Bromley match is my most anticipated since Wembley

[Onge]

Honestly - this was the first fixture I looked for!

 

This is not a wind-up. Let me explain...

 

Wednesday are the reason I'm a football fan - I was captivated by the FA Cup Final in '93 and early on watching the match I decided I'd choose a team I wanted to win to make it more interesting. I chose badly. I was 10 and knew nothing about football or geography so choosing the London team never occurred to me, despite being born and bred in London.

 

I soon became completely obsessed with football in general, but was too young to go to matches in a city hundreds of miles away. So when a school friend asked if I wanted to go and see our local non-league team, Bromley, play of course I said yes - and was immediately hooked.

 

On that day, I started to supported two clubs - a Premier League team and a local non-league team. I still can't quite get my head around the fact that today they're now both in the same league.

 

How we got here

 

Obviously we all know how Wednesday have ended up in this wretched league again - but as bad as this century has been for SWFC, Bromley have had completely contrasting fortunes.

 

Bromley have spent all but three seasons of their 132 year history playing non-league football. They have won the FA Amateur Cup twice and a few lower league titles but were never one of the more successful clubs in the non-league pyramid. They rarely got the FA Cup First Round and only in the last 20 years have they ever got anywhere near the National League, let alone the Football League.

 

When I frequented Hayes Lane in the late nineties, gates averaged around 350 and the team were always in a relegation battle - finally getting relegated to the Isthmian League Division One (the 8th tier) in 1998-99. But then followed a remarkable climb up the leagues:

 

• 2004-05 - Promoted to Isthmian League Premier Division
• 2006-07 - Promoted to National League South
• 2014-15 - Promoted to Nation League
• 2023-24 - Promoted to League Two
• 2025-26 - Promoted to League One

 

Along the way, former Crystal Palace chairman Mark Goldberg had a stint as manager (with his son Bradley playing up front), the side were FA Trophy runners-up, then later winners beating Wrexham at Wembley, laid a 4G pitch and then had to rip it up to meet EFL regulations (the stadium is unrecognisable to the shed I visited in the 90s).

 

You'd think this achievement would have been bankrolled by a wealthy owner? Well, partly - the current chairman has invested a lot of money since taking over in 2019, but this has mostly gone on the stadium, youth setup and infrastructure. Bromley haven't simply bought the best players at each level - success has been earned with shrewd management rather than a big cheque book. Last season Bromley won League Two with the second lowest budget in the football league.

 

So what can we expect on Saturday?

 

Bromley manager Andy Woodman (who was Gareth Southgate's best man) knows how to get the most out of his players, but emphasis is put on getting results over attractive football. I was at the Bromley vs Cambridge match last weekend and Bromley were fortunate to maintain their unbeaten league home record (over 500 days since last losing) in that match.

 

Bromley play a very physical and direct game - no passing it out from the back, no possession football. From kick-off, expect them to boot the ball into touch near our corner flag. They have little pace and few athletic players - yet know how to grind down their opponents and make life difficult to play against.

 

44% of their goals last season came from set-pieces - so expect giant centre-backs causing havoc from corners and plenty of long-throws into the box. They're not strangers to red cards or the dark arts - and Woodman can easily wind up opposition fans.

 

Bromley's main goalscorer of past seasons, Michael Cheek, is starting to see his powers wane aged 35 - but his league goal record over the past 4-5 years is on a par with Haaland and Salah. His game is not about pace but will be the main target main for long passes and crosses into the box.

 

I think the game will be tighter and harder than many Wednesday fans expect - but I'm backing Wednesday to win 2-0. Just don't expect an entertaining watch!

 

Who do I want to win?

 

I've been to more Bromley matches than Wednesday ones in my life. I've seen Bromley play in cup finals at The Den and Wembley, but this will be my first Bromley away game. I always wondered how I'd feel if the two team met - I found out last season when I went to the Bromley U18s vs Wednesday U18s FA Youth Cup tie at Hayes Lane. I found myself naturally wanting Wednesday to win more.

 

So I'll be on The Kop with my entire family for a match I cannot wait for! I want Wednesday to win... but if Bromley cause an upset, I won't be part of the meltdown on here...

 

tl;dr

• I grew up in Bromley and they've been my second team for over 30 years
• Don't expect an easy 3 points on Saturday

 

[Warhurstsleftfoot]

3 minutes ago, Onge said:

44% of their goals last season came from set-pieces - so expect giant centre-backs causing havoc from corners and plenty of long-throws into the box. They're not strangers to red cards or the dark arts

Oh dear. The dreaded set piece.

Grateful that the fixtures have us at home against Bromley.

 

Kudos to the club. Watched the film, monitored their progress and willed them to get promoted last year. Hope all that good will doesn’t come back to bite me on the a*se.

 

Nice piece. Thanks.

[HIGHERSTATE]

'Don't expect an easy 3 points on Saturday'

 

Panic levels are already 120000000.23713582765%

 

 

[Lightning]

Score from set pieces you say.........,.oh no.

[Mr Grey Man]

This game is a hiding to nothing.

[Caicos Owl]

I enjoyed that. Good read OP

[Mr Grey Man]

8 minutes ago, Mr Grey Man said:

This game is a hiding to nothing.

Wasn't a joke.

[fredmciverslovechild]

I've seen Bromley down here at Chelmsford on several occasions going back to City's first season in the National South which was 2008/09. Generally speaking it was one of those games we expected to win and more often than not we did. I particularly remember a 6-1 hammering City inflicted on them. Then again, I'm pretty sure there was also a 5-0 defeat....

 

Quite ironic that the OP mentions Michael Cheek. He really hit the goal standard when he was at Chelmsford; a couple of hat tricks including four in one game. There was a bit of a fall out when he left for hated local rivals Braintree who were then in the National concerning the transfer fee. Did we ever get paid? Probably not.

 

Big game for Wednesday, this, and particularly for the manager. If we lose there's going to be some fallout.

[HIGHERSTATE]

6 minutes ago, fredmciverslovechild said:

I've seen Bromley down here at Chelmsford on several occasions going back to City's first season in the National South which was 2008/09. Generally speaking it was one of those games we expected to win and more often than not we did. I particularly remember a 6-1 hammering City inflicted on them. Then again, I'm pretty sure there was also a 5-0 defeat....

 

Quite ironic that the OP mentions Michael Cheek. He really hit the goal standard when he was at Chelmsford; a couple of hat tricks including four in one game. There was a bit of a fall out when he left for hated local rivals Braintree who were then in the National concerning the transfer fee. Did we ever get paid? Probably not.

 

Big game for Wednesday, this, and particularly for the manager. If we lose there's going to be some fallout.

Owlstalkers will 'fallout' of their bath chairs?

[TamworthWednesdayite]

Hearing they are good at set pieces and that they are big and physical isn’t filling me with confidence for our beloved owls tbh. Great opening post btw

[TamworthWednesdayite]

8 minutes ago, fredmciverslovechild said:

I've seen Bromley down here at Chelmsford on several occasions going back to City's first season in the National South which was 2008/09. Generally speaking it was one of those games we expected to win and more often than not we did. I particularly remember a 6-1 hammering City inflicted on them. Then again, I'm pretty sure there was also a 5-0 defeat....

 

Quite ironic that the OP mentions Michael Cheek. He really hit the goal standard when he was at Chelmsford; a couple of hat tricks including four in one game. There was a bit of a fall out when he left for hated local rivals Braintree who were then in the National concerning the transfer fee. Did we ever get paid? Probably not.

 

Big game for Wednesday, this, and particularly for the manager. If we lose there's going to be some fallout.

Yeah Bromley are going to be well up

for it. If we lose the meltdown on here could rival Chenobyl

[Almat]

Loved reading that OP.

 

Apart from the bit about 44% of Bromley's goals are from set pieces 

 

That's a chuffing worry and a half!

[Harrysgame]

15 minutes ago, TamworthWednesdayite said:

Yeah Bromley are going to be well up

for it. If we lose the meltdown on here could rival Chenobyl

Doht think Pedersson would survive the Fallout 

[Onge]

38 minutes ago, Warhurstsleftfoot said:

Oh dear. The dreaded set piece.

Grateful that the fixtures have us at home against Bromley.

 

Kudos to the club. Watched the film, monitored their progress and willed them to get promoted last year. Hope all that good will doesn’t come back to bite me on the a*se.

 

Nice piece. Thanks.

 

I forgot about the film! I've read the book, but not seen the film. I could relate to Dave Roberts - he was young, went to loads of matches and the team lost most weeks. Real shame he's no longer alive to see matches like Saturday's... I'm sure he'd be almost as excited as I am.

[owlprince]

I've been to Hayes lane. I like a bit of a ground hop and saw Bromley beat Torquay united 1-0 Turgott got the goal.

 

I Stood behind the goal. Think there was probably less than 1000 there with a large away following from Torquay too! 

 

Wouldn't have dreamed wednesday would have been playing there In The league!