When you think of football in Plymouth, the word 'Argyle' usually comes to mind. The League One leaders, founded 140 years ago, have plenty of pedigree in the English game. However, 'Parkway' might be about to enter a few more fans' lexicons if seventh-tier neighbours Plymouth Parkway can make the FA Cup first round for the first time this weekend.
The Southern League Premier Division South side are one game away from having a chance to be drawn against their high-profile neighbours as they prepare for the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup. Victory would put them in the hat with their more established city rivals, whose 17,900 all-seater ground at Home Park is less than two and a half miles from Parkway's 3,500-capacity Bolitho Park, which has just 250 seats. "It's massive," says chairman Mark Russell, whose club began playing park football in 1988 but are now second in the seventh-tier and have hopes of reaching the English Football League with proposed Kuwaiti investment.
"Obviously from a history point of view it would be the first time we've done it, but also from a financial point of view you're obviously going in when big clubs are coming in and you've got the likes of Leicester City, Sheffield Wednesday, Plymouth Argyle coming into the draw at that round. "You just sort of think 'wow, there's an opportunity that we could be playing some of those teams in a real game as opposed to a pre-season friendly'." Mirza wants to take Plymouth Parkway into EFL Ninth-tier SE Dons one game from main FA Cup draw Parkway are no strangers to Argyle - they usually face one another at Bolitho Park in pre-season friendlies. In July the League One side ran out 4-1 winners in their first game back from their summer break.
And there is no doubt who the players would like to face if they can get past Southern League rivals Chertsey Town on Saturday. "Ideally Plymouth Argyle," says 25-year-old midfielder Rio Garside, an experienced player at non-league level in the region who came up through Argyle's academy ranks. "I didn't make it to the first team, it would be nice to maybe play at their place, but I'd also love to play them here.
"It's exciting and you go into work and you go to your family and they're all excited and they're all talking about it, but it feels like ages away and then it feels so close as well. "I'm just really feeling excited and raring to go." Parkway's top scorer Andrew Neal knows a thing or two about the FA Cup. Affectionately known as 'Rocky', the striker was part of Truro City's side that reached the first round in 2017 when they drew an away trip at then-League One Charlton Athletic.
He scored his final goal for the Cornish side in their 5-2 final-day win over St Albans City that secured them the National League South title on the final day of the 2024-25 season and with it promotion to the National League. This season he has scored 10 goals in 11 league games - but none in the cup. "These are the days that you'll remember and when your football career is done and you look back, these will be the highlights that you talk about," he tells BBC South West.
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