Scott Rogers’ side come into this eagerly-anticipated clash in good form, and kept another clean-sheet in last Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Tonbridge Angels.

Like Weston, Aldershot have also made a managerial change this season. Following The Shots’ 3-2 victory at Dorking Wanderers in the last round of the FA Cup, manager Tommy Widdrington announced his departure, before eventually taking over at Eastbourne Borough later that week.

Aldershot moved quickly and have since aappointed former Accrington Stanley manager John Coleman as their new boss. Coleman watched last Saturday’s game at Scunthorpe United from the stands, meaning Saturday’s game at Weston is Coleman’s first official game in charge.

In that game at Scunthorpe, former Weston player Ryan Jones made a welcome return to the starting line-up after a difficult few months out injured. Jones sadly missed Aldershot’s FA Troohy final win at Wembley Stadium last May.

While The Shots entered the FA Cup at the Fourth Qualifying Round, The Seagulls have had to get past Taunton Town, Poole Town and Needham Market to get to this stage.

For the first time ever, Weston have made it to the First Round proper two seasons in a row, a proud achievement for all connected with Weston.

There was a huge following for the First Round tie at Bristol Rovers last season, plus large attendances here at the Woodspring Stadium (as it was then known) for the First Round ties with Doncaster Rovers and Wrexham in 2014 and 2018 respectively.

We can expect another big crowd for this mouth-watering Aldershot tie, and the Weston players will need the crowd’s backing in a tough test against The Shots.

*If it is a draw after 90 minutes, then the tie will go to extra-time. Should the score still be level, then the match will go to penalties*

Please note: Alcohol is not permitted outside of the designated indoor bar areas in accordance with FA and licensing regulations.

The brilliant Lipinskis will be performing live in the Somerset Suite from 12:30pm – 2:30pm.

Matchday Information:

Entry Prices

Adult: £16
Concession (Senior 60+, Student ID, Armed Forces ID, NHS ID): £12
14–17 Year Old: £7
9–13 Year Old: £5 (Must be accompanied by an adult)
Under 8s: Free (Must be accompanied by an adult)
Family Ticket (2 Adults & 2 Under 13s): £34

Buying Tickets

Tickets can be purchased:

Online in advance
At the turnstiles on matchday

Online tickets will be on sale until 11am on matchday.

Please note that we are anticipating this pay on the day line to be very busy. To avoid large queues and ensure a smooth entry to the ground, we strongly encourage all supporters to buy their tickets online in advance and enter the Optima Stadium with plenty of time to spare before kick off.

Turnstile Information

To help make your matchday as smooth as possible, please take note of the turnstile arrangements:

1: Home Online Tickets
2: Home Online Tickets
3: Away Online Tickets
4: Away Online Tickets
6: Home Card & Cash

ID Checks

We may ask to see ID at the turnstiles to ensure supporters have purchased the correct type of ticket. This is to ensure fairness for all fans.

If we believe a ticket has been purchased incorrectly or is being misused, we reserve the right to refuse entry and disable a matchday ticket or season ticket without refund.

Parking Information

We have a fair-sized car park at the stadium, with a limited amount of matchday parking available for Blue Badge holders. If a Blue Badge space is required, we recommend arriving as early as possible to secure a spot.

Season ticket holders can park for free in the Season Ticket Holders’ Car Park behind the main stand by showing their season ticket or car parking pass at the main car park entrance.

Once the stadium car park is full on matchday, all supporters are asked to park responsibly in the two nearby industrial estates, which are just a 5–10-minute walk from the Optima Stadium. Please do not park in the housing estate opposite the club, as this can cause issues for local residents.

Please note that we are only able to accommodate the official away team coach within the Optima Stadium.

Programmes

We have produced printed copies of our matchday programme, The Seagull, for this fixture. Our bumper 52-page souvenir programme full of blogs, interviews and features will be available for £3 at the turnstiles.