THE DAILY DIARY

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Greens on Screen's Daily Diary is a compilation of Argyle news, with help from these and other Argyle-related sites.

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Also included on the three most recent days, facts from Argyle's history.

Thursday 31st March 2005

Luke McCormick is convinced Argyle can win both their forthcoming home game to ease their relegation fears. He said: "They are both absolutely massive matches. We really do need to pick up as many points as we can. Six points would hopefully see us out of this mess. That's what we will definitely be trying to take out of these games - nothing less." Argyle have won their last three matches at Home Park and McCormick added: "It's almost like we have gone back to playing like we did at home last season. Teams are coming down here and we are bossing them. It's working, as has been shown in the last few games, where we have played well and scored a lot of goals. The fans have been really getting behind us and I know the boys enjoy playing at home." However, Argyle have picked up only two points from the last 11 away matches. McCormick said: "It's really frustrating. We can't seem to pick up anything away from home. I really don't know why that is. Whether it's a confidence thing or not, I don't know, but we are not playing very well." McCormick has played in the last nine games after he was recalled and has kept three clean sheets, but has also conceded 16 goals. He said: "You pride yourself on setting high standards and keeping clean sheets and when goals are going in against you it's like a knife wound through the heart. I'm there to stop goals going in and when you are conceding a lot it doesn't look good for me or the rest of the lads. It's a concern and it seems to be happening more when we are away from home. That's something we have got to put right before the end of the season." McCormick played for Argyle when they beat Cardiff 1-0 in August and is hoping for another victory on  Saturday. He said: "I remember we played very, very well in that game and we worked tirelessly throughout the match. That's the thing that sticks out in my mind. We have got to try to play as well as we can on Saturday and work our socks off and, hopefully, we will come out with the result we want. We have got the quality in the squad to do that and there's no reason why we can't go into the game full of confidence." Cardiff will be followed to Home Park by Watford, who appointed a new manager on Tuesday. McCormick said: "Watford have got a new manager and the players will want to make a good impression so that's not going to be an easy game. We have just got to make sure we do what we know we are capable of and, hopefully, that will be enough."

30th

Tony Capaldi won his eleventh cap for Northern Ireland as they lost 1-0 in Poland. Bjarni Gudjonsson started for Iceland in their 0-0 friendly draw in Italy

Two Hungarian 16 year-olds, midfielder Mark Petnehazi and forward David Kocsis, have arrived at Home Park on trial. Both play for FC Grund, the former team of Akos Buzsaky which is run by Buzsaky's father

Peter Gilbert won his seventh under-21 cap for Wales yesterday, in the 2-0 defeat to Austria

Bobby Williamson has hit out at what he sees as 'ludicrous' fixture scheduling. Argyle have three games in eight days following the current international break. Williamson said: "It's not an ideal situation. The international players have got two games this week and we have got three the following week. I just think it's ludicrous we are squeezing them in like this. Why have we got an extra game next midweek when players have already played this midweek? We could have played the Watford game the following week I would have thought to give these guys who have been on international duty a break. I don't think the Premiership will be playing next Tuesday but the Championship is. Players who have been involved with their countries are going to be asked to be involved in three games next week so I will need to look at it very closely and see how their fitness levels are."

Bobby Williamson was not too concerned about last nights reserve game being called off. He said: "Stevie Milne could always be doing with games after his knee injury but apart from him, everybody else's fitness levels are reasonably good, and Stevie is getting fitter with every training session. Our park is quite good compared to others at this time of the season and it would have deteriorated badly if we had played tonight, and then Saturday-Tuesday, so the sensible thing was to call the game off."

29th

28th

Dexter Blackstock scored the winner as England under-19's beat Sweden 1-0 today

27th

Tony Capaldi believes England are looking good for the World Cup finals in Germany next year. After yesterdays game he said: "We did well to contain them in the first half. They had a few chances, which was always going to happen because they're a world-class side, but we did OK up until the break. Unfortunately I made a mistake at the start of the second half which cost us a goal. You can't make mistakes like that at this level. It was my fault and I'll hold my hands up. I've got to take responsibility. The most disappointing thing was the fact that we collapsed for the next 15 minutes or so after the first goal. After that it was game over. It was a big occasion, though. England are a fantastic side, too good for us on the day, and playing against them was invaluable experience. I'm sure England will qualify for the World Cup and I think they could come close to winning it. They've got some exceptional players, and you can only learn from playing against them." There were some positive episodes in the match for Capaldi to savour. "I had a few good moments," he added. "I enjoyed the occasion. Old Trafford is a great place to play football. It wasn't all bad, but I made one mistake which cost us. Now we've got a big game on Wednesday."

Dexter Blackstock played up front in England's 1-0 win over Denmark in yesterday's European Under-19 Championship qualifier

26th

Tony Capaldi won his tenth cap for Northern Ireland as they lost 4-0 to England today. Bjarni Gudjonsson started for Iceland in their 4-0 loss to Croatia

Jason Dodd is confident he can help Argyle avoid relegation this season. He said: "I would not be coming down here if I didn't think I could help the side with their relegation fight. I have seen the chaps on TV a few times, but until I sit down with the manager to see what he wants and expects, I don't know what my role will be. I am looking forward to the new challenge and my stomach is churning with excitement." Dodd admits he will find it strange at first playing for another side, but intends to fully integrate himself with his new team-mates. "I will be staying down in the South West, I won't be coming back all the time," he said. "I will be getting down there and grafting and getting involved with the lads. Having been involved in a number of relegation fights in the past, I know you need that team togetherness. The lads won't want to see me flying all over the place." Dodd added that he is looking forward to linking up with some familiar faces when he takes part in his first day of training on Monday. "Obviously Dexter is down there at the moment, and I know Mickey Evans quite well from his time at Saints," he said. "I've seen him on TV a few times and he is still causing problems for defences." Dodd admits he thought he left relegation fights behind a few years ago. He said: "After the last few years at Saints I thought we had left the relegation battles behind, but I think that's what the manager is looking for at Plymouth, a bit of experience to help the lads. Plymouth had a great start to the season, and have had a bit of a hiccup since, but I'm sure they can get themselves out of it. I haven't got a clue where I am going to be playing - right-back, left-back, centre-back, I can play all over the place. I will be sitting down with the manager on Sunday and seeing what he wants from me. I really don't know what will happen when the loan period is up. It is fairly open ended. At the moment I am over the moon to be coming down as I just want to play football. I am fit and raring to go, and haven't missed a day's training for three months. I was training hard at Saints, playing in the reserves, but it was getting me down that I wasn't in the first team. I've been in football long enough to understand that is sometimes the case, and I wasn't going to throw the toys out of the pram. I just grafted away and got my chance to go on loan."

Peter Gilbert won his sixth Under-21 cap as Wales beat Austria 1-0 last night

25th

Bobby Williamson believes Jason Dodds experience will prove vital to Argyle as they look to avoid relegation. Williamson said: "I am very pleased to get a player of his experience. He will really offer us something at the back. He is a good character in the dressing room, and he is a good organiser. That is something we have been missing at the back. He can play in a number of positions. He can slot in anywhere along the backline, and at a push probably could play in midfield as well. But it is the experience at the back which will help us." Williamson refused to speculate on whether Argyle would look to make the transfer permanent at the end of the season. "It is unfair to be talking about that as he is still a Southampton player," he said. "But I already know what he can do, and he is here to help us out." Williamson admitted he has had his eye on Dodd for some time, and thanked Harry Redknapp for allowing the deal to go through. "I have been very aware of what his qualities are," he said. "He is a player of experience and ability. He has experienced the bottom end of the Premiership, the mental side of that as much as anything, which should be able to help us. Of course, it is good in terms of competition for places. He is a good quality player, and hopefully that will spur others on." Dodd admits he is excited about the prospect of playing first team football again. He said: "It is a new challenge for me - that's why I am coming down. I went to see Harry Redknapp as I had not been back in the Saints side after struggling with a bad back two or three months ago. He said he wanted me around in the dressing room, but after knuckling down in training I went to see him again. It is hard work training for a match and not getting involved, and he said I could go out on loan, which was what I wanted. To be fair, the gaffer was brilliant with me, and sounded out clubs to let me come on loan. Bobby got in touch with me, and the call only lasted a few minutes. I jumped at the chance to come down." Argyle beat off competition from Brighton to land Dodd. "I had given Bobby my word I was coming down so there was no contact with them," Dodd said. "I'm really looking forward to it. I am getting a few butterflies, which I probably haven't had since signing for Saints when I was a teenager all those years ago."

24th

Argyle's under-18 side won their latest Merit League fixture this afternoon. A Luke Manley goal gave them a 1-0 victory at Rushden & Diamonds. Up to date results and tables can be found here

Jason Dodd has joined Argyle on loan from Southampton in a deal which will see him remain at Home Park until April 20th, with the possibility of extending this until the end of the season. Bobby Williamson said: "I am delighted to have Jason on board. He is a great professional, who will bring with him a lot of experience that can only benefit us. I am looking forward to working with him. He has been in the sort of situation we find ourselves with Southampton on a number of occasions, which will stand us in good stead." Dodd said: "It had got to the stage when I wasn't playing - that's fine, I understand these things happen in football, but I feel fit and have been training hard and want to play first-team football. I went to see the gaffer and he said he understood and would make a couple of 'phone calls. Then Kevin Bond pulled me and asked me if I would like to go to Plymouth for some games. That suited me just fine. They want a bit of experience and a bit of a voice in the dressing-room to help them keep outside the relegation zone. It's going to feel a bit strang, to be playing for another club, but I am looking forward to it. I want to be playing."

23rd

Argyle are rumoured to be close to signing Southampton defender Jason Dodd. The club are believed to be holding talks about a deal to bring the 34-year-old to Home Park on loan until the end of the season. Dodd is a right-back, but can also operate as a centre-back or as a midfielder

Bobby Williamson has not ruled out the prospect of adding to his squad before tomorrow's transfer deadline, but he has declared that no one will be allowed to leave Home Park unless replacements are secured. Asked if he would be disappointed if he failed to sign a new recruit Williamson said: "I'd never say I'd be disappointed, because that would put a bit of doom and gloom about the place and would suggest I'm not happy with what we've got. I think we've got players capable of getting the job done in this division, but if there are players out there who would add to what we've got, then obviously I'd try my best to bring them in. The board of directors have been very supportive so far, and I'm sure they'll continue to be. It's in everybody's best interests that we get players into this club who can add to us. The directors are fans, and they've got decisions to make. I wouldn't imagine there will be any outgoing moves, though. I certainly won't be allowing anyone to go unless we get someone in to balance it up."

Argyle reserves beat Swindon Town reserves 2-0 at Home Park last night. The goals were scored by Chris Zebroski and David Worrell. Argyle: Larrieu, Worrell, Routledge, Kouo-Doumbe, McKeever, Summerfield, Buzsaky, Lasley, Dickson, Milne, Hoyles. Subs - Zebroski, Evans.D (not used -Laird.S, Bond, Drew)

22nd

Lee Hodges faces more injury frustration as he continues to be sidelined by his persistent back problem. It had been hoped Hodges would make his comeback in the reserve game against Swindon Town tonight but Bobby Williamson admitted that was unlikely because Hodges is still being troubled by his injury. Williamson said: "Lee is still struggling a bit and I'm not sure he will play tonight. We will wait and see how he is. His back has been bothering him, off and on. He gets so far with it and then gets a problem. Hodgie is a talented player and he would certainly come into my thoughts if he was available for selection. It's very frustrating for him personally and it's frustrating for me as a manager because you want a full complement of players to choose from." Mathias Kouo-Doumbe will play tonight and has the chance to stake a claim for a first-team recall. Williamson said: "We have lost the last couple of games so everything goes back into the melting pot and everybody becomes available for selection again." Hasney Aljofree and Graham Coughlan have struggled in the games against Sunderland and Millwall, but Williamson insisted they should not shoulder all the blame for the goals conceded. He said: "It's frustrating for everybody concerned. I don't think these players want to let their standards slip at all. We are coming up against different strikers and different teams. That's something they have got to adapt to and try to deal with. But it's not just about them. It's about the midfield players in front of them stopping good service getting played through to the strikers. We have got to defend from the front and make sure teams can't get good quality balls forward. We lose as a team and we win as a team and we have got to stay together. We are coming into the most important part of the season and we want to be giving a good account of ourselves. If we do lose games we want it to be because the other team have been better than us, not because we have made mistakes. We have got a couple of home games coming up now and we have got to try to get points on the board."

Bobby Williamson is no fan of interruptions to the League programme caused by international requirements. "It's difficult," he said. "We won't get them back until Thursday or Friday week. We're limited in what we can do in training, so we'll just have to keep the boys ticking over and try to rectify the things that we've done badly in the last couple of games. These two-week breaks don't help anybody but we just have to deal with it."

21st

Argyle have re-arranged the home reserve fixture against Swindon Town and will now play them at Home Park tomorrow evening

David Norris was disconsolate after Argyle's fourth successive away defeat. He said: "It was similar to the game last Tuesday. Until that first goal goes in we seem to be competing okay and creating our own chances. But when that first goal goes in it just seems to deflate us, and once the second goal went in that was it, game over almost." Paul Wotton led Argyle's protests about the validity of the first goal as they felt Dichio had strayed offside. Norris said: "The defence were moaning that it was offside, but when you are down there you just don't seem to get the luck you need to help you out." Argyle now have a 12-day break before they play the first of two home games, against Cardiff City on April 2nd and Norris realises the importance of those matches. He said: "We have got two home games coming up and if we take six points we are going to do ourselves a massive favour, but if we don't we are going to be in all sorts of trouble. We are really going to have to be up for it. We are going to have to get it right on the training ground and get it right for those games because that could make or break our season." Argyle have four players away on international duty this week and Norris believes the break from Championship has come at a good time. He said: "I think it could be a good thing at the moment. We have had a couple of heavy losses and we have got two weeks to work on the training ground. We can work on a few things and then just prepare ourselves mentally and physically for these two massive games. The boys are upset and everyone will be down for maybe a couple of days but then that's it, we are going to have to get positive heads on. We play quite a few of the teams down there in the run-in, and we play them at home as well, so it's in our hands to be honest. If we take three points in our home games we will be alright."

Bobby Williamson blasted his team's sloppy defending after they lost to Millwall yesterday. He said: "We have not defended well at all away from home in recent weeks, Derby excluded, and we are getting punished. I keep saying to our guys if we don't pick up in the box the players we are up against at this level will score goals, and that's what is happening. We are very naive at times." Millwall took the lead in the 15th minute and Argyle's furious protests proved to be in vain. Williamson said: "Our lads are saying it was offside but it has been given and we can't do much about that, but I felt we could have dealt with the situation a lot better. I don't think Hayles should have been allowed to turn and play the ball across. Dichio has missed it but the other boy has followed in and we seem to be standing and not reacting, and that's disappointing. If you stand in the box, you get caught, and we certainly got caught and were a goal down. The first goal is always important, especially on your travels, and it let them settle down and the fans settle down, and that causes more problems." Argyle now have successive home games coming up against two of their relegation rivals and Williamson said: "We have got to win our home games, that's for sure, because on our travels we are not doing as well as we would like. I don't know why that's the case. We have got a big support backing us and getting behind us and yet we keep letting them down. That's twice in the space of five days and I'm disappointed about that. We're in there fighting with a host of clubs. We're all struggling to get results, and we've got a lot of work to do between now and the next game. We need to win our next game, and if we can do that then we can look to the one after that. I couldn't tell you how many points we need but we've got to win our home games, that's for sure." Argyle's goal difference has taken a pounding in the past month, which could be crucial come the end of the season. Williamson added: "Nobody likes to concede and I felt the goals we did allow today were defendable. But if you let people get free headers in the box then you will concede goals. We have got to make sure we are picking up and keeping things tight, but we are not doing it at this moment." Williamson made three changes to his starting line-up and one of them saw Tony Capaldi drop down to the substitutes' bench. That was not a popular decision with many of the Argyle fans and they were chanting Capaldi's name some time before he came on in the 66th minute. Williamson said: "If Tony plays as well as he can do, I would be singing his name as well. I'm not leaving him out because he's playing brilliant, so you can read into that what you want, but I'm not going to publicly criticise the boy. Tony played the last two games and maybe that had taken its toll on him, I don't know. Bjarni can play in the wide area. That's what he was brought here to do, to put pressure on our wide players and make them perform more consistently. You look at the stats and see how many crosses we have had into the box in recent weeks, and explain that to the fans. I explain my decisions to the players and they accept it because I'm being honest with them, but I'm not going to leave our best player sitting on the bench if they are playing well, that's for sure." Argyle rarely troubled Millwall keeper Andy Marshall, much to the frustration of Williamson. He said: "Scott Taylor had an effort in the first half the goalkeeper has parried away. Apart from that we have not really created much at all. Credit to Millwall, I felt defensively they looked reasonably strong. Their two centre-backs dealt well with Mickey Evans, and he can be a handful. Mickey won his fair share but we never got bodies around about him to get on the end of things. That's why we tried to change it in the second half and put Chadwick on to see if we could trouble them on the ground."

20th

Argyle lose 3-0 at Millwall. Argyle: McCormick, Connolly, Coughlan, Aljofree, Gilbert, Norris, Wotton, Buzsaky, Gudjonsson, Evans, Taylor. Subs - Capaldi, Chadwick, Blackstock (not used - Lasley, Kouo-Doumbe). Attendance - 11,465.

19th

Argyle have the opportunity to make amends for Tuesday's loss at the Sunderland when they visit Millwall tomorrow. "That's the good thing about football," Bobby Williamson said. "There's always another game. Nothing can make up for the way we lost the game on Tuesday, though. We can't make it up to the supporters who paid good money and spent a lot of time to get up there, but we hope to get the three points on Sunday and ease their nerves." Williamson is not expecting anything other than a hard battle tomorrow. "It's going to be very difficult," he said. "I know what a tough venue Millwall is to go to and get results. But we have to go there and try and impose ourselves on the game and try and get the three points we so desperately need."

Akos Buzsaky has missed the last two matches because of a groin injury, but is due to travel today with the Argyle party. "He trained today, and we'll see how he is tomorrow," Bobby Williamson said. "He looked OK, and he's in the squad unless he suffers an adverse reaction." Lee Hodges has only had one day's training this week because of illness and is ruled out. Argyle have drawn two, lost eight and won none of their last ten away fixtures and Williamson admitted: "It's not good. It's very difficult, playing away from home in this division. We try and take all the excuses out of the players, if they do need them, by flying to games sometimes and saving their legs. We just have to get out there on Sunday and try and approach the game in the right way."

Scott Taylor hopes that his goalscoring exploits as a substitute will earn him a place in the starting line-up for tomorrow's match at Millwall. He said: "I've been hoping for a start for a few weeks now. It's not nice sitting on the bench, but it's part of football. You've just got to get your head down and knuckle down." Taylor is now starting to show why manager Bobby Williamson signed him. His first two goals for Argyle were from close range, but his consolation goal at the Sunderland was a superb solo effort. "I was very pleased with that one," he said. "I think the ball came to me at the edge of the centre circle and I just started running towards the defence and they were backing off. So I thought 'I will keep going then'. I took it around them and had a shot and it went in the bottom corner luckily. As a striker, scoring goals breeds confidence, and when you come to a new club it's always a relief to get started." Tomorrow's game takes Taylor back to the club where he started his league career - Millwall signed him from Staines Town in 1995. "I was knocking in a few goals for Staines, and there were a few scouts watching me," Taylor said. "I went on trial to Chelsea for a week when Glenn Hoddle was there. They wanted to have a longer look at me, but Millwall came in with an offer and Staines accepted it. I was fresh out of non-League and still a bit in awe of the game. Mick McCarthy signed me. He was going to look after me, but then he took the Republic of Ireland job and his replacement, Jimmy Nicholl, sold me. I wasn't there too long, but they're the club that started me off and I'm grateful for that."

Hasney Aljofree has given glowing praise to the fans who made the long trip to Sunderland on Tuesday. He said: "I can't say enough about the fans. The away support especially is unbelievable. They were different class on Tuesday night and they tried their best for us. They even clapped us off the park, which was something else really because a lot of other clubs' fans might not have done that."

18th

Bobby Williamson will not be rushed into making any signings before transfer deadline day on Thursday next week. Williamson admitted he was not looking to let any of his existing players leave Home Park as they fight for survival in the Championship, but did not rule out new arrivals. "If players become available who I think can add to us then I will do that, but not because there is a deadline around the corner," he said. "It's because I feel it's going to be a benefit to us. But it has got to be the right player and everything has got to stack up. I'm not bringing in players just for the sake of it. I will be bringing in players to make a contribution and obviously to complement what we have got. I'm not going to be held to deadlines. I don't work to them when it comes to matters as serious as this." Williamson has a squad of 20 professionals following recent departures. He added: "I have no plans to let anybody go, to be honest. What I have got here is what I want to keep. But if somebody comes in and offers £1million for Wotton then it will be considered, as it would be for anybody." Williamson was hoping Akos Buzsaky would return to training today after a groin injury. Williamson said: "Hopefully, Akos will take part in a training session today and after that we should be able to gauge whether he's able to put himself in contention."

Dexter Blackstock has called up by England for their European Under-19 Championship matches against Denmark, Sweden and Moldova later this month

Scott Taylor's brilliance in a substitute role over the last month has made him favourite to start against Millwall this weekend and Bobby Williamson did little to play down such speculation. "There are difficult decisions to be made, but I'll make them for all the right reasons," said Williamson. "Scotty is one who's made an impact and that's all you can ask. I've got to be fair to people. If they've done the business, you've got to look after them and give them the opportunity to do it for a period longer." Having won and lost 5-1 in the last week, Argyle are possibly the least predictable side in the Championship right now, although Williamson sees a consistency in the goals they have let in. "I think 90% of the goals we concede come from crosses," he said. "Whether they are high or low, we have got to defend them better. It's something we are conscious of and something we work very hard on, but individuals have got to do their jobs. Concentration is not something you can work on. It's up to the players to be individually focused and know what is asked of them, but we have young, relatively inexperienced, players and it is a huge learning-curve for them. I'm sure they will learn. That's the good thing about football - there's always another game to rectify defeats, although nothing can make up for the way we lost on Tuesday. We can't make up to the fans who paid good money and spent a long time getting there and back, but we want to get the three points on Sunday and ease their nerves."

Luke McCormick will be fit to face Millwall despite the eye wound he suffered in the defeat at Sunderland. Bobby Williamson said: "Luke trained on Wednesday and he seems to be okay." Despite the incident, Willliamson does not plan to change his policy of not having a keeper on the bench. However, he admitted he would have taken off McCormick had Larrieu been among the subs. He said: "Goalkeepers very seldom get injured. I think that's the first time in a long while that we have actually had anything like that happen. I would rather have players on the bench who can come on and change the course of the match in our favour." Williamson thought the eye injury affected Luke's performance at the Stadium of Light. He said: "If his eye hadn't been closed I think he may have dealt with the fourth one better, and he may have dealt with the fifth one better, but it doesn't change my thinking. I'm still of the mind of going with the one goalkeeper, but it's my prerogative to change it if I see fit."

17th

Steven Milne and Ryan Dickson each scored twice as Argyle beat Dawlish 4-0 to move into the final of the Devon St Luke's Bowl last night. Argyle will now face Exeter City in the final, which will be played at Home Park on May 10th. Argyle: Schofield, Drew, Laird.J, Summerfield, Routledge, McKeever, Reski, Bond, Milne, Evans.D, Dickson. Subs - Smith, White, Hoyles, Mason

Robert Dennerly has been appointed Argyle's vice-chairman. He replaces Peter Jones, who stepped down from the board-room recently. Dennerly admitted he was 'thrilled'. He said: "This is a great honour for me. I am delighted and thrilled that my fellow directors have the confidence in me to be Paul Stapleton's number two. It's been very exciting times since I joined the board. The last couple of years have been fantastic for the club and it has been great to be so closely involved in all of that." Dennerly  believes Argyle can, and will, get even better in the coming months and years ahead. "Obviously the immediate goal is to ensure that we stay in this division," he said. "If we can do that, then we can look to build once more. The last few years have been fantastic for this club and we want more of those good times. All the board are excited about the future of the club and we want to see Argyle competing both on and off the field. It's been great being part of the rebuilding of the club, but we're only really at the first stage. We still have lots to do, including getting Phase Two of the stadium completed."

Hasney Aljofree has called on his team-mates to swiftly put behind them their defeat at Sunderland. Aljofree believes Argyle are capable of taking at least a point from their trip to Millwall on Sunday. He said: "West Ham was a real bad day for us. Everything was wrong that day. I don't think it was like that on Tuesday. The commitment was there from the players and we never capitulated. We have got to get back in training and work hard again and Sunday will hopefully come around sooner rather than later because the boys will want to put it right against Millwall. I'm sure we will be okay on Sunday. We have got to give 100 per cent effort and, hopefully, the breaks will go our way, whereas they went against us on Tuesday. We have got to go to Millwall believing we can take something from that game." Argyle were already trailing 2-0 against Sunderland when the Black Cats were awarded a controversial penalty. Referee Mark Cowburn waved away penalty appeals but changed his mind when one of his assistants' flagged for a foul and Marcus Stewart converted the resulting spot kick. Aljofree asked Stewart about the incident as they walked off the pitch at half-time. He said: "Marcus swore on his kids' life it was a penalty so if he's going to say that it must have been, even though it might have been a soft one. He said Graham did catch him even though it might have been accidental. He's not a bad lad Marcus and I don't think he's a cheat anyway. The referee didn't give it but the linesman did so it's one of those things." Aljofree is one of five Argyle players whose current contracts end in the summer and he has already been linked with a possible move to Sheffield Wednesday after a loan spell with the Owls earlier this season. The other out-of-contract players are Romain Larrieu, David Worrell, David Norris and Mickey Evans. All five have reportedly been offered new contracts but negotiations appear to be still on-going

Argyle players and fans endured a miserable end to their trip to Sunderland when their Air South West return flight was re-routed to Exeter due to fog yesterday. The chartered flight back from the North East made two unsuccessful attempts to land at Plymouth before it eventually touched down at Exeter. Players and fans were then brought back to the city by coach, arriving at Home Park at around 3pm yesterday. Michael Dunford said: "We tried to land a couple of times but Air South West said we had to divert. It was a mild inconvenience, but I think everyone on board took it in good spirits - it just shows you can't take account of the Plymouth weather."

16th

Hasney Aljofree, who played with Scott Taylor at Bolton Wanderers, believes the striker is starting to show his true class. Aljofree said: "I'm happy for Scott because he took a while to settle down but now he has scored three goals. I know how good he is because I was with him at Bolton. He really is a good goalscorer and his record at Blackpool showed that. When I was with him at Bolton he was always a poacher. Hopefully, he can kick on from here because he has definitely got the ability to do it. The ball is in Scott's corner now. He has scored goals and, hopefully, he can take it on and see us home because we do need goals. In this kind of league, it's very hard to keep clean sheets because these players are different class."

Bobby Williamson was disappointed for the Argyle fans that had travelled to the Stadium of Light. He said: "We conceded bad goals. The scoreline doesn't reflect the game, but Brighton could have said that on Saturday. The stats do not read to badly but it is the score that counts and to be beaten 5-1 is disappointing."Regarding a superb first 30 minutes from his team Williamson said: "In the first half-an-hour there was nothing in it, it was 50-50. The first goal was poorly defended and the fans got behind them. The second goal was crucial and I think we should defend that situation better. The third one capped of the first half." Regarding the controversial penalty Williamson added: "The referee seemed to be as close as the linesman was and he decided it wasn't. The assistant decided it was a penalty and the referee changed his mind. He's got to make the decision; he's the referee, not the assistant. He waved it away and he had a good view of it. I do not think the assistant should make that decision if the referee has a good view of it." Luke McCormick sustained a cut above his left eye when he tried in vain to stop Julio Arca scoring Sunderland's second goal, and his vision was impaired after the break as the injury swelled up. Williamson said: "His left eye is closed where the boy caught him. It was always going to be difficult for him in the second half but we defended that much better. Their two goals came when we never cleared properly and the second when we let a boy run straight through us and we didn't get in a tackle.  We probably scored the best goal of the night. He's only played about half-an-hour in three games and has scored three goals; I will have to think about using him a bit longer. That's what you ask players to do, get out there and ask questions, so I will have to look at the situation a bit longer. At 3-0 it was playing for pride and we did have a few more attempts in the second half compared to the first. But we never got in behind them and got the ball in the box. If we don't do that then it's going to be an uphill struggle. It's a set back to the fans who have travelled up here in good numbers and good voice again and we have let them down. It's been a big expense and it has taken them a long time to get here. We jumped on a plane this morning and got here quite quickly and we let them down and I am very disappointed about that. But we have got another game Sunday and in football there is always another opportunity. There is nothing we can do about tonight's result so we have try and get something at Millwall on Sunday and that is another difficult place to go to play. We will suffer tonight - the same as the fans will do - and we will pick ourselves up and move on to the job in hand."

Argyle are reported to have offered a two-year contract extension to David Norris

15th

Argyle lost 5-1 at Sunderland, the goal scored by Scott Taylor after 88 minutes. Argyle: McCormick, Connolly, Coughlan, Aljofree, Gilbert, Norris, Wotton, Gudjonsson, Capaldi, Blackstock, Chadwick. Subs - Evans, Taylor (not used -Lasley, Worrell, Kouo-Doumbe). Attendance - 25,258.

Peter Gilbert will be playing League football in his home town for the first time tonight. "I had my fingers crossed that they wouldn't get promoted last season, so I'd have this opportunity to play there this year," Gilbert said. "This season they deserve to be where they are. In the last few months they've been magnificent, they've been turning teams over home and away. They're a very strong side, with loads of quality. They're a massive club, and they belong in the Premier League. I've never played at the Stadium of Light, I played at the old Roker Park, when I was a lot younger, but away games against Sunderland when I was playing for Birmingham reserves were always in Durham. I can't wait to play there." Gilbert has helped Argyle claw their way up the Championship table, after a bad start to the year and they are six points above the relegation zone. "The result on Saturday has given us a lot of confidence," Gilbert added. "We can go to Sunderland and try and express ourselves. When the game kicks off, the fact that we're playing my home-town team will just go out of the window. We need the points, and I want to win. That's the bottom line. We want to get as many points on the board as soon as possible so that we're safe. We want to be in this league next year, and we're more than capable of making that happen." Demand for tickets for tonight's game from Gilbert's family and friends has been high. "I've been ignoring a few calls," he said. "I don't know how many tickets I'm going to get. I've got my immediate family coming, and quite a few of my friends too. Some of them are Sunderland season-ticket holders, which will be a help with the tickets. It will be a good night, and hopefully we can put on a good performance. That's the most important thing." After Sunday's away game at Millwall, Gilbert will turn his attention to international football. He has been named in the Wales under-21 squad but might yet find himself making his senior Wales debut over the Easter period. "I spoke to John Toshack last Friday," Gilbert said. "He said I would stay in the under-21 squad, but there's a chance I might be moved into the full squad. It depends on injuries. That's fine, I know where I stand and he's been brilliant with me. He has given me advice whenever he's seen me play. I'm more than happy to play for the Under-21 side. It's been valuable experience for me."

Akos Buzsaky has been ruled out of Argyle's visit to Sunderland tonight. Buzsaky has not recovered from the groin injury that forced him to miss the win over Brighton but striker Dexter Blackstock travelled with the rest of the squad after recovering from a virus. Bobby Williamson would not reveal any further information about the injury Buzsaky. Williamson did not rule out making changes to the starting line-up tonight, despite the victory over Brighton. He said: "I will have a look at the situation and I will have a chat with certain individuals. If I feel we need to freshen it, I will freshen it. If I think it's the same again, it will be the same again. It doesn't really matter who pulls on the strip tonight. They have got to give it everything they have got. If they do that, we will get something out of the game I'm sure." Williamson is relishing the challenge of playing one of the best-supported clubs in the country tonight, and hopes his team are as well. He said: "We don't expect it to be easy, that's for sure. The Stadium of Light is a difficult venue for anybody to go to and pick up points, but that's the aim. We will have a large number of supporters up there and we don't want to disappoint them so we will give it our best and, hopefully, get something out of the game." Williamson admitted flying to the North East would make it easier for the players to prepare for the massive task ahead of them. "It certainly helps," he said. "It's difficult for players after long bus journeys to get themselves moving." Argyle have the benefit of a member of their coaching staff who was working for Sunderland when the teams last met: Jocky Scott. Williamson declined to discuss the speculation linking Scott with the vacant Dundee United managers job, but he did say: "Jocky knows the Sunderland players, but you've still got to put what you know into practice. If we play as well as we did down here, though, then I'm hoping we can get something out of this game."

Nick Chadwick and Paul Wotton are brimming with confidence going into the game against Sunderland tonight. Chadwick scored his first goal for Argyle in the thrashing of Brighton on Saturday and cannot wait for tonight's clash. "I'm really looking forward to it," he said. "We should have got something out of Derby so it's not just at home where we are playing well. Let's just hope Saturday's game hasn't taken too much out of us because it was a massive effort from us, but I don't think it will do. Let's go there full of confidence, which is what we are doing, and try to win the game, never mind get a point. Let's go there and really put it to them and see if they can withstand the pressure we will hopefully put them under." Chadwick has played at the Stadium of Light once before, when he made only his second appearance for Everton. He said: "It's a great place to play football. It will probably be a cold night up there I should imagine, but let's go there and really take the game to them." Wotton was equally bullish about Argyle's trip to Sunderland, saying: "It's a great time to play them and, hopefully, we can go up and silence their crowd and do ourselves justice. It's a great game to play in. It's very exciting and I'm looking forward to it." Argyle have won three times in their last four matches to ease their relegation fears, although they are still far from being safe. Wotton said: "I don't think the boys ever felt we were under pressure, to be honest. I thought we all believed in our own ability. The fans got a little bit edgy, which is understandable, but we believed in ourselves all along. It's far from over, though. There is still a long, long way to go and we will keep fighting and biting and, hopefully, keep picking up points."

Romain Larrieu will not be moving to Sheffield Wednesday to solve their goalkeeping crisis. Bobby Williamson said: "I'm not going to get caught up in speculation but I can assure you we can't afford to let a goalkeeper go out," he said. "We have only got one spare goalkeeper at the club at the moment. The other one, young Kenny Schofield, is injured." Williamson added: "Every time Paul Sturrock is looking for a player we seem to be getting the nod. That's not going to happen. It will only be done in our best interests if we decide to do anything. I don't know what Paul's doing with his team, and I wish him all the best, but I'm too interested in what we are trying to do here."

14th

Bjarni Gudjonsson has been named in the Iceland squad for the World Cup qualifier against Croatia on March 26th and a friendly against Italy four days later

Scott Taylor has scored as a substitute in each of the last two home matches. Bobby Williamson said: "I was pleased for Scotty Taylor who came off the bench and nicked himself a goal. Mickey will be disappointed he couldn't get clear himself, but he was unselfish and has played a decent ball over to Scotty, but he has still got a lot of work to do. He cushioned it with his head and flicked it past the 'keeper. It was a good goalscorers' goal." Argyle had taken a 4-1 lead into half-time, but Williamson was not surprised goals were harder to come by after the break. He said: "We expected that. People were probably thinking at half-time 'here we go, it could be five, six, seven or eight' but that never materialises in football. Mark McGhee got a reaction from his players and they made sure they were not going to concede as many goals as they did in the first half. They were always trying to get a goal back at 4-1 and if they had done that who knows how we had reacted but, thankfully, we did not have to answer that question and we kept going."

Steven Milne will continue his progress towards full match fitness on Wednesday when he takes part in Argyle's St Luke's Bowl match against Dawlish Town. The rest of the squad is made up of youngsters.

Argyle: Schofield, Drew, Laird.J, Summerfield, Routledge, McKeever, Reski, Bond, Milne, Evans.D, Dickson. Subs - Smith, White, Mason, Hoyles

Argyle face a tough test at Sunderland tomorrow but Bobby Williamson is not concerned about media opinions and the form book, which suggest Sunderland are big favourites : "I do not read the national press. I do not think it makes any difference whether we are the under-dogs or not, football is never that simple. It will be a hard match, they are going well but so are we." The main player concerns are the fitness of Akos Buzsaky and the withdrawal of Dexter Blackstock at half-time due to illness. "Akos will not travel," added Williamson, "but Dexter is fine and comes back into the reckoning."

Paul Wotton relished the chance to make amends for last weeks penalty miss at Derby, by scoring from a spot-kick against Brighton. "I had no problems with taking another penalty," he said. "The pitch here is much better, it's probably one of the best in the League, and I knew my foot wasn't going to give way. I was pleased with the penalty and pleased with the free-kick, but more than that I was pleased with the result. Don't let anyone under-estimate how big that win was for us. It was vital." Wotton now wants to savour the trip to the Stadium of Light. "It's set us up for what will be a fantastic game to play in on Tuesday," he said. "It's why we're in this league. It's that desire to be playing teams like Sunderland every week which will, hopefully, keep us up. It will be a great game to play in. It's very exciting, and hopefully we can go up there and silence their crowd and do ourselves justice. We're all looking forward to it." Wotton's two goals against Brighton took his tally for the season to 13. "It should have been 14," he added. "There have been half a dozen penalties, but you've still got to score them. It's not just down to me, though. The team effort today in the first half was very good, although we had one lapse when they scored, and we saw it out in the second half. All the hard work was done in the first half." With only Burnley, of all the other teams in the bottom half of the table, winning on Saturday, it was a good weekend all round for Argyle. "Other results went our way when last week they didn't," Wotton added, "but I've never felt the lads were under pressure. We've always believed in our own ability. The fans got a little bit edgy, which is understandable, but we've been confident all along. But it's far from over. We need to keep on fighting and biting. We've given ourselves a points target and we're getting closer to it, but there's no guarantee 50 points will be enough to keep you up. We just need to keep winning." Bobby Williamson said: "I never even considered changing the penalty taker. As soon as we got the penalty, the players were looking for Wotton to step forward. As usual, he did, and he took the captain's responsibility." Wotton's second goal was slammed into the top corner of the net, and came from a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area. "He can smack a ball," the manager said. "It's a fantastic talent to have." Wotton was given the penalty chance when Adam Hinshelwood committed a handling offence to keep the ball away from Nick Chadwick. "The boy definitely handled it," Williamson added. "He couldn't get his head on it, and if he'd let it drop Chads would have been on the end of it. He tried to get it away with his arm, and the referee was in a decent position to call it."

Nick Chadwick was thrilled to grab his first goal for Argyle on Saturday. "I had been unfortunate more than anything else not to open my account before this," he said. "I had hit the bar and hit the post, keepers have made some good saves and I have been pulled down when I have been through on goal. I had done everything but score. I think the only time I had actually missed a chance was last week at Derby, which I was disappointed with, so I didn't really feel under any pressure. Any pressure to score goals will always come from me because I believe I can do that, and I was delighted to get off the mark today. You always want to get that first goal to get under way, especially when you have come here believing you are going to do really well. You want to start proving that point. That's the first one out of the way and now I can concentrate on doing well for the side, which I think I have been doing anyway. We thought it was going to be a tight, tough game and it was one we definitely needed to win so I was delighted to put us ahead and ensure we went on to take all three points." Chadwick paid tribute to Dexter Blackstock for the part he played in his opening goal. He said: "Dexter is a good lad and he has done well since he has been at the club. I think he had a cold today, so you might not have seen him at his best, but he managed to put a great ball back to me for the goal. It was a nice one-two between the two of us and, like I say, I was just thankful really to finish it off." Chadwick's popularity in the dressing room was shown as he was engulfed by his team-mates after the goal. He said: "I think they know it's important for any striker to get their first goal. They have been giving me a bit of stick in training, as you would expect, but they were obviously delighted, not only for me but because it was an important game. They are a great bunch of lads and we firmly believe we are lower in the table than we should be. We deserved to take something at Derby County last week and they are flying high. As a group, we have just got to stay together, which we are doing. There is a great team spirit. We have got to keep getting points and climb as far up the league as we can." Bobby Williamson said before the game that he thought home form would be crucial to the team's chances of escaping relegation, and Chadwick agrees. "I think the gaffer said we expect to win every home game, and rightly so," he said. "No team should come here and take any points. We have got to make this a fortress. We have got to try to take three points from every home game and then pick up as many points as we can away from home."

13th

Bobby Williamson was pleased to see the ball hitting the back of the net during the victory over Brighton yesterday. He said: "I'm obviously pleased to score fives goals. I think we've played better, I must admit, but it's always good to see the ball hit the back of the net. Football can be a cruel game and it was cruel for Mark McGhee today. He'll be feeling as bad as I did at West Ham, when we let in five. But you pick yourself up, dust yourself down and get on with it. I think we have been knocking on the door for a while and it does a lot for goal difference and confidence. I'm pleased Chadwick got a goal and with Chuck scoring a goal, his first in a long time, plus Paul Wotton's come up trumps again as well as Taylor getting another, it is all positive. I knew we were capable of scoring lots of goals and we have started to do that but you just do not know how games are going to pan out, that's why football is exciting. After West Ham we have responded well and I think Brighton will be feeling the same as we did at Upton Park." Williamson seemed especially happy to see Chadwick score his first goal for Argyle. "It was good inter-linking between the two strikers and a great finish," he said. "I'm delighted for Nick. He has worked hard since he has come to the club and he was due a goal. I'm sure he'll build on that. He knows where the back of the net is, and the rest of his game is coming together.I took Dexter off at half-time as he was suffering from a cold, Akos Buzsaky has a slight injury but we have a squad here and they showed that we can rely on that squad today. Now we will see who is available for Tuesday's match at Sunderland, although we are likely to be unchanged."

12th

Argyle beat Brighton & Hove Albion 5-1 at Home Park, the goals scored by Nick Chadwick after 8 minutes, Paul Wotton (13 and 21), David Norris (36) and Scott Taylor (88). Argyle: McCormick, Connolly, Coughlan, Aljofree, Gilbert, Norris, Wotton, Gudjonsson, Capaldi, Blackstock, Chadwick. Subs - Evans, Taylor, Lasley (not used -Worrell, Kouo-Doumbe). Attendance - 15,606. and Ian De-Lars match report is here

Akos Buzsaky has been carrying a groin injury this week and will not be available to play today

Tony Capaldi has been named in the squad for Northern Ireland's back-to-back World Cup qualifiers away to England on March 26th, and Poland in Warsaw four days later

Akos Buzsaky knows that Argyle's fate this season is likely to be settled by what they achieve against other Championship strugglers. Argyle will climb above Brighton if they win today. "Against Derby away, anybody can lose, because they are a big team," he said. "Next week we go to Sunderland, another big team. It will be very difficult to win points. For us, the most important games are the games against teams who are near us in the Championship. The games against Brighton, Cardiff, Nottingham Forest, Coventry and Leicester, these are our big games. Not the games against Sunderland or Derby. I am very, very optimistic." Buzsaky has already become a fans' favourite at Home Park. He said: "When I arrived, the manager gave me a chance in the first game. It was a big thing for me. I felt he liked me and he wanted to give me confidence. Now I have played seven times. Six times I started the game, last time I was on the bench, but I wasn't too sad about that. It was the manager's decision, and when I got into the game I did my best."

Bobby Williamson yesterday revealed that some of his squad have been battling through the pain barrier in recent weeks to aid the cause. "We've got a few injuries, but I'm not going to name the players concerned," he said. "We'll give them every opportunity, and wait and see how they are tomorrow. We've had a lot of players playing through the pain barrier lately, and carrying niggles and strains, and with three games in nine days we've got to be careful. There's no point in trying to push somebody through a game and then they're out next Tuesday or Sunday, or even longer for that matter. I wouldn't rule out anybody just now, but there might be one or two feeling the effects of recent games. We'll see how they are tomorrow." Williamson is not expecting an easy game against Brighton: "I think they'll come and have a go," he said. "If we can force them back and keep them hemmed in, then that will be brilliant, but we've got to be wary of the counter-attack. I don't expect Brighton to come here and show us too much respect. They'll believe they can go away and win games, the same as we do. They'll keep things tight, I'm sure. They won't give us any encouragement, but if we give them any opportunity to stretch themselves I'm sure they'll try and take it." Williamson was grateful for the two 3-0 wins last month but disagreed with a suggestion that those two games saw Argyle hit peak form. "I think some people may have had their judgement clouded by results," he said. "Just because we've won 3-0, they think it was a great performance. I think we've played a lot of great football without getting the results we've deserved. Against Burnley here, we absolutely battered them from start to finish, yet only won 1-0. We drew 0-0 with Stoke, when we had a perfectly good goal disallowed. I think we played a lot better in those two games. We played well at Derby last weekend, too, but we'd rather take a victory or a draw than play well and lose. That goes without saying."

Argyle play their Devon St Luke's Challenge Bowl semi-final at Dawlish Town next Wednesday. The winners will meet Exeter City in the final

11th

Bobby Williamson thinks home form is the key to Argyle's survival chances in the Championship and is hoping to make it three home victories in a row against Brighton tomorrow. He said: "I hope nobody relishes coming here, but we have got to do our talking on the park. We have got to try to keep these home wins coming because they could be crucial at the end of the season. The aim is to try to catch the teams immediately above us. They are in my sights. A victory tomorrow would be more than welcome to keep things moving along but there are a lot of games to be played yet and a lot of points to be won. We will see what the outcome is tomorrow and see how tall a task it's going to be." Williamson admitted the Argyle supporters would have an important part to play in tomorrow's clash. He said: "Things don't go your way in football all the time and even the top teams have hiccups occasionally. But if the fans stick behind the players then I'm sure we will give them something to shout about." Although Argyle lost to Derby last Saturday, they gave a very encouraging performance at Pride Park following back-to-back 3-0 wins which had put them in touching distance of several teams above them in the table. Williamson said: "We knew that would happen if we managed to get those two results. There was no need to press any panic buttons and I certainly wasn't. I'm experienced enough in football to know that luck doesn't always go against you. A break can lift everybody and that certainly was the case. We want to keep the momentum going after a good performance at Derby, although it was a poor result. We have got to try to build on the positives from that game. If we can do that tomorrow, hopefully, we can get the better of Brighton."

Following the departure of Steve Adams,  Bobby Williamson is expected to renew his interest in Bristol City midfielder Tommy Doherty. Williamson wanted to take the Northern Ireland international on loan last month but the move did not materialise

Bobby Williamson has played down the importance of Argyle's game with Brighton tomorrow. He insisted the match was no more important than any of the other nine matches between now and the end of the season. Williamson said: "Brighton is a big game, but only because it means we have the opportunity to add another three points to our league total. Although Brighton sit just above us in the league, neither a win or a defeat tomorrow will secure our survival or condemn us to the division below. We have 10 games left this season and each of them are as important as each other at the moment. Obviously, if we come down to the final two or three fixtures needing to win them all, that is a bit different. But, at the moment, there are a number of sides fighting it out at the bottom of the division and we are all looking to pick up as many points as possible. It now seems as though it is any three from 10 who are likely to be relegated. Anyone from Watford and the teams below them in the division will be concerned. Nottingham Forest are improving and they had another good win in midweek. They are playing well at the moment and they have a lot of momentum with them, so they will be looking to take advantage of that. But I believe we have momentum too and we are playing some good stuff at the moment. I just want to concentrate on what we can do and forget about the other teams. If we can win our games and pick-up enough points to make sure we are safe, I don't need to look at what the other teams are doing and how many points they are getting. It's as simple as that really." 

Argyle have been boosted by the return to fitness of Lee Hodges. Yesterday Bobby Williamson said: "We are not too badly off - there's a couple feeling little niggles and strains, but we are hoping they will be okay for Saturday. We are not terribly badly off. Lee Hodges is back in full training, Stevie Milne got 90 minutes under his belt for the reserves with no reaction whatsoever, he's training so that's good for Steve - and David Worrell came through the game the other day as well, so he's available." Williamson also explained why he did not put a timetable on Milne's road to recovery from a knee injury sustained last year. "I don't do that - everybody's different, everybody heals differently from certain types of injuries. He's worked hard off the park to get himself back to a fitness level and get himself back on it. It's difficult when players are out long term and you can certainly say his injury has been a long time. "Hopefully that's behind him now and he can start getting himself fitter and in contention for a starting slot."

10th

Bobby Williamson believes his squad is strong enough to maintain their Championship status despite the departure of Steve Adams. He said: "Stevie Adams goes with the blessings from everybody at the club. But we have a good squad here, with some quality players, and I wouldn't have let Stevie go if I didn't believe those players left at the club couldn't do a good job. There are some big games left for us in the rest of the season and I believe that the players left at the club are more than capable of getting the results this club needs to keep itself in this division. Although Stevie is able to play defence as well as midfield, I have always preferred him in midfield. But I have a lot of other good midfield players here at the club at the moment - Keith, Akos and Bjarni - and Paul has done a fantastic job in the middle of the park in the holding-role." As well as expressing his contentment with his existing players, Williamson hinted that there may be some new additions to his squad before the transfer deadline of March 24th. Williamson said: "As a manager, you have to be looking to strengthen your squad all the time. It is a case of keeping your eyes open and waiting for the right moment. Although I am happy with the quality and depth of the squad, you have to be looking to bring in new faces or you will soon start to fall behind other teams. I am certain that other managers in this division are consistently looking to strengthen their squad, and I have to do likewise if I want this club to improve."

9th

Steve Adams has left Argyle to join Paul Sturrocks Sheffield Wednesday. Details of the transfer are not being revealed but Adams has signed a two-year deal. Argyle yesterday accepted Wednesday's bid after rejecting previous offers for the player. Bobby Williamson said: "Sheffield Wednesday made an offer which was acceptable to us and the player, and Steve goes with my best wishes. I'm disappointed to see him go. He's a lad who I like a lot, and he's a good professional. I couldn't guarantee him first-team football, but Sheffield Wednesday might be able to offer him a more regular place, and that's the reason he's going. He goes with our best wishes. He's been a good servant to the club over the years. Sometimes it's better for a lad who's been at one club since his early days to move on and become a senior pro elsewhere. It's been a pleasure working with him and I wish him all the best." Adams left Home Park looking forward to the challenge ahead but back at his home town club. "I've got mixed emotions, obviously I come from Plymouth and it's my home town so it will be tough leaving, but it's fresh, new start for myself and should be really good at Sheffield, it's a massive club and I am really looking forward to the challenge," he said. "They are flying at the moment - so it will be a struggle to get in the team probably. Joking aside, it will be good to get up there and I would imagine it will be a good atmosphere with the boys. I don't know any of the players but I do know the management team very well, which makes it a little bit easier I guess. I am looking forward to working with them again. I am sorry to go and I would like to thank all the fans for all their support over the years. They have been tremendous in the time I have been here but it's time to move on. I wish the club all the best and every success in stabilising in the Championship. It would be good if Wednesday can come straight up. For me personally, three promotions in four seasons would be good."

8th

Argyle reserves lost 3-1 this afternoon at Swindon Town, the goal scored by Chris Reski. Argyle: Larrieu, Worrell, Routledge, Doumbe, McKeever, Reski, Bond, Lasley, Dickson, Taylor, Milne. Subs - Summerfield (not used - Hoyles, Drew). Stuart Gibson said: "After that early goal we should have been looking forward to the game. But on the whole it was very, very disappointing. The team performance was very poor, and there were some poor individual performances. For a Championship side that was just not good enough. There was not nearly enough effort. There were only a few plusses. Romain Larrieu made two or three absolutely brilliant saves, and Keith Lasley in the middle of the park worked hard all game. John Routledge also had a good second half in defence, while David Worrell kept going. But as a team we were never in control of the game. You look for the reserves to give competition for places for the first team and trying to force the issue, but that didn't happen today."

Plans have been unveiled for a Life Centre that will transform leisure in Plymouth. The Life Centre will be linked to Home Park and one major part of the scheme will be the completion of the stadium's grandstands with better shopping, supporters, catering and new hospitality boxes. Paul Stapleton is confident that the upgrade of the grandstand will be completed by Christmas 2006 and said: "These are exciting times at Plymouth Argyle. The club is on an upward curve and the stadium proposals just prove that. We need to bring the stadium up to date and these proposals and all they include are set to do just that. I expect to be able to press the button this year so we can look to start things as soon as possible. Then I fully expect that everything will be completed by the end of next year - perhaps as soon as Christmas 2006. Whatever happens, I am fully confident that everything is going to be completed on time." In addition to the grandstand upgrade, the proposals also highlight a number of ambitious ideas to bring the club and the stadium up to date. They include a conference facility, a restaurant/catering facility for supporters, an improved club shop and potential for a sports hall which could be used for health education purposes or let out to generate additional income for the club. There are also plans to build new hospitality boxes which will produce additional income for the club. Stapleton said: "The additional boxes will bring more income into the club and will help us attract a better calibre of player to the club. We will be able to pay bigger wages and that can help the club move up another level. We made the trip to Derby on Saturday and saw just what fantastic facilities they have. We have to look to emulate clubs like that and I believe the proposals will help us not only attract better players, but also a wealth of new supporters. We have had a few sell-outs this season, but I am confident that the new facilities will increase interest in the club within the community." Argyle are also looking to follow a number of other league clubs in strengthening their community links. The plans allow for this by including the provision of a number of new football pitches and upgraded changing facilities for community use to be built. Stapleton added: "We want Home Park to be than just a Saturday destination. Football has a very important role to play and we are currently working with the council to encourage youngsters to learn through the football in the community."

David Norris has revealed how the squad are rallying round Paul Wotton, following his missed penalty last Saturday. Norris said: "Paul has saved us or won games for us with last-minute penalties. He'll beat himself up more than anyone, and it's up to the boys and the management to pick him up because he's won more points for us this season than anyone. He'll keep his head up, and I'm sure he'll score the next one." The defeat left Argyle still in 19th place and in danger of relegation, but they were far from outclassed. "It was just one of those days," Norris said. "We still thought we could nick a goal going into injury time, but it wasn't to be. It wasn't like we played badly, which would have hit our confidence. We played really well, especially in the second half, and we created a lot of chances. Derby are a good team, they deserve to be right up there, and I don't think our confidence will be dented by Saturday's result. In the first half they were passing the ball around and they were giving us a bit of a footballing lesson, really." Norris forced a fine save out of Derby's goalkeeper Lee Camp with a close-range header. "It was looping, so I had to create my own power," he said. "I should have tried to get it more in the corner, but it was still a good save from the 'keeper. I'm due a goal. I'm due a few, in fact, but I'll just keep going. Hopefully something will fall for me soon." Other than Wotton's penalty miss, the closest Argyle came to scoring was when Tony Capaldi let fly with a long-distance shot which Camp did well to reach and push away to safety. "I was running besides Tony and I was about to have a right go at him for having a shot," Norris said, "but he caught it so sweetly. I thought it was in and I was ready to run away cheering with him, but the 'keeper made another great save." 

Neither Bobby Williamson nor Brian Tinnion were prepared to discuss the transfer rumours concerning Graham Coughlan and Danny Coles yesterday. However, reports suggest that Coughlan remains keen to stay at Argyle and that the Argyle board are not convinced that parting company with the Irishman is in the club's best interests. They are also thought to be unhappy with the financial aspects of the suggested exchange transfer. Williamson said: "If I commented on speculation all the time you could fill pages and pages of newspapers. I talk to other managers all the time and we bat things backwards and forwards. There is nothing to add to that." Paul Stapleton was equally tight-tipped. "It is not our club policy to comment on transfer speculation," he said.

Bobby Williamson has explained why Akos Buzsaky was surprisingly not included in the starting line-up for the defeat at Derby on Saturday. Williamson said: "A lot of the fans will be asking me why we didn't start with him, but you don't know when players of his talent are going to hit top form. He was up for it when he came on and he certainly lifted us. He got some decent passes though. But first and foremost we had to stop Derby playing and we tried to do that. Once we had done that to an extent, then we tried to play and that's why Buzsaky came on. I felt he would be more creative than the players we had in the middle of the park at that time, and it proved to be the case. Unfortunately, we just couldn't get that goal to reflect what efforts we had put in."

7th

Graham Coughlan could be the next player to leave Home Park. The Irishman is a transfer target for Bristol City - and a possible replacement for the defender is Bristol City's Danny Coles, who is rumoured to be on Argyle's shopping list

Paul Wotton has relived the agony of his penalty miss in Argyle's defeat at Derby. He said: "I slipped as I took it. My left foot went from underneath me. It was similar to what happened to David Beckham for England in the penalty shoot-out against Portugal at the European Championships last year." Wotton thought Argyle deserved at least a point from their trip to the East Midlands. He said: "A point would have been a good result. We played very well and could have won the game with the amount of chances we had. It's just unfortunate. The type of person I am, it has been eating away at me all weekend, and it still is, but these things happen. My foot went from underneath me and there's not a lot I can do about it. You could tell both penalty areas had been re-turfed lately and they weren't good at all. I could see it was new grass. It's obvious something went badly wrong because I wouldn't miss the target like that normally." Wotton is determined to carry on taking penalties. "I have got no problems about taking the next one," he said. "I have missed them before and I will miss them again. If you take penalties you are going to miss one eventually. It's just disappointing we lost the game on Saturday and the teams around us in the league won." David Norris insisted no blame should be attached to Wotton. He said: "Wottsie is distraught in there and all the boys are trying to rally around him. He has saved us, and won us, many games with last-minute penalties. He will beat himself up more than anyone and it's up to the boys and the management to pick him up. Hopefully, he will keep his head up and I'm sure he will score the next one. It's a great stadium but the pitch was not the best. There wasn't much grass on it and it was a bit bobbly but it was the same for both teams I suppose."

6th

Bobby Williamson was keen to focus on the positive aspects of yesterdays defeat at Derby. "We are disappointed," he said. "We gave it our best shot. Unfortunately we couldn't put the ball in the back of the net. If you don't do that you don't win football matches, but we gave a good account of ourselves. Our fans pay good money to travel all over England, and the last thing we want to do is let them down. They'll go away unhappy, but with our second-half performance I thought we played better than we did against Crewe and Sheffield United. We've got to turn in performances like this every week now. If we do that, we'll pick up points, I'm sure of that. I thought it was a very good football game, especially in the second half. We had chances and they had chances too, as they were going to because we had to throw caution to the wind to try and get back in the game. Unfortunately we couldn't breach their rearguard." The best chance Argyle had to beat Derby came with a second half penalty. However, Paul Wotton failed to hit the target. "He's shattered," Williamson said. "We know how much it means to him. It's disappointing, but he slipped as he took the kick. That's why he miscued it. Derby's pitch isn't great at this moment in time. It's had a heavy season, by the looks of it. Paul Wotton has scored goals for us that will save us and sometimes he'll miss chances like that. We can live with that." Derby keeper Camp was not tested by Wotton's spot-kick, but he came to his side's rescue on several other occasions. "Camp played very well," Williamson added. "He made a lot of decent saves. Every question we asked of him, he answered. His save from Capaldi was fantastic. It was a great effort and it looked like it was heading for the top corner, and the 'keeper has dealt with it. Tony caught it well, though, and I was delighted that at least he hit it. We want him to be more positive, and that gives us an indication that he can do that. He was unfortunate not to get himself a goal. It was a great save." The goal that decided the game was scored direct from a long-range free-kick and Williamson felt that the conditions might have played a part in Luke McCormick being beaten from such a distance. "The conditions weren't great," he said. "The wind was swirling, and the ball certainly moved. It looked like it was going high and wide and handsome at one stage, and then it dipped. We'll give the attacking player the benefit, though, and say it was a good strike from his point of view."

5th

Argyle lose 1-0 at Derby County. Argyle: McCormick, Connolly, Coughlan, Aljofree, Gilbert, Norris, Wotton, Adams, Capaldi, Chadwick, Blackstock . Subs - Evans, Buzsaky (not used - Taylor, Kouo-Doumbe, Gudjonsson). Attendance - 27,581.

Nick Chadwick is no stranger to Pride Park having spent a month on loan at Derby in March 2003. "It was a horrible time," Chadwick said. "I was only 20, and they were really struggling. Their manager, John Gregory, was on the verge of being sacked. It wasn't a nice time, but they're a massive club. The training facilities are of Premiership standard and the ground is magnificent, but it wasn't the brightest time on the pitch when I was there. My loan move there came about when I'd just had a hernia operation and I needed to get some games under my belt. I played with the likes of Georgi Kinkladze and Fabrizio Ravanelli, and it definitely did me some good." Derby were near the foot of the Championship table at the start of this campaign, but since then they have climbed to fourth place. That sort of form is what Argyle should seek to emulate, according to Chadwick. "Without doubt, that's what we should be doing," he said. "They've found a way of playing week in, week out that suits them and that's what I think we're doing now. We need to be just as positive." Chadwick has yet to score for Argyle, but he has earned plenty of praise for the quality of his centre-forward performances. "I'll start to worry if I start missing chances," he said, "but I don't think I'm doing that at the moment. I think I've been a bit unfortunate, and no way did I think I was going to come here and score 20 goals before the end of the season. That wasn't going to happen, but I think I've played well and I believe I've contributed to everything good we've done in an attacking sense. I've been in and around almost every goal we've scored, it just hasn't been me that has kicked the ball over the line. We've just won the last two games 3-0, so let's concentrate on that. What great performances and great results they were for us. Now we're going to Derby and, yes, we're away from home and we need to be a bit tighter, but can we go there and get a result? Of course we can. I'm really positive."

Akos Buzsaky is hoping to clinch a permanent move to Argyle. He said: "Luckily everything is alright and I think the club is satisfied with me. The English game is absolutely different from the Portuguese. I've been trying to adapt to this kind of football as fast as I can. One thing is for sure. Porto may call me back from Plymouth but I don't want to play in Porto's B team. That's why I want to have an impressive spring. In that case Argyle or another English team will hopefully buy me. I think I have stepped forward with this loan contract and I would like to do it again in the summer."

4th

Scott Laird has been selected for Scotland's European Under-17 Championship squad. The Scots will play Azerbaijan on March 15th, host nation Turkey on March 17th and France on March 19th. Stuart Gibson said: "Everyone at Argyle is really pleased that Scott is continuing to progress. He is conscientious and hard-working, and is getting his just rewards."

Argyle were boosted on the eve of their visit to Derby when Dexter Blackstock agreed to extend his loan from Southampton until nearly the end of the season. Blackstock's new deal will see him stay at Home Park until May 6th - two days before the final game of the season at home to Leicester City. Bobby Williamson welcomed Blackstock's decision. He said: "I like him. He's a good kid and he works very hard at his game. I've been impressed with what he's done at the club so far, on and off the park and on the training-ground. He gives everybody a spark. He's got that infectious youthfulness which rubs off on people, myself included. He's been a breath of fresh air and I hope that stays with him for the rest of his career. I'm sure there will be ups and downs, but, at this moment in time, his career is looking very much on the up. I hope he goes from strength to strength, and enjoys his time here, and I hope it will hold him in good stead with his future career at Southampton."

Argyle have offered apprentice contracts to five players from their Centre of Excellence. They are: Anthony Mason of Plymouth, Daniel Smith from Saltash, Jamie Laird from Bridgwater, Paul Kendall from Torquay and Tim Sundercombe also from Torquay

Bobby Williamson has a fully fit squad for Argyle's visit to Pride Park. The Argyle boss travelled there on Wednesday to see Derby draw against Wolves. Williamson said: "We are not expecting it to be easy. I watched them the other night and they are more than capable. They have added to their squad since last season, when they were languishing at the bottom end of the table and fighting for survival. Now they are fighting for promotion so it just shows what a difference a year can make. Good luck to them but I hope they don't get any tomorrow. I know their players and I have seen them a few times this season but you want to do your job properly and go along and see what's going on. That's what I did. I will be concentrating more on what we can do against them rather than worrying about what they can do to us, although I will make the players aware of their strengths as well as their weaknesses." Williamson does not believe Argyle will get much advantage, if any, from the fact the Rams were in action on Wednesday and might still be feeling the effects of that tomorrow. He said: "Maybe, in the latter stages, they will be tired but they have got a squad of players they can freshen things up with. Derby have been showing they are quite resilient and have scored a lot of equalisers late on in games so we are well-warned about that."

David Worrell has returned to full fitness but is unlikely to figure against Derby County tomorrow. Bobby Williamson said: "David Worrell is back in training but he is not available yet." Tomorrow's match is also expected to be too soon for Steven Milne. Williamson said: "He worked hard the other night but it will take a bit of time. I'm not judging him just yet."

Paul Stapleton has paid tribute to Marino Keith after his move from Argyle to Colchester United this week. Stapleton said: "Marino has been a key part of what we have achieved over the last three or four years. We will remember some of the excellent goals he has scored, particularly the second one against Exeter which put the seal on that game. He goes with two championship winners' medals and our thanks and best wishes." Keith is the latest in a long line of players who have left Home Park and Stapleton added: "It's what you expect really at a football club when you have had such rapid progress as we have had."

Akos Buzsaky has insisted Argyle have nothing to fear when they play Derby County tomorrow. The on-loan midfielder is also convinced that Argyle will escape relegation from the Championship and believes they should be aiming for a mid-table finish. He said: "Derby are a big team but when you look at our last six games they have nearly all been against big teams - Preston, Reading, West Ham and Sheffield United. We have had two victories, two draws and two defeats. That's not too bad. It can be better but in this division every team is very close. There is a very small difference between the last and the first. That's why I'm not afraid to play against Derby. Against West Ham we lost 5-0 and against Sheffield we won 3-0. It depends on us what we do tomorrow. If we have a good day and everyone is fully concentrated we can get a good result." Buzsaky knows there is a lot of hard work ahead for Argyle between now and the end of the season. "We have won the last two games and that's the most important thing," he said. "I'm enjoying being in Plymouth - at the club and in the city. Everybody is nice with me and everybody wants the best for me. That's why I'm very happy. But we have another two months this season and we must work very hard and win four or five more games and, after that, everybody will be happy, not just me." Buzsaky believes the 5-0 drubbing by West Ham might have done the team a favour, although it was not an enjoyable experience. "It was a very bad day for us, I think for everybody," he said. "But it's better to lose one time 5-0 than five times 1-0. Maybe it was good because they gave us a big slap in the face and we wake up. I hope it's the last time we get a slap in the face." Since then Argyle have beaten Sheffield United and Crewe Alexandra, both 3-0. Buzsaky said: "I think we played better against Sheffield than the last game Crewe but the result is the most important thing. Against Sheffield we worked very hard in the defence and in the midfield too, and we have some quality strikers so I think this team is better than the league position we are in now. I think we have shown that in the last two games because Sheffield are one of the best teams in this division and Crewe are in the middle of the table. Against us, they didn't have opportunities to score goals and we won every ball on the pitch, and that's why we must be very positive. We must try to move up this division and be in the middle of the table by the end of the season. I'm not afraid about going down because we are better than that." Buzsaky has been pleased with his own form, but he believes there is still plenty of scope for improvement. "I can do better and I want to do better," he said. "I have played six times and every time I was in the 11. I have started every game so I don't think I have done too bad, otherwise I would be sitting on the bench! I work hard in the training and that's because I want to do better. I want to score goals and I want to give assists to the players in the team."

3rd

Talks over the future of Dexter Blackstock are continuing with Southampton. Blackstock's first month with Argyle comes to an end after the game against Derby County. Bobby Williamson said: "There have been talks with Southampton this week but there is nothing to talk about just yet. Until we conclude one way or the other then I can't really add to what has been said already."

Bobby Williamson has paid tribute to the patience and professionalism of Scott Taylor, who scored his first goal for the team last Saturday. "He was there in the right place, and I was delighted for him," Williamson said. "I'm really pleased for the boy, because he's not long been at the club. Expectations were high for him, and it's been difficult. Scott has been through that transitional period. He's been moving house and his kids are up in Blackpool, or wherever, and he has missed them. That has played its part in why he has not scored before now. Last Saturday, though, he was in there and he scored. It was probably a great tactical decision by me to put him on, but nobody seems to notice these things! They only seem to notice the decisions you make when you get beat. I've been encouraged by Scott's performances in training. He's been very unfortunate that Chadwick and Blackstock have joined us just after he arrived, and he got pushed aside. Scott did have three or four games to try and get on the scoresheet, but unfortunately that never happened for one reason or another. Maybe we never supplied him with enough chances, and Dexter and Nick came in and got opportunities instead. Dexter has scored a couple of goals and Nick is getting closer and closer. One man's gain is another man's pain, but last weekend Chadwick got taken off and Taylor went on and got his first goal. I was really pleased for him. He's had a hard ride here, but life's not easy, I can assure you." Unlike Taylor and Blackstock, who has found the net after coming on as a substitute in his last two games, Chadwick is still awaiting his first Argyle goal, but Williamson has been happy with his progress. "Nick will keep on knocking on that door until it opens," he added, "and once it opens it shouldn't close, because he has got goals in him. I'm sure of that." Williamson pinpointed Bjarni Gudjonsson as another player who has been going through a 'transitional period'. When Tony Capaldi was banned for the game against Crewe last weekend, Williamson chose Steve Adams in preference to Gudjonsson. Williamson said: "The fans might have looked at the fact that Bjarni could have done that role, and he could have. But Bjarni has been through a transitional period. He has just joined the club, he's moving house, and his wife had a baby boy last week. It takes its toll on people and that was in the back of the mind so I decided to leave Bjarni sitting beside me, and he came on and created a goal for us. That's what his capabilities are. The good thing from my point of view was I looked at the bench on Saturday and I thought 'I have got quality players sitting beside me'. They can go on and change the shape of this game if called upon.' At times I have looked at us earlier in the season and thought 'what is here that could help us out there?' I'm very comfortable with what we have got just now, without being complacent. I know we have got to keep strengthening and keep adding quality to the team to keep us progressing and moving in the right direction."

2nd

Marino Keith has left Argyle to join Colchester United. Colchester are understood to have given Keith a two-year contract. The fee paid by the Layer Road club has not been disclosed. Keith admitted he is excited by the new challenge he faces at Colchester United. He said: "When we got promoted I knew it would be difficult to hold down a first-team place, and so it proved. This is a new challenge for me. I have had good times with Argyle in the promotions seasons but that's all in the past and I really want to bring success to Colchester."

Steven Milne continued his comeback from injury last night as Argyle reserves drew 0-0 with Cheltenham. Argyle: Larrieu, Drew, Routledge, Kouo-Doumbe, McKeever, Reski, Lasley, Bond, Dickson, Milne, Zebroski. Subs - Evans.D, Smith.D, Mason (not used - Kendall)

Argyle are reported to be showing an interest in defender David McNamee of Livingston. Argyle are one of five clubs chasing the 24-year-old, who will be out of contract at the end of the season. McNamee's agent, Derek Rutherford said: "At this point in time, it's a five-horse race. Rangers are very keen, as are Hearts, and in England we have Derby County, Plymouth Argyle and Sheffield Wednesday all expressing an interest. He wants to maximise the opportunities that might be available to him in the summer, rather than perhaps commit to a club now and then find that something better was just around the corner."

1st

Bobby Williamson has spoken out in defence of Steve Adams, who was the undeserving target of flak from some fans prior to Saturday's victory over Crewe. When Adams' name was announced to the crowd before the game, the boos and groans from some sections of the ground were audible even from within Home Park's enclosed Press box. Williamson was unhappy with the treatment meted out to the Plymothian. "I don't think our supporters should be booing anybody," he said. "These guys, not just Stevie, are proud to play for this club. I'd like to think our fans appreciate what all our players are doing. There are certain players who fill a role in a team who probably don't get appreciated, and Stevie is probably one of those because he is usually delegated to do a specific role, but such players are very important to our cause. If supporters don't appreciate what Stevie is doing, then I can't help them that way. I appreciate what Stevie does for us. He's been fantastic when he's been called upon, although he has had his bad games, the same as everyone else. He's been left out of the team but he's come back in again, and he never lets anybody down."

Marino Keith is close to leaving Argyle to join Colchester United. Keith is expected to sign a contract with the U's until June 2007 on a free transfer. Bobby Williamson said: "He has been a model professional and I have enjoyed working with him. I'm sorry to see him go, I really am. But his first-team opportunities would have been limited because we have strengthened that area of the squad. We have brought in Scott Taylor, Dexter Blackstock and Nick Chadwick, and Stevie Milne is on his way back to fitness as well. Now somebody has shown a bit of faith of him and can maybe guarantee him a game. It's up to Marino then whether he stays in the team or not. He has been a great servant to Argyle and he goes with our best wishes. The fans love him, and so do I, but it's just business really. Somebody else can give him a longer contract, more security and more money possibly. If it suits his needs then we will abide by that." 

Nick Chadwick has promised to reward the patience of the Green Army with goals - and lots of them. He said: "The fans have been great to me since I have been at the club. I think when you come with a goalscoring reputation and you don't hit the back of the net in the first four games it's easy for people to question that. No-one has done that, and I certainly haven't done that myself. I appreciate their support, as do all the lads." Argyle have bounced back from the disappointment of the West Ham defeat with successive 3-0 home wins. Chadwick's strike partner in both those matches was Mickey Evans and they have proved very effective at softening up the opposition defences. "Me and Trigger are big lads and we have got to be physical," said Chadwick. "The harder we can make it and the more pressure we can put on defences the better. You have seen in the last two games they can't handle it. If you put teams under pressure and don't let them get out and clear the ball easily you are going to get chances. You are going to get things falling to you in the box, and that is what has happened. They haven't fallen to me yet, but I'm sure they will do. That's not the important thing though. The important thing is they have fallen to somebody and we have got six points in the last two games." Chadwick was involved in the build up for Argyle's opening two goals against Crewe: "I have never made so many assists," he said. "It's normally me that the ball is dropping to, but I'm delighted we are winning. For the first goal on Saturday, the ball has come across and I managed to knock it down and it was a great strike from Wottsie. He was supporting the forwards and it's important a midfield player does that for that kind of scenario. For the second goal, if I can make life difficult for defenders that's part of my job. That's what I felt I did. Dexter had just come on and had fresh legs and he latched onto the ball and, to be fair to him, he finished it well." Chadwick thought the absence of Wotton was a key factor behind their heavy defeat by West Ham. He said: "There is no point hiding behind anything. The performance against West Ham just wasn't good enough. But credit to the management team. They worked on a few things and in the last two games we have seen the benefit from it. It has got to hurt you if you give the ball away. Someone has got to make sure you know about it. Perhaps we missed that at West Ham because the captain wasn't with us. Perhaps we missed someone organising everybody." Chadwick believes the endeavour shown by Argyle in their last two outings must become the norm for the rest of the season. He said: "We are not here to see how many passes we can string together. We are here to win football matches. Yes, we are going to play some good stuff at times but we are going to mix it with the best of them when it comes to hard work and battling as well. I think that is what we have done in the last two games and the most important thing is we have come away with two victories. I'm delighted to be part of things and there is no better feeling than walking in that dressing room after Argyle have just claimed three points."

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