Argyle still have a chance of getting into the play-offs for promotion to the Championship going into the final weekend of the regular season
11:00, 28 Apr 2026Updated 12:01, 28 Apr 2026
Argyle’s players finish their warm-up before the League One game against Port Vale at Home Park on 25 April 2026 – Photo: Dave Rowntree/PPAUK
When Plymouth Argyle went to play Stevenage on New Year’s Day they were in 21st position in League One and appeared set for a fight against relegation over the second half of the season.
Instead, there was an incredible turnaround in fortunes for Tom Cleverley’s Pilgrims as they went on an unexpected charge into play-off contention.
Starting with a 1-1 draw at Stevenage, Argyle have picked up 44 points from their 22 league games in 2026, which would be automatic promotion form over a full season.
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The Pilgrims have won 13 of those matches during that period and of the four defeats they suffered, three were against sides in the current top four of the table – champions Lincoln City, Bolton Wanderers and Stockport County.
Argyle kept alive their play-off push when they beat Port Vale 2-1 at Home Park on Saturday, despite having goalkeeper Conor Hazard sent-off in only the fifth minute.
So going into their final game of the regular season, away to Northampton Town this Saturday, they still have a shot at a top six finish.
However, they will need some help from Bolton, who have already secured a play-off place, and Wigan Athletic if they are to achieve that.
Bottom-of-the-table and already relegated Northampton have lost 10 successive league games going into their penultimate match of the season at home to Barnsley tonight (Tuesday).
If Argyle are to make the play-offs one part of the equation is clear – they have to beat Northampton. A draw or defeat will definitely see them miss out.
If the Pilgrims do pick up maximum points from their trip to Sixfields Stadium, then there are two other scenarios that they will need to happen.
They will need seventh-placed Luton Town, who have won seven and drawn two of their last league games and are a point above them in the table, not to win at Bolton.
Also, Argyle will be hoping that Stevenage, who are sixth in the table after four wins and just one defeat from their last eight fixtures, do not win at home to Wigan, who have secured their League One status after a good run of recent form.
If Stevenage, who are two points better off than the Pilgrims, beat Wigan they will pip Argyle and Luton to the last play-off place, whatever those other two teams do on the final day.
But if Stevenage draw or lose against Wigan, Luton draw or lose and Argyle win against Northampton then the Pilgrims would clinch that all important sixth position spot.
So the odds are against the Pilgrims but this is football we are talking about and stranger things than the above scenario have happened in the past.
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