Argyle Women to play home matches at Devon FA HQ for 2023/24 season
Plymouth Argyle Women can now confirm that we will be moving away from Manadon Sports and Community Hub and temporarily relocating to Coach Road for the 2023/24 FA Women’s National League (FAWNL) season, with numerous games already planned to be played at Home Park.
The move comes as another positive step towards establishing Plymouth Argyle Women in the South West, and follows the announcement that the Pilgrims will have their own, bespoke home at the exciting new Brickfields development in the coming years.
Recently enhanced FAWNL rules, established to progress the women’s game at all levels and improve the matchday experience for supporters, players, and staff, have meant that a change of venue was required after the 2022/23 season. The club has been working tirelessly to ensure the next venue met these standards and gave the best possible experience for the Green Army.
The new FAWNL standards aim to enhance the women’s game across the country by ensuring clubs maintain high quality facilities across the lower leagues of the football pyramid, something Coach Road offers with abundance.
Based in Newton Abbot, Coach Road is the home of the Devon FA and county football in Devon. It has a supporter capacity of 2,100 and offers an incredible state-of-the-art, floodlit, all-weather 3G pitch, and boasts a 280-seat covered grandstand. Additional facilities include a fully licensed bar, hot and cold food and beverages, and parking.
Argyle has long-standing links and friendships at Devon FA. It is the base for Argyle Community Trust’s Devon Post 16 education programme, and Argyle Women have played numerous cup finals at the superb facility down the years.
An Argyle Women spokesperson commented “Whilst we wanted to keep the women’s club in Plymouth with the changes to ground criteria we are restricted to where we play our home games. However, we see the FA’s grading criteria as a positive to improve the women’s leagues.
"Therefore, we are thankful to the Devon FA for utilisation of their ground during this interim period to help assist with our journey of Brickfields becoming the permanent home ground, ensuring women’s football can be played at the best possible venues within Plymouth.
"We were determined to secure the best possible venue for the staff, the team, and our incredible supporters to ensure the best possible matchday experience, and continued success of the club.”
“We can’t wait to welcome supporters to Coach Road, and our dedicated Home Park fixtures.”
For more information on Coach Road and the Devon FA please visit the Devon FA website https://www.devonfa.com/.
We have compiled a list of useful FAQs ahead of the new season:
Where is Coach Road located?
Coach Road is located at Devon FA headquarters in Newton Abbot, TQ12 1EL.
How do I get to Coach Road?
Coach Road can be accessed via car on matchdays with a pay and display 70 space car park available, and extra parking around the area. Newton Abbot train station is also within close walking distance of the ground (0.8 miles) for those who prefer to travel via public transport.
Will all of the women’s games be played at Coach Road?
Like previous years Argyle Women will have dedicated fixtures at Home Park across the season, with the possibility of venue changes where Coach Road isn't available. These will be communicated with plenty of notice on our social media channels.
Will kick-off times at Coach Road be different?
Yes, kick-off times will change to 14:00 as opposed to our 14:30 kick-off times at Manadon Sports Hub. Any changes to this for matchdays will be communicated with plenty of notice on our social media channels.
Are ticket prices going to be adjusted?
No, tickets will remain at the affordable flat rate of £5, with Under 3s able to watch for free.
Can I still book my child onto matchday experiences?
Matchday experiences will continue to run in the 2023/24 season. For more information on how you can book your child onto one of our matchday experiences please contact liam.donovan@pafc.co.uk
