We are approaching the most important game for some seasons. From six games out, up to the end of the league season, we have stuttered across the line to finish fifth.....many of us will feel disappointed that our season finished so poorly.....to have missed the play-offs would have been a monumental disaster considering where we were at the New Year, then it would have been inconceivable that we could have finished outside of the automatic promotion spots......even with Northampton steamrolling their way to the title. Looking at the last half-dozen games of the season, shows us that Bristol Rovers finished the strongest with 16pts from a possible 18......followed by Oxford and AFC Wimbledon on 13pts each.....Northampton continued unbeatable with 10pts......unfortunate Accrington and Portsmouth accumulated 9pts each.....leaving Argyle last of the top seven on only 7pts. In the semi-final play-offs Accrington couldn't get their act together after their last day disappointment and became victims of a strongly committed Wimbledon, who where now a club on a mission from the oblivion of none league football, following the MK Dons saga which left them literally without a club. Argyle had steadied the ship with a moral boosting 5-0 win against a poor Hartlepool to finish the season above Portsmouth, giving us home advantage for the second leg of the semi-final tie.....which might not of been a blessing in hindsight.....but Portsmouth's mediocre home form allowed us to come away from Fratton Park with a 2-2 draw.....Plymouth played well at home to win 1-0 at the death to deservingly reach the final. On paper I suggest that we should win at Wembley.....but at the back of my mind I am concerned that Wimbledon are now on a mission to put right what happened to their club when the owner relocated the club to Milton Keynes years back.....and the climb back up through the FL pyramid to now be on the brink of reaching Div 1.....beware Argyle that we don't get steamrollered with the passion of injustice that is now pushing Wimbledon along after being in Div 2 for a few years since returning from non-league football. We need to start well....because Wimbledon have used the power of Akinfenwa at the end of matches to scare defences to death.....he scored the winner at Home Park in the 88th minute......he scored at a vital time against Accrington to push Wimbledon over the finishing line.....before he scored against us he had been in the doldrums for quite awhile.....but now he his on a mission at the end of his career to go out with a bang......we must be in charge with goals in the bank before he comes on the pitch....I remembered that he out-muscled Nelson at Home Park.....we don't need that scenario again thank you. They also have top scorer Lyle Taylor in the mid twenty goals this season ...plus the other Adebayo....Azeez who is dangerous in front of goal as well......so we need our defence on top form once more.....will we see Jamille Matt and Reuben Reid starting the game together as twin strikers or will Adams keep Reid on the bench to start with....is he fit enough to play is also the question. So this time tomorrow I'll nearly be at Wembley to soak up the atmosphere and hopefully see Argyle play well enough to gain promotion.....I'm definately becoming nervous.....the thought of defeat is not an option.......COYG's.....you can do it.
You know what, I don't really care who won what and in how many games before this one. It doesn't matter a jot does it. It's basically a one game season now and whoever turns up on the day is likely to go away happy. I want it to be Argyle, I'l be shouting my guts out on the day for it to be Argyle but ultimately if it doesn't happen then so be it. Roll up sleeves and start again which is what we have done before. I'm going to bed early tonight and will be off soon. Gonna be a long day tomorrow and seem even longer if we lose. Doubt I will sleep well though as I keep getting info how bad it's going to be travelling tomorrow (thanks Joe). I never sleep well when I have to travel somewhere. Looking forward to my day out with my son.
I've read an interesting article this evening suggesting that AFC Wimbledon will be releasing Adebayo Akinfenwa after tomorrows final whatever the result.....he'll either play a blinder now or not bother after that to care a sod.
I am going to agree with sensible for possibly the second time this season. The club have done their bit, the supporters have done their and Derek Adams has done his bit (but no doubt has more work to do). It's down to the 11 (14) players who get to play at Wembley tomorrow now. Win and I will be ecstatic -lose and I will be gutted for a short time and pleased for Wimbledon but it wont be deep despair. Am sure the team will give it their all and that's all we can ask for-the rest is in the lap off the gods. Setting off at 0630 from Manchester so hope to be there in plenty of time. Had £25 on argyle for promotion at 4-1 before the playoffs-being offered £64 to cash out but think I might just leave it were it is
Steady lyndhurst they will be accusing us of having an affair at this rate. Thing is win or lose the World won't stop going around. There have been much bigger happenings in my life that the result of a match and ultimately that's how I'll see it in the end. Thanks BC. Got my Ginster shirt out and if I see a camera I'll make sure I wave at it. Must tell you a small secret. I actually dug out my shirt I wore 20 years ago to the last one. Yes I still have it. I couldn't pull it down over my chest so I had to hang it up again. I think it's those man boobs I've managed to grow.....everyone wherever you are have a great day tomorrow and lets hope we have a great evening to follow.
My 96 shirt doesn't fit either, must have been a 'skinny' cut as it also doesn't fit my 18yo. Got 3 flags from last time though so here's hoping. Going to be a long day. Manchester to London - The match- then London to Plymouth afterwards-hope to be opening a bottle of red and reliving the glory around 11pm. Hope you all have a good (and safe) journey-above all, enjoy the day.
Well this is the big day May 30th 2016.....3pm at Wembley that's the place to be.....weather looks ok.... should be over 55,000 at the match....bigger than yesterdays Div 1 final.....getting a bit nervous now.....the thought of failure that Sheffield Wednesday and Millwall have experienced in the last two days isn't at the moment an option....the thought of not making it to tier 3 of the FL pyramid is a horrible thought.....finishing 1st, 2nd or third in this division seems so low key at the moment....but I would have accepted that even if it meant no day out at Wembley.....COYG's.....finish the job today......please turn up with your A game today......35,000 greens will be cheering you on......I hope to come on here tonight a happy bunney.....if we lose I might find it hard to log-in......but at the moment that is not going to happen...is it.......COYG's.
Good afternoon from Wembley Stadium. Smooth journey. Overcast but dry. Players have displayed Hugo Boss suits in front of first detachments of Green Army.
Plymouth bottled it in the most important part of the season and should have had automatic with games to spare and now they did the same against a 7th place team.....unbelievable and heads must roll....
Two words.. THE Beast. Shocking.. was what i saw.. 1 Shot on Target.. Agreed changes required.. Never turned up since xmas.. Gutted..
Boy oh boy what a none event that was.........nearly 35,000 greens turned up....but the 11+3 that mattered never really turned up at all.....and never never ever looked like scoring........Taylor got a touch it seems with his head I think for the first one....then Wimbledon started to run the clock down ....Akinfenwa seemed to crush Hartley by falling on him.....and then in injury time Azeez won a penalty.....although I couldn't determine if anyone was near enough to him to bring him down.....Argyle devoid of ideas......Matt literally had no support all match.....and Adams didn't seem to know how to change it. At least I got home by 7-20pm......thousands of greens are still waiting at Paddington for that long drag home and with nothing to show for it. The inquest at Home Park will be interesting this week.......because this team promised so much earlier this season and fell away so badly from an automatic promotion that seemed nailed on.......changes are needed and some real backbone needs to be found.....Adams looked so good when things were going well.....but a spate of injuries showed that we had no depth of squad and Adams couldn't really get them going again when players returned.....didn't help being an overcast windy cold day either.....that's all I feel like saying at the moment..........first game of the season an easy 2-0 win at Wimbledon....last game of the season a 2-0 defeat to Wimbledon....if they had been better than us ok, but they weren't really.....Argyle just didn't turn up.....how many time have we said that this season.
Hartley fell on to The beast's knee it showed on sky. Yes it was pen and the goal Taylor scored was with the side of his boot. Carey was well looked after by their man, half time the idiots who do the crap ie Hollow head .. said they need to have a plan b if they are going to win as carey is not in it? But 2 nd half started brightly.. until the introduction of the beast 77 mins, a goal 78.. he inspires them. we have no body who can do that.. Reid was not any good when he came on. Feel sorry for all the supporters when argyle dont show up, Wimbledon were not great.. so the 7th placed team go up again?? What will happen next? Will adams and carey stay?
Just back, 1015 so not too bad a journey really(including fuel and burger stop)-although to be honest we didn't hang around for long after the final whistle. Bitterly disappointed but on the day with didn't deserve anything. The other site is in meltdown about everything but tbh I think too many Argyle players couldn't cope with the occasion and Wimbledon played it simple(ugly) but were effective. We huffed and puffed a bit but never really threatened. Retained/released list apparently out tomorrow, could be interesting, lets do it all again next season!
Note the time. I've been home for about 20 minutes. Easy ride up on the train and it got into Paddington early. Was across London to the ground in about 20 minutes in total. Easiest crossing of that City I've ever made. Had several hours to kill then. Great atmosphere before the game. Army in great voice and giving it some. The game. Thats enought of that then. It was a non event for Argyle. The most embarrassing effort all season and they chose this one to do it. I can think of maybe 3 players who were worthy of the shirt and the rest were awful. We did not deserve anything from the game and that's what we got. Wasn't sure about their penalty from where I sat but it made no odds anyway. We were never going to score. Have to say I didn't think they were either and they were not much better than us. Somebody had to win and I guess they deserved it a fraction more than we did. No good Adams saying the players didn't turn up. He needs to tell us something we don't know. That cost me somewhere north of £300 today. A lot of people spent a lot of money for that. It's not the losing I mind. If they give it their all and that isn't enough then fair dinkum. It's the manner of the loss I find hard to take. Journey back to Paddington as easy as going despite the thousands all going to the tube at once. Then had several hours to kill again but managed to find some food in the high street. A lot of very quiet Argyle people about and a lot of very unhappy ones as per my comments above. A group of pissed gobby blokes on the train to Plymouth. The Police kept warning them and they kept up the language and noise. The Police warned them again but actually did nothing at all to stop it. They were just as loud and gobby when they got off the train at North Road. One Father who got a bit irate with the Police doing nothing asked if it was worth paying his taxes anymore. But everyone home safe and sound . If there is a next time I have to say a comfortable chair and a Tele might come into play. I think there is going to be a fair bit of moaning around the sites.
