In addition to the Aldershot Officers’ Club with more teams being fielded other pitches used in the area were the polo fields at Aldershot, Gibraltar Barracks at Minley and in later years when Astro became available Sandhurst Sports Centre, Frogmore School in Yateley and Edgbarrow School and Wellington College both in Crowthorne.
In the pre-Astro days training took place at various venues including Fleet Sports Centre and for some years in the 1980’s in the corner of Church Road car park in Fleet once the shoppers had removed their cars!
When the need to play home matches in Fleet became more pressing later in the 1970’s a plea was made by club President Dr. Scott (Rob’s father) to the council for support and in October 1977 they approved plans to lay out two pitches at the far end of Calthorpe Park. The club swung in to action to move the plans forward and in early 1978 organised a ‘baked bean’ eating contest using a cocktail stick which raised £250 towards the cost of the new pitches. Unfortunately, progress was very slow but in September 1982 players and family members cleared debris from the site for the new pitches (it had previously been a refuse tip) to push matters forward with the hope they would be ready for the 1983/84 season – in the end it took until 1984/85!

Clearing the pitch of stones

Playing on the pitch 1984

L-R Standing: Maarten van der Kolk, Rick Cooper, Paul Morris, Andy Saunders, John Nickinson, Alan Bosworth
Sitting: Andrew Watson, Kim Morris, Steve Davies, Tony Harris?, Jimmy Barnwell