Bromley Academy achieve success on and off the pitch

BROMLEY manager Mark Goldberg says the club’s Academy has enjoyed an exceptional season.


The Conference South club started running their Academy in 2007 and this has been the first year that the Academy has operated directly from the club’s Hayes Lane stadium in partnership with education partner Law Training, having previously been based at a local college.

It’s been a hugely successful year both on and off the pitch. The club’s second year scholars have done exceptionally well, having made the transition from the school environment to the football club with all second year scholars are on course to complete their diplomas (BTEC Level 3 Sport) later this month.

On the pitch the team secured runners-up in the Football Conference Youth Alliance South Premier Division, the highest level of youth football outside of the professional game, making it the best finish from a Bromley Academy side to date.

The second year squad (the Bromley Blues) lost five of their 22 fixtures, drawing four and winning thirteen, with a clean sheet kept in 25% of games, scoring 46 goals in the process.

What makes the achievement even more extraordinary is the strength of character and team spirit demonstrated by the players in the final six games of the season that saw no fewer than seven key players ruled out through injury. This left the team fielding a bare eleven including a couple of fixtures without a goalkeeper, unheard of at this level.

Academy manager Steve Baker, who replaced Murray Jones who left the club last summer to join Championship club Brighton & Hove Albion, told www.bromleyfc.net: “It’s been a pleasure working with such a fantastic group of players. I’m very proud of that the Bromley Blues squad have achieved both on the pitch and academically.

“It’s the first time at the Academy that I’ve worked with the same squad for the duration of their two-year Academy stay.  They have all worked really hard and developed as players and well-rounded individuals.  We have contributed to a successful transition into senior football, hopefully for many of them this will be at Bromley FC.

“The fact that all of the scholars are set to complete their diplomas is a real achievement and importantly will help provide them with a choice of pathways off the pitch too.  It’s fantastic that there have been first team and reserve team opportunities for the boys.”

With a real focus now on a joined up approach the Academy now look forward to their continued progress within the club through Keith Bird and his reserve team squad, with some already on the radar of first team manager Goldberg, who was on hand to present the second year scholars with their medals at Hayes Lane last week.

Goldberg said: “It was a privilege to present the second year scholars with their medals and awards.  What Steve, his team and the Academy have achieved this season is nothing short of exceptional.”

It’s also been an incredibly important year for the Academy’s first year scholars (Bromley Whites).  Next week will see them begin their FA Level 1 Coaching course.

Baker added: “The first year scholars are a great bunch who have settled in well and have really kicked on in their development this year, with all of them on course to successfully move into their second year with the club having developed well on the pitch while also meeting their educational targets in the classroom.

“We are looking forward to welcoming them back next year as second year scholars while also welcoming our new intake of first year scholars.”

Over the course of last season six Academy players have featured within Goldberg’s first team, the highest representation of the Academy within the first team since the programme began back in 2007.

Notably two of those players, Luke Turner and Tom O’Connor, were first year scholars who still have another year ahead of them with the Academy. 

Second year scholars, Sam Spencer, Felix Ogeah, Kristian Campbell and Academy captain Byron Thompson all featured with the first team set-up.

Baker praised the hard work behind the scenes that goes into making the Academy programme a success.

He said: “A huge thank you has to go to our Academy coaching staff in Neil Smith, Bob Turgott, Chris Kelly, Chris Potts and also the teaching team of Tanya Adolfo, Shelly Smith-Chandler and Sherlika Knight who have all contributed to this success and really believe in what we are trying to achieve.

“Everyone at the football club has been really supportive of the programme and have got to know the scholars, creating a real togetherness within the club.”

Awards went to Sam Spencer (most goals); Reece Gallagher (player-of-the-year); Luke Turner (development award) and Byron Thompson (Academy representative of the year).

Visit Bromley’s website: www.bromleyfc.net