News

Mark Phillips Returns On Loan

Aldershot Town have re-signed defender Mark Phillips on loan from AFC Wimbledon ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup tie at Fratton Park.

32 year-old Phillips, who fractured a metatarsal after just three appearances of his initial loan spell in October, has returned to training earlier than expected and hopes to be involved against Portsmouth. The loan runs up to and including Saturday 6 December.

Manager Andy Scott said: “We’ve kept in touch with Mark – the diagnosis was three-to-four weeks and he said ‘it’s going to be three!’ He was adamant from the start that he wanted to be back as soon as possible.

“He knew that the injury wasn’t as bad as the first time he fractured a metatarsal and has been back running for a week. He’s trained at Wimbledon a couple of times and he feels that his fitness is fine. He’s a key player for us and the opportunity to get him involved in the FA Cup is a big boost to us.”

Phillips, who won the 2008-09 League Two championship under Scott at Brentford, made seven hugely-impressive appearances for The Shots in March and April 2014 as he helped the Club secure their Conference safety. Previously, Phillips was named Southend United’s Player of the Season in 2011-12 and made total of 114 appearances for The Shrimpers, as part of a career spanning over 250 games which has also taken him to Millwall and Darlington.