Plymouth Argyle appears determined to preserve the excitement and unpredictability of the FA Cup this season.
After defeating Brentford in the third round, the Championship club shocked the world by knocking out Premier League leaders Liverpool in their next match. Their reward? A journey to take on Manchester City under the leadership of Pep Guardiola.
If they pull off another stunning upset on Saturday, they will become the first team outside the top flight since Wigan Athletic in 2018 to defeat Premier League opponents in three consecutive rounds.
Plymouth captain and veteran Joe Edwards has been writing a special FA Cup diary for The Athletic, detailing his and the club’s journey over the past two months. His experience includes stepping in as a caretaker on the sidelines and working as a pundit—all against the backdrop of a relegation battle in the second tier.
It’s been a wild ride, and far from smooth sailing.
Plymouth announced that they had parted ways with head coach Wayne Rooney. A loss at Oxford United left the club second from the bottom, winless in nine games. Assistant head coach Kevin Nancekivell was asked to take over as caretaker. “Known as “Nance,” he requested Edwards to join him in the dugout for support. Since September, Edwards had been sidelined with a hamstring injury.
It was a quick turnaround—their next game was at home against Bristol City the following day.
“It all happened so fast,” Edwards recalls.
“Nance gave me a call and said, ‘Listen, Wayne has left, and they’ve asked me to step in.’ When CEO Andrew Parkinson inquired if he required any assistance, Nance responded, ‘Can I…’”bring Joe along?’ We’ve been together at Argyle for years, and it was always a running joke that we’d work together someday. I was willing to help in any way I could.
“Next thing I knew, I wasn’t wearing the players’ grey kit anymore—I was in the black coach’s kit, sitting in the staff room. The next day, Andrew called me just to check if Nance hadn’t thrown me under the bus and that I actually wanted to take on the role. And that was it—no formalities, just straight to work. Training, then the game the next day.”
The players had a bit of fun at Edwards’ expense. “We usually ate together, but now I was sitting with Nance, so there was some teasing. But they made it easy for me. The respect they showed was incredible.”
As captain, Edwards already had responsibilities beyond the pitch—attending staff meetings and acting as a link between players and management. “I’m doing my UEFA A License, so all of this has been really valuable.”
Most of the game preparation was already in place, but Edwards was amazed at how organized Nance was. “Every session, every detail from his time at Plymouth was documented. It was incredible to see that level of detail.”
New Year’s Day, 2025: Plymouth 2-2 Bristol City (Championship)
Game day came with a setback—one of their center-backs got injured in the morning, forcing a late lineup change. Otherwise, things went as planned.
“When you’re off the field, much of the time is spent waiting.” You sit in the office preparing, then head out for the warm-up and pre-match routines. I said my piece, and then Nance wrapped it up.”
Coaching brought new challenges.”When you’re on the field, it’s all about embracing the game.” As a coach, you’re constantly thinking, ‘What can we do better?’ Making substitutions was the hardest part initially. You’re analyzing, discussing options, and making decisions on the fly.”
Trailing 2-1, Plymouth had to make changes. “Luckily, we equalized late. It was a solid start.”
The next match was against Stoke City, who had just appointed Mark Robins as their new manager. Under Edwards and Nancekivell, Plymouth secured a 0-0 draw—their first clean sheet of the season.
Tuesday, January 7
“Seeing what happens behind the scenes has been an eye-opener,” Edwards admits.
“As a player, your routine consists of training, working out, and then heading home.” Now my days are three times longer. I’m coaching while rehabbing my injury, so I spend almost the entire day at the club.”
Plymouth lost defender Lewis Gibson to Preston North End, but the clean sheet against Stoke lifted morale.
“Today’s session was intense but fun—lots of sprints, short-sided games, and passing challenges. Less tactical, more energy-focused.”
With an FA Cup clash against Brentford coming up, squad rotation was on their minds.
Friday, January 10
Thursday and Friday were all about match preparation—Thursday focused on out-of-possession play, Friday on in-possession play.
The analysts studied Brentford’s goals, and some were “ridiculous,” Edwards says. “We all sat in the office thinking, ‘This could go either way…’ But as long as we give our best, that’s all we can do.”
Plymouth traveled to London, had dinner at the hotel, and rested. “For those who wanted a snack later, there were treats at 9:30 PM. Then, straight to bed before the game.”
That night, Miron Muslic was announced as Plymouth’s new head coach. He would be in the stands for the Brentford match.
Saturday, January 11: Brentford 0-1 Plymouth (FA Cup Third Round)
The morning was tough—some key players were unavailable, forcing late tactical changes. “We’d worked all week on a plan, so having to tweak it at the last minute was a challenge.”
Brentford’s stadium was impressive, and the Plymouth fans were incredible. “Seeing my wife and family in the crowd was a truly memorable moment.” With eight minutes left and the game still goalless, Morgan Whittaker picked up the ball 25 yards out…
“We kept urging Morgan to shoot. When he finally did, and it hit the net, we went crazy. Nance and I looked at each other like, ‘We can actually do this.’”
At full-time, it was a surreal moment—especially for Nance. “He’s been at Plymouth forever, seen all the highs and lows. Watching him run towards the fans was emotional. The boys pulled us forward to soak in the applause—it was a beautiful moment.”
Brentford’s manager, Thomas Frank, was gracious in defeat. “He invited us into his office afterward. We talked about the game and football in general. They knew about Morgan’s left-foot cut-in but were still disappointed they couldn’t stop it.”
There was no wild celebration in London. “We enjoyed the moment in the dressing room, then headed home to recover for Tuesday’s game against Oxford.”
What a moment for @Argyle as Morgan Whittaker fires them into the #EmiratesFACup fourth round 😍 pic.twitter.com/TceVkPnIXO
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 11, 2025
Monday, January 12
It was a huge day for Plymouth and Edwards. The FA Cup draw paired them against Premier League leaders Liverpool, creating a buzz around the club. Meanwhile, Muslic had arrived and made an immediate impact with a passionate speech that went viral on social media.
Edwards, back in training after four months out, wasn’t sure if he should assist as a coach or return as a player.”I arrived just like the other players, but Miron looked at me and said, ‘Joe, where have you been? “I was anticipating your arrival in the office.” He has an incredible presence. His energy and clarity in communication were impressive. It was one of the best first meetings I’ve ever seen.”
Muslic made subtle tactical tweaks, focusing on intensity and passion. “His expectations are high, and they’ve made a real impact on us.”
The Liverpool draw was a huge moment for the club. “On a personal level, my emotions were conflicted—I was thrilled for the team, yet aware that I wouldn’t be in shape for the match.” Plymouth’s first match under Muslic was a 1-1 draw against Oxford, followed by a 1-0 home loss to QPR.
The buildup to Burnley was clouded by speculation over Whittaker’s future. He was eventually sold to Middlesbrough. The match itself was a disaster—Plymouth lost 5-0.
“It wasn’t just about Morgan leaving—we simply didn’t perform.”
The season continues, but Plymouth’s FA Cup fairytale lives on.