Exclusive Interview with Peter Vincenti

I was lucky enough to get a interview arranged with Peter Vincenti exclusively for this blog. In this interview Peter talks about the last season, his targets for next season and reveals some facts about his team mates!


1) Peter, It has been a great season for Aldershot, a good league position and a terrific Carling cup run! What has been your best part of this season?


Peter: I will take a lot of good memories from this season. I always enjoy the opening day of any season and beating Bradford away was enjoyable and the 2-1 win over Swindon at home. Obviously the cup run was special and playing Manchester United will be something I will always remember but the best part for me was beating West Ham at Upton Park. The atmosphere was terrific and coming away with the win made it even better.


2) You chipped in with some important goal this season.  Do you see yourself as a striker or a midfielder?


Peter: I'm comfortable playing either position but I see myself more as a midfielder as that is the position I played growing up and it feels more natural to me.


3) What are your personal targets for next season?


Peter: I would like to improve my goal return next season. Their are other goals and targets I have both personally and for the club but I prefer to keep them private.


4) How pleasing was the impact young players like Adam Mekki had on the side this season?


Peter: It's fantastic to see the young players coming through and Mekki has done really well since coming back from loan and getting into the first team. He is an exciting player and there is plenty more to come from him. Other young players are also doing well and starting come through like Reece Connolly, Doug Bergvist and more recently Jordan Roberts. We've also had some of the younger ones train with us like Jack Barton amongst others who will progress and will become good players.


5) Signings such as Guy Madjo, Wilko Risser and Ross Worner have been really important this season. Would you like to see some new faces arrive this summer?


Peter: There are always going to be a few new faces coming in and some leaving us. It is exciting seeing the new players coming in and seeing what they will bring to the team. It will also increase competition for places and so its up to the current players to carry on improving everyday in training.


6) Now for some more laid back questions! Who is the loudest in the dressing room?


Peter: Although he is not a player it has got to be our goalkeeping coach Bayso (Ashley Bayes) ! The man is literally non stop and you can hear him from a mile away! I think he's 40 going on 18. He's a great character to have around the place.


7) Who is the team joker?


Peter: To be fair we have a few in the dressing room so you have to be on guard. There are a few jokes and pranks at the minute which are still unsolved so don't want to give the culprits away!


8) Who spends the most time looking in the mirror?


Peter: There are a couple of lads who take care of themselves. Josh Payne spends quite a bit of time in front of the mirror making sure everything is perfect and Aaron Morris has all his moisturizers in his wash bag!


9) Who takes training the most seriously?


Peter: Ben Herd! All the lads take it seriously but him more than others.


10) What boots do you wear?


Peter: Adidas Predators .


11) Who are your idols in football?


Peter: Kaka has been my favourite player for a few years now since I saw him play when he was AC Milan against Manchester United at Old Trafford. He was outstanding and by far the best player on the pitch that night and I have liked him since.


12) And finnaly, what is your favourite Shots chant?


Peter: "Keep the red flag flying high!" is one I  like. I also enjoy the humour from the fans. Like when were 1-0 down against Manchester United they started sing "We're gonna win 6-1!" which made me laugh!

Pete Vincenti

Danny Hylton and the Racism Saga - My thoughts

When I heard the news about Danny Hylton being given an 8 game ban for racism, I was shocked. Not because of the length of the ban but because of who was being given the ban. I would never have had Danny Hylton down as a racist, never. He seems like a nice guy, not one to be racist. Now let me give my opinion, racism is disgusting and appalling. I am struggling to get behind Danny Hylton because I just find racism so awful. However, he is a player at the club I love so I have to throw some support behind him. Friends of Danny Hylton took to twitter to say it was all a mistake, Danny would never be racist and I hope they are right.
      A few things confuse me about this whole thing. Why has he only just been sentenced on a incident that happened quite a while ago? Why did it take the FA such a long time to react? Also, where is the evidence coming from? The evidence always confuses me in racism. When Luis Suarez was convicted of racism by the FA the evidence came from no one else but the victim himself, Patrice Evra. I do not understand how the FA can only go on evidence from the victim. The victim could say absolutely anything, blow the incident out of proportion. I personally think more evidence is needed in racism trials. The message the FA is sending out regarding the length of bans for racism is also bad. Joey Barton was recently given a 12 game ban for being punched himself, kneeing somebody in the back then pretending to headbutt somebody? Yes, this deserves a ban and I am not saying that Barton should get away scott free. However, if you insult somebody on the colour of their skin, which is downright appalling, you will get a smaller ban than getting in a small scuffle with some other players. I am worried I am making out that Joey Barton has been treated unfairly here and that is not what I want to do. The FA were right to give Joey the ban, he assaulted other players, he lost his head. What I am trying to say is that I think the ban for racism should be equal to that of Joey Bartons.
      I hope Danny Hylton learns from his mistakes and comes back a stronger player but more importantly, a stronger man.



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Summer Signings

Dean Holdsworth has already made it clear that he intends to bring at least 2 new players this summer with the two players believed to be two players who were on loan with the Shots this year. Sonny Bradley is believed to be Dean Holdsworth first target, the 20 year old having made a big impression after joining the Shots on loan from Hull City. The defender looked comfortable every game and it would be foolish for Dean Holdsworth to not at least try the youngster! However, shortly after returning to Hull he made his debut which makes it seem unlikely that Hull are going to let Bradley go anytime soon.
   The second player who could make his loan move permanent is Troy Brown. Troy did a great job when he joined on loan from Rotherham and I would not be surprised if he made the move permanent. He can can play in defence and midfield and also has Championship experience, which is important.
  Another player rumoured to be joining Aldershot is Lewis Chalmers. The former Shots midfielder was released by Macclesfield Town so he would be available on a free transfer, which is a bonus.

Sonny Bradley could be joining Aldershot permanently this summer

   Let us not forget that 3 players will be returning from injury and from loans away from the club and they could be just as good as making 3 new signings. Alex Rodman and Michael Rankine both missed huge parts of last season through serious injuries and fans would love to see them back. Alex Rodman had a very serious viral infection but he is nearing full fitness again and I cannot wait to see him flying down the wing again. Michael Rankine broke his leg halfway through the season just as Aldershot were lacking firepower up front and fans were worried Aldershot would badly miss him upfront. However, with Wilko Risser and Guy Madjo having both made a big impression upfront with a healthy return of goals, Rankine will have to try even harder to force his way into the first team. Returning from a loan deal is Bradley Bubb. Bradley scored a hatful of goals for Eastleigh whilst out on loan and will be dying to force himself into the Aldershot set up.


In terms of players leaving the club, I hope not as many players are released as last year! Jamie Young's future seems unclear after he gave an interview in which he said he felt a point to proove. He lost the nukber 1 spot to Ross Worner but impressed between the sticks when Worner went out with a back injury. Jamie is a very good number two and I hope him losing the number one jersey this year will only make him hungrier. Last year rumours circulated that a whole host of Championship clubs were interested in signing Anthony Straker. Whether or not the interest is still there remains to be seen but I hope Aldershot do all they can to hold onto Straker.  According to some fan forums Henrik Breimyr may make his loan deal to Norway permanent and this would not surprise me.

Jamie Young's future remains unclear

Young Blood

3 players impressed me today and they were all new youngsters on the block! In this blog I will go into detail on the three young players and talk about what part they may have to play in the future.

Adam Mekki: 
As you can see from some of my previous blogs I am quite a big fan of Adam Mekki! For a young guy he has already shown himself to be a big talent. He is quick but bulky and likes a challenge! He has already shown his class with some goals and assist and I think he has a lot to offer in the future! Read my previous blog on Mekki for more details on the youngster!

Reece Connoly:
Reece is still raw but I think he could easily become a regular next season. A loan spell at Farnbourough has really boosted his strength. Today was the first time I had seen Reece play and I was really impressed! His work rate was excellent and his cross for Vincenti's chance was brilliant! He seems quick and although he is not the tallest of people he still won balls in the air! Once he scores his first goal he will gain even more confidence and I really hope to see him make a few more appearances this year! Strikers are needed at Aldershot at the moment so I am sure Reece will get his chance!

Jordan Roberts:
Jordan made his Shots debut today and I was really impressed. Playing out on the wing he had pace and made some decent runs off the ball! With the ball he was superb. First time crosses into the box is something Aldershot need to do more of and I think Roberts will be really good at providing those. He clearly didn't lack confidence for example he took the Shots corners and free kicks today! He had a decent effort go just over the bar today and I really hope he gets some more opportunities in the first team this year to proove himself!

Aldershot have some really bright talent for the future. I hope to see these 3 young players get a decent run in the first team and who knows, these 3 may be the stars of Aldershot's future!

Aldershot vs Dagenham and Redbridge match report!

Today was a very special day for me! I was sat in the press box for today's game against Dagenham and Redbridge. I got to meet key members of the press as well as Shots players Ben Herd and Anthony Straker which was brilliant! A HUGE thanks to Total Soccer Magazine and Graham Brookland for such a brilliant day!
       Jordon Roberts was making his debut for the Shots and they played in a 4-4-1-1 formation with Hylton playing in the hole and Risser up front. Dagenham took control at the beginning of the game and if it wasn't for a key tackle from Ben Herd in the box Dagenham would surely have gone one up. Played then switched to the other end as Roberts nearly scored on his debut after Danny Hylton held the ball up well. In the 8th minute Mekki had a fierce volley blocked in the area and shortly after that Roberts again came close again from a free kick after Hylton had been bundled over.
   Aldershot's tactic today was to take short corners and I have to say unfortunately that they didnt pay off. The ball never reached the box  that often and they didnt look dangerous. The game all went a bit quite after that until the 27th minute when Aldershot really should have scored. Danny Hylton again, who I felt played much better today than in recent weeks, held the ball up well and played in Risser but the Namibian failed to get any kind of contact on the ball and then chance went begging. Jordon Roberts continued to impress up and down the wing in the first half and he, like Adam Mekki, definitely looks like one for the future! In the 39th minute it was Adam Mekki who found Ben Herd out wide. Ben bombed forward from right back and crossed into the box and Vincenti headed just over. The score remained 0-0 for the rest of the first half.
       In the second half it was Dagenham's turn to dominate. Right from the whistle they attacked and in the 51st minute it took a brilliant save from Jamie Young to keep the score at 0-0. Then in the 57th minute Aldershot somehow failed to convert. Ben Herd had whipped in a free kick and in a goal line scramble Risser, Vincenti and Hylton all had stabs at the ball before Risser ultimately smashed over the bar. Then in the 59th minute Dagenham got what they deserved. The marking from Aldershot was poor at the corner and Doe had a free header which he took well. 1-0 Dagenham. Th goal was deserved. Dagenham had had a good spell but he should not have been allowed to have a free header. In the 66th minute Dean Holdsworth made 2 changes. Guy Madjo, who I was surprised didn't start, and youngster Reece Connoly came on for Wilko Risser and Jordon Roberts who had made a good impression. Madjo was immediately involved in the game, his flicked header arrived at Danny Hylton's feet but his cross was poor. In the 75th minute Hylton made way for Mark Mosesly and this was to be a key substitution! In the 84th minute Vincenti missed a sitter. Reece Connoly did really well down the right hand side and put a fantastic ball acrosss the box but the sliding Vincenti could only shoot straight at the keeper, resulting in a corner instead of a goal. Then the Shots finnaly scored. It look as though the chance had gone after the corner was headed away but Mosesly did really well. He beat at least 2 men before finding Mekki out wide who crossed superbly for Troy Brown to head home. The game finished 1-1 and I'm sure both sides were satisfied with a point.


Injury News:
The Shots squad is now down to the bare minimum after loan players were recalled by their clubs and injuries. Alex Rodman and Michael Rankine are both out with long term injuries and Ross Worner will not be back in goal until next season. Josh Payne is also currently sidelined with an injury and Troy Brown limped off at the end of todays match, a worrying sign for the shots.

Adam Mekki injury

Last night Crawley played Aldershot Town. There intentions didn't look like playing football though, they looked like removing Adam Mekki from the game and unfortunately for Aldershot, they did. Mekki limped off injured and then took to twitter to blast Crawley,  saying he had been hacked all game. He was devastated. He went for a scan today and he will get the results back tomorrow. If we do lose Adam Mekki it would be a massive blow as he has just come to form. We wish you luck Mekki!

Aldershot news round up from Morecambe game to Northampton game.

There has been a lot of Aldershot news in the past week since the Morecambe game so I am going to talk you through what has been going on.
    As mentioned in one of my previous blogs Josh Payne joined the club on a permanent deal from Oxford which is terrific. Please check one of my previous blog post for the full details in this deal!
    Following Aldershot's win over Morecambe Anthony Straker and Guy Madjo both made league 2 team of the week which was a brilliant achievement.
    The next bit of news wasn't so great. Ross Worner was ruled out for the rest of the season with a back injury. This is a big blow as Ross is a fine keeper and he had been putting in some great displays. Luckily Aldershot have a brilliant number 2 in Jamie Young and I am sure he will continue where Ross Worner set off.
    Then 2 loan signings were secured. Sonny Bradley extended his stay with the Shots until April which is great as I have been very impressed with him. The second loan signing was young midfielder Michael Doughty. He joined on a months loan deal from QPR. He looks very talented and I hope he settles in well at Aldershot!
      Finnaly Luke Gutteridge broke his "gentlemen's agreement" with Aldershot manager and started against his former club in Northampton's 3-1 win over Aldershot in which the tank that is Adebayo Akinfenwa scored 2 for Northampton. Ben Herd limped off injured in the match and the only positive from the game was that Danny Hylton managed to get himself on the score sheet again!
 So,  a mixed week for the Shots!








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Bradley Bubb - The forgotten man.

At the beginning of this season Aldershot snapped up Bradley Bubb from non league neighbours Farnbourough Town. He had been scoring a hat load of goals for Farnbourough so it was no surprise when he moved up into the football league . However, we haven't seen much of Bubb in the football league and its all a mystery why.
   
            Bubb became Dean Holdsworth's fifth signing of the summer when he signed for the Shots for an undisclosed free. With forwards Marvin Morgan, Damian Spencer, Tim Sills and Wade Small all leaving the club, a striker was needed so Bubb was snapped up. He was expected to shine but Aldershot fans have seen nothing from him this season, well,  at least not Aldershot. This is mainly because Bubb has been shipped out on loan for the rest of the season and Aldershot fans are wondering if they will ever see him again.
   
           Bubb made 9 appearances at the beginning of the season before joining Basingstoke Town on a short term loan deal. He scored a few goals for them and while away the Shots hit a patch where they just could not score. Bubb returned to the club and many Aldershot fans expected Bubb to return to the Aldershot team. However,  what happened next was and still is a mystery.

     Bradley was shipped out on loan to non league side Eastleigh for the rest of the year with no reason given. Rumours of a bust up with manager Dean Holdsworth started to circulate which bubb refused to neither confirm or deny on his official twitter account, saying he could not say anything about the issue but he should be back at Aldershot next season. Fans have constantly been tweeting Bradley Bubb telling him he sould return to the Shots but he simply told them he cannot. Dean Holdsworth has said nothing in the media about the issue either.

  I hope to see Bradley Bubb in an Aldershot shirt next year. Aldershot are currently lacking strikers and if injuries strike there could be a real problem. I think Madjo and Bubb could also form a really good partnership. Bubb doesn't mind doing the dirty work and is physically very strong. He is scoring goals for fun at Eastleigh and I hope he can return to Aldershot next season and start banging in some goals for the Shots!
       

Former Shots: Dean Hammond - Where is he now?

This is the start of a little series I am going to be writing about former Shots, some of which have gone on to bigger and better things and some which have flopped! The first player I am going to write about is Dean Hammond.
    Dean Hammond was at Aldershot long before I began supporting them but he is probably in the best current situation of all former Shots players at the moment! Captain of Championship high flyers Southampton, Dean could easily be playing football in the premiership next season.
    Dean was never a permanent Aldershot player. He joined the club on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion. Aged 20, he was being sent to non league Aldershot to gain some vital experience. Dean made his Aldershot debut in a 3-1 against Halifax, the first of 7 Aldershot appearances. A tough tackler, he received 2 yellow cards during his time with the Shots! Although he only made a handful of appearances the fans have fond memories of him.
       As previously mentioned Dean now captains Southampton. He runs the midfield and is a natural leader. He has been one of the key players in Southampton's promotion charge.
   If Big Dean does make the Premiership it would be an amazing achievement for a man who once made 7 appearances! I think I speak on behalf of the Aldershot fans when I say good luck Deano!

Josh Payne - Now a shot!

Yesterday I came home from school to the fantastic news that Josh Payne had signed a permanent deal with Aldershot Town. This really pleased me. I had been at the EBB Stadium on Saturday to watch the Shots battle to a 1-0 win over Morecambe and Josh Payne really stood out. He was one of the key men, he controlled the game. A real talent.
    Why Oxford chose to allow Payne out on loan in the first place I do not know! Payne quite clearly has a lot of talent. His first touch is sensational and he has a great footballing brain. He picks the right passes, he knows when it is right to run with the ball and when he should pass, he knows when to hold the ball up and slow the play down and he seems to know where everyone is on the pitch! He is skillful and and it appears he can play anywhere across the midfield capably. He has a good shot too and he definitely tested the keeper in the Morecambe game!
    The signing of Josh Payne clearly shows intent from the club and I am really impressed by the quality of signings recently made by Aldershot. Josh Payne and Guy Madjo have both made really big impressions and we also signed an international player in big Namibian Wilko Risser. The future looks bright for Aldershot and I firmly believe that the club can reach league 1 in the next 2 years!



Please follow me on twitter: @Westlea11


If you have anything you would like me to write about to do with Aldershot Town suggestions would be really welcome!




Also just to say I am going to be watching a game from the Aldershot press box as a journalist for the day!

Why Guy Madjo is key to Aldershot's promotion charge

When Guy Madjo was signed by Dean Holdworth in the January transfer window, everybody thought he was a bit mad. Yes, he could score goals but consistency and loyalty had always been a worry with Madjo and after making only 1 appearance for Stevenage the signing was even more perculiar but boy was it a good one!
    With Jermaine McGlashan and Luke Gutteridge both leaving the club (to Cheltenham and Northampton respectively), Michael Rankine and Alex Rodman both out with long term injuries, Bradley Bubb out on loan at Eastleigh and Danny Hylton not scoring as many as he did at the beginning of the season, a striker was needed and fast. Holdsworth signed 2, Madjo and big Namibian international Wilko Risser. Whilst Risser has struggled to cement a place in the side, Madjo has been a revelation.
  4 goals in 7 games, he has becme Aldershot's leading striker. He has helped wean Danny Hylton back into form (who scored his first goal in 4 month in the 4-1 thrashing of Barnet in which Madjo scored twice).
  If Aldershot want to seriously consider themselves able to reach the play offs Madjo needs to stay fit and keep scoring!



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Adam Mekki - A rising star?

Last season Aldershot fans were wondering if Adam Mekki was ever going to make the breakthrough. However with latest boss Dean Holdsworth it looks as though Adam Mekki has been giving a chance and he is taking it!
    I always though that Mekki would be the one to break through of all the young players at Aldershot. Pace, strength and a decent eye for goal he was made out to be a decent player who could fill in for Jermaine McGlashan and Alex Rodman on the wings if they were ever injured. However with McGlashan sold to Cheltenham and Rodman sideline with a long term viral infection Mekki now has a chance of a run in the first team!
   Mekki spent the beginning of his youth career at neighbours Reading before being snatched by Aldershot in 2006. Loan spells at Oxford, Carshalton, Dorchester and Basingstoke helped him get match fit and gain some experience before he was called back from his loan spell at Basingstoke and thrust into the shots team.
      The great thing about Mekki is his versatility. He can play on both wings or upfront and is capable of using both feet. He has a good strength for a not so tall guy and loves a good tackle! At 20 he still has many years ahead of him too!
     The remainder of this season will be important for Mekki. Dislodging Josh Payne and Pete Vincenti from the flanks will be touch but Mekki will keep on trying. Who knows, next season he may even be a guaranteed starter?





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Introductions....Never easy are they!

Hi, I am Will Estlea, a 14 year old from Hampshire and I will be writing about the team I support, Aldershot Town. Aldershot compete in league 2 and are one of my local teams, hence me supporting them. my favorite Aldershot players are Anthony Straker and Adam Mekki and my favorite premiership player is Ryan Giggs! I hope you enjoy my blogs and I will be updating and writing on a regular basis! There we go, introduction done!