This will be Aldershot's third season in the Conference National and as chairman Karl Prentice has already pointed out, they are hoping this season for “third time lucky.”
The season means trips to the same old adversaries, new faces and fresh challenges.
The season starts on Saturday August 13 with the visit of Mark Cooper's Tamworth, as well as possibly the return of former Shot Hugh McAuley, who is trialling with the Lambs and looks set to join the side.
The first away fixture is a trip to old rivals Canvey Island on Tuesday August 16, which should mean better weather than the driving rain and hail endured on a freezing Friday night in March as the Shots could only draw 2-2 at Park Lane — a frustrating game that saw David Lee sent off just after half-time.
The fixture list also has the Shots making many of their longs trips early on.
With Halifax Town (August 20), Morecambe (September 10), Accrington Stanley (September 20) and Scarborough (October 29) all coming before November, the Shots had better be putting that northern jinx behind them as soon as possible.
As well as the long journeys, the Shots will also face many of the Conference's new faces early on. Altrincham visit the Rec over the August Bank Holiday weekend before the Shots travel to Grays on Bank Holiday Monday.
Kidderminster Harriers are the visitors on Saturday October 15 and a trip to troubled Cambridge United is scheduled for Saturday November 19 — although whether this fixture will take place is a matter of some debate as the Us desperately try to secure their financial future.
Then come the big rivals, most notably, the derby matches against Woking.
For the first time since Aldershot's entry into the Conference, there will be no Aldershot/Farnborough derby, however the rivalry for this fixture has always been less fierce than of that between the Shots and the Cards.
Saturday December 3 is the date for the diaries for the trip to Woking, however this could change if Aldershot make it into the second round of the FA Cup, which they did last year, losing out to Hartlepool United in this round.
The second Woking derby is the last home game of the season, on Saturday April 22, and just how important this fixture could prove to be remains to be seen. One thing is for sure, this derby could be a huge six-pointer as the penultimate game of the season.
Other notable fixtures include last season's Play-Off finalists Stevenage Borough, who visit the Rec on September 17, and Hereford, whom the Shots have never beaten in the Conference, return to the Rec on September 27.
Christmas then sees a trip to Exeter City on Boxing Day, with another former Shot, Jon Challinor, locking horns against his former club.
New Year's Eve sees a trip to Forest Green Rovers — back in the Conference thanks to Northwich's ground problems.
Rovers were something of a thorn in the Shots' side last season, with Brown's men only taking a point from the Gloucestershire side over the festive period and a 5-1 hammering in the GLS Conference Cup — albeit against a young Aldershot side. Exeter then make the return trip on January 2.
The last home game of the season is, as already stated, Woking, with the last game of the season a long trip to new boys Southport — how important will this game be in the Shots calendar?
Whether this will actually be the last game of the season is yet to be known, as although the Shots are gunning for automatic promotion, the Play-Offs will certainly be the next best thing.
So that's the season scheduled for another year, as we all anticipate the highs, and prepare for the lows.
In the meantime supporters wait to see new faces donning their team's shirts, and get ready for this weekend, as the Shots and Boro go head to head once more on Saturday for the Charlie Mortimore Benefit Game at the Rec (ko 3pm).
With thanks to the Aldershot News.