All you need to know ahead of the Town's game with Argyle
Luton Town v Plymouth ArgyleSky Bet League 2
Saturday 6th September 2014, kick-off 12.15pm
Live on Sky Sports. Live commentary on Hatters Player, DiverseFM, BBC3CR and lutontown.co.uk
WHO? Plymouth Argyle, aka the Pilgrims, one of three professional football clubs from Devon who were founded in 1886 – one year after the Hatters.
HOW THEY DOING? Under boss John Sheridan – he of 1990s midfield fame of Sheffield Wednesday – Plymouth have started the new season by taking seven points from their first five games, winning two and drawing once. Argyle have beaten Southend and Exeter so far this term – both at Home Park – but have lost both of their fixtures on the road – at Bury and Cambridge, both by the odd goal.
LOOK OUT FOR... Reuben Reid. The striker joined Argyle permanently in the summer after scoring 17 goals last season whilst on-loan at Home Park from Yeovil Town. The frontman already has five goals in six games this season.
FACT OF THE DAY. If you think the Town had it bad in the Conference, missing out in the Play-Offs three times, spare a thought for Plymouth supporters during the 1920s. From 1921 to 1927 Plymouth finished second in six consecutive seasons in Division 3 (South) – and on each occasion the runners-up spot was not good enough to secure promotion. After a third and then fourth place finish, Plymouth finally won the title in 1929/30.
WAKEY, WAKEY, RISE AND SHINE. With the international break calling a halt to games in the top two divisions, Sky Sports’s coverage of Leagues 1 and 2 takes centre stage. Saturday’s game against the Pilgrims has been chosen for live broadcast on the channel, and it has meant the kick-off time has changed as a result. So set your alarms earlier than usual – they’ll be on Saturday morning lie-in, as kick-of is at 12.15.
TICKETS PLEASE! Hatters fans can still buy tickets for this match, either online at the online ticket hub, or on the day from the ticket office. Prices are £20 for adults, £15 for seniors and young adults, £12 for golden seniors, £8 for youths and £5 for juniors.
DID YOU KNOW?
• Should Stephen McNulty play any part in the game the Town skipper will make his 75th appearance in Luton colours.
• The Town are looking for their first home Football League victory since beating Macclesfield 1-0 on 21st March 2009.
• The last time Sky Sports televised a game at Kenilworth Road the Hatters beat Brighton & Hove Albion in a penalty shootout to reach the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final.
HEAD-TO-HEAD. Argyle hold a strong head-to-head record against the Town, winning 39 to the Town’s 24 in the 92 meetings. In the clubs’ Southern League days, the Hatters won three of 22 meetings against the Pilgrims. The Town last beat Plymouth in a League Cup tie at Kenilworth Road six years ago. Rossi Jarvis and Tristan Plummer were on target for the Hatters in a 2-0 win.
ARGYLE ALUMNI. A whole host of players have featured for both clubs down the years. Dwight Marshall – who will be co-commentating during the game for Hatters Player – is featured heavily in Saturday’s programme. Keith Allen, Mike Harrison, Milija Aleksic, Calvin Andrew and Sean Evers have all donned the colours of both clubs down the years.
CURRENT CONNECTIONS. Town right-back Paul Connolly started his career with Plymouth and made over 175 appearances for Argyle. He was part of the Pilgrims’ squad that won promotion from League 2 in 2001/02 but was a regular for Argyle when they lifted the League 1 title in 2003/04. Left-back Scott Griffiths has also spent time with the Devon club. He played six times during a loan spell in 2012.
ON THE DAY. 6th September. The Town’s record on this particular September day isn’t a pretty one. The Hatters have won just six of the 20 matches played on 6th September, losing 11 and drawing three. Saturday’s game will be the Hatters’ first game on 6th September in six years. The Town lost 2-1 at Macclesfield in a League 2 fixture in the minus 30 season of 2008/09.
TOWN TEAM NEWS. The Town could welcome back Andy Drury, Scott Griffiths and Alex Lawless for the game against Argyle. Drury missed last Saturday’s game at Shrewsbury with a rib injury whilst Griffiths and Lawless have both been suffering from hamstring problems. Griffiths has been absent for the last two games whilst Lawless hasn’t featured since pre-season. Jonathan Smith, Shaun Whalley and Andy Parry remain unavailable, although Smith is the nearest of those to a return to action.
LIVE AND ONLINE. Hatters Player is the only place to listen to online commentary of the Hatters this season and once again the DiverseFM team will be bringing subscribers all the action from Kenilworth Road. What’s more there will be a full report, reaction and photographs post-match and live text updates during the match itself.
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