Pilgrims Podcast

It’s still on, isn’t it? A great game for the neutral, a point gained but oh so close to being more. Archie hosts and is joined by regulars Chris and Mark, and BBC Radio Devon commentator Michael McCann, to bring some extra insight to a fascinating afternoon.

Not that you would have been thinking too positively after five minutes. A good attack turned into some horrific defending and a cross or a shot and a flap – 1–0 down. But it didn’t feel all doom and gloom, and the Cheltenham Two combined from a well-worked set play: a great finish and a fantastic hobby horse celebration. Reading then exploited what felt like early-season defending to take the lead and it really didn’t let up until half-time.

Into the second half and a combination of Argyle looking good and Reading sitting back brought a deserved goal for the relentless Caleb Watts. Should Curtis have made a different choice or should we be grateful for his relentless energy and creativity? Let’s go with the latter…

Part Two brings the uncomfortable subject of club redundancies. Sympathy for those affected is balanced by the evident reality of the ‘perilous’ state of the club finances. Thoughts finally turn to two huge games against play-off rivals. And who’d have thought we’d be saying that in December?

Up the Bastard Argyle.

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IT'S HAPPENING, IT'S OFFICIALLY HAPPENING - SOUND THE PLAY-OFF CLAXON!

Mark and Archie reconvene minutes after the full-time whistle at Wigan to discuss yet another Argyle victory – making it five from the last six. And now the two can actually begin to ask, or perhaps not even dare to dream, the very real possibility of a Wembley visit.

It’s a joyous and slightly rambling affair, and not even an interrupting workman can detract from what was not only a fantastic result, but a fantastic set of results elsewhere, leaving Argyle four points off fifth and three off sixth.

There’s yet more love for Bim Pepple, who bags again to become Argyle’s top scorer of the season in the process, incredibly. The pair also spend time marvelling at the wonder that is Herbie Kane, who was outstanding once more – though in truth there wasn’t a single Argyle player below a 7/10. There’s also talk of a goal-of-the-season contender, referring to the silky team move for Argyle’s second. Injuries are the only dampener, with Sorinola and Harding falling foul of the injury crisis.

The pair finally touch on the looming six-pointer (or must-not-lose) against Reading, and even a Ben Waine shout-out after his FA Cup heroics.

It’s a short, possibly not very succinct pod, as the two marvel at what is honestly becoming a ridiculous season – one which now carries the very real possibility of a Wembley trip at the end of it.

We may not make the top 6, but with 5th place now just 4 points away, and the wind of momentum very much in the sails of the good ship Mayflower, there's no denying that IT'S ON.

COYG

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If you thought the last game was weird, what did you make of this one? On paper a comfortable win; on viewing and reviewing, at least two of the points feel a little stolen. Tom is joined by Alex and Chris to discuss.

A midfield-less first half hour leads to sustained pressure and a high-quality Doncaster opener. But this is a different side to the Argyle that melted under pressure in 2025, and an equaliser from nothing almost provided a platform for a half-time lead. Credit to the flexibility of some senior players, the manager for the tactical changes, and of course to the irrepressible Bim Pepple for another goal and another stellar performance. Even a saved penalty doesn’t feel as TYPICAL as it once did, and the traditional 60-minute substitutions really worked and started to turn the screw. A lucky goal or a perfect delivery, but either way a fit (or less injured) Kane, a confident Dale and a reshuffle: eventually 2-1 felt like a fair result.

Part Two starts with more kudos for the women’s team, with some huge six-pointers and a cup final coming up. And a huge run of games for the men, with Wigan preceding some massive six-pointers that could make or break a late play-off push. And – a quiz! It’s been a while. Great to be in an environment that doesn’t feel like laughing at a funeral.

COYG

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We can’t have nice things. After a performance for the ages, a weird game in weird circumstances ends in a weird defeat. Archie is joined by Chris, Mark and special guest Sam Roberts to review the batshittery.

A line-up that was hard to place positionally (more on that later) and a deflected early goal set the tone for a frustrating afternoon. Reshuffled players in a reshuffled shape, predictably disjointed. Terrible sentence, but actually exactly how it felt. A change at half-time and a constant rotation in search of a lucky break, which almost came. A penalty that wasn’t, a decent chance, a late, late goal disallowed. For once, some sympathy with the ‘one of those days’ merchants. A point would have been more than fair.

Part 2 quickly revisits the midweek cup exit to Luton, which sowed the seed of the major theme, a catastrophic series of first-team injuries. Training, recovery, selection and signings all seem to be playing a role in limiting success on the field. Is the season all but over? Or is a bumper run of games against mid-table teams giving some room for optimism? And it’s episode 200. What a ride it has been.

Downwards.

Bah humbug.

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Great result in the week, can they follow it up at home? Oh yes they can! Archie, Chris, James and Seve have the pleasure of discussing a performance for the ages against a very strong Cardiff team.

The game. It started quickly and didn’t relent from there. A chance created from nothing early on set the tone, and even a Watts sitter going straight at the goalkeeper didn’t quell a constant flow of opportunities for both teams. A great move and a fantastic finish from Tolaj, Pepple with a second, set up a crazy run of goals where every attack from both teams resulted in a finish. 3–2 at half-time and it could have been more. Things slowed down a little in the second half but, as in the week, the further the game went on, the more Argyle dominated. Two set-pieces, a perfect penalty and, who would have thought we’d be saying this, Ross unplayable from a perfect corner. Perfect is the word. What a day for those home fans who have not had the best of seasons.

Part 2 and talk of two potential games at Wembley does start to feel possible. Momentum, positivity and team spirit really seem to matter, and even the most negative grinch is excited for a quarter-final at Luton in the AutoWindscreensPizzaTu Cup. And a huge shout-out to Argyle Women for a nervy (in a great way) win.

What a week. COYG

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Another away day, another win. Archie, Alex and Chris are here for some midweek JOY.

With all that said… this was not as glorious on the eye as some other away wins. A boxing analogy from Michael Savage sums things up nicely – scrappy, relentless and a clash of styles, but still much to like. The loss of another midfielder to another hamstring injury did not impact as many feared, and Argyle worked through the gears to grind out a convincing win. Pepple scoring again, Curtis looking increasingly like a signing for the ages, solid performances all round and mental fortitude in the face of an equaliser all feature in a satisfying, grinding three points.

Part 2 takes time to pause and reflect on quite how far this team has come. On and off the field, there remains much to fix, but lots to like. Can we dream of the play-offs? Maybe we can, but more likely next year – time to play the kids or just stick with a winning formula? Thoughts turn to a huge game – and a huge crowd – for the women’s team and a free hit for the men against the best team in the division.

All in all, a doom-free zone. Sort of.

COYG

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A joyous afternoon by the seaside — so obviously an away game — and Argyle produced a Valentine’s Day massacre of their Lancashire hosts. Alex, Chris, Mark and Tom are the lucky ones to discuss a towering performance on the coast as Tom Cleverley’s men ensured Blackpool well and truly knew they’d been tangoed.

Something of a greatest hits discussion in Part One. Just desserts for the lovable Alex Mitchell, a full debut for the ages from Herbie Kane, a ballroom blitz of their box leading two injury-time goals in the opening half, and poetry for a deserved fourth after the break. It was bloomin’ brilliant stuff and yes, while Ian Evatt’s men were dreadful, it was still an illuminating win.

Part 2 looks at a busy week of player movement outside the formal transfer window. Szucs leaves with best wishes; youth players heading out on loan feels sensible, financial pragmatism finally aligning with football logic. There are still challenges ahead, of course — some expensive summer signings yet to truly light up the stage — but there are clear signs of progress. Is this a good team that underperformed? A mediocre one hitting par? Or both, given the scale of change and injuries?

Either way, it really was our pleasure, beaches.

Belated Happy Valentine’s Day. We love you Argyle, we do. 💚

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Argyle’s attempt to rectify a difficulty season was ruthlessly exposed by a competent, confident Lincoln side in a(nother) disappointing afternoon at Home Park. Tom hosts and Chris and Mark join to review a challenging, but perhaps forgivable, performance.

Part 1 looks at the game itself. Was it really a strong first half performance which fell off a cliff, mirroring the last away outing? Or were the signs there earlier, with a team hurting from half a first team unavailable through injury? Huge praise for the goal, work rate and turnaround of Bim Pepple cannot disguise that his injury papered over the cracks of a team that struggled after an electric first 20 minutes. A series of horror goals and a late counter perhaps show Argyle what patience can deliver with a ruthless performance by a very good, and very large, away team. 

Part 2 sees some sympathy for a goalkeeper who just does not seem at the required level and debates the role of loan players over the increasingly absent youth. Home form this season and quite why it makes such a difference is reviewed, as are the upsides and downsides of being a team who seem to do everything other than finish in a boring midtable spot. The playoffs seem way off, could relegation be a factor again? The ghost of Joe Ralls is present throughout - pray for his speedy recovery and a dull couple of months…

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Alex, Mark and Tom discuss Argyle’s defeat to Stockport, their first in a month but steeped in disappointment having been up at half time.  

The pod goes from lauding Tom Cleverley’s men for taking the game to the Hatters, to wrestling with the thinking behind the immediate drop in levels from minute 46, including the who, the what, the why and the how.

Have the greens fallen too far from the League One playoff picture following this reverse? How big should the club go on reinforcements? And how will those perilous finances impact this season, and next?

Also in focus is a big month ahead of league and cup matches for Marie Hourihan and the Argyle Women, as the side’s ambition for silverware and promotion is discussed.

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Archie and Chris are together across time zones to discuss a 1-1 draw that felt so much better than the final result. Despite the absence of the majority of the established spine of the squad, Argyle produced an electric opening 30 minutes, including a brilliant goal, lots of chances and, sadly, an away goalkeeper in inspired form. Even the freakish equaliser just before half-time did little to suggest that the resurgence is not going to continue. A second half in which energy levels dropped and a few mistakes crept in still contained some solid performances, and a draw feels more a shame than a disaster. How far we’ve come.

Part 2 turns to the behind-the-scenes day-in-the-life documentary, giving us all unprecedented access to the head coach. Timing, production and authenticity are all praised – if you haven’t seen it, highly recommended. Finally, the inevitable discussion as the window closes on what we may gain or lose concludes that we don’t really have a clue, do we? But like everything so far in 2026, that’s okay.

Seven points from nine against relatively high-quality, in-form teams. Next stop, Stockport.

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