By theimps.tk
August 6 2009
Aldershot impressed me immensely last season. They outplayed us at the Recreation Ground and then, despite being second best at Sincil Bank, scored two excellent goals to beat the Imps, now we look at why I think that they will challenge for promotion by the end of the season. Aldershot, in my opinion, have the most vocal fans in the division. They were the only team last season who sang for every single minute of both their games against us, and boy did they create one hell of a racket down at the Recreation Ground. I have a lot of time for their fans after talking to a lot of extremely decent fans from their end on the final day of last season and it be nice to see them do well.
Very rarely does a team coming up from the Conference finish in midtable, but Aldershot managed it thanks to being brilliant at home, but shocking away. They really showed their character at the "Rec" by being the first team to beat Wycombe last season, to coming from 3-0 down to salvage a draw with Bury and beating the supposedly brilliant Bradford.
However, their fans cited that their poor away form came from being too adventurous on the road and it didn't really come as any surprise that they managed the most defeats on the road in League Two last season, losing a whooping sixteen of their twenty-three games away from home. Infact, thirteenth placed Lincoln were the highest finishing team that they beat away from home, drawing one and losing the other eleven games against the top half of the table. The Imps were one of just two sides they did the double over, the other being Accrington.
Their season did end with a bit of a bad run, beating City on the last day was their first win since March 17th, a run that included nine games and just four points gained. If they hadn't gone on that bad run then they could have still made the Playoffs relatively easily.
Quite a few players left Aldershot in the summer but the only one who could really be considered a big loss is Nikki Bull. The goalkeeper had served between the sticks for several years, but has since left, being joined by former Imp Junior Mendes, Rhys Day, Rob Elvins, Cochrane and Newman. Coming in are players who were promotion chasers from League Two last year, or teams from League One, not a bad start at all.
Looking at Aldershot's performances against City last season, having the most vocal fans in the season, being one of the best teams on the road and an intention to improve on the road, I have no doubt they will be challenging for promotion come the end of the season. With one of the best "young" managers in the country and various other things looking up for the Shots, it promises to be an exciting season for the former Conference Champions.
Quote:StratfordImp
I'll run down the high street naked if they finish 4th!!
PS - you dont want to see that!!
Quote:Like i always said Nath, you're brilliant. Oh, wait a minute, it's you that always says that. pmsl. By the way...what the f**k is a 'despith'.Nathan Jackson
See, it's amazing how often people say I am wrong with predictions, that despith my reputation of predicting 90% of sides within 2 places of their final positions.
Quote:FrancoBantamQuote:Like i always said Nath, you're brilliant. Oh, wait a minute, it's you that always says that. pmsl. By the way...what the f**k is a 'despith'.Nathan Jackson
See, it's amazing how often people say I am wrong with predictions, that despith my reputation of predicting 90% of sides within 2 places of their final positions.
