Crystal Palace boss Neil Warnock enjoyed his spell as Plymouth manager so much he intends to move back to the south-west when he retires.
Before that happens, Palace hope he can guide them to a promotion challenge. He has certainly pulled off a coup with the loan signing of Freddie Sears, who is set to make his debut.
Paul Sturrock’s own return to Devon has been difficult. The Scot, in his second spell as Argyle boss, narrowly kept them up last season but will struggle to do so again if the bookmakers are to be believed.
The loss of Bradley Wright-Phillips for around six weeks is a blow, but Fletcher – signed from Palace – has plenty of Championship experience and Sturrock was also able to sign centre-back Reda Johnson from French club Amiens last week.
Vital Quotes:
Neil Warnock:
‘We are going to have to battle for everything we get, there will be some games that are not so pretty, but you have to try and come out with points and I expect Saturday to be the same. I don’t expect it to be a wonderful array of football.’
Paul Sturrock:
‘We won a certain amount of games early on last season and after 20 games we were fifth in the league. But after 13 more games we were in the bottom five – that’s how Jekyll and Hyde we were last season.’
Crystal Palace Team News:
New signings Darren Ambrose plus strikers Stern John and on-loan West Ham youngster Freddie Sears should start for Neil Warnock’s side. Calvin Andrew is sidelined with a knee injury picked up while on loan at Brighton last season.
Player to watch: Freddie Sears
He’ll shine on his debut for Palace
Plymouth Argyle Team News:
Plymouth defender Chris Barker (calf) and forward Bradley Wright-Phillips (knee) won’t play. On-loan Blackburn striker Alan Judge will replace Wright-Phillips up front. Carl Fletcher and Reda Johnson are set to make their Pilgrims debuts
Player to watch: Carl Fletcher
old boys coming back to haunt Palace, always the case.
Match Facts & Stats
Last meeting
Plymouth Argyle 1-3 Palace
Tuesday February 17 2009
Plymouth Argyle: Larrieu, Doumbe, Cathcart, Timar, Sawyer, Judge (Barnes 64), Duguid, Paterson, MacLean (Noone 61), Fallon (Gallagher 64), Mackie
Subs Not Used: Clark, Summerfield
Booked: MacLean
Goals: Sawyer 68
Palace: Speroni, Clyne, Jose Fonte, Davis, Hill, Oster (Butterfield 80), Derry, Danns, Scannell (Hills 71), Lee (Kuqi 71), Ifill
Subs Not Used: Lawrence, Moses
Goals: Danns 21, Lee 28, Oster 43
Ref Watch:
A M Penn.
Match Prediction:
2-0 to Palace
Next Fixtures:
Bristol City v Crystal Palace Sat 15th of Aug 3:00pm