Cheltenham Boxing Day

Thanks mate,
didn't realise it was being streamed, will deffo be joining in on the action.

Conor Grant has returned to full training with Plymouth Argyle ahead of their League One trip to Cheltenham Town on Boxing Day.

The left wing-back scored the equaliser when the Pilgrims drew 1-1 away to MK Dons in Steven Schumacher's first match as manager.

However, Grant has missed the last two games - the 2-1 defeat at Sunderland and the 1-0 victory over Charlton Athletic at Home Park last Saturday - due to a pelvic problem.

His return to fitness will only add to the competition for places for Argyle's fixture against Cheltenham.

The likes of Ryan Broom, Niall Ennis, Luke Jephcott and George Cooper were all among the substitutes when Argyle beat Charlton.

Grant is Argyle's third top scorer this season with five goals from a total of 23 starts.

Schumacher said: "He has been better this week. He wasn't quite right on Saturday so there was no point risking him.

"This week he has been in with the group, he's fully training, full contact - all the rest of it - and he feels great.

"We will see how he trains today (Thursday) and tomorrow. If he trains alright then I might pick him!"

Jordon Garrick played at left wing-back against Charlton as he was moved from his previous role as a striker and put in a man-of-the-match performance as he nullified the attacking threat of the visitors' Diallang Jaiyesimi.

Argyle captain Joe Edwards also put in a strong showing at right wing-back so Schumacher has a selection issue to consider with Grant available again.

Cheltenham are the last of the other 23 teams in League One that Argyle will come up against this season.

Michael Duff's Robins, who were the 2020/21 League Two champions, have not won in their last four games but they are still a creditable 14th in the table with 28 points from 22 fixtures in their first season at the higher level.

Argyle, for their part, ended a run of five games without a win with victory over Charlton in Schumacher's first home match as manager.

Schumacher said: "Last weekend was massive for us to get that win, get everybody to relax a little bit, and hopefully bring some confidence back.

"I felt the performance was good, could have been better, but the three points were vital. Now we are going into the busy Christmas period with maybe some renewed belief.

"We have been keeping an eye on what Cheltenham have done previously. They are probably in a similar little vein of form as what we have just come out of.

"I think overall that Michael Duff and Cheltenham will be quite pleased with how they have gone about their business so far.

"This season having just got promotion they have had some real good spells and are just having a little bit of a difficult time now results wise.

"But 14th in the league on 28 points after 22 games I think they would have been quite happy with that at the start of the season. They are in a good position.

"I think the game on Boxing Day will be a good one and the two teams will be going right at it to get the three points."

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Like lambs to the slaughter easy 3 pts for the men in Green.

VERY VERY tough one.  Cheltenham are more than capable of beating the better sides in this division as results over e.g. Charlton and Ipswich have shown (Argo are clearly not one of the better sides).  But if Schumacher does his homework properly, gets everything right, puts out the best possible starting side and the players turn up for both halves for a change we just may have enough to force a hard earned point.

1-1

Fairly confident of Argo taking three points. Looking forward to watching the match tomorrow.
COYG

Traditionally, the Christmas and New Year period is a busy time for professional footballers and they do not see much of their families and friends.

However, Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher is making sure that is not an issue for his players this year.

The 37-year-old believes that is especially important this year given the continuing restrictions to everyday life caused by the Covid pandemic.

The Argyle players were training today (Christmas Eve) and then leaving to join up with their families and friends.

They will gather together again tomorrow night at the team hotel ahead of their League One away game against Cheltenham Town on Boxing Day.

Schumacher does not believe in having players in for training on Christmas Day. He said: "We have never done that, when I worked with Ryan (Lowe) as well. I didn't like doing that as a player.

"Christmas Day is all about family isn't it? Especially with what's going on now, some things are more important.

"So, yeah, the players won't be in to train Christmas Day, but like always we feel as though they can be trusted.

"We will give them a little programme to do on Christmas Day morning. They will get up and do whatever they need to do - breakfast, presents and whatever - and then they have a little stroll.

"It will be a loosener to get their legs going, which they report back to the fitness coaches. I don't feel it's necessary to bring people in to do that, a token gesture if you like.

"The preparation will already have been done going into Cheltenham. We will top up on Saturday night when we get to the hotel and Sunday morning before the game, and the players will be ready and prepared to go."

The visit to Cheltenham is scheduled to be the first of three matches in seven days, followed by home fixtures against Portsmouth on Wednesday, December 29 (7.45pm) and AFC Wimbledon on New Year's Day (3pm).

Schumacher said: "You have just got to take each game as it comes. We have got our eye on who we are playing already, the background checks are all going on with the analysis department and whatever.

"I think as a coaching team and as a team you have just got to look at the next game. The next game is Cheltenham and we are preparing for that.

"We are going to try and do our best to pick a team that is going to go there and get a win. Once that game is over you are quickly focusing on the next one, which is Portsmouth and another big game.

"You can't look too far ahead, especially with everything that is going on as well in the current climate.

"We have just got to take each day as it comes. It might sound like a cliche but that's how we are living at the moment."

Argyle will have the support of a full contingent of 1,500 members of the Green Army at Cheltenham to cheer them on.

Schumacher said: "We have sold out our allocation so that's amazing. It's going to be a great occasion seeing all our fans crammed in behind that goal.

"It is our 'local derby' three and a bit hours away! But that's what it is, that's what makes us unique. I can't wait to see everybody there.

"There is a load of my family going up, a load of the players' families all going to support the team. Hopefully we can put in a good performance and send them all back down the M5 happy."

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Cheltenham virus news

As our capacity is less than 10,000, and our standing capacity is less than 4,000, supporters are not required to carry out Covid certification to attend the game.

We encourage fans to take lateral flow tests before heading to the stadium and to not attend if suffering from COVID-19 symptoms or needing to self-isolate.

Supporters are also asked to wear face coverings when indoors, on public transport or in busy areas


No away supporters will be admitted to the Robins Nest

Still on so 3 points please, can't see why not. COYG

Fancy us today we should have enough in the locker to beat this firm they ain’t won in there last 6 games ..3 -1 To us

Is that Isaac Vassell that used to be a Green?

no distant relative

Kyle Thomas Vassell (born 7 February 1993) is English-born Northern Irish professional footballer who plays as a striker for the Northern Ireland national football team and at club level for Cheltenham Town. He began his career as a youth at Norwich City and Brentford, before embarking on a nomadic period in non-League football. He made his Football League debut for Peterborough United in 2013. He is a distant relative of Darius and Isaac Vassel

Award and Garrick up front, looks good.

Shame no Cooper on the Bench guess hes not fit yet or is leaving in the next month.

useful option to have on the bench bit over kill with 3 strikers on the bench

Good save off line by Cheltenham defender.

Cheltenham look happy to frustrate us and take a 0-0

We're too predictable, lucky we aren't playing a better side.

all those predictable aimless balls forward from Wilson,

No wonder our strikers find it hard to make chances when thats the service they get,

PAN !!!!!!!! thats what we get when we don't just aimlessly punt it forward

Camara, brilliant team goal.

Get in.

Cracking goal, their corner, half a dozen passes at pace, 1 - 0.