Aldershot Town Football Club is a professional association football club based in Aldershot, Hampshire, England. The team competes in the National League, the fifth level of the English football league system.
The club was founded in the spring of 1992 after the closure of debt-ridden Fourth Division club Aldershot. Aldershot Town play at the Recreation Ground, which had also been the home ground of the previous club. Initially placed in the Isthmian League Third Division, Aldershot Town won the league in their debut 1992–93 season and won promotion out of the Second Division the following season. They won the First Division title in 1997–98 and the Premier Division in 2002–03 to gain a place in the Conference. They spent five seasons in the Conference, losing twice in the play-offs, before winning promotion into the Football League as Conference National and Conference League Cup champions under Gary Waddock's stewardship in 2007–08. They spent five seasons in League Two, reaching the play-offs in 2010, though were relegated back into non-League football and entered administration in May 2013.[1] They reached the National League play-offs in 2017 and 2018 and have also won the FA Trophy in 2025.
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. The original Aldershot club had been in the Football League since 1932 and competed in the Third and Fourth Divisions. Promotion had been achieved as recently as 1987, but relegation followed two years later and debts well into six figures had almost brought about the club's demise in the summer of 1990. Despite a rescue package allowing the original winding-up order to be rescinded, the club's debts remained high and the club became insolvent just over 18 months later.
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, with attendances that season averaging around 2,000 at a level where attendances normally averaged around 100.
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 midway 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, another former Aldershot FC player.
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 fans 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 Aldershot 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. After just 11 years, four promotions had now been achieved and just one more promotion was required for league football to return to Aldershot.
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 2004 Conference play-off 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 2–2 aggregate score. Extra time could not separate the sides and the tie went to penalties, with Carlisle winning the shootout.
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 then club record of £56,000.[2] The Shots finished top of the Conference Premier 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.
Aldershot 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 3 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 after the demise of Aldershot F.C., the town of Aldershot had a Football League team again. The club retained much 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 four days later by the club's first ever EFL Cup game, against Coventry City at the Ricoh Arena, which the Shots lost 3–1. The Shots finished fifteenth in League Two 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. Kevin Dillon, the former first-team coach of Reading, was appointed as Waddock's permanent successor in November 2009.
Administration and return to Conference
In the summer 2012, a major shareholder suffered a major stroke, debilitating him and creating a financial insecurity that would prove dangerous come the following year. In May 2013, Aldershot Town announced that they were in financial difficulties,[15] with players' wages going unpaid.[16] The Chief Executive, Andrew Mills, announced his resignation saying that there was no evidence that the major shareholder Kris Machala had the ability to fund the club.[17] Director Tony Knights admitted that the club has been "haemorrhaging money".[16] On 2 May 2013, just five days after their relegation from the Football League, Aldershot Town officially entered administration.[1] The club fell with debts of over £1 million.[18]
Recent seasons
Statistics for the previous decade.[31] For a full history see; List of Aldershot Town F.C. seasons
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. The stadium's current sponsor is EBB Paper, therefore the ground is advertly known as The EBB Stadium at The Recreation Ground, however is affectionately known as 'The Rec'.
In March 2018, Aldershot Town presented proposals for the redevelopment of the EBB Stadium to Rushmoor Borough Council which would see the potential development of a new stadium, containing both seating and standing areas, that will give the club a 'long-term home from which to build our ambitions on the pitch'.[41]
Players
Current squad
Out on loan
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
- (c) = Caretaker managers
- Updated 27 March 2026
Records and statistics
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 match, 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 and eventually made 313 appearances before moving to Brentford in July 2009. Five others have played more than 200 times for the club, including Stuart Udal, whose cousin Shaun was an England international cricketer. Winger Jimmy Sugrue has also reached the landmark. More recently, three members of the 2007–08 title winning squad, namely Anthony Charles, Anthony Straker and Danny Hylton reached the landmark.
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.
Most appearances
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. The club's chosen colours of red and blue reflect the garrison town's association with the British Army.
Kit supplier
Errea were the kit supplier for the 2011–12 season. Adidas was the kit supplier from the 2013–14 season to the 2019–20 season. Errea has been the kit supplier from the 2020–21 season.
Kit manufacturers and sponsors
Previous kits
Further details and images of previous kits can be found at the Historical Football Kit website.[48]
Rivalries
Aldershot Town's local rivals are Rushmoor neighbours Farnborough and Surrey side Woking. Fixtures against these sides attract larger than average crowds, including 5,961 for a Hampshire Senior Cup semi-final, a league record 5,518 in an Isthmian League Premier Division match against Farnborough and 6,870 for an FA Cup first round match against Woking. The Hampshire Chronicle has reported on Aldershot Town's rivalry with Woking as the "feistiest derby in English football".[49]
Aldershot’s main rivals considered by supporters are Reading which is a rivalry carried on from the previous club. Games are rare between the two because of the difference in league status. The last meeting was a friendly in 2001 that resulted in multiple arrests.
Aldershot also has a friendly relationship and close ties with "sister club" Badshot Lea. The two annually hold pre-season fixtures against each other.
Honours
League
Cup
- Conference (level 5)
- Champions: 2007–08
- Isthmian League (level 6)
- Champions: 2002–03
- Isthmian League Division One (level 7)
- Champions: 1997–98
- Isthmian League Division Three (level 9)
- Champions: 1992–93
- FA Trophy
- Winners: 2024–25
- Conference League Cup
- Winners: 2007–08
- Hampshire Senior Cup
External links
- The official website of Aldershot Town F.C.
References
- Aldershot Town: Relegated club goes into administration BBC Sport, retrieved 10 November 2014^
- Brighton complete deal for Dixon BBC Sport, 31 January 2008, retrieved 31 January 2008^
- Exeter 1–1 Aldershot BBC Sport, 15 April 2008, retrieved 15 April 2008