David Puckett returns to Aldershot for Barnet game
Christmas guest to be former striker
Aldershot Town FC are delighted to inform supporters that the club's guest for this Saturday's Boxing Day game at home to Barnet FC will be prolific striker from the 1980's and 90's, David Puckett.
David is fondly remembered by Shots fans as one of the loyal band of players who remained with Aldershot FC until the bitter end, despite not being paid for several months.
Southampton-born David began his football career with his home town club in 1980 and spent a happy six years at The Dell. He made 94 appearances for The Saints, scoring 14 goals before moving along the south coast to AFC Bournemouth in 1986. He had three years at Dean Court, adding 35 appearances and 14 goals to his career total. David also had short loan spells at Stoke City (7 appearances, 0 goals) and Swansea City (8/3) whilst with the Cherries.
David arrived at The Recreation Ground halfway through the 1988/89 season and immediately became a crowd favourite with his clinical finishing and hard work ethic. His Shots debut came in a 1-1 draw at Southend on 28th January 1989, but it was his home debut against Northampton Town which really endeared him to fans as he hit a hat-trick in a 5-1 Aldershot win.
Despite only being with the club for less than half of the season, Dave finished as the club's top scorer with 11 goals from his 21 games.
Dave started the following season in the same fashion, hitting another hat-trick in a 6-2 League Cup win over Peterborough United. He was an ever-present in The Shots team that season, again finishing as the club's top scorer with 22 goals from his 54 games, a record which brought him the club's player of the year award.
He continued in the same vein the following season, again as an ever-present, and again finishing as the club's top scorer with 26 goals in 55 games.
In the club's final, unfinished season, 1991/2, David managed seven goals in 32 games, again standing as top scorer as the club went to the wall in March 1992. David then returned to one of his former clubs, AFC Bournemouth for a few months before going into the non-league game with Woking.
In his four seasons with Aldershot, Dave top scored in all of them. He notched a total of 66 goals in his 162 games for the club and stands 9th in the club's list of all time record goalscorers. Since retiring from playing, Dave has remained in the game and is currently Academy director at another of his former clubs, Southampton.
We are delighted to welcome Dave and his wife Theresa to this weekend's game and hope that they have an enjoyable day. Dave will be introduced on the pitch at half-time.
