Aldershot Town Football Club - Recreation Ground

Recreation Ground, High Street, Aldershot, Hampshire, England, GU11 1TW

Enquiries:

01252-20211

Fax:

01252-324347

Official Website:

www.shotsweb.co.uk

Nick Name:

Shots

Our Impressions of Recreation Ground

The Rec is an ex-Football League ground of character and can hold 7,500 fans comfortably (as it did against Brighton in the televised FA Cup tie in December 2000) in fact the capacity can be increased to 10,000 where required. Over 19,000 have crammed into The Rec in days gone by for a match against Manchester United. The East Bank terrace, haunt of the vociferous younger home fans, has one of the finest examples of barreled terrace roofing.

Average gates are around 2,500 and the atmosphere is always one to savour. The Aldershot fans have lost one football club in distressing fashion, so passion and demand for positive results is in no short supply as the Shots battle their way back to football league status. For key games the 2,000 plus fans can swell upwards - over 5,000 for the local derby games against Farnborough and Woking - and the noise in the ground often sounds more like twice the actual number and can be intimidating for visiting sides.

The Recreation Ground has cover on three sides. Spectators enter at the ground via the High Street end - the only end without cover. The North Stand (where the occupants are famously harsh on poor performances, both from Home and Away sides) holds seating and terracing along with the dugouts, the players tunnel and club offices.

Opposite this on the railway side of the ground is the South Stand (Family Stand) this houses the Social Club and bar. Away fans are now allocated an area in the South Stand and a small terrace to the right (see below). Behind the far goal is the famous East Bank. It is a massive barreled stand with a capacity of over 4,000.

The summer of 2003 saw a change for away supporters. With the construction of new turnstiles they are now allocated an area nearest the front of the ground. This amounts to a small section of open terrace that can hold 500 with 250 adjacent covered seats. If an away following is expected to be larger than this area alternative arrangements can be made using half of the East Bank (as in the 'old' Ryman league days). Away fans in the new arrangement are well catered for having exclusive access to Wally's Bar (the old social club).

Above data supplied by Robin From Shots Web

Directions to Recreation Ground

By Road

From M3 Junction 4

Take A331 towards Aldershot. Exit at Aldershot and take the A323 towards Aldershot town centre...

From M25 Junction 10

Take A3 towards Guildford. At Guildford, turn off onto the A31 (Hog's Back) leading to Farnham (the exit is on the crest of a hill just past BP garage). From the A31 Hog's Back, take the A331 towards Camberley and turn off at Aldershot (the first exit). Head towards alldershot town centre. Follow the A323 towards Aldershot town centre, and once past Manor Park (on the left) continue on under the bridge. The Recreation Ground is just past the bridge on the right.

From A325 and Fleet

Head into Aldershot and follow the road past Tesco and then straight on through traffic lights and over two roundabouts. The Recreation Ground is on the left just before the bridge.

Local Area around Recreation Ground

Car Parking


Since the club's promotion to the Conference (and the increased gates that has meant) the majority of travelling supporters now use the multi-storey car park in the town opposite Burger King. This is both cheap and secure. Another alternative is the BR car-park. Neither are more than 5 minutes walk away.

There is a small pay and display immediately adjacent to the club - but this gets full very early.

There is limited street parking to be found - but wardens are officious and will give tickets where they can. This is especially relevant to the grass verges adjoining yellow lines. These are classed as illegal areas - and again, you will get a ticket.

Above data supplied by Robin From Shots Web
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