Plymouth Argyle captain gave me a pizza the action

It would seem to be a case of déjà vu again this week as I find myself writing about the same pleasing win and disappointing loss as last week, albeit in reverse order.

Saturday at home to Northampton Town was a very hard-fought win against a well-organised and strong team. They might not play the most attractive football in the world but it has proved to be very effective thus far.

The most pleasing part of the victory was the message it sent out to the rest of the league that we, as a team, can handle the physical side of the game that perhaps we were guilty of not doing at the start of the season. It certainly showed how far we have come.

The result on Wednesday night against Bristol Rovers was an example of the inconsistency that this league has shown from a number of teams.

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Just when a team builds up a level of momentum, a disappointing result crops up to bring them crashing back down to earth.

Like I have said before, though, there is always another game around the corner and is the case again today at Fleetwood Town.

We have no other choice but to dust ourselves down, take Wednesday night's disappointment into today's game and try our damnedest to make sure we show a positive response.

Wednesday night was a double disappointment, as I had to cancel a trip down to Plymouth to watch the comedian Micky Flanagan. My lovely wife Alex bought me the tickets for Christmas. It was a show that we were both really looking forward to.

Not for the first time in my career, a re-arranged game put an end to another pre- arranged event.

Don't get me wrong, if missing an event means that I get to play football then it isn't too bad but it was something nice to do with my wife in a period where time is limited due to the congested fixture list. Never mind.

You could say that I was saved from having to go down to Plymouth but it is a place that I am actually quite fond of. I holidayed a couple of times there when I was younger and went to watch them play on a number of occasions.

But why on earth is that I hear you say?

Well, one of my best pals, Ross, is the nephew of the ex-Argyle captain Steve Castle and it was Steve who we used to stay with.

I know Steve is held in very high regard among the Pilgrims faithful – and rightly so. Steve was my football hero growing up, as he was the only professional I knew and to be able to stay with him was very exciting to a ten-year-old kid.

Ross and I were very lucky to be able to hang around the training ground and meet all the players. Peter Shilton was manager at the time and a football legend does not really get any bigger than him.

It is very well known in my house that I have a shocking memory so I do not remember too much about the visits but one thing that does stand out was a bet Steve and his house- and team-mate, Kevin Nugent the striker, had with myself and Ross.

They had taken us out for a bite to eat to a nice Italian restaurant that made these huge pizzas meant for sharing. Steve and Kevin bet Ross and I to order one each and if we finished the pizza they would give us both a tenner. Being ten-year-olds without steady incomes, we jumped at the chance.

The pair of us managed to polish off the pizzas, albeit feeling very sick at the end of it. Ten pounds each was in the bag but Steve and Kevin were not finished.

They both wanted the chance to win their money back and so on a nice stroll down from the restaurant to Plymouth Hoe, Steve and Kevin had bet us to jump off the diving board into the sea fully clothed.

For those of you who are not familiar with the place, the diving board sits on its own about 20 or so yards from the shore into the sea and standing about 20ft high.

The fact that it had warning signs and barbed wire at the foot of the thing did not stop Ross and me from climbing the steps and jumping from the top after a full stomach of pizza. Another tenner in our pockets, albeit slightly wet ones.

I have not been back since but I have just read on the internet that the diving board was taken down due to safety reasons, so it appears I'm lucky to still be alive.

Thanks for looking after us, Steve.