WE are in Plymouth this afternoon for another very important game.

Our last away match in the league was at Fleetwood and today is almost as far – at least we are getting the longer journeys out of the way before the winter weather really bites.

Sometimes it can take a team a little while to adjust to a new league and I have been watching Plymouth very carefully since their promotion.

They are a good side with a lot of outstanding individuals and the last few games have perhaps shown that they are really now finding their feet in League One.

It maybe took Oxford a shorter time to adjust last year, but now we feel as though we are an established side at this level and ready to kick on from our promising league position of tenth.

It goes without saying that we would like to be even higher in the table ourselves.

But a couple of results have gone against us lately and now it is up to us – staff, coaches and players – to make sure those were just a blip and we return to consistent performances and winning ways.

Unfortunately we will have to do so without two very talented players in Curtis Nelson and Rob Hall, both of whom will be missing for a large chunk of the season.

Rob adds pace and a goal threat while Curtis has been in outstanding form in defence and as our captain.

We will miss his character and leadership – but we have a lot of experience in the squad and plenty of natural leaders.

John Mousinho will captain the side today, but there are a lot of other players who came into my thoughts.

I believe that every member of the squad has the responsibility to ensure that the team’s interests always come first, but of course the captaincy is an important role within the dressing room.

Whoever wears that armband needs the help and support of all the players around him because communication is a key component of all successful sides.

John captained Burton through the leagues and into the Championship and I am sure will be very proud to lead the team out today.

But I think he will agree that the best moment would be to come back up the motorway with all three points.

I WENT along to the FA Youth Cup game against Bristol Rovers on Wednesday and greatly enjoyed a really good game of football.

Leon Blackmore-Such and his young players were outstanding and fully deserved their win.

I see bits of their training and some of them have been involved with the first team, but I wanted to watch them play as a group and assess their character and attitude in a big cup tie.

I thought all of them rose to the occasion and their friends and family that were there to support them should be very proud.

You need talent and ability to make it as a professional footballer but you also need heart and desire and everyone involved showed plenty of those qualities.