8thjuly03

Bromley face two former managers in Trophy showdown
Exclusive Interview by Stephen McCartney www.kentishfootball.co.uk

When the FA Trophy draw was made over the weekend and the First Round draw paired Carshalton Athletic and Bromley, it gives an opportunity for two former Bromley managers Billy Smith and George Wakeling a chance to manage a side
against their former club.

Smith was named Carshalton Athletic manager after Graham Roberts - who led the Robins to the Ryman League Division One South title last season - departed Colston Avenue.  He quickly chose close friend Wakeling as his assistant manager, who had just departed Hastings United.

Smith has a creditable 100% record when he was Bromley caretaker manager in 1999.  He took charge for two games after previous manager Dave Edwards was sacked following a 1-0 FA Cup Third Qualifying Round defeat at Bognor Regis
Town.

Smith took over Bromley just two days before a league game at Bedford Town and despite going a goal down the Ravens won 2-1.

Uxbridge were then beaten 4-1 at Hayes Lane before the lure of Crawley Town took him into the Dr Martens League.

Wakeling, however, spent nine years at Hayes Lane.  Appointed manager in 1990 he guided Bromley back into the Premier Division finishing runners-up to Chesham United in his first season following the club's relegation from the top flight in the previous season.

The following season, Wakeling helped Bromley to win the Kent Senior Cup.  Hythe Town were beaten 3-1 after extra time at Gillingham's Priestfield Stadium to give Bromley their first piece of silverware since Maidstone United were beaten
1-0 in the same competition in 1977.

Bromley reached the same final the following season, losing to Ashford Town but were celebrating in 1995-96 when Leyton Pennant (now Waltham Forest) were beaten 3-2 after extra time at Millwall's New Den to land the London Challenge Cup.

Bromley returned to Millwall the following season beating Dover Athletic, who were in the Conference, 4-1 in the Kent Senior Cup.

Wakeling has had successful runs in the FA Cup.  Earlier in his managerial career Leyton-Wingate met Swansea City in the First Round.  Bromley met Enfield in 1996 at the same stage of the competition, but the Middlesex club ended
Bromley's dreams, 3-1 at Hayes Lane in front of a crowd of 2,709.

Most recently, Hastings United lost 1-0 at Stevenage Borough last season.

Wakeling's departure from Hayes Lane came in 1999, just a year short from celebrating a ten-year stint with the club, and joined Ashford Town with twenty-two league games remaining.  Bromley won only one league game after his departure and were relegated from the Isthmian top flight.
 
Wakeling then moved to Hastings United and two season's ago the Sussex coast outfit won the Dr Martens Eastern Division championship before they were relegated from the top flight last term.

Relegation with Hastings United was the first time Wakeling had tasted the drop in a long managerial career.

Speaking of the November 1st showdown against his old club, Wakeling said: "I view the FA Trophy game as another game.  I've been down to watch Bromley several times since leaving and I have a hot spot for them.  When Carshalton
play Bromley there will be only one thing on my mind and that is to win the game."

Bromley's last appearance at Colston Avenue was on Saturday 1st March 2003 when they made the short trip for a Ryman League Division One South fixture.

The Colston Avenue outfit were runaway leaders and after a good spell in the first half an hour, Bromley's former Carshalton striker, Wade Falana was sent off for punching a home player in a 37th minute melee.

Stuart McIntyre's Bromley recovered and after taking a lead from Steffan Ball three minutes later stormed into a
3-0 lead through goals from Kirk Watts (48th minute) and Colin Luckett (52) before Mark Pye scored for the hosts three minutes later.  Leke Odunsi wrapped up the victory for Bromley scoring five minutes from the end.

Graham Roberts' side recovered to win the championship to win promotion back into the Ryman League Premier Division after a two-year exile.
 
Bromley finished in sixth place and landed the London Senior Cup, beating Ford United 1-0 in the final at Victoria Road, Dagenham.

Wakeling, speaking to Stephen McCartney of www.kentishfootball.co.uk looked back on his career to date:

"I've have had a bit of success.  I have gained promotion at all the club's I've been at and had satisfaction from managing all of them.

"I regretted not finishing a ten-year stint at Bromley, as I spent eleven years at Leyton-Wingate, and not many managers have done ten-year stints at two clubs.

"To be honest, I've had good players come through and I have sold some to League clubs."

Wakeling is looking forward to the challenge of working at Carshalton Athletic with his friend, Billy Smith.

Wakeling said: "I am assisting my mate Billy Smith and I will give him total commitment and really hope to push Carshalton up the table and get them in the new Conference section.  I will give them 100% and make it happen."

Smith and Wakeling replace former England star Graham Roberts, but Wakeling isn't fazed to follow his footsteps.  "I think Graham Roberts followed in Billy Smith's and George Wakeling's footsteps as we have been in this level of football longer than him!" said Wakeling.

The experienced new dup are looking to freshen up the championship winning side.  Wakeling admitted: "At the moment Billy is number one and he is working hard with new signing's and he is looking to bring in new faces.  We will be looking
to bring in three or four new faces.
 
"It's going to be a hard season as Carshalton are not one of the big spenders, but Billy and I are pretty good at finding players.

"There is no pressure from the board.  If there is any pressure Billy will be taking it instead of me.  It's a new experience being a number two and I am looking forward to it.

"I wouldn't have been a number two for anyone else!"

Stephen McCartney
www.kentishfootball.co.uk