Cup can galvanise Plymouth says Cleverley

Cleverley has won four of his opening 14 matches in charge of Plymouth Argyle

Plymouth Argyle head coach Tom Cleverley is hoping they can use the FA Cup to kick-start their league form as the club did last season.

The Pilgrims were bottom of the Championship in January with 19 points before a famous run to the FA Cup fifth round, beating Brentford and Liverpool on the way.

They took 27 points in the second half of the campaign, but eventually fell three points adrift of safety and were relegated.

Cleverley told BBC Radio Devon: "The cup is really, really important. I think last year's cup run highlights that.

"Up to Christmas, it looked like a club destined to go to League One. After that, the FA Cup run sort of galvanises everyone, and [the club] was close to staying in the division."

Argyle go into Saturday's first round tie away to Wycombe Wanderers lying third-bottom of League One with four wins from 14 matches.

However, Cleverley's side had confidence-boosting victories against Tottenham Hotspur under-21s and Cheltenham in the Football League Trophy last month.

"I've been in a similar sort of position as a player where the FA Cup run can really get a feel-good factor," Cleverley said.

"We used the Vertu Motors games and the League Cup games as a springboard for our form throughout September," he added.

"For me it's very important to have a cup run. I've seen the benefits of it in the past and the recent past here. So it's an important game."

The 36-year-old former Manchester United and Watford midfielder made over 300 first-team appearances in his career, but never won the FA Cup.

"Its a great competition. It's one that I regret that I never managed to get my hands on," Cleverley added.

"What it can do for a group of guys, a club and the upsets - you can see here last year, beating Brentford away, beating Liverpool here. We're certainly going there to win on Saturday".

'Respite of the league will do everyone good'

Argyle will be desperate to avoid back-to-back relegations this season and going into Saturday's tie on the back of three successive league defeats, Cleverley says a change of competition might be what they all need.

"The respite of the league will do everyone good," Cleverley said.

"We can look at the wider picture when you're outside of the league - this group of players has managed to win seven games before the end of October, so they know how to win.

"I've been in plenty of clubs and dressing rooms that have taken a lot longer to win seven games. Let's take a little bit of a positive out of that and move into the weekend with that."

Fellow League One side Wycombe have won just four league games themselves this term, sitting three points better off in the table.

But since replacing manager Mike Dodds with Michael Duff last month they have lost once in nine games in all competitions.

"They're aggressive without the ball and they're in a decent form under a new manager. It's always a tough place to go," Cleverley said.