Recreation Ground (Aldershot)

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The Recreation Ground is the home of Aldershot Town football club, currently playing in the Nationwide Conference. It is located in the centre of the town of Aldershot in Hampshire. The ground is host to all first-team home games played by the club and also hosts Chelsea reserve games.[[1]]

The ground's current capacity is 7500, although the ground has only been sold out once since the new Aldershot Town F.C. reformed in 1992[[2]]. This was when Brighton visited in a FA Cup 1st Round clash in November 2000, with the visitors winning 6-2. The record attendance at the "Rec" previously came in a FA Cup Fourth Round tie in January 1970 when 19,138 attended to see the former club Aldershot F.C. host Carlisle United.[[3]]

The main stands are the North Stand, which is largely terraced but which includes some seating areas at the front of the stand, and the East Bank, which is completely terraced. The East Bank is generally where most of Aldershot's most vociferous supporters choose to stand[[4]]. The third stand is the South Stand (known previously as the McDonalds Family Stand) which is comprised of a large seating area[[5]]. The fourth side of the ground does not have a stand and is known as the High Street End. This is used as a standing area by home supporters. Away supporters are given the choice of standing on the southern side of the East Bank or sitting in the South Stand seats nearest the south-east corner of the ground. Away supporter allocations therefore can be given terrace space for up to 1000 fans and 250 seats [6].

The Rec has been used as Aldershot's ground since 1926. A council covenant ensuring that the land the Rec is built on can only be used for sporting activities means that the ground could not be sold off to property developers after Aldershot F.C. were declared insolvent in 1992.[[7]]

Conference National Venues 2006/07

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