Bromley F.C.

Bromley

Full name	Bromley Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Ravens, The Lillywhites
Founded	1892 (1892)
Ground	Fortress Stadium, Hayes Lane, Bromley
Ground Capacity	6,000 (3,000 seated)
Manager	Mark Goldberg
League	Conference South
2014–15	Conference South, 1st (promoted)
Home colours Away colours

Coordinates: 51°23′24.25″N 0°01′15.87″E / 51.3900694°N 0.0210750°E / 51.3900694; 0.0210750 Bromley Football Club are an English football club based in Bromley, in Greater London, England. They currently play in the Conference South, and play their home matches at The Fortress Stadium, Hayes Lane.

History

19th Century

Bromley Football Club was founded in 1892 and played friendly games against mainly local opposition sides in its first season. Their first competitive football came in the South London League, which was won at the first attempt. However, they moved frequently between leagues in those early days: two seasons in the Southern Football League were followed by a spell in the London League, winning the Division Two title in 1897.

20th Century

After a brief interlude in the Kent League, Bromley returned to the London League but were expelled in 1900. They then competed in the Spartan League, and after winning the title in 1908, they had their first spell in the Isthmian League and won the championship in each of their first two seasons. After the First World War they joined the Athenian League, winning the title in 1923. The club then moved into its current Hayes Lane stadium in 1938.

Though the 1930s were successful on the cup front, league honours eluded them until 1949 when they lifted the Athenian League Championship, to go with the FA Amateur Cup. Three years later they rejoined the Isthmian League, and again made an immediate impact finishing runners up at the first attempt, and going one better in 1954, reversing the previous season's six-point margin over Walthamstow Avenue, who were again runners up when Bromley were champions again in 1961.

The following season they had only two clubs below them, and in thirteen subsequent seasons only twice finished in the top half, culminating in relegation in 1975, the second time they had finished at the bottom.

Bromley were promoted back to the newly-named Premier Division in 1980, and during an up-and-down period they were relegated again in 1984 then promoted two years later before finishing runners-up to Yeovil Town in 1988 – the highest league position for over 25 years – and then relegated for a third time two years later. Regaining Premier Division status at the first attempt under new manager George Wakeling, they remained in the top flight until 1999 when, after their best start to a season for many a year – thirteen points out of the first five games – they only won four of the remaining 37 league games, and as a consequence were relegated for the fourth time since promotion and relegation was introduced.

21st Century

Following the latest relegation, the club fell into a period of sharp decline. Amid poor cup performances and dramatically diminishing attendances Bromley twice finished in the bottom five of the Isthmian League first division before in 2002, local businessman and former Bromley player Jerry Dolke took control of the club. Though this would mark the beginning of an upward turn in the club's fortunes, it was not enough to prevent Bromley from dropping into the eighth tier of English football for the first time following the 2004 re-structuring of non-league football, which saw the creation of regional Conference North and South divisions below the Conference Premier. Bromley had finished the 2003/04 season 8th in the First Division South, when 6th place would have seen them qualify for the new seventh-tier Isthmian Premier Division.

In 2004/05 under the returning Wakeling (along with Billy Smith) the team hit form almost straight away and reached the playoff places by the season's end. Wins over Metropolitan Police and Horsham followed, marking Bromley's return to the Premier Division after a six-year absence. After a season of consolidation, former Crystal Palace chairman Mark Goldberg became manager in 2006 and in his first season led the club to second place in the Premier division and a further promotion to the Conference South following playoff victories over AFC Wimbledon and Billericay Town.

For the next seven seasons Bromley enjoyed mixed fortunes in the Conference South, flirting with both relegation and promotion while also recording a number of mid-table finishes. In 2014/15, the club made a number of high-profile signings and stadium developments and, despite a background of uncertainty over the club's ownership, would go on to win the title, earning promotion to the Conference Premier for the first time in its history.

Cup exploits

Bromley won the FA Amateur Cup three times, the third being in 1949 when a then-record crowd of 96,000 watched them beat Romford in the first Wembley final. In 1911 they beat Bishop Auckland at Herne Hill, and in 1938 were victors over Erith & Belvedere in the only all-Kent final. All three Finals were won by the same 1–0 scoreline, and the goal in each game was scored by the player wearing the number 8 shirt.

The Second Round proper of the FA Cup has been reached three times (1937, 1938 and 1945), with First Round appearances on a further ten occasions (1947, 1949, 1950, 1976, 1996, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2014).

Since entering the FA Trophy in 1974 – following the cessation of the Amateur Cup – they had not gone beyond the Second Round until season 2000–2001 when they reached the Third Round after the competition had been revamped.

Bromley have won the Kent Senior Cup six times and also won the Kent Amateur Cup on twelve occasions. The London Senior Cup has been won on five occasions, most recently beating Kingstonian F.C. in 2013's final, with the London Challenge Cup coming to Hayes Lane in 1996.

Ground

Bromley play their home games at The Hayes Lane Stadium, Hayes Lane, Bromley BR2 9EF.

After playing at White Hart Field, Widmore Road and Plaistow Cricket Ground, Bromley moved to Hayes Lane: some 300 yards (270 m) from their present ground – which was purchased in 1938. They had to leave the ground when fire destroyed the main stand in October 1992, but returned in September 1993. The record attendance stands at 10,798 for a game against Nigeria in 1949, but the capacity is now much reduced.

The start of the 2006–07 season saw ground improvements which had been underway throughout the summer completed. The new bar opened, which combines with the old one previously used. The stand has a new board room, new cafe, and lift system. Two new five-a-side football pitches have also been constructed along with a new club shop. The end of 2006 also came with the news that Bromley had fully purchased the land in which the club is built on, giving the club room to build on their stadium.

An extra set of turnstiles was built during the 2007/08 season, giving the ground a "B" grading suitable for Conference National football.

Cray Wanderers and Bromley Ladies FC also play their home games at Hayes Lane.

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player GK Alan Julian GK Josh Pelling (dual registration with Hastings United) DF Joe Anderson DF Jack Holland DF Sam Long DF Callum McNaughton DF Paul Rodgers DF Rob Swaine (captain) DF Emmanuel Ugo Udoji MF Adam Birchall

No. Position Player MF Anthony Cook MF Louis Dennis MF Ali Fuseini MF Pierre Joseph-Dubois MF Reece Prestedge MF Danny Waldren (vice-captain) FW Moses Ademola FW Bradley Goldberg (on loan from Dagenham & Redbridge) FW Ben May FW Jamie Slabber

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player DF Adam Bailey-Dennis (at Bishops Stortford) GK Seb Brown (at Hampton & Richmond)

No. Position Player MF Mitchell Pinnock (at Tonbridge Angels) MF Damian Scannell (at Sutton United)

Coaching staff

Position	Name
Manager	Mark Goldberg
Assistant Manager	Neil Smith
First Team Coach	Hugo Langton
First Team Coach	Mark Hammond
Goalkeeping Coach	Glyn Shimell
Physiotherapist	Sean Wickenden

Honours

• Conference South:
  • Winners (1): 2014–15

• Spartan League:
  • Winners (1): 1907–08

• Isthmian League:
  • Winners (4): 1908–09, 1909–10, 1953–54, 1960–61
  • Runners up (4): 1952–53, 1955–56, 1987–88, 2006–07

• Isthmian League Division One:
  • Runners up (3): 1979–80, 1985–86, 1990–91
  • Playoff winners (1): 2004–05

• Athenian League:
  • Winners (3): 1922–23, 1948–49, 1950–51
  • Runners up (1): 1935–36

• FA Amateur Cup:
  • Winners (3): 1910–11, 1937–38, 1948–49

• London Senior Cup:^[1]
  • Winners (5): 1909–10, 1945–46, 1950–51, 2002–03, 2012–13
  • Runners up (4): 1948–49, 1959–60, 1984–85, 2006–07

Former players

1. Players that have played/managed in the Football League or any foreign equivalent to this level (i.e. fully professional league).
2. Players with full international caps.
3. Players that hold a club record or have captained the club.

• Keith Lawrence

References

External links

• Official website
• Bromley at the Football Club History Database

Football Conference Premier Clubs AFC Telford United Aldershot Town Alfreton Town Altrincham Barnet Braintree Town Bristol Rovers Chester Dartford Dover Athletic Eastleigh FC Halifax Town Forest Green Rovers Gateshead Grimsby Town Kidderminster Harriers Lincoln City Macclesfield Town Nuneaton Town Southport Torquay United Welling United Woking Wrexham Grounds Aggborough Blundell Park Crabble Athletic Ground Cressing Road Deva Stadium Gateshead International Stadium Haig Avenue Kingfield Stadium Liberty Way Memorial Stadium Moss Lane Moss Rose New Bucks Head North Street Park View Road Plainmoor Princes Park Racecourse Ground Recreation Ground Sincil Bank Ten Acres The Hive Stadium The New Lawn The Shay North AFC Fylde Barrow Boston United Brackley Town Bradford Park Avenue Chorley Colwyn Bay Gainsborough Trinity Gloucester City Guiseley Harrogate Town Hednesford Town Hyde Leamington Lowestoft Town North Ferriby United Oxford City Solihull Moors Stalybridge Celtic Stockport County Tamworth Worcester City South Basingstoke Town Bath City Bishop's Stortford Boreham Wood Bromley Chelmsford City Concord Rangers Eastbourne Borough Ebbsfleet United Farnborough Gosport Borough Havant & Waterlooville Hayes & Yeading United Hemel Hempstead Town Maidenhead United Staines Town St Albans City Sutton United Wealdstone Weston-super-Mare Whitehawk Seasons 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 See also: Conference League Cup

Football in London League teams (tiers 1-4) 1 Arsenal Chelsea Crystal Palace Queens Park Rangers Tottenham Hotspur West Ham United 2 Brentford Charlton Athletic Fulham Millwall 3 Leyton Orient 4 AFC Wimbledon Barnet Dagenham & Redbridge Non-League teams (tiers 5-8) 5 Welling United 6 Bromley Sutton United Wealdstone 7 A.F.C. Hornchurch Dulwich Hamlet Enfield Town Hampton & Richmond Borough Harrow Borough Hendon Kingstonian Metropolitan Police VCD Athletic Wingate & Finchley 8 A.F.C. Hayes Barkingside Carshalton Athletic Corinthian-Casuals Cray Wanderers Hanwell Town North Greenford United Northwood Redbridge Thamesmead Town Tooting & Mitcham United Uxbridge Rivalries London derbies Arsenal–Chelsea Millwall–West Ham North South East West Cup competitions London Senior Cup London Intermediate Cup London Junior Cup London Charity Cup (defunct) London Challenge Cup (defunct) See also The Football Combination London Football Association London XI London League (defunct) West London League (defunct)