The 2025 FA Trophy Final - Aldershot Town 3-0 Spennymoor Town (Match Day Thread)

[Cph.shots]

Sure it's been mentioned already, but due to the stick he's received I'll say it again, I thought Theo was excellent at Wembley. Lower league opposition but a final nonetheless. Seems to get on well with Barrett too which can only help Barrett

I felt he was his usual self in the first half, slow to cover back and prone to some loose passes - plus the quick wrestling match 10 minutes in. But once we got going second half he was excellent. We've seen this before, if we're dominating a game he gets more time on the ball and can play. It's when we're under the cosh that his inadequacies are more evident.

But yes, he did play his part in the win and just about stayed out of trouble!

...agree with you as well, I think Spennymoor gave our whole team far more time and space then they are used to and so allowed them to shine.

[CornishShot]

It was my first game in a very long time, going to football lost its sparkle for me a few years ago when my Dad was no longer able to go. But there was no way either of us were going to miss the chance to see the Shots play at Wembley and it was a great day out - the chance to go to football as a family for the first time in ages, seeing old friends etc. It was also great to see such a professional performance on the pitch, especially given our habit over the years of failing to turn up for the big occasion! I won't forget that day, and maybe I'll make more of an effort to get back to the Rec once or twice next season.

It's a common theme ACA. I rarely also go these days for various good reasons, and I'm guessing that applies to many of the 16,000 odd extras who attended. I even had one friend who said he was gutted he couldn't go. His last game was against Lymington and New Milton decades ago.

People justifiably assume the core support is the same 2, 2.5k fans but Sunday shows that it's very likely a high degree of churn exists.

It's sad that the Club can't grow the fanbase. I have my theories but that's not a topic right now.

Let's hope this extraordinary event is a wake up call for all who care about the Club, especially those in a position to make things happen.

A new ground with modern facilities would help . Look a Wembley Sunday (not that I'd expect that ) but easy to get served with plenty of choice . A nice comfy clean stadium . I love the rec but it's had its day .

I'd argue Wembley is a prime example of why we should be thankful that we have the Rec.

[redblueuptoyou]

CornishShot - is Wembley not what modern audiences want/expect from a stadium now?

[hepcat]

The Rec may not be the loveliest football ground in the world, but as I said before I don’t think people go to football to admire the architecture and facilities of the stadium as priority. You could say by the same analogy that people won’t want to go to a Wetherspoons, but the draw is the product and not the surroundings.

Thats way too narrow a viewpoint. People want a decent team winning games but they also want decent facilities-they're not either or exclusives . It detracts from a positive experience if you have to queue to go to a leaking stink pit of a toilet or portaloo ,get served poor food that costs a lot or the teams play on a poor pitch ....that may be why people only go to selective games/Cup ties v a big boy rather than every game. And would anyone go to any resturant/Wetherspoon and the like if the floors were a mess, the tables greasy and the knives and forks grimy no matter how fantastic the food (product) was? The Rec also costs a fortune just to keep it in a decrepit state that wont suddenly collapse and it doesn't pay its way. If you get the team/facilities right you'll be ok. I cant see any real progress being made if we stay at the rec as it is. If we had a decent redeveloped rec now,the Trophy Win would easily be built on with increased support enjoying the game/facilities. The rec simply staying as it is...I really fear that the Trophy win will end up being another missed opportunity.

[mdg]

I've always felt opposed to leaving the Rec until now, as I like its 'old-school Division 4' charm. And, even though the facilities and views at places like Barnet, Chesterfield, York, etc are decent enough, they feel pretty sterile and uninspiring as an overall matchday experience. And, crucially, we always had an excellent playing service, despite the fading surroundings...

But, if we are going to have ongoing problems with our pitch that we cannot afford to fix, then I'd reluctantly accept a small new-build elsewhere as a better alternative. Would be sad to say farewell to the Rec, but that pitch is looking dire at the moment ...

[Banbury Shot]

CornishShot - is Wembley not what modern audiences want/expect from a stadium now?

Not for me. Multi-tiered stadiums lose the atmosphere in my opinion.

Close to the pitch and good acoustics are key elements of a new stadium for me.

[Nobby]

Blimey - I'm going to have to agree with Banbury!

Great as it was to tick off seeing the Shots at Wembley, I found the overall matchday experience a bit of a let down. We were in block 550 so way up in the Gods - I kept expecting the seat belt sign to come on! And despite almost 20,000 Shots fans in the stadium the atmosphere was more like a 2,000 crowd at the Rec. I'm sure Wembley is great when it's full and rocking - similar to my only visit to Old Trafford to see ManU vs Liverpool about 20 years ago - but when it's two thirds empty it's a bit soulless.

That said - I do believe the Rec as it is has had its day and is more of a handicap to us now than a benefit. Sadly, £60K for winning the trophy is nowhere near what is needed to fix it.

[Silasgoldeen]

Blimey - I'm going to have to agree with Banbury!

Great as it was to tick off seeing the Shots at Wembley, I found the overall matchday experience a bit of a let down. We were in block 550 so way up in the Gods - I kept expecting the seat belt sign to come on! And despite almost 20,000 Shots fans in the stadium the atmosphere was more like a 2,000 crowd at the Rec. I'm sure Wembley is great when it's full and rocking - similar to my only visit to Old Trafford to see ManU vs Liverpool about 20 years ago - but when it's two thirds empty it's a bit soulless.

That said - I do believe the Rec as it is has had its day and is more of a handicap to us now than a benefit. Sadly, £60K for winning the trophy is nowhere near what is needed to fix it.

yeah for sure, completely agree.

What even would be the template for what good looks like for Rec 2.0 I wonder?

[Fuggletim]

The Rec may not be the loveliest football ground in the world, but as I said before I don’t think people go to football to admire the architecture and facilities of the stadium as priority. You could say by the same analogy that people won’t want to go to a Wetherspoons, but the draw is the product and not the surroundings.

Thats way too narrow a viewpoint. People want a decent team winning games but they also want decent facilities-they're not either or exclusives . It detracts from a positive experience if you have to queue to go to a leaking stink pit of a toilet or portaloo ,get served poor food that costs a lot or the teams play on a poor pitch ....that may be why people only go to selective games/Cup ties v a big boy rather than every game. And would anyone go to any resturant/Wetherspoon and the like if the floors were a mess, the tables greasy and the knives and forks grimy no matter how fantastic the food (product) was? The Rec also costs a fortune just to keep it in a decrepit state that wont suddenly collapse and it doesn't pay its way. If you get the team/facilities right you'll be ok. I cant see any real progress being made if we stay at the rec as it is. If we had a decent redeveloped rec now,the Trophy Win would easily be built on with increased support enjoying the game/facilities. The rec simply staying as it is...I really fear that the Trophy win will end up being another missed opportunity.

Having been to a few Wetherspoons and similar in the past, I have found exactly as you say, particularly later in the day. Food etc, even if good at a football ground, is often overpriced and of not always of particularly good quality. Yes, they were nice donuts at Wembley on Sunday, but £9:00 each? You could buy a box full at Tesco for about £13:00!

I agree thought that the Rec, like any aging building, has high maintenance costs and it does need to be re-built and one day it might be. I am even, as I get older, not averse to the idea of the club moving location (Rushmoor Arena for example). I might, in your opinion, have a narrow viewpoint, but the primary reason I go to a football match is to watch the football. Architecture and facilities really don’t mean much as far as I am concerned, and I would wager my view is not exclusive, but I do need to qualify this as obviously saying your view probably isn’t, either.

[Silasgoldeen]

there's a good facebook page showing food from different football grounds. Some are worse than us, many are much, much better. I'm not talking full Emirates gentrification food, but just selling really good burgers or whatever. They seem to sell what they have well enough so maybe it's just not necessary but I feel like maybe this is an area where the world is moving on a bit. Again, all depends what the notional "new customer" will want.

[Rba]

Every club has to move with the times or you just drift along. We must celebrate our cup success and hope a rich American or Arab wants to come along and get us back into the football league and more
The Rushmoor area has proven it wants a team to follow.

[Fuggletim]

there's a good facebook page showing food from different football grounds. Some are worse than us, many are much, much better. I'm not talking full Emirates gentrification food, but just selling really good burgers or whatever. They seem to sell what they have well enough so maybe it's just not necessary but I feel like maybe this is an area where the world is moving on a bit. Again, all depends what the notional "new customer" will want.

Been said on here before, but if the pricing of the burgers etc at the Rec takes into account of unsold wastage, I would contend that if there was a quality product in the first place, there wouldn’t be so much. There is a reliance on places like football grounds, theatres, railway stations, airports etc they have a captive market and they price accordingly, and in some cases (not so much stations and airports) the quality can be neglible.

Anyway, let’s not move away too far what this thread is really about!

[Fuggletim]

Changing tack, but wasn’t it great to see so many former Shots legends like Murray Brodie, Dave Puckett and others at Wembley?

[Rba]

Murray Brodie, now that was a player.

[Reg's corner]

Sure it's been mentioned already, but due to the stick he's received I'll say it again, I thought Theo was excellent at Wembley. Lower league opposition but a final nonetheless. Seems to get on well with Barrett too which can only help Barrett

I felt he was his usual self in the first half, slow to cover back and prone to some loose passes - plus the quick wrestling match 10 minutes in. But once we got going second half he was excellent. We've seen this before, if we're dominating a game he gets more time on the ball and can play. It's when we're under the cosh that his inadequacies are more evident.

But yes, he did play his part in the win and just about stayed out of trouble!

...agree with you as well, I think Spennymoor gave our whole team far more time and space then they are used to and so allowed them to shine.

Big flat pitch.. the ball did the work . Fitness levels of pro footballers was always gonna make a difference eventually . Speenys would not have had the fuel to cover the distances