Recreation Ground - Aldershot Town FC
Aldershot Town 0-0 Weymouth
22/04/08 - Blue Square Premier
Att: 5,980
After 16 years in the non-league wilderness, Aldershot Town had finally secured promotion back to the Football League with a 1-1 draw at Exeter a week earlier and this was set to be a night of celebration, as nearly 6,000 fans packed into The Rec to see the champions lift the Blue Square Premier trophy.
Getting off the train at Aldershot station the floodlights are clearly visible and the ground is only a five minute walk. Located near the town centre there are plenty of pubs and places to eat around within walking distance, which is always a positive for any football ground. Football has been played on this ground ever since football started being played in Aldershot back in 1926 and has remained largely unchanged over the last 60 years or so, with most parts of the ground looking the same today as they have since it was built.
As you enter the turnstiles the first end you come to is the High Street End, where no stand has ever been built and as a result there is nothing but a path running behind the goal. Supporters used to be able to gather here, but Football League rules wouldn't allow it, so this area of the ground is now closed. On one side is the South Stand, which features two open terrace areas either side of a seated stand, which offers the best view in the ground and looks a lot newer than it actually is, being built in 1929. On the opposite side is the North Stand, which runs along the length of the pitch, featuring seats in the middle part and with terracing either end. At the other end of the ground is the East Bank, which is a large covered terrace which holds over 4,000 fans. It's barrel shaped roof allows a great atmosphere to be created and this stand is shared with the away supporters, who are allocated the south side of the terrace. With plenty of trees visible around the ground it creates a really picturesque setting in an old fashioned football ground that oozes character.
With the hard work done, it was party time and there was an excellent atmosphere amongst the large home support. In truth, the match was an afterthought with everyone looking forward to the post match celebrations, as well as a host of former players making an appearance at half time. It's probably for the best that there were other distractions, as frankly, the game was awful and not a great deal happened. Aldershot should have broken the deadlock in the second half after being awarded a penalty, but John Grant's effort hit the post. It finished goalless, a result that delighted the small band of travelling fans as the point secured their Blue Square Premier survival. It was also a point that made The Shots the first team to ever get over the 100 point mark in non-league's top flight.
After the match came the moment we'd all waited for, with the Blue Square Premier trophy being awarded to Rhys Day. It was a great moment and fully deserved after a season that went better than anyone could ever imagine. Gary Waddock worked a miracle in his first season in charge and Aldershot Town were back where the fans feel the club rightfully belongs.
While it's only got 3 sides, pillars block your view of the match, it only holds 7,000 and can be a bit rubbish in places, I absolutely adore this ground. It's where I've grown up watching football, it's a unique place and in all my travels I've never found anywhere else quite like it. Every stand in the ground has plenty of character about it and with 4 huge floodlights in each corner it creates a classic venue which I'd recommend anyone to visit while it's still standing. If I had my way, the whole place would be a listed building.
Looking towards the High Street End
The South Stand
Looking across the East Bank
The East Bank
The East Bank
The North Stand
Panoramic view of The Recreation Ground
