Bromley F.C.
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Bromley Football Club are an English association football club, currently playing in the Isthmian League Premier Division.
History
Bromley Football Club was founded in 1892 and in the first season played friendly games against mainly local opposition sides. 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 League were followed by a spell in the London League, winning the Division Two title in 1897.
After a brief interlude in the Kent League, they 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.
Although 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 bottom.
They were promoted in 1980, and during an up and down period they went down again in 1984, came back up two years later and were runners up to Yeovil in 1988 - the highest League position for over 25 years - before being relegated for a third time two years later. Regaining Premiership status at the first attempt, they remained in the top flight until 1999 when, after their best start to a season for many a year - 13 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.
Their latest spell in the lower division saw them finish in 9th, 18th, 19th, 6th and 8th positions in the league table up until 2004. Between 1999 and 2001 two managers resigned before Stuart McIntyre took over the reigns for the first time towards the end of October 2001. Despite starting the season strongly, McIntyre decided to step down in October 2003. He returned in early 2004 to steady the ship, after being asked back by Chairman, Jerry Dolke, but a good finish to the campaign failed to prevent Bromley from just missing out on the restructuring play-off spot.
Season 04/05 began well with memorable FA Cup wins over Fisher Athletic and Sutton United and a strong showing in the league before results tailed off through November and December and McIntyre was relieved of his duties. The Club acted quickly to fill the void and asked a familiar face to take over. George Wakeling accepted the offer and returned to the job he had left in 1999 just before Christmas 2004. His first job was to appoint his former captain and crowd favourite, Frank Coles as assistant manager.
From the beginning of 2005 the manager's role was shared between Wakeling and former Carshalton Athletic boss, Billy Smith. The new management team provided the impetus required for a climb back up the table and Bromley went on to finish 4th, claiming a place in the end of season play-offs. Metropolitan Police were dispatched on penalties after a tense semi-final to earn a trip to Horsham where Bromley secured their return to the Premier Division with a fine 3-1 victory.
The most recent season, 2005/06, saw Bromley's return the Premier Division and a safe mid-table position was secured. There was a period in the season where they couldn't find a victory and relegation was a brief threat but an excellent end of season run, culminating with winning the Kent Senior Cup, staved off any danger.
Towards the end of the 05/06 campaign, chairman Jerry Dolke made an announcement that fans could not believe, that the management team who had put Bromley in such a good position, would be replaced especially when failed Crystal Palace supremo Mark Goldberg was announced as the replacement.
Talk of in-house favours, as Goldberg is Bromley chairman Jerry Dolke's brother-in-law, were rife with Billy Smith saying: "It's not a football decision why we've been sacked, it's a family decision."
The new management team is Goldberg as boss, Murray Jones as assistant manager and former Fleet star Bobby Bowry as player coach, and they inherit an excellent developing side.
After playing at White Hart Field, Widmore Road and Plaistow Cricket Ground, Bromley moved to Hayes Lane - some 300 yards 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 12,000 for a game against Nigeria in 1950, but the capacity is now much reduced.
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 being scored by the player wearing the Number 8 shirt!
Since entering the FA Trophy in 1974 - following the cessation of the Amateur Cup - they have not gone beyond the Second Round until season 2000-2001 when they reached the Third Round after the competition had been revamped. Either side of the Second World War they played in the Second Round of the FA Cup three times, with First Round appearances on a further six occasions, but the appearance in the competition proper in 1996 was their first in 19 years.
They have won the Kent Senior Cup five times, being the reigning champions following the 3-2 extra time victory over Conference National side Gravesend and Northfleet on April 27 2006. They have also won the Kent Amateur Cup on twelve occasions. The London Senior Cup has been won on four occasions, most recently beating Ford United in 2003's Final, with the London Challenge Cup coming to Hayes Lane in 1996.
External links
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