Aldershot
Formed 1926
Elected to Division Three (South) 1932. Resigned 1992
Kit History
1926-1939 a
1944-1948 a
1948-1952 a
1952-1954 a
1954-1956 a
1956-1960 a
1960-1961 a
1961-1962 a
1962-1963 a
1963-1970 a
1970-1972 a
1977-1981 a
1981-1984 a
1984-1985 a c
1985-1986 a
1986-1988 a c
1988-1989 a c
1989-1991 a b
1991-1992 a c
Background
Aldershot were formed when
Jack White, a sports journalist working for a national newspaper who had
moved into the area, persuaded council officials that the garrison town
needed a professional football club. The following season (1927-28) Aldershot
were admitted to the Southern League (East Section) and began their campaign
for admittance to the Football League. In 1930, the club won the Southern
League Championship and two years later they were admitted to the Football
League. Up until the Second World War, the team appears to have played in conventional claret and light blue shirts. During the war, when the team benefitted from numerous guest players who were stationed at Aldershot Barracks, they switched to red and blue, a colour scheme closely associated with the Army.
Further success was, however, elusive to say the least and "The Shots" languished in Division Three (South). After the war there was no improvement and it was not until 1973 that the club won promotion for the first time, finishing fourth in Division Four.
During the 1980s Aldershot faced financial hardship and in March 1992 they were wound up by order of the High Court. As a result they became the first club since Accrington Stanley to resign from the League during the course of a season.
Within a few months a new club, Aldershot Town FC was formed. Playing in the traditional red and blue of their predecessors, Town joined the Isthmian League Third Division. By the new millennium they had climbed into the National Conference and in April 2008 they were promoted to the Football League as Conference champions.
Sources
- (a) aldershotfc.has.it An exceptional site that features rare team and action photographs of Aldershot created by Mark Elliott.
- (b) David King
- (c) jumpers4goalposts.com