14thmar04

Sunday 14th March 2004

McIntyre is honest with "frustrated" Bromley fans

Stuart McIntyre, manager of Ryman League Division One South Bromley, is offering the chance for supporters of the Hayes Lane outfit to get their feelings of their chest in a managers forum, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Manager's Forum takes place in the clubhouse at Bromley Football Club, The Clive Christian Stadium, Hayes Lane this Thursday, 18th March (from 7.30pm).

McIntyre said: "I want to talk to supporters to get their views as it feels that if they look back before the Tooting & Mitcham game last Saturday, we were in the time I've been back as manager, played nine games, won five, drawn three and lost once. The three draws we had we should have beaten Whyteleafe and Croydon Athletic, but we didn't we drew.

"We showed good ability and good commitment to the cause throughout those nine games then it blew up, when we didn't play well at Tooting & Mitcham last Saturday and the reaction was of frustration.

"There is a desperation from the supporters at this football club because they are very, very loyal, to finish in the top six.

"I think their reaction was one of frustration and when friends of mine made me aware of it suddenly I started to think this is something going back over years.

"We are desperate to get back to the Premier Division - back to the level this football club should be - and that's the reason why I've called Thursday's forum."

The Bromley manager has asked the club's supporters to vocally get behind the team as they bid for a top six finish.

He added: "It can't be done just on the pitch, it needs everybody committed to it. It needs that frustration to be turned into desire and hunger from the fans.

"You can see the reaction from the players when we have a couple of good attacks - the fans start singing. This changes the whole spirit, it changes the drive and that is something I would like to bring to Hayes Lane.",

Bromley got back to winning ways on Saturday with a comfortable 3-0 victory over second from bottom Corinthian Casuals at Hayes Lane.

However, the Bromley side ran onto the pitch in silence, after they lost their two previous away games (4-3 at Tooting & Mitcham United and 3-1 at Staines Town).

McIntyre said: "At five to three the players came out and it's silent because we've had two bad games.

"Nobody is hiding from these bad results, we know they were bad results and we know they were bad individual errors but collectively we are still the same bunch of players, before our last two away games, had won ten, drawn three from sixteen games on the road.

"So it's a fantastic record, but two back-to-back defeats, people don't like it!"

The last time Bromley suffered two back-to-back defeats was in September when they lost 3-0 against Walton & Hersham at Hayes Lane and 1-0 on the road at Windsor & Eton.

McIntyre revealed a motivational talk in training two days before the 3-0 win over Corinthian Casuals has put the Hayes Lane club in eighth place and only two points from the coveted top six place that will see the club stay at the same level of football next season.

McIntyre revealed: "We have now re-grouped, rested a couple of players and gave a couple of the lads a stern talking to on Thursday night and today and told them what is expected of them and in the main we got on and did it.

"After today's results we are eighth because we have a better goal difference than Leatherhead, same 60 points. I put up on the board in the dressing room on Thursday we needed seven more wins. Scrub that one out today, put six more wins. That is a confidence booster because it's now six wins from our last nine games that we need.

"We are capable of doing it. We looked tight at the back today and kept Corinthian Casuals to difficult runs and a couple of chances throughout the game and we scored three goals and should have scored three or four more!

"It is to be remembered it's against Corinthian Casuals, who were second from bottom in the league, but out of the nine games we've got left, we've got Epsom & Ewell, Egham Town and Marlow who are all down at the bottom of the league.

"If we can stay on our game in those games then it means we've got to get three wins from the other six games, against Lewes, Bracknell Town, Walton & Hersham, Ashford Town (Middlesex), Dulwich Hamlet and Windsor & Eton.

"It's something this team is capable of - we will raise our game against Lewes on Tuesday. We always do against the top of the table teams, let's keep our fingers crossed!" said McIntyre.