Super Cup Cancelled

The coronavirus pandemic has claimed yet another sporting event, with this season's STATSports Super Cup in Northern Ireland joining the list of cancelled competitions.

The event, attended by youngsters from the Pilgrims’ Academy, was scheduled to start on August 2 but, for the first time since its inception in 1983, it will not take place.

The Argyle Academy first attended the competition in 2007, and this will be the first time since 2011, when the club was in administration, that the Greens have not sent a team to their usual Portrush base.

Academy Manager Phil Stokes, who has been involved in Argyle's trips to Northern Ireland for the last six years, is supportive of the difficult decision.

"Naturally we are all extremely disappointed not to be attending the STATSports Super Cup this year with our eligible under-13, under-14 and under-15 Academy players.

"The Super Cup committee have made the right decision given the circumstances around the world at this moment in time. The players, staff members, tournament volunteers and spectators’ health and well-being come first.

"As an Academy we will make plans to attend in 2021 providing it is safe to do so."

Tournament chairman Victor Leonard said it was a “heart-breaking” decision but added that, for obvious reasons, they had no other option but to call it off.

"We left it as long as possible but with the ongoing uncertainty over the road map ahead for sport in general during the current situation globally, we knew the 2020 event would not be feasible,” he said.

"The current advice going forward remains the same as far as sporting activities are concerned. All our stakeholders were involved in weighing up the situation and they, along with our vast team of volunteers, are disappointed at losing the event this year."

The Pilgrims received a substantial financial contribution towards the cost of attending the competition from the now defunct Plymouth Argyle Supporters Association – but that money will not be wasted, instead going towards the Pilgrims’ trip to Northern Ireland in 2021.