Curt's Learning Curve

This season will be Curtis' sixth full season in an Argyle shirt, and speaking before the season opener against AFC Wimbledon on Saturday, he said: "I'm quite happy, I've still got a lot to learn in the game. I think I've been quite fortunate how I've been involved in the team from such a young age. It doesn't happen often.

"I've still got a lot to learn, and I can't stop learning and that's the main thing. I can't stop learning if I want to play higher up in football and carry on playing through to when I retire."

Curtis was given the captain's armband last season by John Sheridan, and will retain it for the coming campaign under Derek Adams. "It's not what I expected it to be last year," he said. "It's a new role for me; it's a lot of responsibility and that comes with being captain. I'm learning the role as each day comes by and different things come up that you have to deal with."

Last season under Sheridan, Argyle played a system with five at the back, but indications are from pre-season that the Pilgrims will line up with four at the back this season, with Nelson at its heart. "The back four is a slight adjustment," said Curtis. "I think everyone in the back four, including Carl, who has played there as well, has played in a four. It's not something that is alien to us at all.

"We do work on it a lot in training. We do a lot of shape with the back four. When the season comes around the main objective is to keep a clean sheet and win the game. There is quite a bit of experience in the back four now so it's good."

"I think positionally you've got to be different. Because before we were playing three centre-backs and me and Peter were used to playing with Carl in between us. Now it's going to be weird as we'll be literally next to each other so we've got to make sure we're in position with each other, as oppose to having Carl in between sweeping up."

"That's what we work on, making sure we do defend as a unit, as a back four."