BROMLEY AT WEMBLEY: I want the supporters to have the best day of their lives, says Bromley boss Neil Smith

BROMLEY manager Neil Smith says he wants the clubs supporters to have the best day of their lives at Wembley Stadium tomorrow.

The Ravens lock horns with Vanarama National League North side Brackley Town in The Buildbase FA Trophy Final.


Bromley manager Neil Smith has guided his home-town club to The Buildbase FA Trophy Final at Wembley Stadium tomorrow.
Photo: Bromley FC

Bromley finished their Vanarama National League campaign with a personal best finish of ninth on a record breaking 70 points, while Kevin Wilkin’s side finished in third-place in the division below, losing their play-off final 3-0 at Harrogate Town last Sunday.

Bromley have sold over 17,000 tickets for tomorrow’s showpiece final as the club bid to emulate the class of 1949 when Romford were beaten 1-0 at Wembley Stadium to win The FA Amateur Cup, for the third time.

Bromley staged an open day at Hayes Lane this morning to give Smith’s side a send-off before playing on the hallowed turf after tomorrow’s Buildbase FA Vase Final between Stockton Town and Thatcham Town, which kicks off at 12:15pm.

“Tomorrow, it’s a massive achievement for this club,” said Smith. 

“I think at the beginning of the season we were one of the favourites to be in a relegation fight going out of the cups and everything else.

“But I sat down with my backroom staff of Glyn Shimell, Mark Hammond, Ben May, Sean Wickenden and Alan Dunne and we put together a plan that we wanted to achieve something this year being our 125^th anniversary.

“We sat down, we put our little targets each month, each eight weeks and we went through those targets and we were always where we wanted to be.  They were all realistic, they could all be achieved but we had that secretly in ourselves and do you know what, we nearly achieved the play-offs, which is what we wanted to achieved but we just missed out.

“We got to the First Round of The FA Cup playing at Rochdale and then we got the Trophy and as soon as we made that our target, we achieved it.

“We’ve been on a journey good and bad, high and low and I can put on five games on one hand where I think we’ve let ourselves down, other than that, every week they have given me and themselves and given the club everything.   I asked them to give me everything in training, it’s not just coming in just for a jolly up and go home and they’ve come in and they’ve worked their socks off from the first day of pre-season as to where we are now.

“They’ve achieved the goal and the target that’s beyond everyone’s wildest dreams so for me to lead these boys out at Wembley as well as the club I’m honoured, I’m privileged and it’s down to these guys hard work.

“Whatever happens tomorrow, I want you the supporters to have the best day of your lives!  I want you to get behind the boys and support them and whatever happens they will be putting everything in for you, let alone themselves, they will do that anyway but we want to repay you guys for that support.

“Turning up to Spennymoor, coming back down after the game was called off, that’s when we wanted to win it because we had a drink with the supporters in the pub and we understood the dedication, the sacrifices they made to come and support us that day.  For it to be waterlogged at the last minute we said as a group we wanted to do if for you guys and that hasn’t changed.

“We want to win for the town. We want to win it for the supporters, the club and also for the families so have the best day you can have tomorrow and get behind the boys because they will be giving it everything they’ve got for you!

“I will be honoured to lead them out as their manager. I want to lead them back in as winners and with your support I believe we can do it – and for a great man, who we lost, Mr Glyn Beverly.”

Bromley presented their player awards on their 3G pitch during the open day.

Goalkeeper David Gregory has scooped young player-of-the year; captain Jack Holland won the players’ player-of-the-year award and committee vote, while 21-goal superstar Louis Dennis picked up two awards, managers’ player-of-the-year and also the supporters’ vote.


KING LOUIS:  Louis Dennis scored twice in Bromley's 3-2 home win over Gateshead in The Buildbase FA Trophy Semi-Final First Leg.  Smith's heroes came back from the North East with a 1-1 draw to earn a trip to Wembley Stadium tomorrow.
Photo: Edmund Boyden www.edboydenphotos.co.uk

“They’ve been brilliant,” said Smith.

“David Gregory has come in, no one knew what he was about and I think he’s grown all season.  The player that came in at the start of the season to when we finished the season is a different guy and thoroughly deserves the young player-of-the-year.

“Jack Holland’s Jack. Mr Bromley. It wouldn’t surprise me if he popped up tomorrow and scored the winner and I certainly hope he does, he’s had a fantastic season as my captain.

“I moved Louis into a position where I think I can get the benefit of him and he’s taken to it.  He’s scored 21 goals in all competitions and I’d pay to go and watch him! I love Louis, I’ve always loved Louis and I found a position for him to actually grow and fingers crossed he has a game of his life tomorrow and wins me the game!”

Bromley’s players and staff visited Wembley Stadium last Tuesday to soak up the atmosphere of an iconic stadium.

Smith said:  “It was brilliant! I wanted the players to see the environment, know where we’re going so literally when we pull up tomorrow at 2:30pm we’re just concentrating on winning a cup final.  We’ve taken in the surroundings.  We know what it’s about.  We know what it is so now it’s the case of just going out and playing.

“It’s going to be a difficult game. Brackley are a very good side. We’ve had them watched, you don’t get in the play-offs and the final if you’re not a good team.  They’ve beaten Sutton and Barrow and Gillingham in their history so it will be tough but we’ve got to make sure we just turn up on the day.

“There’s no pressure, it’s a cup final.  I just want everyone to have a great day win or lose.  I want the supporters to have the best day ever that they remember.  You always remember the win over a loss and I want to win it.  At the same time I want them to have the best day of their lives.

“Foe me it starts now.  This is when the cup final starts.  We’ve prepped, we done everything I can with them and now it’s down to us that we make sure we produce on the day at 4:15, Wembley.”

Smith and his captain Holland both live in Bromley, which will make it even more special if the Ravens claim the silverware for the first time.

“I’m honoured, this is the best day it can’t get any better! The only way it can get better is I’m leading them back as champions, I’m leading them back in as winners with the Trophy aloft, that’s the only way I can make it better,” said Smith.

“I’m honoured, I’m privileged, I’m all those words. I’m emotional. I went to school across the road, my three girls all school in Bromley. I played here when there was a wooden stand. I’ve done all that. I was district captain for Bromley so this is my club, this is my town and for me to lead them out is brilliant but I want to lead them back in as winners.”

Smith revealed he will tell his squad the 11 players that will grace the hallowed turf and the five substitutes tomorrow morning - but a couple of Smith’s heroes will sit out.

“I’ve got the team in my head. I’ve got the subs. The players don’t know yet.  They might have an inkling.  I will tell them tomorrow morning.  I just want them to relax and go to sleep tonight. I don’t want people feeling anxious because whether they’re in our out I want them to have a good night’s sleep.  I’ll tell them in the morning so by the time we get to Wembley they know what’s happening.

“As a manager I’ve got a disappointing and hard job of telling a couple of players that they’re not even involved and who are only subs.  As we said to the supporters every one of them have played their part in us getting there and hopefully fingers crossed we win and everyone of them should be applauded for their efforts this year.”

Bromley will take the biggest fan base of the four club’s on Non-League Finals Day.

“I want to win every game but in cup finals it’s who turns up on the day, who has that bit of luck and who gets the decisions,” said Smith.

“It’s going to be a fight because Brackley are a very good side and I rate them. They just missed out and do you know what they’ve just missed out playing us as a league game next year.

“We’re not underestimating them in any way shape or form. There’s no pressure on us, the only pressure we put on us is on ourselves. We want to win it for the right reasons and that’s no different for Brackley, so we’ll see.

“This is a one-off game, this is a cup final.  Brackley are having the day of their lives as well, the supporters, a little club like Brackley being in a cup final. Kevin Wilkin has done a fantastic job and no one can take it away from him. It’s who turns up on the day and I believe and I hope it’s us.”

You can grab your tickets via The FA website and Smith wants over 20,000 people from our neck of the woods to watch his side create history.

“We’ve over took the 15,000, we’re up to nearly 17,000. I would love to get it up to 20,000.  I’d love to get that last little bit of support so if you’re out there, it’s £12.50 to go and watch a game if there’s 10 of you, £25 to go and watch two games. Come and support Bromley and we’re going to need you and we need that 12^th man.”

COME ON BROMLEY!  WE ALL BELIEVE IN YOU!

Visit Bromley’s website: www.bromleyfc.tv

Buy your tickets for Non-League Finals Day here:  https://ticketingcontent.thefa.com/NLFD%202018

Photographs courtesy of Edmund Boyden – www.edboydenphotos.co.uk

Stockton Town  v  Thatcham Town
The Buildbase FA Vase Final
Sunday 20 May 2018
Kick Off 12:15pm
at Wembley Stadium, Wembley, Middlesex HA9 0WS

Brackley Town  v  Bromley
The Buildbase FA Trophy Final
Sunday 20 May 2018
Kick Off 4:15pm
at Wembley Stadium, Wembley, Middlesex HA9 0WS