Plymouth Argyle are sweating on the fitness of defender Alex Hartridge after the 27-year-old damaged ankle ligaments during Saturday's 3-2 win at Doncaster Rovers. The club expects him to be sidelined for around a month, adding another name to what is becoming a notable injury list at Home Park.
How it happened
Hartridge came on as a late substitute at the Eco-Power Stadium and sustained the injury before the final whistle. It is the kind of incident that makes managers grimace: a fresh pair of legs brought on to see out a game, gone within minutes. The timing is frustrating given the defender had been a fixture in every Argyle league game this season since joining the club on a free transfer over the summer, having previously played for Exeter City and Wycombe Wanderers.
He also got his Plymouth career off to a bright start, scoring on his debut in the Carabao Cup against Exeter City, but those cup appearances fall outside our coverage here. What matters in League One terms is that Cleverley now has to find cover at the back.
The bigger picture: an injury pile-up
Hartridge is the fourth Argyle player currently unavailable. The full picture makes uncomfortable reading:
- Michael Baidoo is out until November with a hamstring injury.
- Malachi Boateng is missing after a contact knock.
- Jack MacKenzie has been carrying a problem over from last season.
- Alex Hartridge now joins them after the Doncaster incident.
Four players out simultaneously would test most squads in the third tier. Whether Plymouth's depth is sufficient is a question Cleverley will have to answer over the coming weeks.
Cleverley keeps perspective
Head coach Tom Cleverley was measured in his assessment when speaking to BBC South West. "It's another unfortunate one," he said. "It's one of those things, it happens in football. We've got four boys out at the minute, Macca is one we've carried from last year and two from innocuous challenges with Alex and Malachi."
Cleverley was notably keen to push back against any suggestion of poor injury management. "They're not load management, they're not staffing problems, they're just part and parcel of a contact sport," he said. He did concede that Baidoo's hamstring issue was one the staff would review more carefully, but argued that three of the four injuries were either carried over from last season or the result of simple contact challenges rather than anything systemic.
It is the kind of press-conference pragmatism that does not always satisfy supporters watching their options thin out, but the logic is hard to argue with entirely. Contact sports produce contact injuries.
What it means for Argyle
Plymouth will be without Hartridge for what could be four to five League One fixtures, depending on the exact timeline of his recovery. With Boateng and MacKenzie also absent, Cleverley's options in defence are tighter than he would like at this stage of the season. The club signed Hartridge precisely to add competition and cover in that department over the summer, so losing him so early in the campaign is a blow, even if a temporary one.
Argyle head into the next round of fixtures on the back of a positive result at Doncaster, which at least provides some cushion in terms of confidence and points. Whether the squad can maintain that form while carrying four players in the treatment room remains to be seen.
Frequently asked
- How long is Alex Hartridge out for Plymouth Argyle?
- Alex Hartridge is expected to be sidelined for around a month after damaging ankle ligaments as a late substitute in Plymouth's win at Doncaster Rovers.
- How many players are injured at Plymouth Argyle right now?
- Plymouth currently have four players unavailable: Alex Hartridge, Michael Baidoo (hamstring, out until November), Malachi Boateng and Jack MacKenzie.
- Who is Alex Hartridge and when did he join Plymouth Argyle?
- Alex Hartridge is a 27-year-old defender who joined Plymouth Argyle on a free transfer in the summer of 2026, having previously played for Exeter City and Wycombe Wanderers.