Chelsea tie is least important game of the season for Argyle

PLYMOUTH Argyle's FA Cup fourth-round tie away to Chelsea next month is the least important game left for the club this season, director of football Neil Dewsnip has declared.

- CHRIS ERRINGTON

Dewsnip, like everyone else connected with the Pilgrims, is excited about the prospect of the trip to Stamford Bridge to play the European champions.

However, the overriding objective for Argyle is to maintain their position close to the top of League One table for the rest of the campaign, and being drawn against Chelsea has not changed that.

The Pilgrims are currently sixth in League One, occupying the last of the four play-off positions.

Argyle are set to take around 6,000 supporters to Stamford Bridge, with the fixture likely to be played on either Friday, February 4 or Saturday, February 5.

Dewsnip said: “Excited, I think, is the first word I would use. It's a fantastic opportunity for the players to show what they can do against the best team in Europe - they are European champions.

“It's an opportunity for our (management) staff to compete against their staff, which is very exciting, particularly for me as I know a couple of their staff.

“Anthony Barry (Chelsea's assistant head coach), I coached at Everton as a young player, and it's quite exciting for me to see how he has developed.