Aldershot Town have appointed Mark Molesley as First-Team Manager on a deal until the end of the 2022-2023 season.
The 40 year-old former Weymouth and Southend boss will be assisted by the returning Terry Brown and also Tom Prodomo as Assistant Manager, with Brown completing Molesley’s management team in a separate role to Prodomo.
This decision will also see former Assistant Manager Anwar Uddin leave the club too, and we would also like to place on record our sincere thanks to Anwar and his efforts during his time with Aldershot Town too.
Upon his appointment, Mark Molesley said: “I’m delighted to be back at a club that is very close to my heart.
“My dream came true when I became a professional footballer at this club and I would be lying if I never thought of going back to the club as a manager.
“I just think any success I have ever been involved in has been built around great people and speaking to the Chairman and seeing some familiar faces, I know that there’s good people at this football club who want the same things I do.
“My connection with the club is the reason I wanted to come back and I can’t wait to get started.”
Aldershot Town Chairman Shahid Azeem added: “Firstly, we want to thank Danny and Anwar for his commitment to the club during a difficult period as previously mentioned, but despite this, there were successful periods during his tenure too and we are grateful for his efforts.
“But we’re excited for the future with Mark and Terry returning to the club and looking forward to seeing them returning to The EBB Stadium.
“If you look at Mark’s managerial career, he’s had success with Weymouth before, earning him a move to the league and not only that, they’ve been here before on and off the pitch, so they know the history of the football club and they know what it means to the club and also to the supporters too.
“We want everyone to get back supporting the new management team and let’s hope for a successful season.”
Terry Brown said: “I’m absolutely thrilled and excited to be back at The EBB Stadium.
“My role is to work alongside the board to ensure that we have plans in place for our long-term future, I’m delighted to be able to bring Mark Molesley into the management position here.
“He’s an absolutely perfect person for the role here, he’s had successful spells with Bournemouth u23s working his way under Eddie Howe, then having first-team experience and winning promotion with Weymouth into the National League, then took an impossible task at Southend, working in an extremely difficult environment.
“Mark will bring in with him in his own staff, Tom Prodomo who he’s worked with before and that management team is an extremely ambitious team that aspire to be Football League managers in the near future.”
Molesley rejoins the club in a managerial role, having previously become something of a cult hero for The Shots during his playing days, scoring important goals against local rivals Woking FC back in 2014 and the infamous goals that earned Aldershot Town an FA Cup replay back in the same year, before scoring the winner in the replay at The EBB Stadium just 10 days later.
After beginning his managerial career with stints within Bournemouth’s youth systems, Molesley enjoyed great success in charge of now-Vanarama National League side Weymouth FC.
In his first season at the helm, he guided them to the Southern League title, with the side amassing 86 points.
Molesley’s impressive record with The Terras continued, as he guided Weymouth to back-to-back promotions after reaching the Vanarama National League for the first time since the 2008-2009 season, with a 3-0 penalty shoot-out victory over Dartford FC.
The former Shots midfielder’s managerial performances earned him a job in the League with Southend United but after difficult circumstances, left the club seven months later.
Molesley is joined by a familar face for Aldershot Town fans in Terry Brown, who previously managed The Shots between 2002-2007 and is now back with The Shots as a member of his backroom staff.
Brown ended up winning the league by a clear 13 points from nearest rivals Canvey Island in his second season in charge.
Brown and his players had an impressive first Conference National season by qualifying for the end-of-season play-offs. Aldershot Town beat favourites Hereford United on penalties before finally succumbing to Shrewsbury Town in the final on penalties.
The following season, now armed with a full-time squad, Brown equalled the achievements of the previous season by again qualifying for the play-offs. However, his team went down to another penalty-shoot-out defeat, this time to Carlisle United, despite leading 3–1 at one point in spot kicks.
Brown has also had previous success with AFC Wimbledon, having led the Dons to the Football League for the first time in the club’s history, beating Luton Town 4–3 on penalties after a 0–0 draw in the Conference play-off final. Brown led them to safety in their first year in the Football League.
Welcome (Back) to the Club Mark and Terry!
