Club History - Part 3 Seasons 2002-04

On Wednesday 20th March 2002 - 10 years to the day since Aldershot FC played its last ever league fixture - after a lengthy and painstaking interview and selection process, Aldershot Town FC appointed its fourth manager.

Another Londoner, Terry Brown, arrived at the Recreation Ground from Conference side Hayes after a nine year spell in charge at the Middlesex club.

He had managed to take Hayes from the brink of relegation from the Isthmian Premier Division through to third position in the Conference, just six points behind champions Cheltenham Town in 1999.

It was a difficult call for Brown who was a former Hayes player but small attendances at Church Road ensured that he was always forced to sell his best players, including Premier League striker Jason Roberts.

With the best days at Hayes behind him he applied for the Aldershot job and was selected for the job ahead of 50 other candidates. His recruitment proved to be a shrewd piece of work fro the Board of Directors.

The first move from the former Wokingham Town striker, who remains the record goal scorer for the Berkshire club, proved a popular choice with Shots supporters as he retained the services of Stuart Cash who had done a sterling job in steadying the ship as Caretaker Manager after the departure of George Borg.

An experimental end of the campaign saw plenty of players used as preparation had already started for the following season.

It did, however, end with a positive sign as a Stafford Browne hat-trick secured the Hampshire Senior Cup again with a 3-1 win over Havant & Waterlooville at Southampton's St Mary's Stadium.

During the summer of 2002, Brown set about transforming Aldershot Town.

No fewer than eleven first team players were released or moved on. Slowly Brown brought in players he knew and admired. Eleven new players were signed from the lower reaches of the Football League and the Conference.

With an experienced squad assembled, Brown set about the task of taking Aldershot forward. After a few setbacks and injuries to key players, he steered Aldershot to the top of the table in mid November.

The Shots never relinquished that position despite Canvey Island trying to close the gap.

In April 2003 Over 2400 Shots fans made the journey to Canvey for what was billed as the title decider. A Roscoe D'Sane penalty saw an epic performance rewarded with victory especially after losing the services of key defender Ray Warburton early on. In truth the league title was won in Essex that night but confirmation had to wait a touch longer.

Six days later, after a 5-1 demolition of St Albans City, the Shots travelled to Sutton United needing just one point for the championship.

Another D'Sane goal secured a 1-1 draw and the Shots won promotion to the Conference at the fifth time of asking.

The last game of the season saw 3000 Shots fans head once again to St Mary's as the Shots retained the Hampshire Senior Cup with a 2-1 win over Bashley.

With the 2002-03 season ending in triumph a new chapter in Aldershot's incredible history was about to be written.

The new chapter started at the Recreation Ground in front of Sky Sports cameras and 3,680 supporters as Accrington Stanley became the first side to play Aldershot Town in a national league.

A 2-1 win for the Shots was the perfect start to life among the non-league elite on a special day.

It was a romantic occasion as Accrington were the previous side to lose their Football League status mid season way back in 1962.

The victory was just a taste of things to come as the still part-time side constructed by Terry Brown went on to stay in the play-off positions in the league table for all but three days of the season, surrounded by full-time professional former football league sides.

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 in a hard fought encounter.

More club records tumbled as the side also reached the semi-final of the FA Trophy, losing to eventual winners Hednesford Town and the average attendance for league matches at The Rec ended on a record high of 3,303; the higest at the Rec since the 1978/79 season.

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 red-hot favourites Hereford United, drawing 1-1 at The Rec and 0-0 in the away leg.

Extra time finished without any further score on the Bank Holiday Monday and the tie was concluded on penalties with the Shots winning the shootout 4-2 amid frantic celebratory scenes at Edgar Street.

Aldershot were 90 minutes away from the Football League status that the town had lost in 1992. Shrewsbury Town, relegated from the Football League the previous season, were the opponents in the final. In a build up and atmosphere that Shots supporters will never forget a crowd of approaching 20,000 attended Stoke City's Brittannia Stadium.

Shots took the lead through Aaron Mclean's first half effort and the dream was realistic.

Shrewsbury levelled and took the game to extra time. It was not to be for Aldershot Town as the Shrews returned to the Football League with a 3-0 penalties win.

There had been no real expectations at the start of the season therefore reaching the play off final was a major achievement for Brown, his coaching staff, which now included former Portsmouth and Birmingham City midifelder Martin Kuhl who had served through the ranks at the club, and the players.

Certainly a case of over achievement. One player to depart at the end of this season was local product Jason Chewins.

The defender had spent ten seasons at the club registering 489 appearances; a club record.

Looking to consolidate on an outstanding season that had exceeded all expectations, the Board of Directors met with Terry Brown on Monday 24th May 2004.

The meeting saw the club officers take the historic decision to convert Aldershot Town to full-time professional status from 1st July 2004.

The decision was taken into consideration with the realisation that the majority of the clubs in the Conference were full time outfits.

For the first time since March 1992 the town of Aldershot once again had a professional football team.