Plymouth Parkway's FA Cup first-round tie with Berkhamsted has been selected for live television coverage. The historic match, marking Parkway's debut in the competition's proper stage, will be played at Bolitho Park on Monday, November 9 with a 7.30pm kick-off. Coverage on TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max will begin an hour earlier at 6.30pm, with both clubs set to receive a live broadcast fee of £50,000. The draw for the FA Cup Second Round Proper will also be conducted live ahead of the match.
Plymouth Argyle head coach Tom Cleverley highlighted the significance of having multiple clubs from the city involved in the competition. He said it was a positive development for Plymouth's football landscape, with both the League One side and Parkway still in the cup. Argyle, currently fifth in the standings with 22 points from 13 games, are preparing for a key home match against sixth-placed Reading this Saturday. The team's recent 3-2 victory at Cambridge United last Friday saw Aribim Pepple score his fifth goal of the season from the penalty spot in the 67th minute. That win was part of a recent run of two wins, one draw, and two defeats in their last five league matches, a sequence that includes a 3-0 loss at Stevenage and a 2-2 draw at Newport County. Argyle have scored 21 goals and conceded 19 this season, leaving them three points behind the league leaders.
Parkway, who play in the Southern League Premier South, currently sit fifth in their division. Their opponents, Berkhamsted, are positioned 12th. The financial boost from the broadcast fee is substantial for both non-league clubs. Cleverley's comments show a unique period for football in the city, with Argyle's first team in strong league form, having won two of their last five matches. The focus now splits between Argyle's League One campaign, which continues against Reading at Home Park on Saturday 31 October, and Parkway's landmark cup adventure, which will be shown to a national audience next month. Argyle's top scorer Aribim Pepple, with his five goals, will be looking to add to his tally in that important league fixture.
The original report is at plymouthherald.co.uk
