Fans' Guide | Forest Green Rovers (H)

Saturday's tie against Forest Green Rovers is our dedicated Armed Services Day, sponsored by Babcock International, and our 13th such annual event.

As the club that proudly represents Plymouth and its distinguished military tradition, we are honoured to be able to pay tribute to all service personnel who serve to keep us safe and protect our freedoms.

This year coincides with the 80-year anniversary of World War II Operation Chastise, known in popular culture as the Dambusters Raid. Closer to home, this year's Armed Services Day also marks the 80th anniversary of the RAF St Mawgan base in Newquay, Cornwall. 

To mark the occasion, there will be a special Royal Air Force presence as part of Armed Services Day XIII, with the event headlined by the Central Band of the Royal Air Force.

Drum Major Flight Sergeant, Andrew Taylor, representing the Band, said: “It is an honour for the Band to be involved in the Armed Services Day event, in the year of HM King Charles III’s Coronation.

“In a year where we get to honour other major events such as the 80th anniversary of the Dambusters, to be a serving member of the RAF is a huge source of pride and privilege to us all.

“On a personal note, Armed Services Day is a wonderful event to be part of, not only as a member of RAF Music Services, but as a Cornishman, to be supporting events at Argyle is a great pleasure, especially given the phenomenal season they are having.” 

The Band was established in 1920, and in 1922 became the first military band to broadcast on the BBC. Today, the Band is still the most frequently featured military band on air.

The Band were also the first ensemble outside the United States of America to be awarded the John Philip Sousa Citation for Musical Excellence, recognising their reputation for the highest standards of performance. John Philip Sousa’s name is perhaps best known to non-military members of the Green Army for composing the anthem the Greens walk out to, Semper Fidelis.

Argyle Club Secretary Zac Newton, a Royal Navy veteran who used to help organise Armed Services Day in his role at HMS Drake, said: “We are very pleased to mark the combined Armed Services' contribution to our city with our annual fixture.

“Armed Services Day has become a highlight of the fixture calendar for everyone associated with Argyle, and we look forward to welcoming numerous Armed Services bodies and associated members to the club for a day of celebration.”

As we approach ten crucial league fixtures in our promotion campaign, with a trip to Wembley Stadium in-between, the club is once again writing to the Green Army to request your support and co-operation with safety measures at Home Park.

For the entirety of the 22/23 campaign, and some of last season too, we have been managing a persistent standing and overcrowding issue in certain blocks of the Babcock Devonport End.

There is an ongoing issue with supporters whose tickets are in the Babcock Devonport End congregating in blocks two and three of the stand, opting to stand together in a manner that is not only unsafe for them, but also for others in the vicinity.

The club has communicated with the supporters affected and involved in this overcrowding issue consistently throughout the season, hoping to find a resolution.

The list of measures taken by the club includes: sending letters advising supporters of the issue and requesting compliance with ground regulations; sending targeted SMS messages to supporters whose tickets are located in the problem areas; following up with supporters who are found to have been hostile to stewards; implementing ticket checks pre-match and at half-time in blocks two and three; and increasing our public awareness messaging across our social media and digital channels.

These communications have been respectful and considerate, with the safety and enjoyment of our incredible fanbase uppermost in our minds. However, these measures have not worked as well as we would have liked, and there is increasing pressure for the club to eradicate such issues. This situation coincides with a scheduled Safety Advisory Group (SAG) inspection at Home Park for this weekend’s fixture.

We take no pleasure from producing these communications, and the last thing we want to do is lecture supporters who pay their hard-earned money to support the team. However, the consequences for Argyle – your club and ours – could be severe, and include the potential for a reduction of our capacity for the run-in. This would be devastating given the importance of the next six weeks to all of us, and the size of crowd we are currently attracting at Home Park.

We are not asking for much. We are asking you to, very simply, remain in the seat that you have bought, and comply with requests from stadium officials. Our stewards have operated with a common sense approach throughout the season, with everyone at Argyle intent on ensuring that the atmosphere that has helped propel the team to incredible highs is not impacted. We will continue with that commitment, but we need those who continue to ignore ground regulations – paying little regard to others’ safety - to return the favour for the good of Argyle.

Our stewards have a thankless task. While ticket checks are designed to serve as a deterrent, stewards have been unable to wade into groups of overcrowded supporters due to the risk to safety of escalation. This reality is coupled with a noted increase in aggression from groups of supporters in overcrowded blocks. While far from the ideal solution, when such instances occur, the stewards’ best remaining option for safety of everyone in the area is to monitor from a distance.

The club is sympathetic to supporters who wish to stand, and we are wholly supportive of safe standing in stadia. In the medium term, we hope to install rail seating or safe standing at Home Park, but in the interim we are bound by our safety certificate, and the fact that Home Park is an all-seater stadium in its current configuration.

This is not just a matter of bureaucracy. Argyle strives to be an inclusive club, and persistent standing in other areas of the stadium, particularly on ground level behind advertising hoardings, ruins the match-day experience for wheelchair users.

For Saturday’s visit of Forest Green Rovers, supporters seated in blocks two, three and four of the Babcock Devonport End are to expect enhanced ticketing checks, as well as an increased stewarding presence in this area. Please allow for extra time to reach your seat as these checks may slow entry to the stadium.

Once again, the club has no desire to implement such stringent measures, and we understand the impact it can have on enjoyment, as well as additional costs incurred by the club. We apologise to the vast majority of supporters who are affected by the behaviour of a minority, and reiterate that these measures have been reluctantly applied due to repeated non-compliance.

We welcome an open dialogue with supporters on this matter, and invite you to email feedback@pafc.co.uk if you would like to discuss it further with club staff.

In the meantime, we request that all supporters consider the impact of their decisions.

Thank you.

Please note the following changes to regular rail services this weekend:

• Buses replace trains between Exeter St Davids and Newton Abbot
• No trains run in Cornwall
• Last train to Newton Abbot after the match leaves at 1731

For more information, or to plan your journey, please visit gwr.com.

Temporary external catering and toilet facilities will be installed outside the Kawasaki Barn Park End for supporters to access at half-time. Of course, this is not our ideal solution, and the club continues to work on a plan for the medium and long term to ensure that we are able to house as many members of the Green Army as possible at Home Park. In the interim, we ask that supporters are understanding of the lack of permanent facilities in this area - and thank you for your patience.

We have implemented this solution successfully for a number of fixtures this season already, but the approach continues to be subject to trial and feedback. Post-match, if you have any comments about your experience, please email feedback@pafc.co.uk.

To purchase these tickets, head to argyletickets.com, call 01752 907700, or visit the Home Park Ticket Office in person during opening hours. Please note that all ticket holders for block 22 will be asked to enter the stadium through turnstile 19.

Please note, transfers into block 22 from elsewhere in the stadium will not be possible.

The Family Fun Zone at Harpers Football Centre returns for this fixture. 

The Family Fun Zone will run from 11am-2pm during the Pilgrims’ EFL season, offering young fans three hours of jam-packed fun, food, and photo opportunities for £10.

Each ticket includes dedicated access to five-a-side pitches at Harpers, including training tips from a FA accredited coaches at the Argyle Community Trust.

While there is no limit to the amount of time spent fine-tuning skills on the all-weather Harpers surface, there’s plenty going on off the pitch, too. Each attendee is provided a nutritious lunch, including sandwiches, snacks and drinks, while the bar will be open for parents too.

Club mascot Pilgrim Pete will make a visit during the festivities, pausing his antics for a photo opportunity.

Once the activities close at 2pm, all attendees with a match ticket for the match at Home Park will be offered a priority entry point to the stadium, ensuring they don’t miss any of the big game build up.

Tickets can be purchased online and in person at the Home Park Ticket Office. Spaces are limited to ensure each attendee has a high-quality experience, so we advise booking early to avoid disappointment.

Click here to secure your space.

Please note that, due to the increased presence outside of the stadium as we mark Armed Services Day, our regular family fun zone will not be open for this fixture.

Activities return as usual for our next home fixture, and we thank supporters for their understanding.

Tickets are sold out for this fixture, save for a very small number of recently released tickets in block 22. We advise buying quickly or risk missing out.

Keep an eye on argyletickets.com, however, to snap up any tickets placed back on re-sale by season ticket holders who are unable to attend.

Turnstiles will open two hours before kick-off, from 1pm. Supporters are advised to enter through the turnstile identified on their match ticket. However, if neighbouring turnstiles have shorter queues, supporters are permitted to enter these to speed up access to the stadium.

Supporters seated in blocks 5, 6 or 7 (the Babcock Devonport End and Portcullis Legals Lyndhurst Road Stand corner) are now permitted to enter turnstiles at either stand.

As always, we encourage supporters to make use of digital tickets wherever possible, reducing queuing times at the Ticket Office, as well as the impact of ticket production. Click here to read more about digital tickets.

Should supporters arrive late for the fixture, there will be one late turnstile open in the Babcock Devonport End stand, and it will remain open until half-time.

With the club acquisition of Harpers Football Centre now complete, we are delighted to be able to offer additional private parking for supporters on a first-come, first-served basis.

The car park of Harpers (PL2 3DE) - next door to Home Park - will be open for vehicles at a cost of £5 per car.

The Evergreen Suite, adjacent to the Home Park Ticket Office, is open from 12-3pm ahead of Saturday's game.

Not signed up as an Evergreen member yet? No problem, you can speak to our dedicated supporter engagement team to find out more.

Members of the team will be on hand to share more detail about the scheme, which sees members contribute directly to funding projects within the club's first-team and Academy operations, and help supporters sign up, if they would like to.

To find out more about Evergreen in advance of your visit to Home Park, click here.

If supporters see anything unusual during their visit to Home Park, we encourage you to make use of our anonymous reporting service.

Text ARGYLE to 66777 followed by your message and a member of the team will investigate.

Saturday's crossbar challenge - which will take place at half time - provides the opportunity for one lucky fan to win £200 cash if they can strike the crossbar.

To be in with a chance to win prizes on the Home Park pitch, simply look out for our Here to Help team and hope you're picked to step on the hallowed turf!

Alongside the half time challenge, in the countdown to kick off, one lucky young fan will go head to head against Pilgrim Pete from the penalty spot.

From 1pm, the popular Mayflower Grandstand Fan Zone is once again open for this fixture, offering supporters access to delicious food and drink.

Located within the gated area behind the Lower Mayflower, the Fan Zone aims to provide the best-ever match-day experience for the Green Army seated on that side of the stadium.

The new catering vendors located within the Mayflower Fan Zone will serve a range of hot, cold and alcoholic drinks, as well as offering fresh and delicious food – including hot dogs, fries, pasties, pulled pork baps and baguettes.

Copies of our award-winning match-day programme, The Pilgrim, are once again available around the stadium for purchase at £3, while a limited number will also be available to purchase from the Argyle Superstore.

The Superstore will be open until 30 minutes after full-time, selling a range of Argyle memorabilia, replica kits, and souvenirs.

For any accessibility or match-day support queries, our dedicated Disability Liaison Officer can be contacted on disability@pafc.co.uk.

Sensory packs, which include a drawstring bag, ear defenders, fidget spinners, a sensory ball, an awareness card and lanyard, as well as further match-day information, are now available for children who need them – free of charge. Click here to find out more.

Concession kiosks will be open, serving a range of food and beverages.

There will be a discount of 25% on all products purchased from food and beverage kiosks inside the stadium between 1pm-1.45pm.

Meanwhile, toilet facilities will continue to operate with a one-way system. In order to avoid large queues at peak times (e.g half-time), we advise supporters to plan ahead for toilet breaks, using facilities when they are likely to be less busy.

We encourage fans to pay using contactless methods wherever possible to reduce queuing times. Supporters are advised that the concessions in the Upper Mayflower Grandstand operate on a cashless basis.

Outside the stadium

On your approach to Home Park, you will notice a number of external catering venues offering hot food and refreshments. Please note that prices and menus at these outlets are not controlled by the club, and are subject to change. There is also a food court inside the Mayflower Grandstand Fan Zone, offering a range of hot, cold and alcoholic drinks, as well as offering fresh and delicious food – including hot dogs, fries, pasties, pulled pork baps and baguettes. As above, these kiosks are not operated by the club, and prices are subject to change.

Inside the stadium

Our food and beverage kiosks throughout the stadium serve a range of food, beverages, and alcoholic drinks, stadium-wide. Please see an indicative menu and pricing below.

Snacks

Hot drinks

Cold drinks

Alcohol

Draught alcohol (half pint/full pint)

Meal deals

It's not just team news and ticket information available on the official Argyle App, there are lots of fun ways to enhance your match day and prove your football knowledge to the rest of your family!

Take our pre-match quiz to see how much you really know about the opposition, and don't forget to vote for your Man of the Match from our shortlist of four contenders straight after the final whistle.

Not got the App yet? Click here to download free on Android devices, and here for Apple.

Supporters should be prepared to be searched by our security team as they enter the stadium.

Wherever possible, we will ensure that 'wand' searches are also undertaken by members of the same gender. If that is not the case upon entry, and you feel at all uncomfortable, please raise this with a member of the security team - who will make the necessary arrangements.

As with all major sporting events, bringing bags to the stadium is actively discouraged. However, fans arriving at Home Park with a small personal bag (for example, medical bags or handbags) capable of being stowed under seats is permitted. Please note, supporters should expect this to be searched before entry.

We ask that supporters arrive in plenty of time to avoid queues forming as kick-off approaches.

A reminder that supporters can tune in to our free pre-match show live!

Whether you are in the stands at Home Park, on the way to the game, or watching from home, simply go to our YouTube channel from 2pm to enjoy live build-up featuring Argyle TV's Erin Black and former Pilgrims Ian Stonebridge and Marc Edworthy.

The fixture is available to stream overseas for £10. In the UK, audio match passes are available for £2.50, or come as standard with domestic Argyle TV subscriptions. Click here to purchase your pass.

The Argyle Superstore, located next to the Home Park Ticket Office by the main entrance to the Mayflower Grandstand, is open until 30 minutes after full-time.

In addition to the Superstore, there is a large pop-up retail outlet located on the corner of the Babcock Devonport End, stocking all supporter favourites - this is open until kick-off.

An additional retail kiosk is available inside the stadium, in the concourse of the Portcullis Legals Lyndhurst Road Stand.

Outland Road Car Park, adjacent to Home Park is a very large – and free! – car park. It is council-run, and is typically a park-and-ride car park into the city. It is free to use on match-days, but will obviously begin to fill up very early for many fixtures, especially local derbies, Bank Holiday fixtures, etc.

Additional street parking is available surrounding Home Park, but please be mindful of local residents, park sensibly, and be aware of any parking restrictions and permit areas. Considerations should include:

• Don’t park on double yellow lines
• Please avoid dropped kerbs in front of people’s houses
• Please avoid parking on junctions
• Please display a blue badge if you have one

There are also several large pay and display car parks in the city centre, which is within walking distance of Home Park, but not advised for those who struggle to walk beyond short distances.

As always, we encourage supporters to provide feedback on their experience at Argyle to feedback@pafc.co.uk.

We can’t wait to see you on Saturday afternoon, and hope you have a fantastic match-day experience at Home Park.