This article is part of the ‘League Preview’ series, in which every day we take a detailed look at one of Aldershot Town’s 23 prospective opponents for the upcoming National League season.
Today’s focus is a club who boast two league titles in the last three seasons, and held Tottenham Hotspur to a draw in January, Tamworth FC.
Founded in 1933, ‘the Lambs’ have spent their entire existence as a non-league club, and at present, are one of just three teams in this season’s Enterprise National League to operate as a semi-professional outfit, making their league finish of 10th last campaign all the more impressive.
Their resourcefulness in recruitment can be exemplified by manager Andy Peaks, who despite leading the club from step three to one in his first two full-seasons with the club, only went full-time in February of this year, having shared his time as a support worker prior.
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Where is Tamworth?
The town of Tamworth is situated in the south east of Staffordshire, bordering Warwickshire and 14 miles north of Birmingham. With a population of roughly 79,000, Tamworth is the second largest settlement in its county. Approximately 135 miles from the EBB Stadium, this 2h 44m journey will mark Aldershot’s twelfth-closest away trip of the upcoming league season.
The Lambs are one of four professional teams in Staffordshire, alongside Stoke City, Burton Albion and Port Vale. Their closest rivals in this season’s Enterprise National League are Solihull Moors, with just 17 miles separating the two sides.
Tamworth play their home matches at the uncoincidentally named Lamb Ground, located in the town’s district of Kettlebrook. Purpose built for the club’s use, the ground has been the uninterrupted home of football in Tamworth since it opened its doors in 1934. With a capacity of 4,065, it is the third-smallest ground in this season’s National League.
Tamworth finished the 2024/25 season with an average league attendance of 1,306, the fifth-lowest among teams currently competing in the division.
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Recent history and club highlights
Relegated from the Football Conference in 2014, the side endured a difficult four-year stint in the sixth-tier, before an even longer tenure in the Southern Premier following further demotion. However, in 2022, they began an impressive two-year resurgence that saw them climb back to the summit of non-league.
2024/25 – National League (10th)
2023/24 – NL North (1st, Promoted)
2022/23 – Southern Premier C (1st, Promoted)
2021/22 – Southern Premier C (10th)
2020/21 – Southern Premier C (5th*)
2019/20 – Southern Premier C (1st*)
2018/19 – Southern Premier C (12th)
2017/18 – NL North (21st, Relegated)
2016/17 – NL North (9th)
2015/16 – NL North (7th)
The Lambs were set to achieve promotion in 2019/20, going into late-March atop the table, though a curtailed football season at the hands of COVID-19 rendered efforts in vain. After completing the rare achievement of successive league titles.
It would be the appointment of Andy Peaks in February 2022 that would see fortunes truly turn for the better, as in his first two full seasons with the club, he would lead them to both Southend Premier Central and National League North titles with a combined points per game of 2.1.
While the side didn’t quite manage to continue their league-winning form into the National League, they did manage to grab the country’s attention in 2024/25 during their sensational run in the FA Cup. Beating Macclesfield, Huddersfield Town and county rivals Burton Albion before the turn of the year, they excitedly not only welcomed Tottenham Hotspur to the Lamb Ground in January 2025, but managed to hold them to a 0-0 draw after 90 minutes. Unfortunately, had this occurred any season prior, this feat would have earned the side a financially lucrative return fixture in North London, though the recent abolition of replays took the game to extra-time, where the side eventually succumbed to a 3-0 defeat. This misfortunately timed ruling was estimated to have cost the club in excess of £1 million, though from a purely footballing perspective, the normal-time result will be remembered extremely fondly for generations to come.
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Pre-season, incoming transfers and other news
At time of writing, Tamworth have made 10 first team signings.
| Player | Pos. | Age | Arriving from… | Highest level played |
| Manny Duku | CF | 32 | Solihull Moors | League Two (Cheltenham) |
| Joe Riley | CM | 28 | Fylde | League One (Sheffield Utd.) |
| Alfie Bates | CM | 24 | Brackley | League Two (Walsall) |
| Stefan Mols | CM | 26 | Curzon Ashton | NL North (Curzon) |
| Harvey Sayer | LM | 22 | Lowestoft | League Two (Colchester) |
| Kwaku Donkor | RB | 20 | Blackpool U21 | NL South (Havant) |
| Reuben Wyatt | CM | 19 | Northampton | NL South (St. Albans) |
| Tyler Roberts | RM | 21 | AFC Fylde | League Two (Doncaster) |
| Joe Rye | CB | 21 | Barnet | National League (Barnet) |
| Oliver Lynch | CF | 20 | Luton U21 | NL South (Hemel) |
A busy window has so far seen a healthy mix of players of varying experience join the Lambs’ returning squad. The most notable of these additions is perhaps midfielder Joe Riley, who made two cup appearances for Manchester United in February 2016, including a solitary start against FC Midtjylland in the Europa League, which despite impressing in a 5-1 win, was somewhat overshadowed by a two goal debut from an 18-year-old Marcus Rashford.
Tamworth’s bumper pre-season schedule, which included a convincing win against Aston Villa U21, was as follows:
Lichfield 0-1 Tamworth (05/07)
Quorn 1-1 Tamworth (08/07)
Worksop Town 0-3 Tamworth (12/07)
Banbury United 0-1 Tamworth (15/07)
Tamworth 0-2 AFC Barrow (19/07)
Tamworth 3-2 Stoke U21 (22/07)
Tamworth 5-0 Fleetwood U21 (26/07)
Tamworth 3-0 Aston Villa U21 (29/07)
Leamington 2-1 Tamworth (02/08)
With preparations concluding with a narrow loss in Warwickshire, Tamworth will begin their league campaign hosting one of the division’s newcomers, welcome Scunthorpe United on Saturday, 9th August.
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When will Aldershot and Tamworth play each other?
Following the release of the National League fixture list, the Shots will host Tamworth on Saturday, 18th October, while Tommy Widdrington’s men will be spending Valentines day in Staffordshire on Saturday, 14th February.
Their opening tie against the Lambs will mark 22 years to the day since the sides first met, where the side played out a thrilling score-draw October 2003. The visiting Shots were heavy favourites coming into the tie, though required a pair of late goals from Roscoe D’Sane and Jamie Taylor to rescue a point from 3-1 down in Kettlebrook.
Since then the clubs have met a further 14 times, and there couldn’t be less separating the two…
Games played: 15
Aldershot wins: 5
Tamworth wins: 5
Draws: 5
Aggregate score: 29-25
Record Shots victory: 6-0 (2013)
Record Tamworth victory: 2-0 (2005)
The sides last met in January, where a visiting Tamworth claimed a point at the EBB Stadium. Four second half goals were shared equally, and it was a day to remember for center-half Luca Woodhouse, who not only assisted Jack Barham for 1-1, but also headed a late equaliser.
