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Recreation Ground (Aldershot)
Encyclopedia
Football has been played at The Recreation Ground in Aldershot since 1927 when Aldershot Town
(later renamed as just Aldershot) was founded. The ground hosted League football between 1932 and 1992 when Aldershot
were members of the football league. Its current tenants Aldershot Town
have used the ground since forming in 1992 and since the 2008-09 season, the ground has once again hosted league football.
The ground currently has a capacity of 7,100, though the record attendance at the ground is 19,138, recorded when Aldershot played Carlisle United on 28 January 1970 in an FA Cup
replay. The ground is affectionately known as 'The Rec' though for sponsorship reasons its official name is now The EBB Stadium at the Recreation Ground. As of November 2011, Aldershot have entered a competition between several clubs to win £100,000 to refurbish their toilet facilities at the Recreation Ground and are actively seeking votes from supporters.
The capacity of the ground was reduced at the end of the 2007-2008 season to 7,100. This includes a total away allocation of 1,100 of which around 250 is seated. The capacity was previously set at 7,500, however promotion to the Football League meant changes were introduced which resulted in the capacity being reduced.
Approximate Capacity Breakdown:
Total: 7,100
record a 2-1 victory over Norwich City
on the day of its opening.The club's last game there was in the Football League Fourth Division
against Lincoln City
on 14 March 1992 - 11 days before their demise. However, one more competitive game did follow for the club - against Cardiff City
, also in the league, at Ninian Park
.
, The Recreation Ground remained without any tenants. Aldershot Town
were formed soon after and consequently chose to adopt the Recreation Ground as their home.
and Aldershot Town F.C.
directors. There is also a conference room and bar adjacent to the offices and behind the North stand which was built in the early 2000s. Originally it was used as a bar for supporters on matchdays until the club acquired the Black Bull Inn during the 2007-2008 season. As a result it is mainly used for corporate hospitality.
The stand itself features a combination of Terracing and Seating:
was formed. It has remained fairly untouched over the past 70 years, although an increase in ground safety regulations (especially after the Taylor report
has meant that some minor work has been carried out in order for the stand to remain in use.
Either side of the stand are open terraces. Of which one is used by home fans - the south west terrace (known amongst fans as "The Slab") - and the other used by away fans.
and the Recreation Ground hold the following attendance records in certain leagues or cup competitions.
Aldershot F.C.
Aldershot Football Club was an English Football League club, which was wound up in the High Court in March 1992. They became the first Football League club since Accrington Stanley to resign from the League during the course of a season. The club was nicknamed the Shots for both the last syllable...
(later renamed as just Aldershot) was founded. The ground hosted League football between 1932 and 1992 when Aldershot
Aldershot F.C.
Aldershot Football Club was an English Football League club, which was wound up in the High Court in March 1992. They became the first Football League club since Accrington Stanley to resign from the League during the course of a season. The club was nicknamed the Shots for both the last syllable...
were members of the football league. Its current tenants Aldershot Town
Aldershot Town F.C.
Aldershot Town Football Club is an association football club based in Aldershot, Hampshire, England, founded in the spring of 1992 just after the closure of debt-ridden Fourth Division club Aldershot Football Club...
have used the ground since forming in 1992 and since the 2008-09 season, the ground has once again hosted league football.
The ground currently has a capacity of 7,100, though the record attendance at the ground is 19,138, recorded when Aldershot played Carlisle United on 28 January 1970 in an FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
replay. The ground is affectionately known as 'The Rec' though for sponsorship reasons its official name is now The EBB Stadium at the Recreation Ground. As of November 2011, Aldershot have entered a competition between several clubs to win £100,000 to refurbish their toilet facilities at the Recreation Ground and are actively seeking votes from supporters.
Current Capacity
Approximate Capacity Breakdown:
- South Side: 1,380
- East Bank: 4,180
- North Stand: 1,540
- High Street End: 0
Total: 7,100
History of the Recreation Ground
The Aldershot F.C. Era
Aldershot F.C. adopted the "Rec" as their home ground upon formation in December 1926. The Recreation Ground was owned by the local council and situated on Aldershot High Street. The first stand, the south stand, was opened at the beginning of the 1929-1930 season and still remains today. A crowd of 3,522 witnessed the shotsAldershot F.C.
Aldershot Football Club was an English Football League club, which was wound up in the High Court in March 1992. They became the first Football League club since Accrington Stanley to resign from the League during the course of a season. The club was nicknamed the Shots for both the last syllable...
record a 2-1 victory over Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
on the day of its opening.The club's last game there was in the Football League Fourth Division
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
against Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
on 14 March 1992 - 11 days before their demise. However, one more competitive game did follow for the club - against Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
, also in the league, at Ninian Park
Ninian Park
Ninian Park was a football stadium in Leckwith, Cardiff, Wales. Until 2009, it was the home ground of Cardiff City F.C., who compete in the English Football League Championship...
.
The Aldershot Town F.C. Era
After the demise of Aldershot F.C.Aldershot F.C.
Aldershot Football Club was an English Football League club, which was wound up in the High Court in March 1992. They became the first Football League club since Accrington Stanley to resign from the League during the course of a season. The club was nicknamed the Shots for both the last syllable...
, The Recreation Ground remained without any tenants. Aldershot Town
Aldershot Town F.C.
Aldershot Town Football Club is an association football club based in Aldershot, Hampshire, England, founded in the spring of 1992 just after the closure of debt-ridden Fourth Division club Aldershot Football Club...
were formed soon after and consequently chose to adopt the Recreation Ground as their home.
Club Attendances since 1992
Average Attendances since 1992.| Season | League | Highest Attendance | Lowest Attendance | Average Attendance | Rank | Season on season Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992-93 1992-93 in English football The 1992–1993 season was the 113th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:This season saw the birth of the FA Premier League. This meant a break-up of the 104-year-old Football League that had operated until then with four divisions.... |
Isthmian League Third Division | 2873 | 1493 | 2076 | 1st | N/A |
| 1993-94 1993-94 in English football The 1993-1994 season was the 114th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:From the start of this season, the FA Premier League would be sponsored by Carling Breweries - an association which would last for eight years... |
Isthmian League Second Division | 3301 | 1259 | 1891 | 1st | -8.9% |
| 1994-95 1994-95 in English football -Premiership:Blackburn Rovers ended their 81-year wait for the league title thanks to the strike partnership of Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton which scored a total of more than 50 league goals. Manchester United would have made it three league titles in a row if they had been able to turn a 1-1 draw... |
Isthmian League First Division | 2920 | 1459 | 1853 | 1st | -2.0% |
| 1995-96 1995-96 in English football - Premiership :Newcastle United were 12 points clear at the top of Manchester United, but Alex Ferguson's relatively young and inexperienced side overhauled them during the second half of the season to win the title.... |
Isthmian League First Division | 2141 | 1180 | 1643 | 1st | -15.3% |
| 1996-97 1996-97 in English football The 1996–1997 season was the 117th season of competitive football in England.Arrival into the league and exit out of the league returns in the fourth tier for the first time after its 3 season absence with only 1 relegation spot.- Premier League :... |
Isthmian League First Division | 2232 | 1285 | 1652 | 1st | +5.2% |
| 1997-98 1997-98 in English football The 1997-1998 season was the 118th season of competitive football in England.-Premier League:Arsenal overhauled Manchester United's lead during the final weeks of the season to win the Premiership title... |
Isthmian League First Division | 4289 | 1122 | 2249 | 1st | +20.7% |
| 1998-99 1998-99 in English football -Premier League:Manchester United overcame close competition from Arsenal, Aston Villa and Chelsea to win their fifth Premiership title in seven seasons thanks to the comeback of Roy Keane after his long-term injury and a transfer raid totalling nearly £30 million which netted Aston Villa striker... |
Isthmian League Premier Division | 2798 | 1207 | 1995 | 1st | +0.1% |
| 1999-00 | Isthmian League Premier Division | 5518 | 1336 | 2070 | 1st | +3.7% |
| 2000-01 2000-01 in English football The 2000–01 season was the 121st season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Manchester United secured their 3rd Premiership title in succession and their 7th title in just nine seasons... |
Isthmian League Premier Division | 3197 | 1218 | 1973 | 1st | -4.7% |
| 2001-02 2001-02 in English football The 2001-02 season was the 122nd season of competitive football in England.-Arsenal cruise to title glory:In what had earlier been one of the most closely fought Premiership title races for years, Arsenal won the championship by seven points. Their crown was won in the penultimate game of the... |
Isthmian League Premier Division | 2630 | 1505 | 1902 | 1st | -3.6% |
| 2002-03 2002-03 in English football The 2002-03 season was the 123rd season of competitive football in England.-Most Memorable rise:*Wigan Athletic marked their 25th season of Football League membership by winning the Division Two championship and reaching the league's second tier for the very first time.-Most Memorable... |
Isthmian League Premier Division | 3419 | 1694 | 2067 | 1st | +4.4% |
| 2003-04 2003-04 in English football The 2003-04 season was the 124th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Arsenal completed the entire campaign without losing a single league game.... |
Football Conference Football Conference The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional... |
4637 | 2412 | 3303 | 4th | +66.4% |
| 2004-05 2004-05 in English football The 2004–05 season was the 125th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*2004–05 was the first season to feature the rebranded Football League. The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were renamed the Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League... |
Football Conference Football Conference The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional... |
4458 | 1923 | 3043 | 4th | -7.9% |
| 2005-06 2005-06 in English football The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether... |
Football Conference Football Conference The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional... |
3136 | 1645 | 2294 | 5th | -24.6% |
| 2006-07 2006-07 in English football The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five... |
Football Conference Football Conference The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional... |
3621 | 1734 | 2360 | 5th | +2.9% |
| 2007-08 2007-08 in English football The 2007–08 season was the 128th season of competitive football in England.-European competitions:In October 2007 Arsenal equalled the UEFA Champions League record victory with a 7–0 win over Slavia Prague at the Emirates Stadium. The record was broken the following month when Liverpool... |
Football Conference Football Conference The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional... |
5980 | 1779 | 3074 | 5th | +30.3% |
| 2008-09 | League Two | 5023 | 2090 | 3276 | 16th | +6.6% |
Record attendances
The following table summarises the Top 10 attendances at the recreation ground for Aldershot Town FC (since Reformation in 1992).| Attendance | Verses | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 7500 | Brighton & Hove Albion Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system.... |
FA Cup FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's... |
| 7044 | Manchester United Manchester United F.C. Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958... |
Football League Cup Football League Cup The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis... |
| 6870 | Woking Woking F.C. Woking Football Club is a football club from in Woking, Surrey, England, formed in 1889. They are playing in the Conference South in the 2011–12 season. For the 2011/2012 season, Woking are sharing their ground with Conference National club Hayes & Yeading United.-Promotion to the... |
FA Cup FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's... |
| 6617 | Carlisle Carlisle United F.C. Carlisle United F.C. is an English football club based in Carlisle, Cumbria, where they play at Brunton Park. Formed in 1904, the club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system.... |
Conference National Conference National Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system... Play-Off Semi Final |
| 6379 | Hereford Hereford United F.C. Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',... |
Conference National Conference National Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system... Play-Off Semi Final |
| 5980 | Weymouth Weymouth F.C. Weymouth F.C. are an English football club based in the town of Weymouth, who currently play in the Southern League Premier Division.-History:Weymouth Football Club were founded in 1890 and played their first game on 24 September of that year... |
Conference National Conference National Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system... |
| 5961 | Farnborough Town Farnborough Town F.C. Farnborough Football Club is an English football team currently in the Conference South after finishing top of Southern League Premier Division in 2009–10. Their home ground is known as the Rushmoor Stadium, formerly Cherrywood Road, based in Farnborough, Hampshire... |
Hampshire Senior Cup Hampshire Senior Cup The Hampshire Senior Cup is a cup competition open to football teams affiliated with the Hampshire Football Association. The competition was founded in 1888 and has been contested every year since, with the exception of 1914 to 1919 when it was postponed due to World War I.Despite the... |
| 5791 | Burton Albion Burton Albion F.C. Burton Albion Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire. The club's home ground is the Pirelli Stadium, having moved from Eton Park in 2005... |
Conference National Conference National Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system... |
| 5524 | Woking Woking F.C. Woking Football Club is a football club from in Woking, Surrey, England, formed in 1889. They are playing in the Conference South in the 2011–12 season. For the 2011/2012 season, Woking are sharing their ground with Conference National club Hayes & Yeading United.-Promotion to the... |
FA Trophy FA Trophy The Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams... |
| 5518 | Farnborough Town Farnborough Town F.C. Farnborough Football Club is an English football team currently in the Conference South after finishing top of Southern League Premier Division in 2009–10. Their home ground is known as the Rushmoor Stadium, formerly Cherrywood Road, based in Farnborough, Hampshire... |
Isthmian League Premier Division |
The North Stand
This is the main stand of the Recreation Ground running along one side of the pitch. It houses players changing rooms and the clubs directors box and media center. Adjoined to the North stand is the club offices which were used by both Aldershot F.C.Aldershot F.C.
Aldershot Football Club was an English Football League club, which was wound up in the High Court in March 1992. They became the first Football League club since Accrington Stanley to resign from the League during the course of a season. The club was nicknamed the Shots for both the last syllable...
and Aldershot Town F.C.
Aldershot Town F.C.
Aldershot Town Football Club is an association football club based in Aldershot, Hampshire, England, founded in the spring of 1992 just after the closure of debt-ridden Fourth Division club Aldershot Football Club...
directors. There is also a conference room and bar adjacent to the offices and behind the North stand which was built in the early 2000s. Originally it was used as a bar for supporters on matchdays until the club acquired the Black Bull Inn during the 2007-2008 season. As a result it is mainly used for corporate hospitality.
The stand itself features a combination of Terracing and Seating:
- To the East of the stand is a large terraced area.
- To the West of the Stand is a large terraced area with a disabled bay.
- In the centre of the stand is a large seated area, directors area and media center. Originally this was terraced before gradually seating replaced the terracing. However one small area to the West of the central area is still terraced and has yet to face conversion to seating.
The East Bank
The East Bank is the largest stand of the Recreation Ground capable of holding several thousand fans. The design of the stand is unusual as it is not like most stands that have a flat roof, instead the stand roof is a Barrel shaped roof towards the rear, with a flat roof covering the lower parts of the East Bank. This is so because the East Bank originally had just the barrel shaped roof and it wasn't until later that a front flat roof was put on to cover the lower half of the East Bank.The South Stand
The south stand is the only all seated stand at the ground, accommodating both Home and Away fans. The stand is the oldest at the recreation ground, having been opened in the late 1920s shortly after Aldershot F.C.Aldershot F.C.
Aldershot Football Club was an English Football League club, which was wound up in the High Court in March 1992. They became the first Football League club since Accrington Stanley to resign from the League during the course of a season. The club was nicknamed the Shots for both the last syllable...
was formed. It has remained fairly untouched over the past 70 years, although an increase in ground safety regulations (especially after the Taylor report
Taylor Report
The Hillsborough Stadium Disaster Inquiry report, better known as the Taylor Report is a document, whose development was overseen by Lord Taylor of Gosforth, concerning the aftermath and causes of the Hillsborough disaster in 1989. An interim report was published in August 1989, and the final...
has meant that some minor work has been carried out in order for the stand to remain in use.
Either side of the stand are open terraces. Of which one is used by home fans - the south west terrace (known amongst fans as "The Slab") - and the other used by away fans.
The High Street End
Due to Football League regulations the High Street end is no longer accessible for supporters on match days. However, provision can be made for expanded capacity, as it was for the League Cup Tie with Manchester United on 25th October 2011, where an extra 200 fans were allowed access, hence bringing capacity up to 7,300.Other Clubs that Use or Have Played at the Recreation Ground
- Reading ReservesReading F.C.Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
- for the 2007-2008 season only. - Chelsea Reserves From 2004/2005 - 2006/2007 season
- England U17sEngland national under-17 football team-Elite Qualifying Group 3:-Group stage:-Fifth place play-off:-FA International U17 Tournament:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the 2012 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship qualifying round....
- Army F.C.
- Aldershot Town ReservesAldershot Town F.C.Aldershot Town Football Club is an association football club based in Aldershot, Hampshire, England, founded in the spring of 1992 just after the closure of debt-ridden Fourth Division club Aldershot Football Club...
- Also Hosts Aldershot and District League Cup Competition Final
Records
Aldershot TownAldershot Town F.C.
Aldershot Town Football Club is an association football club based in Aldershot, Hampshire, England, founded in the spring of 1992 just after the closure of debt-ridden Fourth Division club Aldershot Football Club...
and the Recreation Ground hold the following attendance records in certain leagues or cup competitions.
| League or Cup Competition | Attendance | Opponent |
|---|---|---|
| Isthmian League Division 1 Isthmian League The Isthmian League is a regional football league covering London and South East England featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. It is sponsored by Ryman, and therefore officially known as the Ryman League. It was founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area... |
4289 | Berkhamsted Town Berkhamsted Town F.C. Berkhamsted Town F.C. was a football club from Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. The club was founded in 1919, played in a black & white strip, and was nicknamed the Lilywhites or Berko. The team began the 2008–09 season playing in the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division, but was dissolved in... |
| Isthmian League Division 2 Isthmian League The Isthmian League is a regional football league covering London and South East England featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. It is sponsored by Ryman, and therefore officially known as the Ryman League. It was founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area... |
3301 | Newbury Town Newbury Town F.C. Newbury Town F.C. is a now-defunct football club based in Newbury, England. They won the Hellenic League title two times in their history. They also won the Isthmian League Division Two in 1994, but ceased to exist just before the start of the 1995–96 season... |
| Isthmian League Division 3 Isthmian League The Isthmian League is a regional football league covering London and South East England featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. It is sponsored by Ryman, and therefore officially known as the Ryman League. It was founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area... |
2873 | Collier Row Romford F.C. Romford F.C. is an English football club based in Romford, Greater London. The club are currently members of Division One North of the Isthmian League, and play at Mill Field in Aveley.-History:... |
| FA Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round FA Trophy The Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams... |
2003 | Rothwell Town Rothwell Town F.C. Rothwell Town F.C. are a football club based in Rothwell in the north of Northamptonshire. They were founding members of the Northamptonshire League in 1895, and are now playing in the United Counties League Division One... |
| FA Vase Preliminary Round FA Vase The Football Association Challenge Vase is an annual football competition for teams playing below Step 4 of the English National League System... |
1701 | Gosport Borough Gosport Borough F.C. Gosport Borough Football Club are a semi-professional football club based in Gosport, England currently playing in the Southern League Division One South and West... |
| FA Vase 5th Round FA Vase The Football Association Challenge Vase is an annual football competition for teams playing below Step 4 of the English National League System... |
3420 | Wimborne Town Wimborne Town F.C. Wimborne Town F.C. is a football club based in Wimborne Minster in Dorset, England. They were established in 1878 and won the FA Vase in 1992. They reached the First Round Proper of the FA Cup in the 1982-83 season for the first time... |
| FA Vase 6th Round FA Vase The Football Association Challenge Vase is an annual football competition for teams playing below Step 4 of the English National League System... |
4439 | Atherton Laburnum Rovers Atherton Laburnum Rovers F.C. Atherton Laburnum Rovers F.C. are an English football club based in Atherton in Greater Manchester. They play their home matches at Crilly Park, Spa Road. They currently play in the North West Counties Football League Premier Division... |