ARGYLE are to host Scottish Premier League side Hearts in their only home pre-season friendly on Wednesday, July 29 (7.45pm).

The fixture has yet to be officially confirmed by either Pilgrims or Hearts.

Nevertheless, the visit from star-studded Hearts to Home Park will be the highlight for home fans, who must otherwise travel to watch their heroes in action before the season gets underway on August 8.

Manager Paul Sturrock is hopeful of parading one or two new signings ahead of the clash with the Tynecastle club.

Between entertaining Hearts and opening their sixth successive season in the Championship at Crystal Palace, Argyle finish their friendly sequence away to Swindon Town on Saturday, August 1.

One man definitely looking forward to both matches is Sturrock, who was in charge at the County Ground before re-joining Argyle in November 2007.

He said: "We're going back to Swindon with the first team which I'm looking forward to.

"Last year Swindon were a little bit disappointed that I thought it appropriate to send the youth team.

"I wanted to train the first team, so this fixture is a kind of kiss-and-make-up gesture."

"And Hearts? I was very pleased we managed to get someone to play at home.

"I think it was important we achieved that, as we will probably have one or two players in by then.

"It will be nice to let them have a wee taste of Home Park before we start the season proper.

"In that sense I'm hoping to be up and running by then, if not at full gallop."

Hearts finished third in the SPL last term behind inevitable champions Rangers and runners-up Celtic.

The Edinburgh club will enter the inaugural Europa League at the play-off stage in late August – one tie away from the group stages of the revamped tournament.

Argyle open their pre-season at Truro City on Monday, July 13 and travel to Torquay United at Plainmoor two days later.

They then go to Lancashire part-timers Skelmersdale United on Saturday, July 18 before heading north of the border.

While at their training base in the University of Stirling, Argyle have arranged friendlies with Scottish Division One club Livingston at Almondvale Stadium on July 20.

The second match will see them take on Romanian champions FC Unirea Urziceni, at a venue still to be decided.

On their way back to Plymouth, the Pilgrims will play League Two club Morecambe on Saturday, July 25.

Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce has told Paul Gallagher he could still have a future at the club.

The Scottish striker's days at Ewood Park appeared over when he spent most of last season with Argyle.

But Allardyce insists Gallagher has a chance to stake a claim for a first-team place in pre-season following the departures of Roque Santa Cruz and Matt Derbyshire.

"It's down to Paul," the Blackburn boss told rovers.co.uk. "He had one of the brightest futures of any young player here under Graeme Souness.

"If Paul wants to change his outlook on how he wants to develop his career, he is at a great place to do it.

"The talent is not in question – the desire to be a Premier League player is what Paul needs to have.

"If he can show that then we have a terrific player at Blackburn."