It only seems like yesterday that I was watching the electronic screen at Wembley tick into the last 30 seconds telling myself “nothing can go wrong now”.
I was already clasping the people nearest to me ready to celebrate Bromley’s FA Trophy win, alas everything changed with 21 seconds to go.
This goal went in in slow motion. I aged 22 years in the time it took the ball to cross the line. I remember my face contorting with shock and disbelief
When Omar Bugiel missed the penalty to win it in the shoot out I knew it was all over. I slumped in my seat and didn’t really watch the rest of the penalties unfold. To date I am yet to watch even the highlights of that fateful day at Wembley. It remains recorded but unwatched on my BT saved programmes. I don’t know when I will be able to face a re-run of the game.
There were similar scenes in the Bromley end. I was slumped over contemplating life itself.
However that was then and this is now. The show must always go on. The FA Trophy final defeat notwithstanding last season was a momentous season in Bromley’s history.
Highest ever league finish: 9th (missing the playoffs by 3 points)
FA Trophy runners up (a trip to Wembley for the first time 69 years)
3rd highest goalscorers in the league
FA Cup 1st round appearance
Trying to replicate that or even improve on that will undoubtedly be Neil Smith’s toughest test since his appointment two and a half seasons ago.
Few Bromley fans will doubt Smith’s ability to once again fulfil his own high expectations that his squad improve year on year. However given some of the talent that has left the club in the close season Bromley will have their work cut out.
Player departures in the close season
Louis Dennis
Named in the National League team of the season and finding the net 21 times in league/cup games it had been the worst kept secret all season that Louis would be off in the summer. The only real question was to whom, Louis ended up getting his move to League One Portsmouth and left with the blessing of everyone at Bromley after 4.5 seasons at the club.
Josh Rees
What a season Josh had after joining us from Chelmsford last summer. He had come highly rated and set about building up a reputation as the National League version of Frank Lampard. 20 goals later and with many clubs demanding his services, it came as no surprise when Josh left to join League One Gillingham in the close season.
Luke Wanadio
Surprisingly frozen out near season end and left out of the squad at Wembley it was no surprise to see Luke move on but a shame all the same. Joint 3rd top scorer with Jack Holland and provider of many an assist, Luke left to join playoff finishing Aldershot Town.
Adding up just those departures alone 49 goals have disappeared from the Bromley team never mind the number of assists.
Other first team departures included Tyrone Sterling (Concord Rangers), loanee Bradon Hanlan (Gillingham FC), Ben Chorley (retired) of the more notable players.
Pre-Season 2018/19
I’ve always found pre-season a bit of a misnomer, I remain adamant that it can’t tell you an awful lot beyond the formation your team might be adopting for the season ahead. I am convinced players on the whole play within themselves unless they are trying to earn a contract (see trialist) and that you waste your money watching them unless you have a season ticket. Your team could just as easily lose every pre-season game as win them all and still be no better off for the opening day of the season.
Bromley for the record have had a largely positive pre-season re: results (wins over Wealdstone, Crystal Palace U23 being the highlights) but Neil Smith has clearly used the games to integrate new faces, a brand new formation and instil a pattern of play.
The new arrivals
Tobi Adebayo-Rowling
The former Peterborough youngster has joined from Cork City (League of Ireland champions) to fill the right back void. He has looked tidy in possession and is clearly a pacy attacking full back. May well be utilised in a wing back role a lot this season
Marc Anthony-Okoye
Joining from National League South playoff winners (Braintree Town), Bromley fans of a certain age will draw parallels between Marc and former great Francis Duku. The towering centre back has worked his way back up the leagues and has looked ready to make an impression at this level.
Jake Goodman
Another Centre Back to join the other four at the club. The former Millwall professional has been a regular at National league level for both Braintree and Maidenhead and is another joining to get back into full time training. Currently looks to be fourth in the CB pecking order but will surely get his chance at some point in the season.
Kyle De Silva
Has not played enough during pre-season for me to form a valid assessment and on that basis looks unlikely to start the season in the XI. Notts County fans speak highly of him from his time with them but the attacking midfielder has spent the last two seasons at FC Eindhoven in the Dutch second tier. Like many before him Kyle will undoubtedly see Bromley as a springboard to a future back in the leagues.
Reece Meekums
On trial for much of pre-season and impressing many the former Brighton winger has ensured he stays in the full time game by earning a contract at Bromley. Direct, pacy and tricky Reece will be one to watch over the course of the season.
Bobby-Joe Taylor
Luke Wanadio may have joined Aldershot Town but coming the other way is Bobby-Joe Taylor. Former England C international Taylor is a player that is always looking to make things happen and will be hoping to replicate his National League debut season with Maidstone where he scored 8 league goals from the wing. It didn’t quite work out for him at Aldershot but at 23 is well set to put last season behind him and kick on once again.
Omar Bugiel
#unfinishedbusiness. Omar joined on loan from Forest Green Rovers mid-way through last season and took a long time to get going as he worked to get match fit. When he finally did he looked dangerous and contributed heavily at the back end of the season. He scored the goal at Wembley and then missed the penalty to seal the trophy. Omar is a mercurial talent, unplayable on his day and ineffective on others. He will be looking to be consistent this season as he is clearly the main man upfront. A lot will rest on his shoulders.
Junior joined late last week on loan from Colchester United in a move that was clearly intended to add a goal threat that has been heavily questioned during pre-season. Junior has spent the last two seasons in North Cyprus and at Maldon and Tiptree (Isthmian League Div 1) before being picked up by Colchester in January (2018) after 34 goals in 34 games for Maldon. It’s a make or break loan spell for Junior as in many respects as his performance at this level will either show Colchester he is worth persisting with or not. For Bromley’s sake they will need Junior to fire as upfront is where they seem lightest.
Prediction time
Judging by the arrivals and the fact that Neil kept a key core of last season’s successful squad (Rees and Dennis’ departure notwithstanding) it would be fair to assess that improving the defensive shape of the side was a priority for Neil Smith. He has trialled both 442 and 532/352 quite extensively in pre-season. The fact four centre backs are at the club not including Dan Johnson (who is set to play LB/LWB this season) suggests 352 is the preferred shape but whether that suits the side as a whole remains to be seen. It is a certainty that Jack Holland will start it is more a question of which two or one join him in the centre of defence.
Midfield has also seen a quite extensive upgrade in Meekums, Taylor and De Silva to add to the retained Sutherland/Raymond/Mekki/Higgs.
Again the question marks revolve around shape/formation. In a 442 it is more obvious how the team would line up. In a 352 one wonders where Mekki fits in and whether Taylor or Meekums get to play?
The positives are clearly the fact that the personnel and ability to interchange formations at the drop of a hat gives Neil Smith clear flexibility this season and perhaps one he didn’t have last season where it was 442 or bust. However it is currently up in the air as to which system is better and may simply depend on being pragmatic and adapting according to the style of the opposition.
On a whole it is hard to say that Smith hasn’t improved the quality of the midfield options.
Upfront as alluded to earlier is where the biggest question marks lay. Bugiel and George Porter appear to be the chosen two and Ogedi-Uzokwe’s late arrival as the one to challenge them. One assumes Bugiel is the main man with the other two fighting to play off him.
At current most Bromley fans would probably rightly say this is where Neil’s biggest area of concern must be, replacing Louis Dennis’ 21 goals was always going to be hard and few would be brave to say they see any of the aforementioned three scoring 15. However Smith if nothing else excels at getting the most out of his players and I wouldn’t bet against one of the three exceeding expectations.
Whether they do or not, however, the greatest anxiety is still the quality of the goal threat or lack thereof.
And so to the predictions…..
It is this writer’s opinion that the depth of quality in this season’s National league is greater than last season.
One does not need to mention free-spending Salford City who have laid down their marker quite ostentatiously. The following teams must also be considered if not because of their budget but the quality of the man in the dugout.
Barnet (John Still)
Chesterfield (Martin Allen)
Ebbsfleet United (Daryl Mcmahon)
Leyton Orient (Justin Edinburgh)
Aldershot Town (Gary Waddock)
Boreham Wood (Luke Garrard)
The following were there or thereabouts last season and will expect to be there again
AFC Fylde
Sutton United
Dover Athletic
The following are unknown quantities due to a new manager but due to the size of the club will expect to be up there.
Wrexham
Hartlepool
Without even considering the other teams in the league that’s already 12 teams I place as vying for the exact same positions as Bromley. If you consider Bromley’s side to be stronger than last season then maybe a playoff push isn’t out of the question.
However I currently place myself in the conservative estimation camp and foresee Bromley ending somewhere between 10th to 17th (yeah not too wide a spread there!). Unless Bromley can win a lot of game 1-0 I remain unconvinced we have the goals to really challenge at the top end but wish to be proved wrong.
Bromley FC 2018/19 prediction: 12th
By all means feel free to question/challenge/abuse at all the usual places
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