As part of our celebrations to commemorate the Club’s 25th anniversary this summer, we are inviting fans to select their all-time Shots XI from 1992-2017.
The team will be announced on Tuesday 1 August, exactly 25 years to the day since The Shots played their first ever game, in the Simpsonair Trophy tournament at Camberley Town’s Krooner Park.
This week we choose two central-midfielders from a particularly tough list of players who have graced the team over a quarter of a century. Please choose your favourites of these stellar candidates and email TWO NAMES to steve.gibbs@theshots.co.uk with SHOTS XI in the subject line. Alternatively, send a tweet to @OfficialShots using #ShotsXI.
There’s also still time to vote for other positions, and select your favourite goalkeeper, right-back, centre-backs, left-back and right-midfielder.
Mark Bentley (1999-2002, 114 apps, 25 goals): The Shots’ 2001 Player of the Year and two-time Hampshire Senior Cup winner was a stylish and dynamic midfielder signed from Enfield by former E’s manager George Borg. Bentley scored a hat-trick in the 2000 Hampshire Cup Final and was a key member of the side which finished second in the Ryman Premier Division. He went on to make 267 Football League appearances, mainly withSouthend United and Gillingham.
Lewis Chalmers (2007-10, 105 apps, 4 goals): Gary Waddock’s first Shots signing in 2007 became the fierce beating heart of our Blue Square Premier championship-winning side. A tigerish box-to-box midfielder with a great long throw, the England C international was named in the 2008 Conference Team of the Year as we also won the Setanta Shield and reached the FA Trophy semi-finals.
Scott Davies (2007-12, 98 apps, 26 goals): Scored typically spectacular goals on both his Shots debut, against Kidderminster Harriers, and Shots Football League debut against Bradford City, and in between fired the stunning 94th minute winner which beat Torquay United on that legendary night at Plainmoor as we chased the Blue Square Premier title. The Republic of Ireland Under 21 international was our top scorer in 2008-09 and thrilled the EBB Stadium with his all-action performances.
Scott Donnelly (2007-12, 94 apps, 20 goals): Exuberant creative midfielder with an eye for a defence-splitting pass who also scored the goals which both secured promotion to the Football League and won our first game in League Two. Scott was then part of the team which reached the League Two Play-Offs in 2010, having scored with a superb 45-yard shot against Cheltenham Town in September of that season, before joining Swansea City.
Ben Harding (2006-11, 186 apps, 12 goals): A skilful midfielder who was ever-present in our Blue Square Premier title-winning season and formed a brilliant partnership with Lewis Chalmers. Ben was named in the 2007-08 Conference Team of the Year, won the Setanta Shield and reached the FA Trophy semi-finals, and became a key member of our League Two squad as we eventually reached the Play-Off semi-finals in 2010.
Danny Holmes (1993-97, 194 apps, 14 goals): A tireless and tricky midfielder renowned for his acrobatic goal celebrations who was part of our team which reached the FA Vase quarter-finals and won promotion to Isthmian League Division One in 1993-94. The Shots’ 1996 Player of the Year, Danny remains in our top ten all-time appearance list.
Adam Miller (2003-04, 53 apps, 12 goals): The subject of a never-ending debate upon his move to Queen’s Park Rangers in November 2004 (the answer was eventually revealed to be £40,000), Miller had that summer been named Non-League Young Player of the Year after helping The Shots reach the Conference Play-Off Final and FA Trophy semi-final, including a stunning long-range strike against Dagenham & Redbridge on Boxing Day 2003.
Mark Molesley (2006-15, 109 apps, 11 goals): Versatile and always 100% committed, Mark enjoyed three spells at the Club which had awarded him his first professional contract in 2006. Scored the replay winner which knocked Portsmouth out of the FA Cup, and also lay some claim to the deflected strike which beat Woking and preserved our Conference status at Kingfield in 2014.
Dave Osgood (1992-97, 167 apps, 38 goals): Our first-ever captain and a midfielder who wore both heart and armband on his sleeve, Ossie won two promotions with The Shots and led us to the FA Vase quarter-finals. Often seen trying to climb into the East Bank whilst exuberantly celebrating a goal, Osgood – the nephew of Chelsea legend Peter – scored our first goals in both FA Cup and FA Trophy.
