Aldershot Town F.C.

Aldershot Town

Full name	Aldershot Town Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Shots
Founded	1992
Ground	Recreation Ground, Aldershot (Capacity: 7,100)
Chairman	John Leppard (Acting Chairman)
Manager	Kevin Dillon
League	League Two
2008–09	League Two, 15th
Home colours Away colours Third colours
Current season

Aldershot Town Football Club (pronounced /ˈɔldərˌʃɒt ˈtaʊn/) is a Football League club based in Aldershot, England, founded in the spring of 1992 just after the closure of debt-ridden Fourth Division Aldershot F.C.. The latter, founded in 1926, had been a League member since 1932 and was a founder member of Division Four.

Aldershot Town plays at The Recreation Ground in Aldershot and competes in Football League Two after winning promotion back to the Football League on 15 April 2008 by winning the Conference National.^[1]

History

Formation and The Isthmian Years

In March 1992, the town of Aldershot was without a football club after Aldershot F.C. became the first Football League team to fold during the football season since Accrington Stanley in 1962. Aldershot Town was born later the same year, and began life competing in the Isthmian League Division Three. Despite Aldershot Town playing five divisions lower than the Football League, the attendance for their first competitive fixture was higher than the old team's last home tie. Ten successive victories were recorded under the guidance of former player Steve Wignall and Aldershot won the championship by an 18-point margin.

A further promotion and an FA Vase quarter-final placing was achieved in the 1993–94 season. When Steve Wignall departed to take charge of Colchester United mid-way through the 1994–95 season, former Nottingham Forest winger Steve Wigley took over. The club finished the 1994–95 season with a run of six successive victories, but missed out on promotion by goal difference. After narrowly missing out during the next two seasons Wigley left in July 1997 to become Youth Development Officer at Nottingham Forest. He was replaced by George Borg. Attendances continued to rise during this period and the final fixture of the 1997–98 Isthmian League First Division championship-winning season, at home to Berkhamsted Town, attracted 4,289 people to the Recreation Ground - A league record. The success under Borg continued with an Isthmian League Cup, two Hampshire Senior Cups and a runners-up spot in the Isthmian League Premier Division.

The club's reserves were reinstated in 2000–01 and entered the Suburban League. The FA Cup in 2000–01 saw Aldershot take on league opposition at The Recreation Ground for the first time since reforming, when Brighton & Hove Albion visited for a 1st Round tie in November and a record attendance of 7,500 saw the league team win. In the following season's FA Cup the Shots held Bristol Rovers to a home draw in the First Round, but again missed out on the Second Round after losing the replay in Bristol.

George Borg resigned as manager in November 2001 after pressure from supporters and was replaced by Terry Brown. He won his first game in charge beating Newport IOW 1–0 in the Hampshire Senior Cup Semi Final Second Leg, taking The Shots on to win the final against Havant & Waterlooville. In Brown's first full season in charge he overhauled the squad, and by mid-November the Shots were top of the table, a position they did not relinquish for the remainder of the season, winning promotion to the Football Conference. The club also retained the Hampshire Senior Cup with a 2–1 win over Bashley.

Conference years

A crowd of 3,680 saw Aldershot's first game in the Conference, a 2–1 win over Accrington Stanley. The club went on to stay in the play-off positions in the league table for all but 3 days of the season. The Shots equalled their best ever run in the FA Cup, reaching the 2nd Round and losing 1–0 to Colchester United at Layer Road. The club reached their first FA Trophy semi-final, losing to eventual winners Hednesford Town and the average attendance for league matches at The Rec ended on a record high of 3,303.

A 1–1 draw against Tamworth on the last day of the season carried the Shots into the play-offs for a place in the Football League. Over two legs the Shots held their own against favourites Hereford United, drawing 1–1 at The Rec and 0–0 at Edgar Street. Extra time finished without any further score and the tie was concluded on penalties with the Shots winning 4-2. The Conference Playoff Final against Shrewsbury Town finished 1–1 after extra time. Shrewsbury returned to the league with a 3–0 win in the penalty shoot-out.

In May 2004 the club officers made the decision to convert Aldershot Town to full-time professional status from the following July. In 2004–05 the Shots once again equalled their best ever run in the FA Cup as they reached the 2nd Round proper, where they lost 5–1 to Hartlepool United. After a slow start in the league, Aldershot improved their form and reached the play-offs after beating Scarborough in the last game of the season. The Shots won the first leg against Carlisle United 1–0 at home, but lost the away leg 2–1, giving a 2– aggregate score. Extra time could not separate the sides and the tie went to penalties , with Carlsle winning the shootout.

The next two seasons were less successful for the Shots. 2005–06 saw Aldershot's team suffer numerous injuries, and they struggled to 13th in the table. The team made it to the 2nd round of the FA Cup, losing 1–0 at home to Scunthorpe United. The next season was equally disappointing, with the side never really getting close enough to the aim of finishing in the playoff positions. The club eventually made it to 9th in the reformed 24 club Conference National, finishing 13 points off the playoffs. Terry Brown resigned, citing the poor health of his wife as the primary reason, although his position may have been untenable with regards to the season's performance.^{[citation needed]} Martin Kuhl took over as caretaker manager. They made it to the Third round of the FA Cup for the first time, losing 4–2 at Bloomfield Road to Blackpool

Promotion to the Football League

In May 2007 Gary Waddock was appointed the new manager, with Martin Kuhl reverting to his coaching position. The Shots started the season strongly, losing few games before the turn of the year. Jonny Dixon was sold to Brighton and Hove Albion in the January Transfer window for a club record £56,000^[2]. The Shots finished top of the Conference National with a record 101 points, and were promoted to the Football League, for the first time since the club was reformed^[3] ending the season on an 18-match undefeated run.

The Shots also made it to the Conference League Cup Final after a 4–3 penalty shoot out victory over near neighbours Woking in the semi-final. The final, played at the Recreation Ground on the 3rd of April, was against Rushden & Diamonds. With the scores 1–1 at full time, then 3–3 after extra time, Aldershot won 4–3 on penalties.^[4]

Football League

Sixteen years afer the demise of Aldershot F.C., the town of Aldershot had a Football League team again. The club retained many of the 2007–08 promotion winning team, and added several signings, both permanent and on loan. Gary Waddock and Martin Kuhl also committed their futures to the club by signing new three-year contracts.^[5] Joel Grant was sold to Crewe Alexandra for £130,000, a club record.^[6] On the opening day of the 2008-09 season, Aldershot Town won their first league game on their return to the Football League at Accrington Stanley 1-0.^[7] This was followed 4 days later by the clubs first ever Football League Cup game, against Coventry City at the Ricoh Arena, which the Shots lost 3-1. The Shots finished fifteenth in their first season in the Football League.

Two months into the 2009–10 season, manager Gary Waddock and assistant Martin Kuhl accepted offers to join Wycombe Wanderers. Jason Dodd was appointed as Caretaker Manager, assisted by Paul Williams^[8] before Kevin Dillon the former first-team coach of Reading F.C. was appointed as Waddock's permanent successor in November 2009.^[9] Two days later Dillon appointed Gary Owers as his Assistant Manager.^[10]. The first game under the new management team was drawn 0-0 against Macclesfield.

Stadium

Aldershot Town play their home games at The Recreation Ground, which has a capacity of 7,100. The stadium was previously the home of Aldershot F.C.

Players

As of 24th October 2009.

Current squad

No. Position Player 1 GK Clark Masters 2 DF Ben Herd 3 DF Anthony Straker 4 DF Chris Blackburn 5 DF Adam Hinshelwood (c) 6 DF Anthony Charles 7 MF Louie Soares 8 MF Lewis Chalmers 9 FW John Grant 10 FW Marvin Morgan 11 MF John Halls 12 DF Dean Howell

No. Position Player 14 FW Danny Hylton 15 MF Scott Donnelly 17 MF Kirk Hudson 18 DF Dave Winfield 19 MF Ben Harding 20 MF Bobby Hopkinson 26 FW Marlon Jackson 28 MF Andy Sandell 31 FW Reece Connolly 32 DF Ben Hutchings 33 GK Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz

Notable players

For all Aldershot Town F.C. players with a Wikipedia article see Category:Aldershot Town F.C. players.

Players of the season

Managers

Name	Nat	From	To	Games Managed	Games Won	Games Drawn	Games Lost	Win percentage
Steve Wignall		23/05/1992	12/01/1995	146	97	24	25	66.43%
Paul Shrubb(c)		13/01/1995	25/01/1995	1	1	0	0	100.00%
Steve Wigley		26/01/1995	30/07/1997	135	72	25	38	53.33%
Andy Meyer(c), Mark Butler(c) & Joe Roach(c)		01/08/1997	17/09/1997	8	3	2	3	37.50%
George Borg		18/09/1997	31/01/2002	261	147	50	64	56.32%
Stuart Cash(c)		01/02/2002	19/03/2002	14	9	2	1	64.28%
Terry Brown		20/03/2002	27/03/2007	284	145	52	87	51.05%
Martin Kuhl(c)		28/03/2007	16/05/2007	11	5	3	3	45.45%
Gary Waddock		17/05/2007	13/10/2009	128	64	27	37	50.00%
Jason Dodd(c)		14/10/2009	08/11/2009	4	1	1	2	25.00%
Kevin Dillon		09/11/2009		0	0	0	0	0%

• ^(c) = Caretaker Managers
• Up to date as of the 9th November 2009.

Records

Appearances and goals

Jason Chewins holds the record for the most number of appearances for the club, playing 489 times between August 1994 and May 2004. This led to the left-back being the first and, to date, only player to receive a testimonial which was played against Portsmouth in July 2004.

Before Chewins, the record was held by Mark Butler, who joined the club at its inception in 1992. Butler played 303 times between August 1992 and May 1998, also holding the all-time goal scoring record by netting 155 times, a record he still currently holds. Former goalkeeper Nikki Bull made his 300th appearance for the Shots in November 2008. Two others have played more than 200 times for the club, Stuart Udal, whose brother Shaun was an England international cricketer, played 236 times for the club. Winger Jimmy Sugrue has also passed the land mark.

Gary Abbott is, apart from Butler, the only Shots player to have ever scored over 100 goals for the club. Over the course of three seasons, between August 1998 and May 2001, he scored 120 goals.

Transfers

Record Purchase

• Marvin Morgan from Woking for an undisclosed fee (but a club record)^[11] in May 2008. The previous highest fee paid for a player was the £20,000 paid to Woking for Grant Payne in November 1999.

Record Sale

• Joel Grant to Crewe Alexandra for £130,000 June 2008.^[6]

Honours & achievements

• Football Conference
  • Conference National champions 2007-08
• Isthmian League
  • Premier Division champions 2002-03
  • Division One champions 1997-98
  • Division Champions champions 1992-93

Best performances

• FA Cup
  • Third Round, 2006-2007
• Football League Cup
  • First round, 2008-09 & 2009-10
• Football League Trophy
  • Second round, 2009-10
• FA Trophy
  • Semi-finalists, 2003-04 & 2007-08
• Conference League Cup
  • Winners, 2007-08
• FA Vase
  • Quarter-finalists, 1993-94
• Hampshire Senior Cup
  • Winners, 1998-99, 1999-00, 2001-02, 2002-03 & 2006-07

Season-by-season record

Football Kits

Aldershot Town's home kit is red with blue and white trim. The club have always played in a predominantly red kit with blue features, including stripes and quarters.

Kit supplier

In June 2008, Aldershot Town signed a three year kit deal with Carbrini Sportswear.

Kit manufacturers and sponsors

Previous kits

Ribero Home Kit 1992-93 Seasons	Fiva Home Kit 1993-95 Seasons	Fiva Home Kit 1995-97 Seasons	ICIS Home Kit 1998-2000 Seasons	ICIS Home Kit 2000-02 Seasons
ICIS Home Kit 2002-04 Seasons	Errea Home Kit 2004-06 Seasons	Errea Home Kit 2006-07 Season	Errea Home Kit 2007-08 Season	Carbrini Home Kit 2008-10 Season

Further details and images of previous kits can be found at the Historical Football Kit website.^[14]

Famous Fans

• Arthur English (President of Aldershot F.C. at time of bankruptcy; one of the original Aldershot Town F.C. investors and designer of the new club's phoenix logo)
• Jack Rollin (Editor of the Sky Sports Football Yearbook)
• Shaun Udal

Rivals

Aldershot's rivals are Rushmoor neighbours Farnborough Town and Woking. Fixtures against these sides attract larger than average crowds, including 5,961 for a Hampshire Senior Cup semi final and a league record 5,518 in an Isthmian League Premier Division match against Farnborough and 6,870 for an FA Cup 1st round match against Woking.

Aldershot F.C. were rivals with Reading until their demise in 1992. However since then no significant rivalry with the new club Aldershot Town has been created. The only meeting between the two clubs was in a friendly in 2001. Despite the game being relatively low key, trouble broke out between rival supporters resulting in several arrests.

Other teams which may be considered rivals include Basingstoke Town, Bournemouth and Brentford.^{[citation needed]}

See also

Yokohama FC a replacement football club, which also has a phoenix as it's badge.

References

External links

• Official website