ARGYLE fans who tell you that the current set of players are the worst they've ever seen since the first time they came to Home Park in the year 1556 have very short memories.

For when the Pilgrims took to the pitch here at Bramall Lane for a Barclay's Football League Division Two clash in 1989, our team consisted of precisely no international players.

Similarly, when the Pilgrims slumped to defeat at Barnet in Kevin Hodges' last game in charge in September 2000, was the team that played that day in one of the lowest ebbs of Argyle's history better than those that wear the shirt today?

Don't get me wrong, Billy Rafferty, Tommy Tynan and Paul Wotton were all great players who thoroughly deserve their place in the Pilgrim Hall of Fame but it has to be taken into perspective as to the league and time that they plied their trade.

The Coca-Cola Championship is the fifth biggest league in the world. In the WORLD. It is probably at the highest standard it's ever been at.

At Sheffield United today, our starting line-up included no less than five full internationals with one full and two youth internationals on the bench.

Compare that to that dark day at Underhill just under ten years ago and I'm sure you'll agree, this is not a bad team at all.

So today's blog would chart our internationals.

First off, Rory Fallon, New Zealand hero, the man responsible for firing the All Whites into their first World Cup Finals since the seventies. Strange then that the Pilgrims should emerge from the tunnel wearing the white away shirt with the white home shorts.

Surely, today was made for the man from Gisbourne.

Meanwhile, our midfield pairing of Carl Fletcher and Damien Johnson have gathered a total of nearly 90 caps between them for Wales and Northern Ireland.

At the back, the centre-half pairing of Réda Johnson and Kári Árnason had also amassed a few international caps between them for Benin and Iceland.

Chris Clark has played for Scotland 'B's, Joe Mason and Alan Judge both have experience of international football with the Republic of Ireland and Kenny Cooper has proved himself for the USA.

Unfortunately though, it was Kári who first fell into the spotlight, when after just seven minutes he was forced to chase the hot-footed Henri Camama who had beaten the offside trap to bear down on goal. Arnie's chase was in vein as the Frenchmen coolly slotted home to give the home side the lead.

Arnie's international career is a strange one. Having been an ever present for Iceland between 2004 and 2006, the former midfielder was then unceremoniously dropped from the international setup without even a word as to why.

Managers came and went but still no change until finally, his form for the Pilgrims earned him the call from Iceland boss Ólafur Jóhannesson for their friendly in Cyprus next Wednesday.

Arnie and Réda were probably the busiest of all the internationals for the first half as the Blades looked to double their advantage. And when they did, neither of them could be blamed as a loose ball found Jamie Ward in the middle for him to smash home.

Rory had a few half chances and won some decent headers up top but today wasn't really his day.

The second-half focus fell on the midfield as Fallon made way for Ireland Under 19 international Joe Mason.

Just how a lad born and brought up in Peverell manages to pass himself off as Irish is beyond me but wonders never cease...

Whilst not a current international, there's definite potential for Yala to soon become one as with just seconds after conceding a third, he was in the right place at the right time to give Argyle one back.

Arnie and Fletch combined well for a corner that the former narrowly put over the bar before Joe Mason made his case for the full Ireland squad with his first senior goal to put the Pilgrims back in the game.

In the build up though, Réda was forced to retire through injury which meant with no defender on the bench, former Wales captain Fletcher slotted in.

Fletch is, in my opinion, the best player we've got. He is a consistent performer week in, week out. He always gives his all, even when the game has gone and weighs in with his fair share of goals from midfield.

His international career came to an end not long after he joined us permanently in the summer. He's not really willing to talk about it but it is understood some things were said by John Toshack that Fletch didn't approve of. Wales' loss, I say.

In the middle of writing, Fletch was involved in a bit of controversy after his apparent hand-ball in the area was missed by referee Chris Sarginson but spotted by most of Bramall Lane.

Damien Johnson was now beginning to show his experience though, getting himself well positioned to cut out a few dangerous United balls.

But there was to be more plaudits for Mase whose clever little flick on the edge of the area found Mackie who scored to make it 4-3 after United's earlier fourth.

So the result wasn't great, but you cannot doubt the quality of the team who were applauded by the Green Army at the final whistle.

Far from being one of the worse ever teams, this could be one of the best but at probably the best standard this club has ever played at.