Tommy Willard has become the latest player to join the esteemed list of Shots centurions after making his 100th Shots appearance in Saturday’s defeat to Hartlepool.
Willard came through the youth ranks at Southampton before moving to Barnsley to sign his first professional contract where he had a successful couple of seasons; but failing to break into the first-team, he returned south and joined the Shots.
He enjoyed a prolific first season with Aldershot’s under 21s and earned a professional contract for the 21/22 season where he would make his professional debut on the opening day of the Vanarama National League season in a 2-0 defeat to Chesterfield at the EBB Stadium.
It wouldn’t take long for Willard to find his first Shots goal as he scored in a 2-1 away win at Dover Athletic to score the first of his nine Shots goals as he would add another three to his tally for his first season in the 35 appearances he made.
Willard was a key part of Mark Molesley’s squad and was awarded a new two-year contract in March 2022.
And even with a couple of managerial changes throughout the 22/23 season, Willard continued to be a key man for the Shots as he made 38 appearances and scored five goals, including a purple patch at the end of October ’22 as he scored four in a row at the start of Ross McNeilly’s tenure.
A loan to Farnborough at the end of the 22/23 season would only be short-lived as Tommy Widdrington’s reign began and recalling the youngster was one of his first moves as Willard returned to the Shots for the final three games and played a key role in aiding Vanarama National League survival.
This season, Willard’s 27th appearance of the 23/24 season at Hartlepool on Saturday was his 100th for Aldershot Town at just 23-years-old. Despite a short spell out on loan with Worthing, Willard was a key part of the incredible FA Cup run, ending with an appearance at the Hawthorns against Championship West Brom.
As our latest centurion, Tommy Willard has worked his way into the Shots history books and everyone at the club is immensely proud of Tommy’s hard work and determination throughout his Shots career so far!
