Western Morning News (Saturday)
Fox loves the FA Cup and wants to continue his journey this afternoon
Midfielder David Fox hopes to add another highlight to his own personal FA Cup story this season.
To do that, though, Plymouth Argyle must first beat beat Oxford United at Home Park this afternoon.
A win against their League One rivals would see the Pilgrims secure a third round spot.
That would then open up the possibility of a high-profile clash against Premier League opposition.
Fox said: “The FA Cup is great. Being in League One or Two, you know you have got those two games to try and get through to the third round, which is massive.
“The first two rounds are always tight, close games, and you have got the luck of the draw and you go here and there.
“Once you get to third round, there is a big difference between favourites and nonfavourites.
“I have been at top of it and the bottom of it. It’s such a good competition and the mismatches are amazing throughout.
“You know that there are some unbelievable prizes out there, and you know there is also some real low points as well.”
Fox added: “No-one rests any players in the FA Cup. It’s your best team, and it produces the best games because of that.
“Hopefully, Saturday will be no different and everyone will see a good game of football between two teams that really want to get through to the next round.”
Fox was part of Argyle’s team which pushed Liverpool all the way over two games in the FA Cup third round in January 2017. The Pilgrims, then in League Two, drew 0-0 at Anfield before narrowly losing 1-0 at Home Park in the replay. Those two matches were among Fox’s FA Cup highlights, but he has experienced the other side of it too.
Fox said: “I have got a lot of lowlights. Norwich versus Luton – Premier League versus non-League. We got beat 1-0.
“That was probably the lowest of the lows. At Blackpool we lost 1-0 at Torquay – a Championship club against a non-League club.
“They are the low points. The highlights are when you get the big draws away from home and they are great days out.
“The fans love them, you get a good following and you get a lot of interest.
“For lower league players, it’s something completely out the norm and different to the grind of 46 League One and Two games.
“It’s that chance to go somewhere big and experience something completely different.”
He added: “On any given day anyone can beat anyone.
“That’s what the FA Cup is all about.”
Argyle have already played Oxford this season, when they were beaten 2-0 in a league game at the Kassam Stadium on October 13.
Fox knows that the Pilgrims will have to play a lot better than they did on that afternoon if they are to reach the FA Cup third round.
He said: “All of us wanted a home draw and it turns out we have got Oxford, a team that has beaten us already this season.
“We know we have got to be really at it because they are a good team.”
He added: “We have to be a match for them and compete, and do the ugly side of the game better, and hopefully a bit of quality can see us through.”