Argyle Under-18s get their 2026/27 EFL Youth Alliance League campaign underway on Saturday morning, when Watford travel down to the South West.
The Hornets are a side the Greens faced last year in the FA Youth Cup, but now, due to a category change, league action will take place at Millennium Fields.
A busy pre-season schedule has been completed, with several of Head Coach Jamie Lowry’s squad having many opportunities within the first team in Spain, training and during games over the last few weeks.
Lowry admitted preparations have been positive, though tough, in the build-up to this weekend's league opener.
“Pre-season's been challenging in a way, but obviously really good for the lads who got exposure to the first team,” Lowry told Argyle TV. “A lot have been involved in pre-season games and training with them, so in terms of their development and their opportunities it's been really good.
“In terms of trying to get our ideas across to the group and trying to bond and gel together ready for the first game has been challenging, but that's part of it and the sacrifice you have to make for the boys' development, which is important. It’s been fantastic in one way, but as a group perspective, it's been quite difficult.
“Overall, though, that's the role. That's what we're here to do: support those boys and those opportunities, and it's important, from that point of view, that they do get those moments and chances to gain experience and develop differently. It's been really good.
“For us as an 18s group, we've had some really good games against Leicester, Swansea, and Cardiff. They were real challenging games that the boys did really well in, and that's where the first team have been really good of us when we've needed the lads back to play minutes with 18s and bond together.
“Watford will be a real good test for our lads. It was a close game, I thought, in the FA Youth Cup last season. They play quite direct, have some good attacking players, so it's up to us to learn from the mistakes we had in the FA Youth Cup and try and impact our way of playing in the first competitive game, so we’re really looking forward to it.
“We’ve had a good week, with some of the boys having the opportunity with the first team on Tuesday night at Tavistock. That was great for them, and we had everybody in available for us at the end of the week, so we've done a lot of match preparation, and have been consistent with our ideas too.
“The players are driving the want for success, and we’re trying to push them to continue with that. They're the ones that are on the pitch and providing that. They've set expectations on what they want to try and achieve this season, going on an FA Youth Cup run and being competitive in the league, so we’re wanting that to happen.”