of the team, but the black and white of it all is 3, 1 or 0 points, 1st, 2nd ... 14th, 15th ... 22nd, 23rd, 24th. Relegation dog fight? Maybe. Who really knows, but the gods are certainly not smiling on Plymouth and the very little run of wins, whom the Sturrock lovers tooks to be the greatest moment in history and burnt the doubters at the stick, is now once again far away. Argyle may not be totally in the manure, as the league position is still hovering around 17-18-19, but it is no position to look secure in.

To be frank, given Argyle's record against bottom of the league teams, who really though that today's game would be easy? And those who did were foolhardy. No game is easy. Yet another "Vital Game" has passed by making the next a "Vital Game". It's too much to take. And now Gallagher has thrown down a gauntlet to the club stating that he wishes to stay. Will certain people rise to the occasion or will the viagra be forgotten again?

Once More into the Breach

Swansea City 1 - 0 Plymouth Argyle

Yay we can blame the referee for this one, never mind that the defend deep tactics and snatch a point didn't help the situation. Swansea are a dirty team, and they played up the to referee as well as they could and they played it right - and won. A series of fouls (or dives depending on your view) saw free kicks and cards dished out like sweets, so when the referee does what you want capitalise on it. And so whenever an Argyle player got near a white shirt, down they went, out came the card and the free kick. And then there's the penalty. Williamson had already bottled a penalty a few moments before hand so when Larrieu upended the player who ran into him it was a fait accompli. It was just more surprising the there was no red card. What wasn't surprising was that the Pilgrims didn't seem to have any potential to score an equaliser (and apart from Barnes' opening attempt on goal, actaully make any attempt to get anything on target).

So with the teams around Argyle not progressing, the damage was limited. But yet again the next match is crucial. Actually, what did Luggy say? All matches are cruicial. It doesn't do much for the nerves, or the heart. Someways you can envy Charlton because they know they're fucked and any win is a bonus.

Aiming Low?

With the drastic shrinking (sorry, redesigning) of the Life Centre's facilities it appears that the Board of Plymouth Argyle are also thinking small, in a big way.

In an announcement last week at the Shareholders' meeting intent was made public of adding a cinema, restaurants and shops to the South Stand Redevelopment in order to fund it and have been seeking developers. This is great, extra revenue income for the club outside of Tuesdays and Saturdays. However, the actual ground will only gain 7,000 seats on top of the developed side (ie the Grandstand and Mayflower will be replaced by 7,000 seats). Making a ground capacity of ... about what we have now. Is this grand thinking? Showing ambition? That if Argyle ever got into the Premier League (not likely) there will be a good capacity? That Home Park could be considered as a venue for other games? Probably not. Stapleton says that "Plymouth is crying out for facilities" like shops, restaurants. Argyle might be, Plymouth is not.

Where have we come in 10 years? Not far that's for sure.

Reading Review

A thoroughly enjoyable game of football which I think we deserved to win. I know I'm biased, but we created more chances and Fallons goal didn't look offside to me. I'll caveat that by saying I'm in the middle of the Demport so I don't have the best angle.

Larry - O was solid at the back for 99% of the time. There was one incident when he could of come for a ball but chose to stay on his line. It needed Gray to put his foot through it for a corner. Larry - O would of got there easily. No blame at Larry - O for their first equaliser. Their second was down the other end, so not a great view but it looked like a 1 on 1 where you have to back the striker I suppose.

Sawyer looks a bit short of pace which surprises me as I always thought he was pretty quick. Otherwise, a good solid performance. Seip was as awesome as ever, and was well partnered by Cathcart until he had to go off. Looked like an ankle. Timar came on and was shaky at first, but grew into the game. Solid, but no more than that. Gray had a great game. Dealt with the Reading threat well enough down our right and got forward well too.

In the midfield, I thought Flether was outstanding. Nothing too fancy, but he tackled like a tiger and distributed it well. A very Nalis-esque performance. Duguid was similar but there were a few misplaced passes and some miss control from him. The absolute stand out player was Mackie. His goal was worth the entrance fee alone and I expect it to be one of the candidates for goal of the season. It was that good. The rest of the game he was fantastic as well. Didn't stop running and took off a lot of pressure by making himself available as an out ball. Judge was also superb on the other side. He caused all sorts of problems and put in some great crosses. I was surprised when he got subbed. I thought it was going to be for Barnes as he was out on his arse. Unfortunately, as soon as Paterson came on, Reading attacked down his side and scored.

Gallagher did well in the first half, played off Barnes well and made things happen. he also took his goal well which I think was set up by Barnes but I may be wrong. Fallon was out having a kick about at half time but called in by the woman who usually looks after the mascots. I wonder if Gally was still feeling the effects of whatever was making him feel ill last week? Fallon was OK, when he came on. He won more headers than he lost, so happy with that. He also showed a few good touches when laying the ball off. My only complaint is that he gives away too many fouls when in good positions.

I'm going to use a separate paragraph for Barnes. I thought he had a fantastic game. Not a MoM performance, that goes to Mackie or Fletcher, but Barnes really puts himself about, wins his fair share of aerial challenges and also has a good touch, good vision and can strike a ball too. I saw him early in the season in the Rezzies, and I thought he was OK, but nothing special. However, he has come back from his loan spell a different player. I can't see Fallon getting back into the team while Barnes is fit. My only criticism is fitness. Barnes was out on his feet at the end, he gave everything.

A definite problem is concentration at set pieces. Readings first goal was from a corner taken short which no one picked up. An unpressurised cross led to a free header on the penalty spot. Not good enough.

To summarise, an enjoyable game where we played well against a promotion chasing team. Reading did ok, and are a big side, but we made them look ordinary apart from lack of concentration at a corner, and a 1 on 1 in the second half.

A final note. We are the featured game on The Championship on ITV tomorrow morning. Make sure you watch it, or at least find Mackie's goal on the interweb. It's worth watching over and over again.

A final, final note. If we play with that attitude, commitment and performance from here on in, there is no way we will be relegated.

A very happy and proud Green tonight.

Nick (GibGreen)

Sturrock continues clawing his way out of the mire.

Scot Free

Plymouth Argyle 2 - 1 Watford

Sturrock got his get out of jail free card and the pressure is (tempoarily) off, thanks to the loan signings that the team now seems to be built around, and a referee who has friends in Plymouth. Although the match started out as the usual, the penalty decision woke the whole of Home Park up and gave the 9,000 odd spectators a treat of a game on an awful night of weather.

The second win in two games has done a lot to calm fears at Home Park, and has resecured Luggy's Messiah status amongst many of the Green Army. The Sturrock doubters have been herded up, locked in a cage and are being tortured as we speak. the pressure has been taken off, but hopefully the pressure on the players and management in regards to the game has not eased at all, because it is still all to play for and we are nowhere near safe.

In related news QPR lost - again - so yah boo sucker to James.

Tactical musings with Kevin Doyle

Its been a little while since my last post on the blog and things are looking a lot better now to say the least! The 2-2 draw with Sheffield United started something very special and the win at Wolves was just what the doctor ordered. The most important result without a doubt was the victory over Watford, bringing the two sides level on points and putting a bit more breathing space between the Pilgrims and the bottom three.

If the Wolves and Watford games were shaping up to be the start of a run it is probably a bad time to play Reading. They've drawn a lot of games recently but they ended all that with a fight-back from a goal down to beat Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough. Before that though they just seemed unable to score and Reading striker Kevin Doyle said that teams had been 'frustrating' them by playing an extra man in midfield, which is exactly what Argyle will have to do. Doyle has hit the nail on the head there and I think a lot of teams have worked them out. For me Reading are easily the side with the most quality in the league and to try and match them is probably not the best idea. However, all that quality doesn't count for anything if there isn't the space to use it and getting a result out of them is not impossible. It would upset the sports betting odds but Argyle should go into this full of confidence to be fair and thanks to the last two games the pressure is off (to some degree anyway).

There probably isn't much point doing an analysis on Reading because they're pretty much the same side that got relegated last year. They do have some very good players like Doyle, Hunt, Gunnarsson etc but as Doyle said, that doesn't matter a great deal sometimes if the tactics are right and Sturrock will have to work this one out. I quite rate Leroy Lita, despite his inconsistency, but whether he'll get in the team or not is anyone's guess. I’m going to leave it there but if you're going to be doing any betting this weekend I like the look of Preston away at Palace and Swansea away at Forest, perhaps not bankers but if you’re looking for decent odds these are two to look at.

Up in Smoke

BBC Radio Devon have reported (at 14.00 today) there has been a fire at Home Park in the boiler room where the team's kit is stored. One member of staff was taken to hospital.

We can truthfully now say that ahead of tonight's match Argyle are On Fire; Luggy has lit a fire under the the players; he has ignited the flame for a win....

Any more?

Well Who'd have Thought It

Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 - 1 Plymouth Argyle (Paul Gallagher)

What a shock - top of the league Wolves toppled by relegation headed Argyle. Who'd have considered that? What seemed a strangely fielded team by Sturrock leaving out Fallon (possible to rest for the two upcoming home games) gaining 3 points at fly away leaders' home ground. Must have been the pants.

However, a win in 17 does not a league surviver make. The other bottom teams won today meaning a jump of one place in the table but still close enough. Though we should revel in the joy and hysteria that 3 points brings we should not take our eyes off the ball. The Sturrock lovers have all ready torn into the Sturrock haters at their doubt but let's not get carried away. It's a start though, a boost in confidence, a possible corner turning moment to bring out the cliches. but it is no more than 1 win in 17 games and a fantastic result at this point in time.

Luggy's Tactics are Pants

Now at sometime there has been call for any supporter to question the manager's tactics, but now be have conclusive proof that Luggy's tactics are pants.

Aside from the late substitution and the belief that playing players constantly out of position, Luggy now believes that the best way of winning games is by donning his lucky underwear. Now nearly every supporter has matchday rituals - from walking the same root to the ground, eating the same food, going to the toilet at the same point in the game etc - likewise players probably go throgh the same ritual every week, must punch the same place on the doorframe before walking out on the pitch etc and Sturrock is no different. So Sturrock's new belief is in changing his underwear regularly and driving a different route to the training ground every day. A slight difference in opinion between doing the same thing and doing completely different things, but then the Scottish like to be different.

We'll see what works when Ebanks-Blake has scored his hattrick.

What a Waste

Plymouth Argyle 2 (Fletcher 49, Gallagher 70) - 2 Sheffield United (Webber 63, Halford 72)

A draw after a battling game. But a battling game that twice saw Argyle take the lead and twice saw them concede within minutes. A battling game that could have seen Argyle go 8th from bottom but has in fact made them drop one place to 5th from bottom. 3 points, 1 point. But at least the Greens played better. Does that make everything alright? Does the fact it is a draw save Sturrock's head from the block for longer than if it was an outright loss? We are closer to relegation after all.

Notwithstanding that Fletcher made is debut goal making Sturrock's signing and decisions seem worthwhile - but can he keep it up? Likewise that Gallagher finally returned to some sort of form after a break. But still a bit of blame to shift to the referee, some more to United for their 'cheating' ways, and the disallowed goal by Mackie but we'll ignore that we were still a disjointed team and that Sturrock may not have made the right substitutions (again). But we'll definitely ignore Larrieu's blunder for their first as recently he has been the most consistant player on the team.

But will this herald a change in fortunes? Not bloody likely if you call that result "lucky"! Has it stopped the rot? Probably not. Woz we robbed? Maybe. However a draw at the moment is still not good enough.

Dream Team

Argyle's newest loanee has signed Carl Fletcher from Harchester United for 1 month. If the rest of the squad hadn't been killed off we might have had a decent team.

Fletcher joins the Pilgrims on a month's loan from Crystal Palace. The 28 year old has captained Wales and is an experienced midfielder (which we don't really need as Argyle tend to play defence - striker and bypass the midfield with the high ball) but has been out of favour with Warnock, Luggy has been eyeing up for some time and hopes will help end the bad spell.

Football Fanzine Awards 2009

The following Argyle related nominations need your vote at the Football Fanzine Awards:

Best Championship Fanzine (Printed): Rub of the Greens
Best Football League Fanzine (Online): Greens on Screen
Best Football Blog: To be a Pilgrim
Best Editor: Blake Hall

You can cast your nominations at: http://www.footballfanzineawards.com/

Hurry, voting closes 27 FEBRUARY!!!!

Laugh

I spent time away from Plymouth last night and so was oblivious to any of the games last night, it was not until 12o'clock today that I discovered the score.

Plymouth Argyle 1 (Sawyer 67) - 3 Crystal Palace (Danns 20, Lee 27, Oster 43)

And all I could do was laugh. I've gone past the stage of despair and anger and just take it as the norm that every game will be a loss and that relegation if a near certainty. So there's no reason really to pay any lip service to what goes on on the pitch. In fact working it out I believe I will only see 2 more games in the flesh: Swansea and Blackpool away due to holidays, weddings, stag dos and work. By the Swansea game I expect the club's fate to be signed sealed and buried.

To many the joy has gone out of the game and we can all call those who give up not proper fans and wave good by smug in the fact that those who stay are real hardcore stalwarts. Then laugh and jeer if they come back when things improve. This is a different debate for another time but the Argyle fan "family" is very exclusive and wary of anyone who has never been through the hard times. It would seem that this exclusive group would rather they had the stadium and the team to themselves. However, Sturrock commented that last night the fans (as a whole) did not give up on the team and were upbeat for the whole 90 minutes; which is a very hard thing to do. But off the terraces the current plight, along with that of our Championship years has split and torn the support in many ways. It is very unlikely that there will ever be any harmony amongst the Green Army again.

Looking back since last year these what I used to call Match Reviews have become less and less about what happened on the pitch mainly because there's only so many words you can write about crap, a disjointed, uninspiring performance with no substance. A but like the Addick's pie last week. One thing's for certain, there's no way that the Greens will finish higher than last season. When "run by fans for fans" was dropped and replaced by "onwards and upwards" it is clear to see that not only was there a shift away from being a close run community club but a serious jinx on it too!

Norwich

You're really in the shit when other clubs think that you're the reason they'll survive relegation.

Plymouth's plight could give City survival hope

Worrying as the bottom of the Championship table is at the moment, City's survival hopes could stand or fall by whatever happens 360 miles away from Norwich tomorrow night, if the following views are particularly widespread.

"The board are determined not to listen to the fans."

"A song to be played at the next home game - Go Now by the Moody Blues."

"The manager's bad signings are the reason we are in this pathetic mess."

"We are sinking faster than a stone.

Change the manager, get rid of all the hangers-on, sort out the highly-paid, not-bothered attitude of some of our players. Act now, please."

"Paul, it is time to say goodbye. If you wish to retain any respect of the fans and the club step down and allow the chance of a fresh face and approach to save us from the drop.

You and your backroom staff are not good enough and have lost control of the players."

All comments on the Plymouth Herald website yesterday following the Pilgrims' disastrous 2-0 defeat at Charlton.

Tomorrow night Plymouth play their game in hand over us at home to Crystal Palace, when boss Paul Sturrock is likely to be coming under even greater pressure should they fail to win.

This is a man, remember, who once effectively led Argyle to two promotions in three seasons, but a club legend would now appear to be fighting for his job as once-loyal supporters turn on him.

Okay, I might have my doubts about Norwich's managerial structure and decisions, but I know that failure will hurt them as much as it does me or any other fan.

The mood at Home Park would appear to be rather more divided, and if our survival depends on profiting from others' failures and misfortunes, then so be it.

Tomorrow also sees Barnsley visit Sheffield Wednesday while Watford host Swansea, and while you'd like to hope that both games go our way, the Tykes and Hornets would still each have two games in hand over us, so, for the moment at least, you can't see them being in the most danger of going down.

No, it's Plymouth who will be really in the thick of it if they fail to win tomorrow night. Big time.

Since beating Cardiff on November 22 to go seventh in the table they have won just once in taking seven points out of a possible 42 - four of which came against one team, Southampton.

In that same period our struggling motley band have at least managed a whole 12 from a game more.

And with a visit from the Pilgrims looming on the horizon it's now becoming apparent that the Canaries' fate will probably be sealed by the next four games at Carrow Road.

We face Burnley, Coventry, Cardiff and, perhaps most crucially on March 14, Plymouth, and, without question, we have to win at least three of those games.

I didn't go to Preston on Saturday because I just couldn't see us getting anything out of the game.

We're facing a top-four side with an impressive home record - one word, Reading, immediately sprang to mind before the kick-off.

City's fate was sealed about 20 minutes in when I tuned into Radio Norfolk and heard Chris Goreham mention something along the lines of how they had started the better at Deepdale.

No, we plainly can't win away from home.

Okay, maybe we can grind out the odd hard-earned point here and there, but in our present plight it's victories that we need, and you can't see where even one of them is going to come from on the road.

Maybe, just maybe, Blackpool, but as for the rest - QPR, Birmingham, Swansea and Ipswich - there's no real obvious source of points in there.

And Charlton on May 3 doesn't bear thinking about if we need something at The Valley.

We have to learn from the games against Southampton and Bristol City and start killing teams off at Carrow Road.

With a possible FA Cup fifth-round visit to Arsenal to look forward to the following week you would have to hope that it's the Burnley side beaten 3-0 at Watford who turn up at Carrow Road this Saturday rather than the one which drew 1-1 at Birmingham.

Fail to win at the weekend, and we then must beat in-form Cardiff.

Defeat or a draw with Coventry on March 28 and we then have to start thinking about having to beat Reading here on April 25 - a day when they could need a victory to secure promotion.

With the players we've got, as well as home advantage, we surely ought to have enough about ourselves to beat Burnley, Coventry and Plymouth.

Were that to happen, the Devon side might well be in freefall by then if the present mood around Home Park continues.

But we can't rely on that, so you have to look at home wins over Sheffield Wednesday and Watford in April as well.

Five wins would take us to 47 points, throw in an odd draw here and there and we would surely be all right, irrespective of what goes on elsewhere.

But it probably all depends on getting something from Saturday's massive home game against Burnley, and you sincerely hope that Sammy Clingan is available and certain other players emulate Lee Croft's all-action approach as we take the initiative right from the first whistle.

At least the mood at Carrow Road should be a whole lot better than the mood down at Home Park, that's for sure.

Just as Argyle are looking to Norwich to slip up to ensure survival, Norwich are looking for Argyle to do the same. It is never any good to rely just on the misfortunes of others as there is no guarantee that those misfortunes are permanent, all it takes is a few wins and draws against continued losses. You have to make your own fortunes. Unfortunately, Argyle can't at the moment.

Article by Steve Geggs, EDP24, 16 February 2009

Next up, Crystal Palace

It has been a good while since my last post on 'To be a Pilgrim' and things just seem to keep getting worse for Argyle. From my point of view Plymouth looked so low on confidence against Charlton it was plain too see. This was a tie they should have gone into expecting to win it is just not good enough when you're in the relegation scrap. To top it all off the sides around the Pilgrims seem to have got their act together and Sturrock needs to pull a win out of somewhere quickly to reignite the season.

Crystal Palace are the next opponents so I thought I'd have a quick look at their team to see if that elusive win can come from this encounter. This game really does represent a decent opportunity for Plymouth to record a first victory in the league since the 2-0 win over Southampton. Palace have lost their last four league matches and they have not been games against the top sides. Their first loss came against Bristol City, before Ipswich hammered them 4-1 and then they slipped to defeat against Charlton and Blackpool so it could be the perfect time to play Neil Warnock's floundering side. In the last month or so Palace have gone from Championship promotion contenders to mid table and fingers cross Plymouth can make it five defeats in a row for the Eagles.

Palace don 't seem to be coping to well with the loss of Ben Watson and last time out they were beaten by a Blackpool side that were reduced to ten men after just three minutes. This prompted Warnock to make a bitter statement about his players and the first half of the game at Home Park will be crucial. The way confidence is affecting both sides the team who performs best and creates the most chances in the opening 45 minutes should go on to win the match.

There are a couple of danger men in the Palace side and the big hitman Shefki Kuqi is definitely one of Palace's better players. He might not be the most attractive or skillful player to watch but his sheer size and presence make him a danger. I'm just hoping the giant Finn doesn't get to do that ridiculous belly flop goal celebration on Tuesday night.

I'm going to end this post with a couple of Championship betting picks ahead of the midweek fixtures. I quite fancy Doncaster to beat Bristol City at the Keepmoat on Tuesday and Swansea should be able to beat Watford at Vicarage Road (as long as they didn't get too tired giving Fulham the run around). That's all from me, hopefully Plymouth will have recorded a victory by my next post.

Every Man for Himself

Charlton Athletic 2 (Racon 31, Bailey 68) - 0 Plymouth Argyle

So the women and children are safely in the lifeboats while the old ship Argyle is slowly being swallowed by the league table it's time for the shout of Every Man for Himself. The Greens are now without a win in 13 games and have amassed a grand total of 7 points out of 39 with the league position dropping like a stone to just 5 points of relegation zone.

Charlton should have been an easy 3 points - every said so - the team rooted to the bottom of the table on the brink of administration managed to pull off the unthinkable and win. 2 superb goals and a missed penalty which only thanks to the best player of the team, Larrieu and his feet, was saved. Now you could blame the referee for the 1st goal which came from an unclear decision between goal kick and corner kick - orange player thought goal, red thought corner, and so did the ref, which was cleanly punted home just before the break. Then Summerfield conspired to handle the ball off the start of the second half and conceed a penalty which was magnificently handled by the keeper. This reprieve did seem to spur on the flagging clueless Pilgrims into attempting some sort of a game of football but it was never to be. Sturrock's team has never come back from being 1-0 down since his return so the prospects were dire. And so it was 2-0.

Apparently there was a 45 minute 'clearing the air' session in the changing room after the match in which Sturrock and everyone had their say (Clearing the Air is tantamount to nuspeak for Slanging match is it now?) and the board has given their vote of confidence in Sturrock. He now has everything at his disposal to change things around. Except a transfer window. Now isn't 13 games a bit long to be waiting before things started getting heavy in the dressing room? It has already been suggested that the management has lost the dressing room after the episodes with Stack and Walton, is this true and if so can it be regained?

If anything it is a gamble if he does leave or gets pushed that anyone will come in to fill his place. Summerfield Snr would be the caretaker manager and he's worse than Sturrock according to some. But would anyone be willing to come all the way down here to tread where many have trod before just to plough up the same old same old? Probably not.

On a lighter note, Charlton now sell pies. After the berrating they got for the last 2 seasons of not selling them they now have Steak or Chicken Curry flavoured pies. They were awful though.

PROFIT and loss

The accounts of Plymouth Argyle Football Club Ltd were released today for 2007/08 showing that the Greens made a profit of approximately £1.1 million, which is not really that much but is much better than the loss normally incurred. Though remember this was for year ending May 2008, after all the sell offs of players, concerts etc. Since then, there has been a drop in attenanced - once again stated plainly by the chairman as a key factor - and a few dud signings and high wages, plus the credit crunch. Meaning that that money has probably gone already and again we are "balancing the books".

Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?

So from the first tentative steps 2 summers ago with the big guns of Elton and George, through Meatloaf and Westlife to Rod Stewart. The extra non football income of Home Park: concert venue has become a success and for once the Board have to be congratulated for their enterprise 2 years ago when they decided to open the doors to Plymouth Pavilions. There is no other way at the moment that Home Park can be used outside of Tuesdays or Saturdays apart from hospitality in the form of parties, and the concert venue is an extra string to the bow. The huge amount of work required converting the pitch and Mayflower precludes any use outside of the season, and is one reason to be thankful for 'temporary' seating. Maybe if the Redevelopment of the South Sand is ever to go ahead and so are the concerts, provision should sensibly be made.

Roddy is coming to the Greens on July 2nd, and tickets, though pricey, are now available.
Rod Stewart ticket news

Women and Children First

Plymouth Argyle 0 - 3 Derby County (Teale 43, Hulse 46, Hulse 52)

A green tint will say we've got 2 good points from 2 difficult games, a brown tint will say we've got 7 point in 13 games. Whatever you think the good ship Argyle is taking on water faster than anyone can bail it out - if anyone is bailing out in the first place. The air of gloom that descended on Home Park is worse than any early February snow blizzard and has attacked the very core of the once family club and spread like cancer. There is no doubt that 7 points in 13 games (7/39 points - less than 1 in 5) that Argyle should really be in the shit with Southampton, Charlton and Watford. It's only by good grace that has kept the ship buoyant. However if you compare last season's overall points with this then we are following a similar pattern, albeit on a lower level.

So where does the buck stop? Firstly with Sturrock and then with Stapelton et al. Sturrock cannot manage and motivate his players on the pitch, and the board have been running the club on the breadline for years. Though it could be argues that bread rather than beef steak has worked and thus the manager has the chance to make a sumptous bread and butter pudding or bread and water. Hollowat did the former, Sturrock did the latter though with a poorer squad of players and whose fault is that - his and the boards! Oh the circular pains of it all.

Anyway, so is it time to main the lifeboats while the band play Semper Fidelis (always faithful, remember!) stoicly and the pursers rearrange the deckchairs? True fans will stay loyal to the sink like the captain when he (supposedly is meant to) go down with it, though no one should blame those who decide to jump like the rats when they see no leadership from the leadership.

Precious Pointage

Preston North End 1 - 1 Plymouth Argyle

Mid November was the last time an Argyle player found the net on the road, a drought of 2 months with no goals that was ended by Jamie Mackie on a bitterly cold Tuesday night when many other games had been postponed. The early goal was a bit of renewed hope for a win but the usual poor play saw an equaliser and resulted in Larrieu once again taking a hammering at his goal line. It was luck that Preson did not win.

So we have 2 points from 2 games, still 11 (or is it 12) games with no win, yet many people are pleased that we have at least held two traditionally bad teams for Argyle to play to draws when previously they've been losses. Yet in the whole picture 2 points is not that many, and its only the league that is holding the Greens in that 16th position, nothing of their own devising.

Waste of Time

The January transfer window is an opportunity to buy and sell players.

What has happened at Argyle?

Transfers In
David Gray On Loan From Manchester United Till End Of Season
Ashley Barnes Returns To The Club From Loan At Eastbourne

Alan Judge On Loan From Blackburn Rovers Till End Of Season

Transfers Out

Nicolas Marin Loan Ended by Mutral Consent Returns to FC Lorient

Dan Smith Season Long Loan at Eastbourne Borough
Ashley Barnes Loan Extended by a month at Eastbourne Borough
Yala Bolasie On a Months loan at Barent
Jason Puncheon Season Long Loan at MK Dons

There have been a lot of LOAN transfers and shipping outs. The renewed Rub of the Greens fanzine (still only £1), [Facebook group] had a very interesting article on this window. In that Argyle rarely actually use it for its full purpose. This January has seen loanees sign and a few full timers shipped out. Well we get the selling right, just not the buying. Wall, head, bang?

Thanks to PV1.0 for stealing the table of transfers.

We Didn't Lose!

Ipswich Town 0 - 0 Plymouth Argyle

We didn't lose! And what's more, we nearly won. Thanks to an offside goal it wasn't. Not that Ipswich didn't have many chances either, they were kept out of the game by a blinder played by Larrieu and both teams hit the woodwork. Sturrock changed the team some what, dropping much maligned Summerfield to the bench and starting Walton. Though the performance was not quality the work ethic was much improved. However it really was a case of make do and mend, which is not going to change, and when you see the same mistakes and the same tactics week after week no wonder fans are getting peed off. But if this marks the turn around then so be it, however the Preston match is in doubt because of the weather. So might be 2 games in hand, but just 4 points off the relegation zone. All it takes is the bottom three to go on a good run in the next few months and the shit will have hit the fans and made the pitch grass grow higher.

Hero to Zero

Plymouth Argyle 0 - 2 Bristol City (McIndoe 62, Fontaine 86)

Back when Sturrock was appointed I said that you should never go back, and that he risks damaging his heroic status at the club, and that's precisely what has happened.
Back in September when we were really in the relegation zone Luggy managed to pull off a wonder stroke that silenced his critics, however since that time things have been steadily going down hill with a catalogue of wrongs: his signings have proved poor - they're either permanently injured or were never picked or have 'attitude problems'; his tactics have become more and more negative and more and more absent; team moral seems to have gone through the floor and the displays of apathy by the players getting more frequent; his press interviews have become more negative ("I hope that player is not here by the end of the window"); his passion has gone.

Now we can blame this on his Parkinsons, that as his illness progresses he is becoming a weaker person, but why persevere if you're not up to it? Unfortunately the negativity has transferred to the fans who are not bothered any more, for many the 'sparkle' has gone. This in turn reflects in the lower gates and poor atmosphere and is used as an excuse by the board to cut spending and apportion blame.

Last night's rain played match was pathetic, though it may be something that City were held out for so long, but at 1-0 down did anyone really expect a come back or was 2,3,4-0 a more realistic possibility. It's certainly what I texted by new QPR fan friend in his mid-match ribbing. The team last night and whatever tactics there should have been were all wrong. But there's going to be no change, the transfer window slams closed in a few days and there is no sign of anything coming in whilst our flare players are clambering to squeeze out. It's a make do and mend situation.

Sturrock does have a pedigree, he's got 4 promotions and no relegations to his name, so he has the ability background to turn it around, many are convinced that we will survive but only because there are worse teams in these 10 bad games we have not moved from 15/16th in the table. But that is not good enough. There is no way Sturrock will be sacked by his bum chums so he has every opportunity to return from Zero to Hero.

Just be quick about it please. Or I'll join my mate at QPR. It sounds much more fun.

My musings on the bottom end of the Championship

It's been a little while since my last post on To be a Pilgrim and unfortunately things didn't go too well in the Forest game. I thought Forest might have a bit about them, Billy Davies is still a good manager in my eyes despite that spell at Derby (though to be fair, any manager would have found keeping that side in the Premier League).

Next up though come Bristol City. They're only a couple of points above Argyle in the league and a win would see the Pilgrims leap-frog them. Last season they had a great one obviously, but I always thought they were punching above their weight a bit I have to admit. They've got a few decent players like Nicky Maynard, Bradley Orr and Marvin Elliot but they haven't looked as good as they did last season and are a beatable side.

I know Argyle have been on a bad run of late, stretching back to that defeat against Blackpool. I don't think relegation talk is necessary just yet. Before the weekend I thought Blackpool were going to slip down into it because they lost so many players that had been there on loan but then they go and beat Birmingham 2-0! That ruined my betting picks anyway, probably ruined a few other peoples selections as well. In truth Birmingham were pretty poor in that game from what I've seen and did not look like a side pushing for promotion.

Another football betting tip for relegation candidates are Norwich City. They look pretty poor and just don't seem to pick up results. They might have battered Barnsley last time out but those kind of score-lines are few and far between for the Canaries and they will be lucky to stay in the league with the way they have been playing lately.

Charlton look gone, probably not much point even discussing them to be honest. When I have watched them play they look like they've been unlucky in some encounters but you can't blame luck all the time. I watched Forest beat them and Charlton were all over them before Forest scored but as soon as they did their heads dropped and it was all over.

Jeff Stelling presents countdown now, brilliant move from Channel 4 - not sure about his co-host though, she's no Carol. Anyway, the point I was going to make was Jeff introduced a contestant and said 'he likes football.... He also likes watching Southampton,' which leads me on to my next point. Southampton are prime candidates for the drop, they've got a young squad, no money and they've only won once in their last ten games - prime relegation material.

Doncaster have won their last three games and held Villa to a credible 0-0 draw in the FA Cup. I didn't see that one coming to be honest! Still, they might fight their way out of it now and as long as it's not at Plymouth's expense then good stuff I suppose, I always have liked to follow the underdog.

There are a couple of other teams I haven't mentioned yet, Watford, Barnsley, Derby and Forest. I think Derby and Forest will probably stay out of it now, along with Barnsley. As I said earlier I think Plymouth will stay out of it, this run won't go on forever. Watford don't look particularly good and could go down though. I'm going too leave it there anyway, I've waffled on enough already! Good luck to the Pilgrims at the weekend and let me know what you think about relegation candidates.

It's That Time Again

For the Football Fanzine Awards 2009.

FFS

Footballers.

What is it about them that turns them into complete idiots. Well we all know that the 'jocks' are not the academic ones at schools, which is probably why many of our countries footballers appear as thick as shit.

And you cannot get much thicker than Shane-White this week who decided to turn the clock back to last summer and emulate Luke McCormick when he was caught driving under the influence. To happen once in a club is a tragedy, twice is incomprehensible. McCormick was sentenced to imprisonment for his role in the death of two young children when his Landrover crashed into the car carrying them on the M6 last summer, killing the two boys and severely injuring their father. Do we never learn?

History has shown that the human race are perpetual failures and 'lessons will be learnt' are never fulfilled, yet for such a tragedy to happen on our door steps, and a colleague of McCormick to be in similar circumstances is beyond words. Argyle players have done nothing to give the club any good publicity in recent years - from Seip's Union Street brawl to Shane-White. This once 'family run club' has been tarnished by such ill discipline. And goes towards showing that footballers think they are above the common people. OK, you can argue that Shane-White is not a First XI player but are we (as a club) trying to produce our versions of Gerrard or Ronaldo or Barton? If they are the type of players we want our children to idolise then it's yet another reason to be out of the 'football la-la land' that the Beautiful Game has built around itself.

Green or Brown

Nottingham Forest 2 (Earnshaw 24, Anderson 51) - 0 Plymouth Argyle

To follow Argyle you can be one of two people: a green tint or a brown turd. Apparently there's no in between (a clear crystal??). From today's game a brown turd will be complaining about Sturrock's tactics, the players inability, the board's lack of money and signings and worrying about relegation. A green tint will shrug it off as one of those football things and believe that this level is the best Argyle have ever been, that the board are keeping the club solvant and Sturrock won is 2 championships. I suppose I fall more into the shit.

After today Argyle have won 1 in 9 league games with 2 draws. So a total of 5 points out of a potential of 27. Well is that really good enough? Not really, it's statistically worse that the start of the season with 5 defeats and people were really starting to howl from the roof tops. Yet because we have some points in the bag, everything's ok. Well it's not. There are only 6 points to the drop zone. Well they're going to be filled by Southampton, Watford and Charlton so we're safe. Are we? Who knows what will happen in the next 3 months. You cannot rely on the misfortunes of others, which is what Argyle really have made their forte in the last few years. There's no movement on the transfer market, there's players sat round that Sturrock publically says he doesn't want, which doesn't do their saleability any good - who would by something the salesman says is shite and doesn't want? There's no money to buy anyone and Sturrock has no clue what to do with who is here at the moment.

But hey ho, everything's going to be fine. Even if we go down we'll be a big fish in a little pond and will be in the runing to come back up again. Will we?!?! Doesn't that logic seem slightly flawed? If we can't compete at this level now, why should we want to come back up again and go through the debacle all over again? The third tier of football has probably changed since we left and it might not be the easy ride some people expect.

Forest at the weekend and a few Championship picks!

This is my first post on 'To be a Pilgrim' and I'm delighted to be here. It would be foolish of me too start writing about Argyle too their die hard fans so I thought I'd concentrate on this weekend's opponents Nottingham Forest and see if I can offer any football betting tips along the way.

I watched the highlights of their game with Charlton last week and although they won 2-0 that score-line really did not reflect the game. Charlton wasted so many chances to open the scoring it was ridiculous. They had at least four decent opportunities to take the lead but somehow missed when it would have been easier to score! The only way to describe that game was a mugging. In terms of attacking threat they rely heavily on Rob Earnshaw and if the Plymouth defence can keep him out they should keep Forest out.

They are a strange animal to predict at the moment though Forest. They've just got a new manager in Billy Davies and even though he was sacked as Derby manager when they were at the foot of the Premiership I still rate him as a boss. No one could have done anything with that woeful Derby side, as Paul Jewell showed, and Davies surely has a point too prove. They also beat Man City in the FA cup, which should give them a boost but I still feel this Forest side is very beatable.

I don't think there is any point underestimating the importance of this tie. A win would put more distance between the Pilgrims and the bottom three. However, a loss would bring Forest to within three points of Argyle and I expect Forest to be there or thereabouts come the end of the season - so the further Argyle are from them the better!

I'm going to leave this game well alone in terms of my football betting tips this weekend, purely for the fact Forest are so unpredictable. My home picks from the Championship this weekend are Coventry and Crystal Palace and I'll go for Barnsley and Sheffield United away - not the bankers perhaps but should have some decent odds. I hope you all have a profitable weekend and the Pilgrims get a result.

Fame at Last

I had the honour of being contacted by the owner of Manchester United's blog to give the Pilgrim's view on 'boy wonder' Craig Cathcart's stay at Argyle.
Using choice quotes from the members of Argyle Talk.

Craig Cathcart. A Pilgrim's View.

You say Hello, I say Goodbye

Transfer window time again and it's half way through. So what has happened at the good ship Mayflower?

Well most obviously that Stack is no longer welcome at Home Park by the frank statement issued by Sturrock (Stack For Sale) in which he says he hopes that Graham will no longer be here by the end of the month. Stack started as first choice keeper before being dropped following the run of defeats that saw the Greens relegation fodder in September. And that's where he stayed. Unlike any other player who was dropped, Stack has never appeared again - even on the bench. What has gone so badly wrong? Some online forum members publicly brand him a 'Twat' following unsubstantiated rumours that he is a bad influence in the changing room.

Then there's Walton, the latest dudd "big signing" wheeled out in the summer to appease the fan's annoyance at there being no transfer movement for the biggest deal ever, and then nothing. Taribo West anyone? Unlike West Walton at least featured in some games culminating in his red card at Barnsley which saw him transfer listed for, effectively, insubordination.

And the Mpenza, another dudd flash signing who has features very little since his unveiling due to injury and then in the main just a 10 minutes here or there. This is a pivotal month says Sturrock in order to prove his worth (well, Paul pick him first) or it's the door. Again.

And not forgetting Marin who left by 'mutual agreement' to return to France who couldn't cope with Championship style football. Another waste of time, effort and money.

Sturrock says he's be very disappointed if no one came knocking for any players. Well we are a selling club after all and he does seem to have a lot of players he wants to get rid of.

And at the other end of the scale what have we got? Another loanee from Manchester United, Gray, who if hopefully is on the same scale as Cathcart can only be a good thing. Well he did get straight in the team for the Arsenal game, but then he did score an own goal.

The excuses however have come out as early as the 6th January that it's too cold to see any games. Instead Sturrock has resorted to the old fashioned telephone apparently. So will there be some panic buys in the next few weeks? Why are we so crap at this?

Off!

Plymouth Argyle - Crystal Palace, Saturday 10 January, 15.00
Postponed due to frozen pitch

Due to the recent ongoing subzero temperatures the pitch at Home Park has frozen to significant depth for the referee to delare it unplayable at today's morning pitch inspection.

Two Heads Better than One

Not a new operation to make Rory Fallon a better striker, but a change to To be a Pilgrim. This blog has been running for just over 2 years (really?) and at times I've not been able to devote as much time or interest in it as I would like and thus it can get a bit stale. However, I am pleased to welcome a new guest author onto the team in the form of Gareth Freeman, who is an Online Sports Writer for Betfair. Betfair's sports blogs (betting.betfair.com) have been described by Soccerlens.com (another big football blog) as "head and shoulders above the rest in terms of providing useful betting advice to their readers". Gareth will be posting his views on Argyle and the Championship a couple of times each month and I'm sure he will be giving us a good insight into what the country think of the Pilgrims.

Arse

Arsenal 3 (van Persie 46, Gray 50 og, van Persie 84) - 1 Plymouth Argyle (Duguid 53) FAC3

Well it's over, no more than was expected but a great day out for Plucky Plymouth.

9,000 Green Army members made the mass exodus journey to The Emirates, the largest away crowd to grace the new stadium, proven by the lack of facilities - the Gunners had to open parts of the ground that had not been used before, and the lack of sufficient toilets caused a talking point and a bone of contention when many fans missed three goals due to queuing. As were the travel arrangements of coaches littering the surrounding streets and Tube stations closures, London were not prepared for 48 coaches, 1 official train, 1 extra express train provided by First Great Western plus numerous other regular service trains and countless other vehicles converging from across the country.

The Arsenal were expecting to totally run roughshod over the small club and were very annoyed to be drawing 0-0 going into the break due to the remarkable skills of keeper Larrieu. They soon turned that round by scoring 2 within minutes of restart, one being an own goal by new loanee and débutante, Gray. Whatever mistake he made, he immediately took the ball up the other end and allowed the skipper to start the Green come back. Much to the angry annoyance of the Gooners supporters. Things started to come apart for the Pilgrims in the second half as Arsenal went on to stick the knife in with a third, ending the game. But it was more than anyone expected.

Sturrock made 6 changes to the team that he fielded against Cardiff, including his newest player, Gray along with McNamee, Gallagher (who picked up an injury forcing his substitution) with Folly and MacLean warming the bench, and it worked fairly well.

But now the magic is over. Time to concentrate on the league. (Ha!)

All Aboard

Due to demand, First Great Western are supply an extra train tomorrow departing Plymouth at 7.30 and Paddington at 19.45. All seats are unreserved.

http://www.pafc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10364~1506276,00.html

Babylon

Argyle are set to kick off the new year by signing another loanee youngster, David Gray from Manchester United. The 20 year old is due to complete formalities this week in order to stay till the end of the season. 'Greyhound', Gray's nickname due to his speed, has been mainly playing in a full back position has an attacking instinct and is available for selection at this Saturday's FA Cup match.

In related new as we say hello to Gray, we say goodbye to Marin who has had his contract terminated by mutual consent having only played half an hour and made one start since August.

The Season of Goodwill

To all except Welsh assistant referees.

Back to normal now (well as near as possible) after the holidays.

Plymouth Argyle 2 (Fallon 38, Summerfield 57 pen) - 0 Southampton

An excellent result at home on Boxing Day lifted the spirits of the Green Army after a sustained period of no wins with a good performance from the men in green who played their opponents off the field. In front of the biggest crowd of the season the Pilgrims romped home following a powerful header from Fallon, cemented by a penalty by Summerfield early in the second, won because of a handball. Summerfield was a surprise choice to take the kick but most probably did as a two finger salute to the discontent amongst supporters. There were a few changes in the team including the recall of skipper Duguid who was fit again after injury, along with Noone and MacNamee, while others were rested for Arsenal.

Cardiff City 1 (Boothroyd 81) - 0 Plymouth Argyle

And then back to earth with a bump with the only league trip to foreign shores (Wales) where Argyle were denied a goal by the assistant referee who flagged for off-side and has since proven to have been wrong. Nonetheless there it was a much changed team that ran out for the last time at old Ninian Park due to The Big One this weekend, giving some semblance of a return to the good away form however clouded by MacNamee's dismissal in stoppage time. He won't be transfer listed for sure. Even so so many wasted opportunities again. But who gives a shit? We're playing Arsenal next week. Get out the flags (or not as they're banned at the Emirates), sink a couple of pints (dry transport from the Westcountry) and watch the greens get hammered for 90 minutes. The FA Cup where all men are equal, except some are more equal than others, and you'd think is the only game we're playing this year.

Merry Christmas

Well it's nearly over now, but hopefully you all had a Happy Christmas and are now sat on the sofa struggling with excess wind.

Convenient Scapegoat

Barnsley 2 (De Silva 37, Campbell-Rice 90 pen) - 0 Plymouth Argyle

A crap performance was put squarely at the door of Walton because of his dismissal, resulting in his effective bannishment from the club by being transfer listed. Walton was red carded from the Barnsley pitch after just 28 minutes on Saturday leading to what Sturrock has declared a breakdown in Argyle's game plan resulting in the defeat. Who knows is this is true? By many accounts the 28 minutes before the incident did not set the world on fire. But Walton's consist ant poor attitude and behaviour have finally proved too much. On the day the club announce credit crunch matters, this could not have been more convenient for the bean counters. After all Walton's never really been popular.

But even so, the run of bad games has equalled that at the beginning of the season and could be out done if there's another loss on Boxing Day. The difference is that we started falling from the right end of the table and the defeat on Saturday did nothing to the Greens position. Any other manager would be having a brown pants moment, but Sturrock has job security so he does need to be worried. The sympathisers say give him time, he's a proven. But how much time does he need? In a few weeks time its likely that the whole personnel at Home Park will change and the rebuilding will start again. You don't have time at Argyle. Maybe that's why attendances are falling chairman, but why bother doing anything to address that?

Watching Football is Not a Crime

Or is it?

The police have new powers called section 27 to ban anyone from an area for 48 hours if they suspect you of causing disturbance under the Violent Crime Reductions Act. The idea is that you can be removed from an area, such as the local club land for being DUI and potentially disorderly. However at least the South Yorkshire and Greater Manchester Police Forces have been using the order to remove large numbers of football supporters from whole counties under suspicion of potentially causing disturbance. They have at least detained Stoke City and Plymouth Argyle supporters in pubs (where it is purported to have been no disturbance) regardless of age, cautioned under Section 28 and escorted out of the county and beyond (Stoke were removed from Manchester as far as Stoke and Argyle from Doncaster as far away as Birmingham). This is regardless of whether these supporters originally came from where the escort took them or the age of the supporter.

The Football Supporters Federation has launched a campaign against what is considered to be a misuse of the Act. More details here.

Going to the Smoke

I've got a ticket to Arsenal after a load of wangling by other people, so will be off to the big smoke in January to be treated like a load of shit by the Met's finest. Happy days.

Argyle Talk

The fan's forum PAFC Talk has metamorphosed into Argyle Talk and is now available at www.argyletalk.co.uk

Lady Luckless

Plymouth Argyle 0 - 1 Birmingham City (Carsley 62)

Getting worse. A better performance from the boys in Green but the Blues take their only chance and win whilst the Pilgrims dither about. The Credit Crunch Christmas is biting at Home Park.

Plymouth Argyle 1 (MacLean 83) - 1 QPR (Helgusson 16)

A late equaliser saved further embarrassement from subsititute MacLean in yet another sloppy game at Home Park which saw the Pilgrim behind after just 16 minutes because of a rebounded volley during QPR's first true possession of the game after Argyle's domination. A series of missed opportunities ensued throughout the game, QPR's performance improved as time continued as the green shirts were second to every ball and every shot going high or wide. Thankfully this time the subsititutes lifted the game and were rewarded with a goal.
But over all 5 games without a win is not good enough.

Lady Luck?

Doncaster Rovers 1 (Stock 37) - 0 Plymouth Argyle

Lady Luck has decided to slap Sturrock on the arse he stated in his post match report. Luck? What's luck got to do with it? 2 games against bottom of the league clubs, two games lost. Great start to December and the festive period. But is typical Argo. Denied by a wonder goal and a wonder save. Not, denied and outclassed by ineptitude and bad football. Not good enough.

Choo Choo

What's this? A train? To the Emirates? Is it true?
It's quite unprecidented in this day and age for a club to charter a train to a match, but Argyle are ruuning a charter train from Plymouth to Finsbury Park (the nearest station to the Emirates), departing at 8am from Plymouth and 6pm from London.

Tickets cost £50 adult and £45 under 16 (accompanied only)

http://www.pafc.co.uk/page/AwayTickets/0,,10364~1476770,00.html

Coach Travel is also available

8,600

Arsenal ticket details

The club have been allocated 8,600 tickets for the FA Cup draw verses Arsenal at the Emirates.
Concentrate, because this is goint to get complicated:

Tickets will cost between £32.50 and £46 depending on where in the Emirates you are located.

If you have a GREEN SEASON TICKET for the GRANDSTAND or MAYFLOWER RESERVED SEATING, you must get your ticket on Sunday 7 December (10am - 4pm) or Monday 8 December (9am - 5pm).

If you have a GREEN SEASON TICKET for BLOCKS 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 you must get your ticket on Tuesday 9th December (10am - 4pm) and Wednesday 10th December (10am - 6pm).

If you have a GREEN SEASON TICKET for BLOCKS 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10 you must get your ticket on Thursday 11th December (10am - 5pm) and Friday 12th December (10am - 6pm).

If you have a GREEN SEASON TICKET for BLOCKS 11, 12, & 13 you must get your ticket on Sunday 14th December (10am - 4pm) and Monday 15th December (10am - 5pm).

If you have a GREEN SEASON TICKET for BLOCKS 14, 15, 16 & 17 you must get your ticket on Tuesday 16th December (10am - 5pm) and Wednesday 17th December (10am - 5pm).

If you have a GREEN SEASON TICKET for MAYFLOWER UNRESERVED/DISABLED STAND you must get your ticket on Thursday 18th December (10am - 5pm) and Friday 19th December (10am - 5pm).

If there are any tickets left they will go on sale to WHITE SEASON TICKET HOLDERS. There will be an announcement on www.pafc.co.uk on Friday 19th December.

If there are any tickets left they will then go on sale to PILGRIM MEMBERS.

It is unlikely that any tickets will go on general sale.

There will be an equal share of each ticket price available on each day.

The Biggest Game

FA Cup 3rd Round, Arsenal v Plymouth Argyle, Saturday 3 January, Emirates Stadium.

So Argyle have drawn Arsenal in what is the biggest game in recent years, is it a good draw? Well there's probably zero chance of progession and as it's away no extra gate receipts. So probably not. But it'll give people a day out to see a big team. Ticket details are yet to be confirmed.

The Trouble with Argyle

Plymouth Argyle 1 (Gallagher 67) - 2 Blackpool (Dickinson 78, Dickinson 81)

Is that they are far too inconsistent. A run of good performances just outside the play offs and then they put in a load of shite, at home as well and not wonder the crowds are sub 10k. By all accounts today was a woeful day, save for Gallagher's 'wonder goal', that turned the crowd from elation to desperation in 3 minutes. This is not how you win fans.

It wasn't just individual problems, it was a collective collusion of crapness that should have wanted a bollocking at half time and definitely full time. Granted the team seemed more up for it at the beginning of the second half so their ears must be ringing, but by the end they should have bleeding ears after such an un'honest' performance. Or were they just 'tired'(!) that they let a late debutante substitute score two goals.

A Wee Bit of a Turn Around

Plymouth Argyle 2 (Mpenza , Gallagher) - 1 Cardiff City
Southampton 0 - 0 Plymouth Argyle

Back in September no-one thought that come the end of November the Greens would be in a play off position, but here they are. From the depths of last place to the heights of in 2 months is a fantastic turn around. The performances put in in the last two games were good too, one of which was in front of the country's eyes which normally is a slipping point for the Pilgrims.

The Greens were the better team on Saturday and, though maybe a little poorer on Tuesday, held their own at St Mary's to a 0-0 draw. This was even after enforced changes due to injuries. Does this mean that the team have turned a corner and are able to work together no matter who is in the XI (ie Sturrock can change his team and not play the same men every game)? Or was it a one off.

There are three games this week (Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday) and the main indicator will be Saturday's performance. No doubt though that a poor game would be blamed on the manager's get clause, tiredness.

PAFC Talk

The fans' forum PAFC Talk has been laid to rest by its owner due to personal reasons.
It is hoped that the forum will be resurrected soon.


UPDATE:
In order to rehost the site, we need approximately £60 a year. If you would like to donate, please do so via the PayPal site:

No-one Saves the Day

Coventry City 0 - 1 Plymouth Argyle (Noone 87)

Who put the ball in the Coventry net? Super Craig Noone. Doesn't really scan that well does it? But at 0-0 going into the break it was a turn around that Argyle came out and scored instead of conceding especially as it wsa Coventry who (you could say predictably) started the second half the better team. But for once it was a substritution who changed the game as Noone came on to score in the dying minutes of the game and hung on for the three points. Up until then there were the usual missed chances, including Mpenza, who had his first start of the season, in the 11th minute that was tipped round the post. Though Coventry were not without their chances either which saw Larrieu push a 30 yard strike just over the crossbar.

So the three points place Argyle currently 9th in the table.

It ain't Over till the Man Blows

Plymouth Argyle 2 (Doumbe 37, Mpenza 90) - 2 Charlton Athletic (Youga 86, Gray 90 pen)

There are 90 minutes in a game of football.
Well, there are more than 90 minutes in a game of football.

Well, it ain't over till the man blows his whistle, so technically a game of football could go on for days. But even so, a game has a set period of time and anything can happen. It usually does. In Argyle's case they get comfy on a 1-0 lead, nothing unusual there when leading, go into autopilot and defend the lead, the deeper the better, and again they let it slip away. So they wait until the 90 minutes is over to regain the lead but then concede a penalty immediately afterwards! It's laughable really if it wasn't so frustrating.

Most of the reports coming out of Home Park concluded that Argyle should be happy with the draw, so something must have been bad and Summerfield was on the end of it. But should people be surprised? It's Argyle's party trick and guaranteed that being in the lead is a nail biting event just as playing catch up is a non-event. But to let the lead go twice, and to concede penalties in back-to-back games is ludicrously poor form. It seems that yet again Sturrock's decision on substitutes was lacking in the fans' opinion. But who are we to question the Messiah? What do we really know?