It all starts here. Another nine-month marathon is about to begin.
It’s been a much more settled summer on and off the pitch, a Devon derby victory over Exeter has started the season with a bang, and there is an air of optimism and excitement with a new league campaign about to begin.
What could go wrong?
Argyle vs Stockport County
🏆 League One
🗓 Saturday 15 August 2026
🕒 3.00pm
🏟 Home Park
It’s only one game, but it could mean so much more than that. How tomorrow goes could well set the tone for the next nine months.
The opening weekend has gone reasonably well for Argyle in recent seasons — they’ve won three and lost three of their opening league games since 2020. All three wins came on home soil (versus Huddersfield in 2023, Barnsley in 2022 and Blackpool in 2020), but the chastening 3-1 defeat to Barnsley 12 months ago still lingers in the memory.
Back to the present day and the first game of 2026/27 sees last year’s beaten play-off finalists Stockport County make the trip to Home Park. That fact alone means this should be a tough opener, but it’s especially tough to call given the changes up in Greater Manchester, with a new manager in Jim McNulty and a raft of incomings and outgoings at Edgeley Park.
While the Hatters began their season with defeat on penalties to Doncaster Rovers, Argyle got the dream start to the new term with that derby-day win over Exeter on Monday night. Let’s hope the euphoria of that night under the lights can carry on into the weekend.
Derby bragging rights aside, tomorrow is when it really matters and a stronger start is an absolute must this season. The Greens were still without a point after the first four games of the 2025/26 campaign — that can’t happen again this year if they are to live up to some pundits’ pre-season predictions (more on that in a moment).
A win — or a draw at the very least — and a positive performance is the order of the day. Fingers crossed.
🆚️ League One fixtures
Saturday 3pm kick-off unless stated
Notts Co v Leicester (12.30pm)
Oxford v MK Dons (12.30pm)
Reading v Luton (12.30pm)
Barnsley v Bromley
Blackpool v Wycombe
Bradford v Peterborough
Burton v Stevenage
Cambridge v Wigan
Huddersfield v AFC Wimbledon
Leyton Orient v Sheff Wed
Mansfield v Doncaster
Argyle v Stockport
Are Argyle the title favourites?
That’s a big question. Co-hosts of the excellent Not The Top 20 podcast, George Elek and Ali Maxwell are probably the leading authorities on the EFL — and they’ve tipped Argyle to win League One.
And they’re not the only ones. Opta’s ‘supercomputer’ has projected that both Argyle and Luton Town have a 14 per cent chance of winning the league and a 24.9 per cent chance of automatic promotion. George and Ali also had Luton completing their top two.
This may have caught some Argyle fans by surprise. It is perhaps slightly optimistic, with 43.3 per cent of voters on a PASOTI poll predicting that the Pilgrims will finish in the play-offs. Compare that to only 2.3 per cent of voters believing they will be champions, although 29.6 per cent did predict automatic promotion (i.e. a second-place finish).
My own feeling, at this moment in time, is that somewhere in the play-offs is most likely. Right now, the top two feels a bit out of reach, although anything’s possible if the Greens come close to replicating their form from the second half of last season.
The remarkable end to last season was the basis of George and Ali’s prediction, and I can understand the logic of that. Both Argyle and Luton finished the 2025/26 campaign incredibly strongly, and their squads are much more stable when compared to the unknown quantities of relegated duo Leicester City and Sheffield Wednesday, who are the bookies’ favourites to win League One.
But, I still think Leicester are the team to beat, regardless of their off-pitch woes. Although they’ve sold many of their high-earners from their Premier League days, their squad should still walk the division. If they start well, I can’t see anyone catching them.
But George and Ali were very nearly spot on with their prediction of Argyle to finish ninth last season, so who am I to argue?
🔍 Go Deeper
💬 Will Evans and Tom Cleverley spoke to the media ahead of tomorrow’s game. Check out the press conference below.
🎥 The Green and White Podcast reviewed the Devon derby victory over Exeter and previewed tomorrow’s game in their latest show. The YouTube video is below and the Spotify link is here.
🔉 The Pilgrims Podcast also reviewed the Carabao Cup win and look ahead to tomorrow’s League One opener. Have a listen here.
Who starts on the left?
With Argyle still looking rather light in the four attacking positions, the main question regarding the line-up for tomorrow’s opener is once again: who starts on the left flank?
Xavier Amaechi started on the left against Exeter and gradually grew into the game before being replaced by Matty Sorinola. He occupied the right side with Ronan Curtis switching to the left, before Freddie Issaka took that position for the final few minutes.
Of those four options, I’d say the likeliest is Amaechi getting another go from the start. While it wasn’t his finest game, there were certainly a few bright moments. It’s also worth remembering that it is an unfamiliar position for him, and he hasn’t had a proper run in the team since last August. This could be his chance.
There’s also the chance Cleverley could utilise his mid-game switch from the start and move Curtis to the left with Sorinola going on the right, but that’s more likely to remain a Plan B for now. Issaka’s lively five minutes against Exeter, in which he grabbed an assist, was promising, but not enough to warrant a starting spot.
Cleverley also confirmed in yesterday’s pre-match press conference that he has a decision to make regarding Caleb Watts, who has recovered from an ankle injury. Given he hasn’t been on the pitch since the end of last season, I’d imagine he won’t be risked for this one.
Predicted XI:
Cooper; Harding, Ross, Mitchell, Hartridge; Curtis, Boateng, White, Amaechi; Pepple, Evans.
📰 This Week at Home Park
The first Fans’ Forum of the season is taking place tonight. The panel will comprise chairman Simon Hallett, chief executive officer Paul Berne and director of football Derek Adams. You should be able to follow it live via Argyle’s YouTube channel.
The Carabao Cup second round tie at home to Premier League new boys Coventry City will be played on Tuesday 25 August with a 7.45pm kick-off. Tickets will go on general sale on Tuesday 18 August, with more information on Argyle’s website.
Argyle’s entry into the 2026/27 Premier League Under-21 Cup has been confirmed. The Pilgrims have been drawn against Leicester City, Cardiff City and AFC Bournemouth in the initial group stage and will play each team on a home and away basis. The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage.
Know the Opposition: Stockport County
Eight years ago, Stockport County were beginning their sixth consecutive campaign in the National League North. Fast forward to today, and the Hatters are preparing for their third crack at promotion to the Championship after back-to-back play-off defeats.
It’s been a wild ride for County in the last few years, but a glorious era came to an end in the summer and a new one is beginning. Dave Challinor, the man who led them to two of their three promotions from the sixth tier to the third, parted ways with the club after their play-off final defeat to Bolton Wanderers in May.
Tasked with taking the club to the next level is former Stockport defender Jim McNulty, fresh from leading Rochdale back to the EFL. Hes not the only new face at Edgeley Park, with the club waving goodbye to ten players and saying hello to ten more — including former Argyle goalkeeper Luca Ashby-Hammond.
Three of their star men from last season are among those still at the club. Top scorer Kyle Wootton found the net 18 times in League One last term, centre-back Ethan Pye played every minute in the league, and experienced skipper Oliver Norwood provided eight goals and 11 assists from midfield.
The Hatters are still settling into a new system under McNulty, but they lined up in a 4-1-4-1 formation in their Carabao Cup defeat to Doncaster Rovers last weekend, having spent the majority of last season playing a 3-4-3.
Last season saw the home team triumph in both meetings between Argyle and Stockport. A late Wootton goal gave them a 2-1 win at the end of January, with the Pilgrims prevailing 4-2 at Home Park back in September. A repeat of that result would do nicely.
Thanks for reading The Argyle Briefing.
If you enjoyed this edition, please consider sharing it with another Argyle supporter. Every recommendation helps the newsletter grow.
Next edition: Monday’s Weekend Review.
Until then, thanks for reading.
Matt Friday
Founder, The Argyle Briefing