The Army and Army FA

Aldershot Town FC is proud to be involved with the Aldershot Garrison with the town being the home of the British Army. Over the years there have been a number of initiatives between the Army and the Army Football Association.

    The Army FA and Aldershot Town FC have worked in partnership at the Aldershot Army Show working together on the Army Sports Control Board Sporting Village.
  • Aldershot Garrison Radio (Richard Wyeth) interview the Aldershot Town Manager every Tuesday with a team, match and club update. A Podcast of news around the club is regularly available on the club website.

  • Aldershot Town are proud to provide their facilities for the Army FA to host the Men's Inter Services Championship versus either the Royal Navy or RAF. This has been in operation since the 2007/08 season. As a result of this all the admission monies taken are donated to charity and this includes the football club official charity, Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice and the Help For Heroes. In total over £3000 has been donated in the recent past.
  • The football club offered the facility of hosting patients from Headley Court at two Football League matches last season which was arranged through the Army FA.
  • The link between the football club and Army FA has enabled a number of our Army FA referees to benefit from attending matches sanctioned by the football club where they have been able to develop their refereeing education.
  • Aldershot Town personnel have attended the Army FA Referees FAMOA Day as special guests including then manager Gary Waddock in April 2009. This enabled a healthy dialogue between referees and Gary looking at both angles, officiating and managing. It was a positive outcome.
  • Aldershot Town offer concessionary admission to military personnel.
  • The Army FA has helped organised training for Aldershot Town whilst the Queens Avenue Playing Fields have been “out of bounds” due to the Army Show.
  • The Army FA has a regular article in Aldershot Town matchday programmes actively promoting football in the Army.
  • The Army Under 23 Development team play Aldershot Town on an annual basis.
  • The Chairman of the football club and Vice President (Jack Rollin) are invited to the annual Army FA Challenge Cup Final staged at the Aldershot Military Stadium.In September 2010 Chairman Kris Machala and Vice Chairman John Leppard were honoured guests at the Army FA Presidents Dinner in appreciation of the tremendous support shown by Aldershot Town FC to the Army.
  • The football club is proud to fly the Army flag at their stadium.
  • The Army FA has representation on the Aldershot Town Football In The Community Committee which is headed by a former Chairman of Army FA football, General Malcolm Wood. Also represented on the committee is the Aldershot Garrison, Rushmoor Borough Council, local community partnerships, Hampshire FA and Pavilion Housing Group.
  • The club have invited soldiers returning from Afghanistan and previously Iraq as honoured guests. The most notable being in October 2007 versus Ebbsfleet United when Chairman John McGinty made a heartfelt speech at half-time in the attendance of the Grenadier Guards and 4GS Medical Regiment soldiers. There was an exchange of plaques and a ceremony conducted by the Club Chaplain, Rev Mike Pusey.


Picture Gallery

Soldiers delivering the match ball prior to Aldershot Town's League 2 play off semi final versus Rotherham United in May 2010 played in front of over 5000 spectators
Aldershot Town support Help For Heroes charity with Kevin Dillon and Anthony Charles
Presentation to Grenadier Guards and 4 GS Med Regiment in 2007
Army Under 23 versus Aldershot Town Youth in 2009-10
Presentation from General Tim Inshaw to John Leppard at Army v Royal Navy match in 2010
Army score versus Royal Navy in 2010
The prestigious Army FA Challenge Cup. The final has been played at the Aldershot Military Stadium since 1888
More Army Inter Service action at Aldershot Town FC
National Anthem at the Army v Navy match in 2010
Army Team with Cadets at 2010 Inter Service match at Aldershot Town FC
SSgt Glen Davidson collects the Southern Counties Cup at Aldershot Town FC in 2010
Colonel Tim Forster of the Aldershot Garrison presenting the new Army flag to General Manager Richard Petty for display
The Army were represented at the memorial service for Chairman John McGinty
Lance Corporal Johnson Beharry was awarded the Victoria Cross for twice saving members of his unit in Iraq. He was an official guest of the club and is pictured here with members of the Aldershot Town Womens team who are sponsored by Army recruiting
Lance Corporal Johnson Beharry is introduced to the Aldershot Town supporters
The club supports the Royal British Legion collection annually at the home of the British Army
The football club were keen to invite a soldier from the local garrison to share in the appointment of Dean Holdsworth as manager in January 2011. Pictured here with Pte Herbert of the 27 RLC.
Army FA Referees supporting Respect FC at a Development evening at the 2010-11 match between Aldershot Town and Barnet
Pte Bianca Ross won the Crossbar Challenge as the Army men and women representative teams were the official guests of the evening in the npower League 2 home match versus Torquay United in March 2011