Bickleigh Barracks

Have not seen this posted on here, will us ST still have free entrance to the games? ( one for argyledad to find the answer)


PYMOUTH Argyle reserves have been admitted to Division One West of the Carlsberg South West Peninsula League for the 2015/16 season.

The Pilgrims' application to enter the competition was accepted in March, and now they know which division they will be playing in.

It has also been confirmed that Argyle will play their home fixtures at Bickleigh Barracks, on the outskirts of Plymouth



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why there? seems way out of the way for fans to go to.

SWPL games at Bickleigh Barracks


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STEPS are being taken to ensure supporters can watch Plymouth Argyle's home games in the Carlsberg South West Peninsula League at Bickleigh Barracks next season.

The Pilgrims will be playing a 'reserves' team in Division One West, with Millbrook, Plymstock United and Vospers Oak Villa among their rivals.

The SWPL have given the go-ahead for Argyle to play their home games at Bickleigh Barracks, which is the home of 42 Commando Royal Marines.

However, that is a provisional arrangement for only one season to see whether it works satisfactorily.

The Pilgrims are thought to have sounded out some local SWPL clubs about a ground-sharing arrangement but without coming to any agreement.

So Bickleigh Barracks will be their base when they open their Division One West campaignwith a visit from Bude Town on Saturday, August 8.

With no floodlights at the ground, Argyle's games will kick-off at 2.15pm instead of 3pm in the winter months.

The Pilgrims' squad in the SWPL is likely to be based around the 16 to 18-year-olds who are enrolled on the education scheme run by the Argyle Community Trust.

However, there will be an opportunity for senior players not getting first team football for Argyle or returning from injury to have run-outs in the SWPL.

Phil Hiscox, secretary of the SWPL, has explained that Argyle will have to provide three lists for security purposes before their games at Bickleigh Barracks.

One of the lists will contain the names of the Pilgrims' squad and officials and another will be for the visiting team.

Hiscox told Herald Sport: "I have insisted on a third list which will be supplied by the league on the Friday afternoon before the fixtures.

"Therefore, closer to the time, I will be inviting ground-hoppers, referees' assessors, local supporters to email me their details.

"I will email them to Mark Lovell at Argyle on a Friday afternoon. So that's a third list for the general public, as it were.

"The second thing I have insisted on is that Plymouth Argyle – not the Ministry of Defence – at home games will have a person at the gate to ensure that people can get in.

"I have pointed out to them it would be a PR disaster if an Argyle season ticket holder went out to watch the reserves play on a Saturday because the first team is at Hartlepool and can't get in, and he's in The Herald on the Monday threatening not to renew his season ticket holder.

"It's Argyle responsibility to make sure there are not any problems."

It is the first time the Pilgrims have entered a team in the SWPL, although they did compete in the South Western League for one season in 2006/07.

Hiscox added the SWPL wanted to see how the arrangements for Argyle home games went before giving them long-term approval to play at Bickleigh Barracks.

He said: "The emphasis is on Plymouth Argyle to make this work, and they have accepted that.

"The league position is that Plymouth Argyle reserves are in the Peninsula League.

"The use of Bickleigh Barracks is approved for next season. It's not necessarily approved for future seasons.

"If it works fine then there is no issue. They can stay there forever if they want to.

"But I do want to have a safety net that if it's a complete and utter disaster we can at least say to them if they want to stay in the league the following season they would have to sort out somewhere else."

Argyle have been drawn at home to Brixham in the first round of the Walter C Parson Funereal Directors League Cup. The tie must be played by September 19.