In a weekend that saw a blue plaque dedicated to the late Peter Cook, the comedian, writer and Torquay United fan, unveiled at Plainmoor, the Gulls not only slipped to defeat against Lincoln City - but also remain rooted in the relegation zone.
Covering the fortunes of the Gulls this season for the Non League Paper has evoked memories of reporting on Plymouth Argyle for the Football League Paper - the publication's sister paper - during the 2011-12 season.
It was a campaign that saw the Pilgrims flirt with relegation to the Conference, after exiting Administration early in the season.
Although the Gulls weren't administration, the club were close to going under before the current consortium took over.
The financial constraints they found themselves under saw them appoint a novice manager in charge in the form of former captain Carl Fletcher who, like Torquay boss Kevin Nicholson, was embarking on his first managerial appointment with no previous behind him.
Former Wales midfielder Fletcher found himself in charge of a group of former trialists, young prospects and loan signings, many of whom had been signed by his predecessor Peter Reid - another parallel with Nicholson who inherited a team that had mostly been assembled by Paul Cox in the summer.
Also, Fletcher endured a humiliating FA Cup exit at the hands of non-league opposition when the Pilgrims were beaten in the first round at the hands of Stourbridge, then of the Southern Premier.
If you think Torquay's defeat in the cup this year against Basingstoke Town was bad - if a UFO had crash landed into the first game at Home Park or the replay at Stourbridge's Amblecote ground, had you had asked the incumbents which side was the league team and which one plied their trade in the Southern League it is highly likely they would have plumped for the Glassboys on both occasions.
However, it was shortly after this point that their fortunes improved following the arrival of Darren Purse and the returns of Nick Chadwick and Paul Wotton.
The trio brought a level of character and leadership to a side that was desperately lacking any, and they all played a key role in heloing the Pilgrims avoid relegation.
Those three are the kind of characters that the Gulls require in the present predicament to not only stay in the Conference, but also to thrive in the division in the future.
Thursday 26 November 2015
Thursday 19 November 2015
A TALE OF TWO CITIES
The rivalry between Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City has often been exacerbated by the rival city dimension, which sees Devon's largest city do battle with its county town.
It is a rivalry that also extends to the city's rugby teams (although two divisions now separate Plymouth Albion and the Exeter Chiefs - the latter having emerged as the South West's premier rugby outfit in recent years) and their respective universities.
Like the rugby rivalries, the football rivalry has been in state of flux in recent with the Grecians having risen up through the leagues following the momentum of their return to the Football League in 2008.
This progress took them above the Pilgrims who fell into financial difficulties following relegation from the Championship in the 2009-10 season, before they were relegated again to League Two in the following campaign after receiving a ten-point penalty for going into Administration.
It was also a season in which Exeter equalled their highest ever league finish of eighth in League One.
Now, fast forward four and a bit years, and Argyle are due to face the Grecians for the first time since February 2002 as league leaders.
At that time, the Pilgrims were heading towards the Division Three title under Paul Sturrock, and parallels can be drawn with their present status under Sturrock's fellow Scotsman Derek Adams.
Former Ross County manager Adams enjoyed many Highland derbies with Aberdeen and Inverness Caledonian Thistle, the latter of which saw him involved in a high-profile touchline bust-up with his opposite number Terry Butcher, although the duo remain best of friends to this day.
However, it is highly unlikely that he will undertake such a tussle with Paul Tisdale, for whom Adams is the fourth Pilgrims' boss that he has faced during his nine years in charge at St James Park.
It is a rivalry that also extends to the city's rugby teams (although two divisions now separate Plymouth Albion and the Exeter Chiefs - the latter having emerged as the South West's premier rugby outfit in recent years) and their respective universities.
Like the rugby rivalries, the football rivalry has been in state of flux in recent with the Grecians having risen up through the leagues following the momentum of their return to the Football League in 2008.
This progress took them above the Pilgrims who fell into financial difficulties following relegation from the Championship in the 2009-10 season, before they were relegated again to League Two in the following campaign after receiving a ten-point penalty for going into Administration.
It was also a season in which Exeter equalled their highest ever league finish of eighth in League One.
Now, fast forward four and a bit years, and Argyle are due to face the Grecians for the first time since February 2002 as league leaders.
At that time, the Pilgrims were heading towards the Division Three title under Paul Sturrock, and parallels can be drawn with their present status under Sturrock's fellow Scotsman Derek Adams.
Former Ross County manager Adams enjoyed many Highland derbies with Aberdeen and Inverness Caledonian Thistle, the latter of which saw him involved in a high-profile touchline bust-up with his opposite number Terry Butcher, although the duo remain best of friends to this day.
However, it is highly unlikely that he will undertake such a tussle with Paul Tisdale, for whom Adams is the fourth Pilgrims' boss that he has faced during his nine years in charge at St James Park.
Sunday 15 November 2015
AN OCCASION WORTH WAITING FOR
To say that Plymouth Argyle goalkeeper James Bittner's wait for his Football League debut for the Pilgrims against York City was a case of 'good thing coming to those who wait' is a bit of an understatement.
Ever since he was first named as a substitute goalkeeper for AFC Bournemouth against Tranmere Rovers in the 2001-02 season, patience has been a virtue for Bittner as, following spells with Fulham, Torquay United and Argyle, as well as stints in non-league football with Salisbury City, Exeter City, Forest Green Rovers and Hereford United.
Bittner made over 200 appearances for the aforementioned clubs in the Conference, but failed to make an appearance for Torquay during the 2005-06 season and Andy Marriott was ever present.
He finally got his chance after 4,991 after Pilgrims' first choice keeper, Luke McCormick, succumbed to a hip injury, in a game that Argyle won 2-1 to remain at the top of League Two.
Should McCormick not recover in a week's time, then Bittner could well be set to face his former club as the Pilgrims travel to St James Park to face Exeter City next week in the second Devon Expressway derby of the season.
Ever since he was first named as a substitute goalkeeper for AFC Bournemouth against Tranmere Rovers in the 2001-02 season, patience has been a virtue for Bittner as, following spells with Fulham, Torquay United and Argyle, as well as stints in non-league football with Salisbury City, Exeter City, Forest Green Rovers and Hereford United.
Bittner made over 200 appearances for the aforementioned clubs in the Conference, but failed to make an appearance for Torquay during the 2005-06 season and Andy Marriott was ever present.
He finally got his chance after 4,991 after Pilgrims' first choice keeper, Luke McCormick, succumbed to a hip injury, in a game that Argyle won 2-1 to remain at the top of League Two.
Should McCormick not recover in a week's time, then Bittner could well be set to face his former club as the Pilgrims travel to St James Park to face Exeter City next week in the second Devon Expressway derby of the season.
Sunday 8 November 2015
AWARD CURSE STRIKES ADAMS
After winning the League Two manager of the month award for October 2015, Plymouth Argyle manager Derek Adams was brought crashing back down to earth when the Pilgrims were knocked out of the FA Cup by Carlisle United.
A first half strike from Peter Sweeney gave the Cumbrians the lead before Hallam Hope, who had been a loan target for Adams before his move from Bury to Brunton Park, added the second to enable Carlisle to avenge their 4-1 defeat in the league last April.
Meanwhile, Exeter City remain as Devon's sole representatives in the FA Cup after they banished memories of defeats against Curzon Ashton and Warrington Town in recent years with a 3-0 win over Didcot Town.
Goals from Clinton Morrison, Tom Nichols and Alex Nicholls ensured the Grecians' passage to and they await tomorrow's draw to find out who they will play in the next round.
A first half strike from Peter Sweeney gave the Cumbrians the lead before Hallam Hope, who had been a loan target for Adams before his move from Bury to Brunton Park, added the second to enable Carlisle to avenge their 4-1 defeat in the league last April.
Meanwhile, Exeter City remain as Devon's sole representatives in the FA Cup after they banished memories of defeats against Curzon Ashton and Warrington Town in recent years with a 3-0 win over Didcot Town.
Goals from Clinton Morrison, Tom Nichols and Alex Nicholls ensured the Grecians' passage to and they await tomorrow's draw to find out who they will play in the next round.
Thursday 5 November 2015
ADAMS PREPARES FOR CUP BOW WITH THE PILGRIMS
During Derek Adams' first spell in charge of Ross County, he led them to the Scottish Cup final in 2010.
Now, in 2015, he will embark on his first FA Cup tie in charge of Plymouth Argyle against the team left in the competition which is the nearest geographically to his homeland: Carlisle United.
It will be the second time that the Cumbrians have travelled to Home Park this season. The pair met previously in a league fixture in August, which Argyle won 4-1.
The Pilgrims also have a fine history in the competition, having reached the Semi finals of the competition in 1984 and - more recently - the Quarter finals in 2007, which on both occasions they were beaten 1-0 by Watford.
In recent seasons, after failing to win an FA Cup tie between 2008 and 2013, Argyle have reached the third round and second round in the previous two campaigns and will be hoping for further success this time around.
Standing in their way are two players who are no strangers to the South West in the form of Carlisle manager Keith Curle and new loan signing Mark Ellis.
Curle played for Torquay United during the 1983-84 season, and managed the Gulls briefly in 2007. Ellis, who hails from Kingsbridge, also played for Torquay and was a childhood Argyle fan and one-time mascot.
After Saturday, the Pilgrims will be back in cup action on Tuesday when Millwall come to Home Park for a Johnstone's Paint Trophy Southern Area Quarter Final encounter.
Now, in 2015, he will embark on his first FA Cup tie in charge of Plymouth Argyle against the team left in the competition which is the nearest geographically to his homeland: Carlisle United.
It will be the second time that the Cumbrians have travelled to Home Park this season. The pair met previously in a league fixture in August, which Argyle won 4-1.
The Pilgrims also have a fine history in the competition, having reached the Semi finals of the competition in 1984 and - more recently - the Quarter finals in 2007, which on both occasions they were beaten 1-0 by Watford.
In recent seasons, after failing to win an FA Cup tie between 2008 and 2013, Argyle have reached the third round and second round in the previous two campaigns and will be hoping for further success this time around.
Standing in their way are two players who are no strangers to the South West in the form of Carlisle manager Keith Curle and new loan signing Mark Ellis.
Curle played for Torquay United during the 1983-84 season, and managed the Gulls briefly in 2007. Ellis, who hails from Kingsbridge, also played for Torquay and was a childhood Argyle fan and one-time mascot.
After Saturday, the Pilgrims will be back in cup action on Tuesday when Millwall come to Home Park for a Johnstone's Paint Trophy Southern Area Quarter Final encounter.
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