Edwards feels deflated Argyle are on right track
JOE Edwards is convinced Plymouth Argyle are going in the right direction and can take another step forward next season after agonisingly missing out on the League One play-offs this term.
The Pilgrims had been in the top six since March 8 but dropped out of the play-off positions on the final day of the 2021/22 campaign.
They suffered a crushing 5-0 defeat by MK Dons at Home Park on Saturday, which allowed Wycombe Wanderers to overtake them with a 2-1 win away to Burton Albion.
Argyle were already trailing 3-0 in first half stoppage time when their already difficult task of retrieving the situation was made near-on impossible by the dismissal of midfielder Jordan Houghton.
Edwards said: “We all dreamt and wished for a better day and it’s horrible when it ends like this. It was hard to be involved in and we are absolutely heartbroken for it to go the way it has done.”
Steven Schumacher’s Pilgrims missed out on the League One playoffs despite a tally of 80 points from 46 games.
Only twice before have teams had that high a total but not finished in the top six of the third tier of English football - Bristol Rovers in 1999/2000 and Tranmere Rovers in 2002/03.
Edwards said: “It’s not a nice record to have, but if you look at that and realise what you have achieved then you can be proud.
“It won’t be yet because everyone is very disappointed but in the long term, over the next few weeks, I’m sure we will have a little smile about the season and realise what went on, and it’s a building block that we can improve on.”
After promotion from League Two in the pandemic-shortened 2019/20 season, Argyle struggled towards the end of last term and eventually finished 18th on 53 points.
Edwards said: “We were a completely different side then, a different place and we have come on leaps and bounds from there so that’s the positive we need to take into next season.”
When asked whether Argyle could push for the play-offs again, a determined Edwards replied: “Absolutely, we want to do it again and more, so watch out.
“We have come so close, we have had that taste for it. We have got the core of this squad staying, we will add little bits to it and hopefully going into next season we can start well and really put in a challenge.
“We were favourites probably to go down this year, I think I read in numerous things, and we have overachieved in that sense.
“Since I have signed here we have had a promotion and now we have just missed out on the play-offs. We are going in the right direction definitely and hopefully we can go one more next year.”
Edwards played as a 65th minute substitute against MK Dons after missing the previous three matches due to a ankle injury he suffered near the end of the 0-0 draw away to Burton Albion on April 9.
The 31-year-old admitted he should not have played against MK Dons given the severity of the injury but he was desperate to be involved in such an important game so took the risk.
Edwards said: “I was supposed to be out for a lot longer and we pushed it just to be involved which I shouldn’t have done really, but it’s part of me.
“It was bad timing to get the injury and I’m gutted I haven’t been able to help the team in the last few weeks. So that was the biggest disappointment for myself.
“Long-term wise, it’s not too bad so I will be back ready to go next season.
“I’m a terrible watcher. I would much rather have the pressure of playing than watching so I didn’t enjoy it at all. Even on the bench it was no good for me so I need to be back playing.”
The injury to Edwards was one of many that stretched the Argyle squad throughout the whole season and probably contributed to them running our of energy in the closing weeks of the long nine-month campaign.
Edwards said: “It was all year. We missed Danny (Mayor), Niall (Ennis) and Bolts (James Bolton) for three months at the start of the season, and then Brendan (Galloway) and Scarrsy (Dan Scarr) as well.
“We have been up against it all year really so to achieve what we achieved and get to where we got to I think is phenomenal with the squad we had.
“It’s disappointing that we didn’t have a fully fit squad for the whole year because I really think there would have been a different end to the season for us, but it is part and parcel of sport, unfortunately.”