2023/24 OPPOSITION IN FOCUS: ALDERSHOT TOWN – News

We begin to turn our attentions to the 2023/24 season by taking a first look at some of the clubs we’ll be facing in the Vanarama National League in the new term.

Today, it’s league stalwarts Aldershot Town.

Overview

No current National League team has been in the division for longer than Aldershot after Wrexham finally ended their 15-season stay in the fifth tier.

The Shots are heading into their 11^th consecutive campaign at this level, and have finished in the bottom 10 in eight of those.

In the season just gone, Aldershot once again found themselves at threat of relegation, but a change of managers brought an upturn in fortunes and saw them go unbeaten in the last six games to finish five points above the drop.

They also reached the quarter-finals of the Isuzu FA Trophy where they were beaten by eventual winners FC Halifax Town.

It’s been five seasons since the Shots finished inside the play-offs in consecutive years. Defeats to Tranmere and Ebbsfleet put an end to those campaigns, and fans of the Hampshire club haven’t had much to get excited about since.

Who’s in the squad?

Aldershot have retained 12 players ahead of the 2023/24 season. Included in that is former Blues man Tyler Cordner, who won the Shots’ Fans’ and Players’ Player of the Season awards last term. He also captained the England C outfit that took on Wales C in March.

Justin Amaluzor, Joe Partington and Tyler Frost, who all scored against us in 2022/23 have also been kept on. Amaluzor netted eight league goals in all, while Partington has EFL experience with AFC Bournemouth and Bristol Rovers.

Jack Barham was a late-season signing from Maidstone and also remains at The EBB Stadium, with Francis Amartey and Henry Ochieng under contract too. Discussions are ongoing with Corey Jordan.

Those departing Aldershot this summer include Harry Panayiotou and the long-serving Kodi Lyons-Foster. Loanees Luca Ashby-Hammond, Tahvon Campbell and Haji Mnoga have all returned to their parent clubs.

The manager

The man to oversee that surge to safety was Tommy Widdrington, who was brought in from King’s Lynn Town to replace Ross McNeilly at the start of April.

He remains unbeaten as Aldershot manager, having taken charge of just six games, and now has the chance to put his own stamp on the squad.

The 51-year-old was a midfielder in his playing days and appeared for the likes of Grimsby and Port Vale. Early in his coaching career, Widdrington was assistant manager to Paul Sturrock here at Roots Hall in the first half of the 2010/11 season.

He managed non-league outfits Salisbury, Hemel Hempstead and Eastbourne in the 2010s, before taking up roles as Head of Recruitment at Coventry and Bristol Rovers. Widdrington went on to have a couple of spells as the Pirates’ caretaker manager, which led him to take the King’s Lynn job.

Stadium

The EBB Stadium | Capacity 7,100

Also known as The Recreation Ground, The EBB Stadium has cover on all four sides and hosted the Shots’ famous League Cup tie with Manchester United in 2011.

Away fans are housed between part of the East Bank and half of the south side of the ground. Some of this is uncovered terracing, but the East Bank is all covered and holds 4,000 supporters in all.

The South Stand runs half the length of the pitch and sits astride the halfway line. It does have some supporting pillars running across its middle, and there are portions of open terrace located on either side of this stand.

Opposite is the North Stand, which is a mixture of seating and standing. The tunnel and dugouts are on this side as well as the club offices.

Finally, there is a small stand at the High Street End of the ground with 250 seats, however this isn’t always in use.

Have we met before?

Aldershot won both meetings last season to add to their winning record against us. Both clubs were in League Two between 2010/11 and 2012/13, but the only victory Blues have picked up was the last of the six meetings – a 2-0 away win with Barry Corr and Britt Assombalonga on the scoresheet.

The overall record reads six wins for the Shots and one for Blues with three draws.

Highest league finish

2009/10 League Two – 6^th

(The old Aldershot FC finished 8^th in the Third Division in 1973/74)