AFC Totton
Save money by Buying Tickets Online - Tickets are also available via the Club Shop upon arrival.
NATIONAL LEAGUE SIDE ALDERSHOT TOWN will provide the opposition for AFC Totton’s fourth pre-season friendly ahead of the big kick-off for the 2023/24 season. So, let’s find out a bit about them…
THE BASICS
Aldershot Town Football Club was formed as a phoenix club that arose from the ashes of debt-ridden Fourth Division club Aldershot FC in 1992. They inherited the previous club’s nickname of ‘The Shots’ and their home ground, the 7,100-capacity Recreation Ground, which for naming rights purposes is now known as the EBB Stadium.
HAVE THEY GENERALLY BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THE LEAGUE?
Initially placed in the Isthmian League Third Division, it took Aldershot Town just 10 seasons to work their way back to the Football Conference. Over the subsequent five seasons, they were beaten in the Promotion Play-Offs twice, before the former Queens Park Rangers midfielder Gary Waddock steered them to back into the Football League via the Conference National League and Cup double in 2007/08. They remained in League Two for five years, before being relegated back into non-league football and entering administration in May 2013. Shahid Azeem, the current owner, led a consortium that successfully rescued the club from debts of a reported £1.4 million on 01 August 2013.
HOW DID THEY GET ON LAST SEASON?
The Shots changed manager twice during the course of last season. Mark Molesley had made a promising start to the campaign with some big wins early on, but a loss of form culminated in Aldershot Town being eliminated from the 4th Qualifying Round of the FA Cup by Chelmsford Town of the National League South. Ross McNeilly was appointed as Molesley’s successor but, despite a good start to his tenure, the team dropped close to the relegation zone and he was also dismissed, before the new manager took them to 18th in the National League table to ensure their safety.
WHAT ABOUT CUP COMPETITIONS?
Not much joy was had in the cups last season for The Shots, but in the relatively short history of the relaunched club, they have to date acquired five Hampshire Senior Cup titles, two Isthmian League Charity Shields and an Isthmian League Cup, as well as the 2007/08 Conference League Cup (or Setanta Shield to use its posh name) already mentioned above.
HAVE AFC TOTTON PLAYED THEM RECENTLY?
Aldershot Town fought back from two early goals to level 2-2 just before the break in a pre-season friendly at the Snows Stadium almost exactly a year ago. A third-minute strike by Ethan Taylor and a close-range header from Scott Rendell, against one of his several former clubs, just five minutes later had The Stags flying high within the first 10 minutes of the encounter. But an Archie Davies goal and a terrific free-kick by Joe Partington, who has recently departed the EBB Stadium for pastures new, tied the two teams at the break and neither was able to find a winner in the second-half.
EX-SHOT, FORMER STAG: Striker Brett Williams has played for both clubs.
DO WE HAVE ANY CURRENT OR FORMER PLAYERS IN COMMON?
Powerful midfielder Jordan Ngalo left the Snows Stadium to join Aldershot Town in early-2022. Ex-Stags favourite Brett Williams (pictured above) scored 39 goals in 89 league games for The Shots between 2013 and 2015, including 24 in the 2013/14 season alone to ensure they avoided relegation. AFC Totton’s top goal-scorer and divisional Golden Boot winner of last season Scott Rendell notched 32 goals in 111 league appearances for Aldershot Town, between 2016 and 2019.
WHO IS THEIR MANAGER NOW?
Former Southampton midfielder Tommy Widdrington arrived at the EBB Stadium from King’s Lynn Town on April Fool’s Day and managed to guide Aldershot Town to National League safety. This summer, working with his Assistant Manager Richard Dryden, another ex-Saint, he has been striving to make significant improvements to his playing squad. Among them is the signing of his own son, Theo Widdrington, from King’s Lynn.
STAGS STAT
AFC Totton scored 16 goals and conceded only one in their first three pre-season games against Baffins Milton Rovers, Volta Sports and Totton & Eling. The Sunburnt Assassin Scott Rendell is currently tied with new recruit Alfie Stanley as joint top scorer on four goals each.
WHEN AND WHERE IS THE GAME?
On Saturday 15 July 2023 at the Snows Stadium, Totton SO40 2RW. Kick-off is at 3:00pm.
CAN I BUY TICKETS?
You can purchase tickets online or in the Club Shop upon arrival.
By Ben Rochey-Adams
Image courtesy of Craig Hobbs Photography
