Aldershot 1-2 Hereford
The Recreation Ground
Att: 3,593 (772 away)
26/04/14
One year ago next week I sat here writing my blog on what I'd witnessed in Rotherham. That was a game that would signal Aldershot returning to Non-League. Over the course of the summer things took a turn for the worse, as the extent of our finances took a calamitous turn. For the next year we battled against things like salvaging a team last minute, 10 points deduction and witnessed some awful football across the league. Oh and nearly losing our football team, again. Last week a derby day victory in Woking (why didn't I take my camera?) meant that we survived a second successive relegation by the skin of our teeth.
With the relative luxury of not worrying about an Aldershot game, for once, I decided that this was probably the best time to grab my camera and document for all *avid* readers of PDM the ground that I've grown up visiting, sparked my passion for football grounds and is probably one of the most significant reasons for me wanting to take the career path that I am choosing. For those that haven't yet clocked on, this stands as ground number 1 on my list. It's the first I was taken too, aged 33 days, and it remains my favourite. Yes, I say that honour goes to Grotenburg in Krefeld most of the time, but in truth The Rec is always omitted. It's a second home and the day it goes will be a very, very sad one for myself and other Aldershot fans.
A trip to The Rec for myself usually begins by rattling past the back of the South Stand on the Ascot express. 5 minutes from the station, the ground is easy to get to. Particularly on night games, with the looming floodlights visible for quite a distance around. The entrances for home fans are found backing onto the high street, after passing through you can walk up one of three hills into the stands. The furthest right curves up towards the 'Hot Shot Cafe' and the 'Slab'. The Slab is a small uncovered terrace. It's in here that I have my earliest memories of going to football, having kick-abouts on the path leading under the South Stand. The South Stand is a Wooden structure that affords the best views of the match action. Underneath it is a social club, formerly the changing rooms.
Head under the South Stand and you continue to walk up a hill, into the terrace that is famous throughout the country. The East Bank is by far the largest stand in the ground, and admired by most. The Barrel roof is the reason for this, despite numerous pools obstructing views. Anyone that goes to the Rec will comment on the atmosphere that can be generated due to being shared between home and away fans. It's in here that the most vociferous fans stand, and displays like the one today are shown.
Follow the terrace round you get to where we at PDM stand. Affectionately known as the North Bank it's the terrace closest to the East Bank. While the atmosphere isn't as lively as the East Bank it's where all the familiar faces go. Next to us is more seating, commonly occupied by the Directors, with more terracing the other side of this. Behind the North Stand is the 'new' changing room complex along with two more bars. The High Street end features the only main changes to the ground in all the years that all of us have been attending. To comply with Football League regulations (a load of good they are!) a green security hut thing was added, along with an at-cost stand which has been designated as the community stand.
Despite Aldershot having little to play for in this game, the same can not be said for Hereford United. Off the pitch they're in dire straights, balancing on the edge of oblivion. On the pitch, well, they're weren't fairing much better either. Going into the game they lurched top of the bottom four facing relegation to the Conference North. Only a win and a Chester slip up would save them. In the Bulls flocked and fingernails were chewed. God knows what they were all thinking on 87 minutes when not only were they drawing, but Chester were winning. Little would have believed that within the next 2 minutes they'd go from certain relegation, to (former Shot) Michael Rankine scoring and the Salisbury getting an equaliser. Except, that is exactly what happened, and it sent the visitors delirious. A dramatic game it was, and I'm glad for Hereford as I prefer trips to Edgar Street as opposed to the Deva Stadium.
While some will look at this season for Aldershot and wonder why I've enjoyed it so much, it really has been a roller coaster. Sure it's tested my patience at times, but I've enjoyed every second since my first game in Southport all those months ago.
Roll on August 9th for it all to start again!
With the relative luxury of not worrying about an Aldershot game, for once, I decided that this was probably the best time to grab my camera and document for all *avid* readers of PDM the ground that I've grown up visiting, sparked my passion for football grounds and is probably one of the most significant reasons for me wanting to take the career path that I am choosing. For those that haven't yet clocked on, this stands as ground number 1 on my list. It's the first I was taken too, aged 33 days, and it remains my favourite. Yes, I say that honour goes to Grotenburg in Krefeld most of the time, but in truth The Rec is always omitted. It's a second home and the day it goes will be a very, very sad one for myself and other Aldershot fans.
A trip to The Rec for myself usually begins by rattling past the back of the South Stand on the Ascot express. 5 minutes from the station, the ground is easy to get to. Particularly on night games, with the looming floodlights visible for quite a distance around. The entrances for home fans are found backing onto the high street, after passing through you can walk up one of three hills into the stands. The furthest right curves up towards the 'Hot Shot Cafe' and the 'Slab'. The Slab is a small uncovered terrace. It's in here that I have my earliest memories of going to football, having kick-abouts on the path leading under the South Stand. The South Stand is a Wooden structure that affords the best views of the match action. Underneath it is a social club, formerly the changing rooms.
Head under the South Stand and you continue to walk up a hill, into the terrace that is famous throughout the country. The East Bank is by far the largest stand in the ground, and admired by most. The Barrel roof is the reason for this, despite numerous pools obstructing views. Anyone that goes to the Rec will comment on the atmosphere that can be generated due to being shared between home and away fans. It's in here that the most vociferous fans stand, and displays like the one today are shown.
Follow the terrace round you get to where we at PDM stand. Affectionately known as the North Bank it's the terrace closest to the East Bank. While the atmosphere isn't as lively as the East Bank it's where all the familiar faces go. Next to us is more seating, commonly occupied by the Directors, with more terracing the other side of this. Behind the North Stand is the 'new' changing room complex along with two more bars. The High Street end features the only main changes to the ground in all the years that all of us have been attending. To comply with Football League regulations (a load of good they are!) a green security hut thing was added, along with an at-cost stand which has been designated as the community stand.
Despite Aldershot having little to play for in this game, the same can not be said for Hereford United. Off the pitch they're in dire straights, balancing on the edge of oblivion. On the pitch, well, they're weren't fairing much better either. Going into the game they lurched top of the bottom four facing relegation to the Conference North. Only a win and a Chester slip up would save them. In the Bulls flocked and fingernails were chewed. God knows what they were all thinking on 87 minutes when not only were they drawing, but Chester were winning. Little would have believed that within the next 2 minutes they'd go from certain relegation, to (former Shot) Michael Rankine scoring and the Salisbury getting an equaliser. Except, that is exactly what happened, and it sent the visitors delirious. A dramatic game it was, and I'm glad for Hereford as I prefer trips to Edgar Street as opposed to the Deva Stadium.
While some will look at this season for Aldershot and wonder why I've enjoyed it so much, it really has been a roller coaster. Sure it's tested my patience at times, but I've enjoyed every second since my first game in Southport all those months ago.
Roll on August 9th for it all to start again!