Aldershot Town F.C.
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Categories: Aldershot F.C. | English football clubs | Football Conference | Sport in Hampshire | Football (soccer) clubs established in 1992
Aldershot Town Football Club, based in Aldershot, England, was founded in the spring of 1992 just after the closure of debt-ridden fourth division club Aldershot Football Club, who had been founded in 1926 and had been league members since 1932. They play at the Recreation Ground in Aldershot and in 2003-04 they came close to promotion to the Football League when they reached the Conference Play-Off Final, losing on penalties to Shrewsbury Town at Stoke City's home ground, the Britannia Stadium .
HistoryAldershot Town Is FormedIn March 1992 the town of Aldershot was without a football club after Aldershot F.C. became the first Football League team since Accrington Stanley, in 1962, to fold during the football season. 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 Town won the championship by 18 points,a feat made all the more remarkable by the fact that in May of 1992 the manager had just one player on his books. 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. Despite steering the club to six successive victories at the end of the 1994-95 season only goal difference prevented a third successive promotion. After narrowly missing out during the next two seasons Wigley left to become Youth Development Officer at Nottingham Forest in July 1997 to be 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 Rec. The success under Borg continued with a Ryman League Cup, two Hampshire Senior Cups and a runners-up spot in the Ryman League Premier Division. The Reserves returned in 2000-01 and entered the Suburban League. The FA Cup in 2000-01 saw Aldershot take on league opposition at The Rec for the first time since reforming, when Brighton visited for a 1st Round tie in November and a record attendance of 7,500 were there to see the game covered by Match of the Day. However it was the league side who progressed to meet Scunthorpe United in round two. Season 2001/02Borg signed a number of experienced Ryman League players in the summer of 2001 as the club aimed for promotion to the Conference encouraged by some excellent pre season performances. In the FA Cup, Bristol Rovers were the next League opposition to visit The Rec, again in the 1st Round. In front of over 5,000 at The Rec, the Shots secured a replay in a game they should have won at the death, and only exited the competition when Vitalijs Astafjevs' 87th minute goal took the League side into the 2nd Round, with a 1-0 win in Bristol. In November 2001 after Borg was critical of supporters whose patience was wearing thin, came a shock defeat at home to Boreham Wood. When Canvey Island overhauled a 1-0 Shots lead and won 3-1 just weeks later, the supporters put huge pressure on Borg and the club to end his tenure as manager. In little over a month, George Borg, the most successful manager the club had yet seen, left Aldershot Town. Arrival of Terry BrownOn 20 March 2002 - 10 years to the day since Aldershot F.C. played its last ever league fixture - Aldershot Town F.C. appointed Terry Brown as its fourth manager. He won his first game in charge beating Newport IOW 1-0 in the Hampshire Senior Cup Semi Final 2nd Leg. A 3-0 aggregate win saw them progress to the final at Southampton's St Mary's where a Stafford Browne hat-trick secured the Hampshire Senior Cup again with a 3-1 win over Havant & Waterlooville. During the summer of 2002, Brown set about transforming Aldershot Town. Eleven first team players were moved on, and 11 replacements brought in, many former Football League or Conference players. After a few setbacks and injuries to key players, he steered Aldershot to the top of the table in mid November. The Shots never relinquished that position despite Canvey Island trying to close the gap. In April 2003 over 2400 Shots fans made the journey to Canvey Island for what was billed as the title decider. A Roscoe D'Sane penalty secured a 1-0 win. Six days later, after a 5-1 demolition of St Albans City, the Shots travelled to Sutton United needing just one point for the championship. Another D'Sane goal secured a 1-1 draw and the Shots won promotion to the Conference at the fifth time of asking. The last game of the season saw 3000 Shots fans head once again to St Mary's as the Shots retained the Hampshire Senior Cup with a 2-1 win over Bashley. Life In Conference3,680 fans saw Aldershot's first game in the Conference, a 2-1 over Accrington Stanley. But it was just as taste of things to come as the still part-time side constructed by Terry Brown went on to stay in the play-off positions in the league table for all but 3 days of the season, surrounded by full-time professional former football league sides. 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 in a hard fought encounter. And there were more club records tumbling as the side also reached the semi-final of the FA Trophy, 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. Professional Status AchievedA meeting on 24 May 2004 saw the club officers take the historic decision to convert Aldershot Town to full-time professional status from 1 July 2004. For the first time since March 1992 the town of Aldershot had a professional football team. 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 showed some fine form in the run-in. In their final game of the season they needed to beat Scarborough to reach the play-offs. In front of nearly 4,500 Tim Sills was the hero as his brace ensured Exeter City and Morecambe with their superior goal differences could not qualify. The Shots faced Carlisle United but there was no repeat of the 5-0 home Conference humiliation at the hands of the Cumbrians, as Nick Crittenden's goal saw Aldershot take a 1-0 first leg advantage to Brunton Park. Before half time Carlisle had overturned Aldershot's lead to hold the advantage 2-1 on aggregate, before loanee Jamie Slabber levelled in stoppage time. Extra time could not separate the sides and the tie went to penalties. At one point the Shots were 3-1 up, but the shoot-out went to sudden death. Jon Challinor missed his effort and Danny Livesey sent Carlisle into the final. Seasons 2005/06 & 2006/07The next two seasons were disappointing ones for the Shots. 2005-06 saw Aldershot's team ravaged by injuries, and they struggled to 13th in the table, with a goal difference of -13, 13 years after the end of the new club's first season. The team made it to the 2nd round of the FA Cup, losing 1-0 at home to Scunthorpe United F.C.. 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. Martin Kuhl took over as caretaker manager. They made it to the 3rd round of the FA Cup for the first time, though, losing 4-2 at Bloomfield Road to Blackpool F.C. Arrival of Gary Waddock & Season 2007/08On the 17th May 2007, Gary Waddock was appointed the new manager by the board of directors, with Martin Kuhl reverting to his coaching position. He appointed Rhys Day as club captain, whose brother Ryan Day, is a Welsh professional snooker player. The summer period saw the new manager bring in several new players to the Recreation Ground. These included: Lewis Chalmers, Scott Davies (On loan from Reading), Rob Elvins, Ben Harding, Anthony Charles, Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz and Anthony Straker. Reserve team player, Jason Milleti also signed a profressional contract. Aldershot Town's fifth consecutive season in the Conference started with an away trip to Kidderminster Harriers. The Shots won 2-1 with the first goal scored by Reading loanee Scott Davies after seven seconds of the restart. The next game was versus Torquay United and Aldershot were beaten 3-0 with the first goal scored by former Aldershot Town player Tim Sills. This was followed by a 3-1 victory against newly promoted Droylsden FC at Home. The next match was away from home, against another newly promoted side - this being Histon FC. Aldershot Town won 2-1. A home defeat against Crawley Town, was then followed by a run of 8 games undefeated, before finally losing away to Stevenage Borough on the 6th October, where they lost 3-1. Not only did this game end the unbeaten run but it was also the first away defeat of the season. Only one week later on the 13th October they lost away again to Burton Albion. However after this defeat the Shots regrouped and then went on a winning run of seven league games, which finally ended on the 29th December at Grays Athletic, where they went down 2-1, after playing two/thirds of the game with 10 men. The Shots bounced back with league wins over Woking and Northwich Victoria. The Northwich Victoria victory meant that the Shots had won 9 out of the last 10 league games. The Shots then went on to lose their next 2 league games against Forest Green Rovers and York City, before bouncing back with a victory over Oxford United. The next day on the 30th January, Aldershot Town lost striker Jonny Dixon, who signed for Brighton and Hove Albion for £56,000, which is a club record. After 32 league games, the Shots currently sit top of the Conference National on *71 points and they have a 5 point advantage over Torquay United, who are in second place. (*As of the 26th February 2008). But Torquay United do have one game in hand. The Shots are also in the Semi-Final of the FA Trophy after victories over Hayes & Yeading United, local rivals Woking, Braintree & Tamworth. They are also in the Semi-Final of the Setanta Shield after victories over Oxford United, St Albans City & Crawley Town. Aldershot Town were knocked out of the FA Cup after a 2-1 defeat away to Cambridge United in mid November. StadiumAldershot Town play their home games at the Recreation Ground. It has a capacity of 7,500. Current Squad
Managers
Transfer recordsRecord Purchase
Record Sale
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