Aldershot Echoes 1961/2
Aldershot Squad 1961 - 62
Back: Thomas, Stepney, Shipwright, Jones, Tyrer, Carey, Norris
Front: Taylor, Sirrel (Trainer), Woan, Hasty, Smith (Manager), Howfield
This picture is "borrowed" from Mark Elliott's excellent site at http://www.shots2692.co.uk/ where it was kindly provided by Carl & David Taylor.
Shots' calamitous first season in Division Four ended in a tight re-election showdown with Peterborough United. But, under Dave Smith, (pictured left) improved finishes of 13th in 1959/60 and 10th in 1960/1 demonstrated that Aldershot had found their feet at the national level. New signings for the 1961/2 season were Goalkeeper Davy Jones from Reading and right-back Rees Thomas (Portsmouth). Notable players released were Albert Mundy (136 appearances), dropping into the Southern League with Guildford City, Denis Parnell to Norwich City and after six seasons as left-back Jimmy Jackson (221 appearances) to Hereford United.
The campaign started with the longest journey and a 2-1 loss at Carlisle. The first home match against relegated Tranmere Rovers brought a fortunate 3-1 win, with two goals from Terry Matthews and Bobby Howfield's second of the season, in front of a "remarkably satisfactory" 7,469 spectators. This was a fine result as Tranmere were promotion favourites having spent around fifty thousand pounds on new players. Two well-taken Alan Woan goals gave Aldershot a lead against Bradford City but a disappointing display concluded in a draw. A revitalised performance away at Tranmere saw Matthews and Howfield build a two-goal cushion that gritty defending and a wonderful display from Davy Jones protected.
In September left-back Peter Carey, formerly with QPR and Leyton Orient, joined Shots on trial. Part-timer Tony Devereux replaced Gordon Henry at left-back for a 1-1 draw with Chesterfield, "a game as bad as one could see". Carey signed a contract and debuted in the middle of defence in a 2-0 home win over Southport, soon displacing Devereux at left-back. In Shots' small squad Carey effectively took left-winger John Lawlor's place, with Lawlor leaving for Stirling Albion after 61 appearances. Off the pitch the Supporters' Club was driving hard for new members to raise funds to assist with replacement floodlighting.
Bobby Howfield
After a poor 3-1 loss at Stockport the Shots went on a six match winning run, including away wins at Gillingham, Accrington Stanley (Tyrer and Woan scoring in a 2-0 win played in front of 2,472) and Hartlepool United, the highlight of the run being a 6-1 thrashing of Darlington in front of 6,940 at The Rec. Shots line up-was proving remarkably consistent with the eleven for Darlington being unchanged for the third of nine matches; Jones, Thomas, Carey, Stepney, Shipwright, Tyrer, Taylor, Woan, Hasty, Norris and Howfield. Norris bagged a hat-trick with Hasty (2) and Howfield completing the scoring.
With 20 points from 13 games, and just 2 behind leaders Colchester United, Shots lost their run going down 2-1 at sixth-placed Millwall. Whilst not playing particularly well Aldershot had enough chances to at least taken a point. Howfield found his scoring boots again though, netting in the home draw with Hartlepool (watched by a 7,671 crowd on a Monday night but a minority of spectators slow-handclapped the uninspiring football, and a conker was thrown at Hartlepools' goalkeeper).
Further Howfield goals were a hat-trick in the 4-2 win against Mansfield Town, Shots' second in a 2-2 fight back at Barrow which sent Aldershot to the top of Division Four, and the final goal in a 3-0 home win over Rochdale.
The FA Cup provided a diversion with Tunbridge Wells United visitors on 4th November. Alan Burton was the sole change, replacing Howfield who was suffering from bronchitis and sinusitis. The opponents were no push over but a 3-1 win was secured through a George Norris strike and two Paddy Hasty goals, his second a brilliant left-foot shot settling the contest before a big cup crowd of 8,869. Returning to League action, Exeter City were the next visitors, Hasty had received a leg injury in the cup tie, with Mike Deakin deputising. Deakin scored but a 1-1 draw saw Wrexham jump over Shots at the top of the table. Hasty was still absent, as was Stepney with a muscle pull, for the trip to Wrexham on 18 November. Before a massive 15,135 a "thrilling and first class exhibition of football" ended in a 2-1 victory for Wrexham. The Welsh side built a two goal half-time lead winners and though Norris pulled one back Shots had numerous "near misses" and went down fighting. Aldershot slipped to third as Colchester moved up.
Shots v Brentford FA Cup 2nd Round
Rees Thomas clears as Shots keeper Jones saves |
The FA Cup Second Round brought Third Division Brentford to The Rec. Reputedly angling for a move to a higher division Howfield refused to play. Goals from Woan and Matthews earned a 2-2 draw in front of 12,846 but the replay was lost 2-0 at Griffin Park before 17,600 spectators. The cup matches against Brentford had, however, stretched Shots' squad and the next fixture at Workington saw Carey (pulled muscle), Kirkup (groin strain), Tyrer (ankle) all injured, with Taylor and Matthews suffering from 'winter ailments'. The re-jigged side lost 2-1 to seventh-placed Workington, Alan Eagles scoring on his debut, the only goal he scored in 15 appearances. The attendance of 2,510 brought slim financial return for Aldershot's mammoth trek, not helped by Workington Rugby League club playing simultaneously over the other side of the road - before twice as many of the Cumbrian paying public.
An unconvincing win 2-0 against York City emphasized the abilities of Jones (left) in goal and centre-half Bill Shipwright. Tyrer, Taylor and Matthews all returned - though Shots were not at full strength. Woan twisted his ankle slipping on the steps leading from the pitch after the match ended but returned for the next fixture. This was at home to promotion chasing Carlisle United on December 16. Shots' patched up side lost to the only goal of the game, though they remained in a promotion place.
Freezing weather over Christmas and the New Year meant the match at Bradford City was abandoned goalless at half-time, whilst Crewe away and home to Chester were postponed, thankfully before travelling expenses had been occurred. The Boxing Day match at struggling Chester went ahead with Shots consolidating their position in the promotion places with a 3-2 win. Howfield netted his 15th goal in 23 games, Woan his 10th of the season and Norris his 7th in 14 games. Thirty-seven year old left-winger Tommy Fowler debuted after switching from Northampton Town. A second 3-2 win at lowly Chesterfield was followed by the first home match in five weeks, and a 4-1 win over Stockport County. The next home game was "the first of three experimental Friday night games to prove or disprove the Public's desire for mid-week evening football" - a number of other clubs also carrying out "the experiment". Doncaster Rovers were defeated 3-1 before 6,987 fans. Shots, along with Colchester, Wrexham, Carlisle and Millwall, were still chasing the four promotion places.
Shots 0 Millwall 2
Peter Carey tussles with a Millwall forward |
A dismal run of results now followed. Losses at Oldham, Darlington, Mansfield and Crewe and at home to Millwall interspersed with a 2-2 draw at home to Accrington Stanley on Friday 9 February 1962. This result, along with Shots 2-0 win at Accrington back in September were expunged after Stanley tendered their resignation from the Football League on 6 March due to debts of £62,000. Sadly fresh offers of financial support came too late and though Stanley tried to withdraw their resignation Alan Hardaker, secretary of the League, accepted their resignation.
At this time Shots were just two points off fourth-placed Carlisle with a game in hand. This position was consolidated with a 3-1 home win over Barrow. However, bottom of the table Accrington had ironically taken points from matches against Shots' fellow promotion chasers, meaning the expunging of Accrington's playing record cost Aldershot more points than it did their competitors.
A 4-1 defeat at Mansfield on 2nd March was Shots' heaviest of the season. Heavy snow fell during the game and after an hour, with Mansfield 3-1 up, the referee sent the players off the pitch saying he could not see the lines. Believing the match abandoned Shots players started to change out their kit, with one in the bath by the time the referee called them out to restart! Subsequent trips to Bradford City and Rochdale returned no points. Crewe were beaten 1-0 at the Rec, Paddy Hasty scoring in his return after two months out with injury. But a third single-goal away defeat, 2-1 at Exeter, meant Shots had fallen out of the promotion picture.
Chester, now bottom, were thrashed 6-2 on 4th April, Shots' goals coming from a hat-trick apiece for Robin Stepney (pictured right), who'd not scored since New Years Eve 1960, and George Norris. Third-placed Wrexham were next up with Aldershot winning 3-1, but further away defeats at Doncaster and Colchester effectively ended Shots season. Workington were beaten 3-1, then in the last home fixture of the season a creditable 1-0 win over second-placed Colchester demonstrated Shots' potential. After nine consecutive away defeats a 1-0 win at York ended the Minstermen's own promotion challenge. The season ended with a 2-1 loss at Southport.
Disappointingly after being in a promotion place until March Aldershot finished the season in seventh place, taking 49 points from 44 matches, three points behind fourth-placed Carlisle. Millwall, Colchester and Wrexham took the other three promotion places. Shots' awful run in February and March had cost them dear in a season where no clubs were exceptional. Attendances averaged 6,143, a 2.5% fall on the previous season, but relative to other clubs the best season since Shots' first ever Football League season. The Reserves performed credibly in the Football Combination and attracted four-figure gates against Chelsea (1,420), Southampton (1,275), Fulham (1,096) and Swindon (1,058).
Davy Jones and Bob Shipwright played in every match, both League and Cup. Arthur Tyrer, 43 of 44 matches post Accrington's demise), Bob Howfield (41), Alan Woan (40), Carl Taylor (38) and Robin Stepney (35) were the backbone of the squad. Just twenty players were used, eight less than the previous season. Howfield top-scored with 23 - an Aldershot record - followed by George Norris (20) and Woan (16).
Elsewhere Newport County, Brentford, Lincoln and Torquay were relegated into Division Four. Oxford United took Accrington Stanley's forfeited place in the Football League. Ipswich Town won the First Division Championship a year after winning the Second Division. Burnley were runners-up, three points behind, Tottenham Hotspur third. Chelsea and Cardiff City were relegated - the last season Cardiff spent in the top flight. Liverpool won the Second Division, the last season they spent outside the top flight. Leyton Orient were runners-up, whilst Portsmouth won Division Three. Tottenham won the FA Cup for the second year running, beating Burnley 3-1 at Wembley. Norwich won the League Cup - in its second season - beating Rochdale over two legs.
For the fourth season the official match programme cost four pence and featured an Accrington Stanley player on the red and white cover. Interestingly Charter's of Aldershot took a half-page advert on the back, listing their comprehensive stock of British motor vehicles "Hillman - Humber - Singer - Sunbeam - Commer - Karrier".
With grateful thanks to Martin Gooday for generously giving his permission to reproduce this series.
