Ben Herd / Ben Herd / 24 March 2010 / Leave a comment " class="free-bet-btn" rel="external" onclick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/G4/inline-freebet');" target="_blank">Free Bet View Market

The Aldershot defender returns to his former-club, secures a much needed win and catches up with an ex-team-mate. Kelvin Langmead sounds like a nice guy, but should the Shrews' defender ever get round to opening his chippy, don't be too hasty with the salt and pepper.

"I want to experience promotions. After being on the losing side twice at Wembley, it would be nice to look back on my career in years to come with some pride in my successes."

It was my former team, Shrewsbury Town, for us at home last weekend. It was a vital game for us, perhaps even a make or break for our season, because we were up against a Shrewsbury team who were just above us and an opportunity to make up some ground on them.

Thankfully, we rose to the occasion and were full value for our victory, 2-0. I was very up for this game, not only because it was against my former employers, but also because we had lost our previous two games and needed to get back on track in our play-off hunt. It wasn't too difficult grabbing hold of one of the Shrewsbury players after the game for betting.betfair.

Kelvin Langmead is the man in the hot seat this week. Kelv, is currently Shrewsbury's longest serving player - although he is more accustomed to playing at centre back, he came to the club originally as a bustling centre forward. A previous winner of "Player of the season," he is a firm crowd favourite. Here's what he had to say:

So Kelv, what did you make of today's game?

We went with a 4-5-1 formation, which has served us quite well in away matches earlier on in the season. But pretty much from the first whistle to the last, we were second best all over the pitch, which is not good enough. It seemed as though Aldershot simply wanted it more than we did, we lacked any real quality and I don't think we had a shot on target in the entire game. Aldershot came at us and caused us problems, and we defended for long periods without being able to get out. To sum up, it was just a very bad day for us.

With Shrewsbury having one of the larger budgets in this division, is anything but promotion deemed as a failure this season?

The target at the beginning of the season was to gain promotion to League One, so I suppose you could say that if we didn't go up, then we would have failed. It's been said loads of times, but the club is ready to go to the next level - we have a fantastic new stadium, great training facilities and a very good fan base. In two out of the last three seasons we have reached the play-off final and lost, so we really want and need to get to the League above. The fan's can obviously see the ambition of the club off the field and are desperate for us to gain promotion, there is still time and games to do it this season.

How pleased have you been with your own form this season, and who do you think will win Player of the Season at Shrewsbury?

My aims at the beginning of the season were to secure a first team place and stay in the team and try and play as many games as I could. I feel that I have become a lot more consistent this season and seem to have cut out a lot of mistakes from my game. I am still relatively "new" at this position and I am learning all of the time from the other defenders at the club - the likes of Graham Coughlan have brought on my game. As for Player of the season, my vote goes to Dave Hibbert, our talismanic striker. Hibbo has been a complete revelation this season. Last season he didn't play as much as he would have liked and suffered with a few injuries, but he must have drank a magic potion last summer, because he came back a player transformed. Everything about his game has improved this season and the biggest compliment I can give him is that we miss him when he is unavailable.

What ambitions do you have for the next few seasons?

I want to play at the highest level I can get to. That is what I strive to do and I think it would be best for me to experience playing at a higher level one step at a time, so that I can acclimatise to that division, then hopefully go again. I also want to experience promotions. After being on the losing side twice at Wembley, it would be nice to look back on my career in years to come with some pride in my successes.

You have just turned 25, and although you have many years left in football, have you given any consideration to a career once you hang up your boots?

I am starting to do my B license coaching badge and that is something I do enjoy, so you never know. To be perfectly honest, my mind tends to drift from one career path to another. There was a stage when I could see myself joining the Fire Brigade, but I would probably have kids by then and I don't think I could risk my life whilst I was a dad. I did think about running a Fish and Chip shop locally when I leave the game, and I told Dave Hibbert this and he wanted to become my partner, so we might create the next Harry Ramsdens in Shropshire!

Football

Favourite Premier League Player? Cesc Fabregas
Favourite player outside the Premier League? Ronaldo - not the fat one!
Manager you'd most like to work under? Ian Holloway
Club you'd most like to play for? Barcelona

Best mate in Football? Chris Neal
Messiest eater? Steve Leslie
Biggest ladies man? Steve Leslie - thinks he is the local Casanova!
Worse Dressed team-mate? Kris Bright

Non-football

Dream date? Holly Willoughby
Favourite TV programme? Lost
Favourite shop? ebay
Worst vice? Eating cakes!
Biggest pet hate? People who season their food before tasting it!

50/50

Chinese or Curry? Chinese
Pepsi or Coke? Pepsi
BMW or Audi? Audi
Pro Evo or Fifa? Pro Evo
Michael Buble or Akon? Michael Buble

Tags: Aldershot Town, Ben Herd, Ben's Banter, Football betting, Kelvin Langmead, Shrewsbury Town