Having A Bath

ARGYLE'S pre-season preparations reach the half-way point on Tuesday when the Pilgrims travel to Twerton Park to face Bath City.

Tickets for the match, which kicks-off at 7.30pm, are priced at £10 for adults, £5 for OAPs and students and just £1 for under-16s.

Argyle have only ever played Bath City once competitively, in a thrilling FA Cup first round tie that forced the Pilgrims to a replay.

In November 1977, the Third Division Pilgrims were handed an away tie with non-league City.

In front of a huge crowd of 7,866, the Pilgrims here held to a 0-0 draw.

Just three days after the Twerton Stalemate, Mike Kelly’s men had to battle again against the resilient Bath, this time on home soil.

In front of a crowd of 5,455, Argyle came through the battle and ran out 2-0 winners thanks to a Brian Taylor brace.

This was the start of a mini cup run for the Pilgrims. They went on to beat Cambridge United at Home Park a month later, this time thanks to a goal from Brian Johnson.

However Argyle’s cup dreams we’re dashed in the third round at the hands of Mansfield Town. Town the game 1-0  at Field Mill.

The Pilgirms' other main link to Bath City comes through defender Tony Book who followed Malcolm Allison from Twerton to Home Park for £1,500 in 1964.

The former bricklayer missed just three games in the two years he spent at Home Park before climbing on Allison’s bandwagon again and moving to Manchester City after 93 games and three goals.

Under Book’s captaincy, Manchester City won four trophies, making him the most decorated Manchester City captain of all-time.