Aldershot Town have re-signed midfielder James Rowe on a one-year contract.
The 26-year-old made 43 appearances for The Shots in 2017-18, and has featured in all three pre-season friendlies during July, scoring with a superb 25-yard strike against Wealdstone on Saturday.
Rowe began his career in the Southampton and Reading Academies, and enjoyed loan spells at Oxford City, Basingstoke Town and Lewes before signing for Forest Green Rovers in August 2011. Two seasons at The New Lawn brought almost 50 appearances for Rowe, and, upon his release in 2013, saw him earn a contract with League One Tranmere Rovers.
After 18 months at Prenton Park, in which he made 36 appearances, Rowe joined Cheltenham Town and was part of The Robins’ side which won the National League title in 2015-16. He then made a further 38 appearances in League Two in 2016-17.
“I spoke to the gaffer over the summer and we came to a mutual decision that I’d like to come back to the Club,” explained Rowe. “We spoke about having unfinished business and how we want to get the Club back to where it belongs, in the Football League, so that’s our aim. Last season we fell short at the final hurdle, and as a player that hurts, so we want finish the job off this season.
“It’s a good Club, good fans and a good set of players, and the way the gaffer likes to play suits me down to a tee, so there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.
“I was playing through a knee injury (at the end of last season), and that was frustrating for me, because I couldn’t give it my all. But now I’m back fresh this season and here to give it a right go.”
