More potentially good news came from Home Park this morning with the news that the Pilgrims, fresh from a run of four successive Championship defeats, have terminated the employment of their manager Bobby Williamson. The former Hibs chief, who replaced Southampton-bound Paul Sturrock prior to their promotion in 2004, will be replaced by Jocky Scott while the search for a permanent successor begins.
While the Canaries will be more worried about themselves than their opponents, the dissaray among the visitors should play into the hands of the pre season favourites, despite the lack of striking options.
Assuming that Ashton is fit to play following the hamstring injury that threatened his involvement, speculation begins as to who will partner the former Crewe man. The ankle injury sustained by McKenzie in a fall during Monday's training session looks set to rule him out for a month, while Darren Huckerby is suspended. Peter Thorne is recovering from a knee operation, leaving the unfavoured Paul McVeigh, makeshift striker Gary Doherty and youngsters Ian Henderson and Ryan Jarvis in the running.
Doherty, who has struggled to make an impact on the team in his favoured centre back position despite shedding a stone over the summer, is almost certainly unsuitable to partner Ashton, who works better with a smaller, quicker player. Northern Ireland international McVeigh fits the bill, but has not played in the position recently, although he was on target for the reserves in their 3-0 win over Fulham this week.
Also on target on Monday was Henderson, while Jarvis, the more specialised forward of the three, played over an hour but is still recovering from a pre season injury.
Having had the best part of two weeks to concentrate on the upcoming match, Nigel Worthington will be frustrated to have lost McKenzie at this stage. The manager and his players will be aware that the visit of Plymouth, which will be broadcast to the nation on Sky, represents an outstanding opportunity to turn around their fortunes against a side who haven't won since the opening day of the season.