NL 2025/26 Preview: Aldershot Town

6th July 2025 8:42 pm

Aldershot Town: 2025/26 Season Preview – From Wembley Glory to League Grit

A 16th-place finish may not have raised many eyebrows across the National League, but Aldershot Town ensured their 2024/25 season ended on a high—with a resounding 3-0 win over Spennymoor Town at Wembley to lift the FA Trophy. That long-awaited piece of silverware was a rare moment of triumph in an otherwise frustrating season and could serve as a turning point under manager Tommy Widdrington.

The challenge now? Turning cup form into consistent league results; the jury is still out on whether the Shots can finally shake off their mid-table status.

Last Season in Review

League Position: 16th
Average Attendance: 2,413 (8th highest in the division)
FA Cup: 1st Round – Lost 3-1 away to Bradford City
FA Trophy: Winners – Beat Spennymoor Town 3-0 at Wembley
Top Scorer: Josh Barrett (18 goals across all competitions)

Aldershot’s 2024/25 campaign may have lacked league consistency, but it ended in unforgettable fashion with the Wembley triumph; the club’s first in its 99-year history (albeit across two incarnations of the Hampshire outfit with the “current version” formed in 1992).

Despite struggling for form in the league’s latter stages and finishing in the lower mid-table, standout individual contributions from Josh Barrett and James Henry helped inject moments of quality to a Shots side that was never in the bottom-four and never really looked like dropping there either.

For next season, the cup success offers a platform, but defensive frailties and inconsistency remain key areas to address.

Summer business

Signings and retained list

Tristan Abrahams’ arrival—offers a boost in forward areas that arguably didn’t need much help. Aldershot netted 69 league goals last season, bettered only by Gateshead (76), York (95), and champions Barnet (97).

It’s at the defensive end where the headaches lie: 83 goals conceded—more than every side bar relegated Fylde (85) and Ebbsfleet (98)—left fans nervous, and a goal difference of -14 tells the story.

James Henry, instrumental last season, has agreed a new deal to become player/coach. Richard Dryden, meanwhile, Widdrington’s left lieutenant has left to become first team coach at Yeovil Town.

New signings: Tristan Abrahams (Forward, from Maidenhead United), Kiban Rai (Forward, Newport County), Josh Brooking (Defender, Dorking Wanderers), Kwame Thomas (Forward, Ebbsfleet United — having been on loan with Shots last season for the last few months of the season), Archy Taylor (Defender, Hampton & Richmond), Ryan Hill (Midfielder, Dagenham & Redbridge), Jed Meerholz (Midfielder, Loan until January, Bristol City), Matt Penney (Altrincham), James Clarridge (Watford, loan until January 2026)
Retained: Marcus Dewhurst (GK), Pat Nash (GK), Luke Jenkins (DEF), Olly Scott (DEF), Ollie Harfield (LB), Ashley Akpan (WB), Ryan Jones (WB), Keane Anderson (MID), Tyler Frost (MID), Cameron Hargreaves (MID), Haydon Vaughan (MID), Dejan Tetek (MID), Theo Widdrington (MID), Maxwell Mullins (FWD), Josh Barrett (FWD), James Henry (FWD player/coach), Hady Ghandour

Departure list

Released/departed: Jordi Van Stappershoef (Maidenhead Utd), Christian Maghoma (Dagenham), Aaron Jones (Club captain, Sutton United), Jack Barham (Chelmsford City), Lachlan Byrd, Kai Corbett, Ollie Bray, Ollie Turner, George Milner-Smith, Emmanuel Maja
Loans returned: Brad Dolaghan, Luca Woodhouse, Dan Ellison, Will Armitage, Tariq Uwakwe

Defensive frailties & mixed sentiment

While the FA Trophy run provided a welcome distraction (and eventually, redemption), the league form fell off a cliff in the final two months. The Shots finished 21st in the form table across the last 8-games, with painful defeats including a 7-2 collapse at York City and a 4-0 drubbing by Barnet.

The departure of long-serving captain Aaron Jones split opinion. Dependable but seen by some as past his peak, his exit could open the door for youth—most notably Ashley Akpan, who fans view as a natural heir.

Even after delivering silverware, manager Tommy Widdrington has a mixed reputation — seen as steady and capable, but yet to truly lift Aldershot out of their long-standing mid-table drift; despite flirting with the play-offs in his first season at the helm.

Aldershot’s summer has been more active than many expected, easing some of the pressure on the manager after last season’s lower mid-table finish despite FA Trophy glory. The arrivals of Tristan Abrahams, Kiban Rai and Kwame Thomas add fresh options up front, while Ryan Hill brings energy in midfield, and Josh Brooking and Archy Taylor bolster a defence that was among the leakiest in the division last year. Jed Meerholz’s loan from Bristol City adds depth and a dash of youthful potential in the engine room.

These signings suggest a clear plan to address last season’s vulnerabilities, but questions remain over whether Aldershot can tighten up at the back while maintaining their attacking threat. The squad looks deeper, and with the Wembley momentum still in the air, there’s cautious optimism around the EBB that a push towards mid-table stability is realistic if the new additions click. A season of steady progress rather than relegation flirtation feels within reach—but the defence will need to prove it can stand up to the rigours of the National League week in, week out.