2013 Managing 'The Worst Team in Britain'

[TVR1982]

It's been over 40 years since Bromley's infamous 1969-70 season, the season of Dave Roberts' book 'The Bromley Boys: The True Story of Supporting the Worst Football Team in Britain'.

As a 14 year old Roberts watched his friends go off to watch the like of Arsenal whilst he watched his beloved local non-league Bromley finish bottom of the very bottom division of the football pyramid. A season in which they picked up just three wins, ten points and conceded 111 goals.

Things may have become slightly better for Bromley in the past four decades (largely due to the creation of several new layers of the pyramid below Bromley) but, since their formation in 1892 Bromley are yet to play a single season as a League club.

I moved to Bromley about five years ago and, partly out of local loyalty and partly due to being priced out of going to see West Ham anymore, I've made regular trips to Hayes Lane as well as a few road trips especially for FA Cup games.

This brings me to the first challenge in this career...

Get Bromley FC in to the Football League for the first time.

Hopefully this will be a good way to keep track of the journey (and my mistakes!) or at least a way of keeping up the dream of seeing the local team come good!

[rafa]

Nice career, good luck mate!

[Ashez]

Nice career name

Good luck mate

[TVR1982]

Cheers Rafa.

I can't lie Ash, your own career title was an inspiration, I'm not quite ready for the worst in the world yet though ;-)

[Ashez]

Your lucky i almost posted my update here by mistake haha.

[anfieldsquirrel]

East Stirling are the worst in Britain :lol:

Good luck!

[TVR1982]

2012-13 Pre-Season

A quick look at the first team squad showed the extent of the challenge with barely enough players to fill the starting XI and subs bench. A quick look at the finances and it was clear we were not about to buy our way to the Football League.

The squad has quite a few attacking players but needed defensive cover, although, with no money for transfers we started scouting the free agents and loan market and, of those that wanted to join us, made our first signing in central defender Joe Tait, a former Hartlepool player who's been plying his trade in the States. The chairman seems happy with the signing, possible because he was in the States on a scholarship and he thinks he'll boost the clubs funds by winning the local pub quiz!

Joe Tait

Next, we tied up a loan deal for Rotherham's young defensive midfielder, Mitch Rose and, with the wage bill almost at it's limit, promotions were given to reserve players Steve Rose, who can cover both full-back positions, and central defender Tom Campbell.

Mitch Rose

The squad were put through an intensive fitness regime to get them ready for a long season before preparing for two pre-season friendlies. With little game time available I planned to play 45 minutes of each game with a different formation to see what worked best with our squad.

Bromley 1-1 North Ferriby (friendly)

We opened pre-season with the visit of Northern Premier League side North Ferriby, lining up in an attacking 4-4-2 formation to try and utilise a couple of decent looking wingers. We managed to stay tight at the back but didn't really create much as an uneventful first half finished goalless. A change of shape at half time to 4-2-3-1 saw us dominate the midfield but we were caught against the run of play 10 minutes in as the visitors took the lead. It was a short lived lead though as barely a munute later we were awarded a penalty that Warren McBean, in his second stint with Bromley, cooly slotted away. Several chances created but poor finishing saw the game finish 1-1, slightly disappointed given the opposition but the defence looked well organised.

Bromley 0-0 Nuneaton (friendly)

Our final friendly against Conference Premier side Nuneaton provided a good challenge against a team from a higher division. We continued with a 4-2-3-1 hoping to crowd the midfield and both sides cancelled each other out in the first half with a couple of good saves and the woodwork keeping the scores level. A switch to 4-3-2-1 at half time gave saw us keep the ball well but failed to turn the posession in to goals. Still, a clean sheet against a Conference Premier side was a good result.

Now to analyse the findings for the start of the league season.

[football20]

Nice update

[Lewiitom]

I though Fort William were the worst team in Britain

But good luck mate and great first update

[football20]

Maybe this should be called

'The Worst Team in England'

[TVR1982]

I'm sure there are many teams that are worse, I just took he name from the book about them (when thy possibly were the worst in Britain!)

[TVR1982]

Salisbury 0-2 Bromley (BSBS)

On paper this looked like a tricky away tie to start the season but we started brightly and took the lead on 19 minutes when Aaron Rhule, playing in a more central position than he's used to, raced on to a through ball and clipped it past the keeper. Warren McBean doubled the lead just before half-time to set us on our way to cap a great first half performance. With some pre-season rust still in the legs a number of changes were made in the second half but we closed it out to put an early three points on the board.

Bromley 1-0 Billericay (BSBS)

Our home opener saw the visit of newly promoted Billericay to Hayes Lane. Despite dominating possession though we were wasteful in front of goal and as the game wore on you feared being hit on the counter. But PJD settled the home nerves on 73 minutes, firing home from the edge of the area.

Bromley 2-0 Staines (BSBS)

Warren McBean gave Bromley the perfect start scoring after just three minutes and things got better for the home side when Staines' 'keeper Jack Turner's clumsy rushed out of his goal and pulled down McBean to give us a penalty and Turner an early bath. McBean stepped up confidently but the sub goalkeeper got down well to his left to deny him his second of the game. With the man advantage we continued to dominate but still lacked the killer instinct and had to wait until three minutes from time for Pacquette to power home a header and kill the game off.

Bath 1-3 Bromley (BSBS)

Bath were in the Conference Premier last season but relegation left them out of sorts and they'd struggled early on. Liam Harwood took a knock to the head and had to be carried off midway through the first half but we took the lead two minutes later through Albert Jarrett, making his first start of the season. Two minutes after that he turned provider as Jeremy Sobers, who'd just replaced Harwood, headed home Jarrett's in swinging corner. Jarrett doubled his tally early in the second half to put the game beyond doubt although a lack of concentration saw Burnett score a consolation for Bath - the first goal we'd conceded in the league.

[the united guy]

Nice start mate well done

[Lewiitom]

Great start what's the link between Bromley and Palace, is it just like a local partnership were we send you Palace rejects and steal the decent youths?

[TVR1982]

I hear you've got this young guy, Zaha , that's surplus to requirements, send him our way :-P

[TVR1982]

September 2012

Bromley 4-2 Dover

September saw our first big challenge with the visit of Dover, the only other team to have won their opening 5 games. We started fastest and McBean had us 2-0 up inside 15 minutes. Ben May thought he'd pulled one back but the flag was up before we lost our second centre back in two games with Jerome Sobers pulling up on the half hour. Dover got stronger and Daryl McMahon pulled one back right before half time. The players were warned not to rest on the lead and the two goal advantage was restored just four minutes after the break when Fuseini slotted home but minutes later Dover responded again when May beat the offside trap. Both sides had chances but with Dover pressing PJD slammed home a fourth to settle the game and put us clear at the top.

Welling 1-5 Bromley (BSBS)

We made the short trip to our near neighbours for what would normally be a tough game but, having lost the playoff final to local rivals Dartford, the Wings had suffered a hangover and were struggling at the foot of the table. Sensing blood and wanting to give a run out to a number of strikers we went with three up top. The game was effectively over within half an hour as Ali Chaaban opened the scoring on eight minutes on his first start before debutant Elliott Buchanan added another a minute later. Buchanan would score twice more to complete a first half hat-trick although Welling gave themselves a glimmer of hope pulling one back just before the break. We probably should have scored more in the second half but eased our way through the game with Chabaan rounding out the scoring ten minutes from time.

Bromley 0-2 Sutton (BSBS)

Another local rivalry with 6th placed Sutton visiting Hayes Lane, we stuck with 433 having enjoyed the free-flowing attacking football against Welling but right from the off we could tell this was a mistake. Sutton packed the midfield and completely dominated possesion and the writing was on the wall when Stefan Payne headed home after just seven minutes. Payne doubled the lead from the spot on 26 minutes prompting a change of shape but we never really threatened and Sutton ran out easy winners to inflict our first defeat of the season.

Hednesford 1-3 Bromley (FAC2QR)

The magic of the cup started with a 2nd Qualifying Round trip to Northern Premier side Hednesford and saw a number of changes to the side that lost to Sutton. Captain for the day, Danny Waldren, opened the scoring on 14 minutes and doubled the lead shortly after the break. Buchanan came on to grab a late third and, although slightly disappointed that we conceded in injury time, the result was never in doubt.

Bromley 4-0 Maidenhead United (BSBS)

A return to league action saw the Blue Square Bet South's bottom side to Hayes Lane and this was probably our easiest game of the season. Goals from Fuseini and McBean (2) within 15 minutes secured the three points before Moses Swaibu opened his account for the season heading home from a corner seven minutes from time.

WIth Dover only drawing we finished September two points clear at the top and hopefully on the start of a good cup run.

I want to add in screenshots but from my iPad i can only seem to attach images but it looks like you only get limited space for a few uploads, and on my computer it looks like I can only put in weblinks to images. What's the best way to do this?

[TVR1982]

October 2012

Bromley 2-0 Grantham (FAC3QR)

Another Northern Prem side in the cup and another straight forward victory, McBean and Chaaban scoring inside 15 minutes and we went through the motions to ease through.

Bromley 2-0 Havant & Waterlooville (BSBS)

Another 2-0 victory kept up the good form, lots of missed chances before Chabaan scored on the stroke of half time and PJD wrapped up the points six minutes from time.

Farnborough 1-0 Bromley (BSBS)

After two straightforward victories we might accused of complacency as we never got going in this one. Farnborough outplayed us for the entire game and might be unfortunate to only have Dave Tarpey's strike on the hour mark to show for their efforts. Our second defeat of the season and a kick up the backside.

Bromley 2-1 Hyde (FAC4QR)

We knew we'd have to start well against a Conference National side and Pacquette gave us the perfect opening, firing home with just four minutes on the clock. Hyde improved as the half wore on and showed their quality with a good move to equalise on 32 minutes. Both sides wasted opportunities and it looked like a replay was on the cards but, with five minutes remaining Ali Chaaban timed his run perfectly to meet Rhules whipped cross and glance a header in off the post to send the crowd wild and Bromley in to the first round proper of the FA Cup.

Bromley 1-0 Chelmsford (BSBS)

We were clearly buoyed by the dramatic cup win and carried the momentum in to this game as Danny Waldren scored after nine minutes. Chelmsford are struggling at the bottom of the division and we should have pushed on to win by more than the single goal but again lacked some composure.

Truro 0-3 Bromley (BSBS)

Truro are firmly rooted to the foot of the table but we took nothing for granted and opened the scoring on 11 minutes when Marlon Patterson latched on to a rebound to fire home. Ali Chabaan kept up his good form with a second on 41 minutes and Elliot Buchanan came off the bench to grab a third in time added on.

[Lewiitom]

Great month mate

[TVR1982]

November 2012

Bromley 1-1 Southport (FAC1R)

For the third time in five year Bromley made it through to the first round proper of the FA Cup but, against higher division opposition, played negative football, trying to pack out the midfield and defence but it took an hour before Southport's dominance paid off and thye opened the scoring. There was late drama though as, with seconds ticking down we were awarded a harsh looking penalty and, with the last kick of the game, Warren McBean held his nerve to force a replay.

Southport 3-0 Bromley (FAC1R Replay)

After the late drama of the first match Southport clearly wanted to kill this one off early and took a 2-0 lead in to the break. There was to be no repeat of the heroics though as Chalmers added a third two minutes from time to end the cup run.

Dorchester 2-1 Bromley (BSBS)

The midweek replay left our small squad depleted and tired and Dorchester took full advantage scoring after just three minutes and then doubled the lead 15 minutes later. There was an instant response after the half though as we scored within seconds of the kickoff. The momentum started to swing our way and we though we'd equalised on 55 but a dodgy offside call kept the hosts ahead. We continued to create chances but couldn't find an equaliser and slumped to a disappointing defeat.

Bromley 2-0 Boreham Wood (BSBS)

After suffering back-to-back defeats for the first time we were keen to get back to winning ways and, with both goals coming inside the opening half an hour, we were able to cost to the three points.

Hayes & Yeading 0-1 Bromley (BSBS)

Hayes came in to this on good form and challenging for a playof spot but we scored the only goal of the game in the first minute and, although we didn't add to it, never looked like losing this one.

Oxford City 0-2 Bromley (FATQ3)

It was back to cup action and a trip to Blue Square Bet North side Oxford City. Marlon Patterson's first of the season and a Richard Pacquette stroke either side of half time sealed a comfortable win and progression to the next round.

[Jed Inak]

Saw this  (better late than never) and thought I'd try with Bromley too.  23 games in won 19 drawn 4 GF 64 GA 19. 13 points lear of 2nd place Woking at the moment.

Played a weakened team in the cups to get bounced out quickly and avoid fixture congestion.

Playing 4-2-3-1. Picked up a lot of free transfers Lavery, Jarrett and Texeira among them and then 4 loan signings Keeper, Centre Back, Full Back, Midfielder from Preston, Cardiff, Middlesborough and Hull.

Sold 3 players for $3k total and wages are at 7360 a week a little over the 7070 max.