Aldershot football is big news again.

That has always been the case for those who love Aldershot Town — and loved and lost Aldershot FC before it — but the national media interest in the club this week has underlined its achievement in the return to the Football League.

Ahead of Saturday's opening League Two fixture at Accrington Stanley, the Shots have featured in numerous powerhouses of the national media, including The Daily Telegraph and Sky Sports television.

Not forgetting a little bit of ginger spice on BBC Radio 2, as Gary Waddock was interviewed on Chris Evans’ show.

Such coverage is wonderful for the club but also raises the level of expectation, especially among the fans, as they wait impatiently for the moment they have dreamt of since Aldershot Town were formed in April 1992.

Amid the hullabaloo, Waddock is excited but keen to keep a cap on expectations.

“We’ve had a lot of attention and coverage ever since April,” said Waddock. “It’s great news for the club and I understand just what we have achieved means to everyone involved at the club. We’re in for a busy couple of weeks, with the opening game, the Carling Cup game with Coventry City and then the first home match, against AFC Bournemouth.

“The players understand all the attention too and are looking forward to the season like never before. They have a chance to establish themselves in the League, to make a name for themselves. We go into the Accrington game with a lot of positives.

“But we don’t necessarily want the expectation to be too high. I would rather play it down, put a cap on it and just see how the season develops,” added Waddock.

“This is a tough league. There are teams who have spent many, many years trying to get out of it, while we have only just got in it.”

Rochdale are the classic case as far as that is concerned. They have been stuck in the bottom division of the Football League since 1974. Hopes were high of promotion last season but they were seen off by Stockport County in the play-offs.

“Last season was a great experience for us all,” said Waddock. “But it takes time to build success. I really don’t know what constitutes a good season for us. Is that consolidation? Or a play-off place? One thing I do know is that I want us to be competitive at the right end of the table but we’ll just have to wait and see how we get on.”

The national media have been busy making predictions about League Two and, while no one has suggested that the Shots will go straight back down, they have tended to suggest this will be a season of consolidation for Aldershot, with a finish in lower mid-table.

That is fine by Waddock. “Everyone underestimated us last year and look what we achieved,” said Waddock. “Being a favourite adds pressure, which is not necessarily a good thing.”

Waddock believes that there are a posse of powerful teams in the division to look out for.

“I expect the likes of Bradford, Brentford, Darlington, Rochdale and Gillingham to do well,” said Waddock.

Darlington and Rochdale made the play-offs last season, Gillingham came down from League One and Brentford and Bradford have enjoyed upbeat summers.

“Shrewsbury Town are a another side to watch out for,” said Waddock. “They have spent a lot of money and look strong.

“But let’s not forget that we have a good group of players too,” added Waddock.

“We are moving up a level and I expect opponents to be better and teams to take chances when they get them. But we have added to our group from last season.

“In signing players like a striker in Marvin Morgan and attacking fullbacks in Dean Howell and Ben Starosta, it’s obvious that we are looking to be positive.”

That said, Waddock does agree that at times that he may select a more narrow and tight midfield compared to last season’s expansive system, which normally favoured two wingers.
Ben Harding, Scott Donnelly and Scott Davies (currently out injured) are all central midfielders who can play out wide and tuck inside.

“But Martin Kuhl and I will never change our philosphy, we will always be looking for three points, whoever we pick or whatever system we play.”

Donnelly has been especially impressive in central midfield in pre-season and looks, for now, to have ousted Lewis Chalmers in the starting XI. Donnelly has played at a high level — the Championship — with Queens Park Rangers and Waddock is confident that the 20-year-old is rediscovering that form.

“I’ve known Scott since he was a boy [Waddock was youth team coach at QPR] and he was very talented there," he said. “He broke into the first team but, after a change of manager, things didn’t work out for him.

“He wants to prove a point to people that they were wrong to let him go and now he has a stage on which to show them his talent.

“He has worked tremendously hard to get this second opportunity and he knows that I rate him highly, which I think has helped him too. He has had an excellent pre-season but now he must maintain that standard, which is a challenge.”

Donnelly’s set-piece delivery will add a new dimension to Aldershot’s play too but he is not alone in having a point to prove to the Football League. Indeed, many of Waddock’s squad have had knockbacks from league sides, including key players like John Grant, Ben Harding and Chris Blackburn.

“Yes, there have been knockbacks and we have been able to use that as a tool, to our advantage.

“Martin and I have said to some players: ‘Remember what people have said to you in the past. Make sure it doesn’t happen again.’”

One player who made a jump the other way is winger Joel Grant, who Aldershot sold to League One Crewe Alexandra for £130,000 last month.

Waddock has not signed a direct replacement for Grant but says he is happy with the squad he has.

“We have plenty of options. Dean Howell and Anthony Straker can play further forward on the left, then we have the option of playing a more narrow midfield of four or of three.”

One midfield player Aldershot have been linked with is Matt Pattison of Woking, the former Farnborough Town star.

“He’s a good footballer and impressed me last season,” said Waddock. “But I have made no enquiries at all regarding him. I am happy with what we have.”

Waddock, typically, is not prepared to look beyond Accrington, the first of a series of trips north for the Shots. How the Shots fare on those long travels will probably be decisive as to how their season develops.

Not that Waddock will be too worried if the Shots don’t get off to a fast start, like they did in the Conference last season.

“A good start will be great but let’s just play things down a little,” said Waddock.

“The good news is that I have a level-headed bunch of players and they won’t get carried away, whether we start well or not.

“It’s just fantastic to be where we are. For now, let’s be happy with what we’ve got and build from there.

“We already have very good foundations; let’s take a game at a time and see where that gets us.”