Since
taking charge at The EBB Stadium in the summer of 2019, Searle led the Shots to
finishes of 18th and 15th in the National League.
Aldershot
currently sit 21st in the standings and Searle moves on having guided the club
during a difficult two-season period, following the club’s post-reprieval
season in 2019/20 and also a difficult following season that was affected by
the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw the 2020/21 season end prematurely.
Searle
guided the Shots to a Buildbase FA Trophy Quarter-Final last season, with eight
academy debuts also awarded, with Searle heavily involved in bridging the gap
with the club’s academy system and first-team playing squad over the last three
seasons too.
Taking
over from Searle is Mark Molesley on a deal until the end of the 2022/23
season.
The
40-year-old former Weymouth and Southend United boss will be assisted by the
returning Terry Brown and also Tom Prodomo as assistant-manager, with Brown
completing Molesley’s management team in a separate role to Prodomo.
This
decision will also see former assistant-manager Anwar Uddin leave the club.
Molesley
told https://www.theshots.co.uk:
“I’m delighted to be back at a club that is very close to my heart.
“My
dream came true when I became a professional footballer at this club and I
would be lying if I never thought of going back to the club as a manager.
“I
just think any success I have ever been involved in has been built around great
people and speaking to the Chairman and seeing some familiar faces, I know that
there’s good people at this football club who want the same things I do.
“My
connection with the club is the reason I wanted to come back and I can’t wait
to get started.”
Aldershot
chairman Shahid Azeem added: “Firstly, we want to thank Danny and Anwar for his
commitment to the club during a difficult period as previously mentioned, but
despite this, there were successful periods during his tenure too and we are
grateful for his efforts.
“But
we’re excited for the future with Mark and Terry returning to the club and
looking forward to seeing them returning to The EBB Stadium.
“If
you look at Mark’s managerial career, he’s had success with Weymouth before,
earning him a move to the league and not only that, they’ve been here before on
and off the pitch, so they know the history of the football club and they know
what it means to the club and also to the supporters too.
“We
want everyone to get back supporting the new management team and let’s hope for
a successful season.”
Terry
Brown said: “I’m absolutely thrilled and excited to be back at The EBB Stadium.
“My
role is to work alongside the board to ensure that we have plans in place for
our long-term future, I’m delighted to be able to bring Mark Molesley into the
management position here.
“He’s
an absolutely perfect person for the role here, he’s had successful spells with
Bournemouth u23s working his way under Eddie Howe, then having first-team experience and winning
promotion with Weymouth into the National League, then took an impossible task
at Southend, working in an extremely difficult environment.
“Mark
will bring in with him in his own staff, Tom Prodomo who he’s worked with
before and that management team is an extremely ambitious team that aspire to
be Football League managers in the near future.”
Molesley(pictured) re-joins the club in a managerial role, having previously become something of a
cult hero for The Shots during his playing days, scoring important goals
against local rivals Woking back in 2014 and the infamous goals that earned
Aldershot an FA Cup replay back in the same year, before scoring the winner in
the replay at The EBB Stadium just 10 days later.
After
beginning his managerial career with stints within Bournemouth’s youth systems,
Molesley enjoyed great success in charge of now-National League side Weymouth.
In
his first season at the helm, he guided them to the Southern League title, with
the side amassing 86 points.
Molesley’s
impressive record with the Terras continued, as he guided Weymouth to
back-to-back promotions after reaching the National League for the first time since
the 2008/09 season, with a 3-0 penalty shoot-out victory over Dartford.
The
former Shots midfielder’s managerial performances earned him a job in the
League with Southend United but after difficult circumstances, left the club
seven months later.
Molesley
is joined by a familiar face for Aldershot fans in Terry Brown, who previously
managed the Shots between 2002 and 2007 and is now back as a member of his
backroom staff.
Brown
ended up winning the league by a clear 13 points from nearest rivals Canvey
Island in his second season in charge.
Brown
and his players had an impressive first Conference National season by
qualifying for the end-of-season play-offs. Aldershot beat favourites Hereford
United on penalties before finally succumbing to Shrewsbury Town in the final
on penalties.
The
following season, now armed with a full-time squad, Brown equalled the
achievements of the previous season by again qualifying for the play-offs.
However, his team went down to another penalty-shoot-out defeat, this time to
Carlisle United, despite leading 3–1 at one point in spot kicks.
Brown
has also had previous success with AFC Wimbledon, having led the Dons to the
Football League for the first time in the club’s history, beating Luton Town
4–3 on penalties after a 0–0 draw in the Conference play-off final. Brown led
them to safety in their first year in the Football League. |