Club owner Jerry Dolke will back us all the way, says Bromley coach Neil Smith

BROMLEY assistant manager Neil Smith insists club owner Jerry Dolke remains positive despite the club’s poor start to the season.



The Ravens are in the bottom three in the Blue Square Bet South table with only two points from their opening four games.

The club attracted their largest crowd of the season when 805 watched their 1-1 draw against ten-man Tonbridge Angels yesterday.

The Angels took a ninth minute lead through Mikel Suarez’s first goal of the season after he tapped in a loose ball after Bromley keeper Joe Welch denied George Purcell with a fine save.

But Tommy Warrilow’s side were reduced to ten-men when midfielder Chris Piper picked up his second yellow card with 21 minutes left and Mark Goldberg’s side threw the kitchen sink at their neighbours and levelled with four minutes left through substitute Hakeem Araba after substitute Ali Chaaban centred following Ali Fuseini’s excellent ball over the top.

But Bromley were profligate in front of goal in both halves – Lee Worgan, 28, in the Angels goal was outstanding – but Bromley had missed numerous chances to win the game.

The Bromley faithful are losing patience with Goldberg’s side, especially as they have won only four league games in 23 outings at Hayes Lane.

Mr Dolke and club secretary Colin Russell held a meeting with Goldberg and his management team in the manager’s office inside the home dressing room after yesterday’s draw – the second successive home draw of the season after being held to a goal-less draw by Staines Town on the opening day of the season.

Bromley’s start to the season at Hayes Lane is mirroring last season, when the club narrowly escaped relegation by two points, finishing in seventeenth-place in the Blue Square Bet (Conference) South table.

“You’ve said it, you’ve said exactly the same as we’ve just said (in our meeting),” said Smith, 40, who lives in Bromley and is one of six full-time staff at Hayes Lane.

“We did this at the end of last season.  Truro was a game when we had all these chances and they scored the first goal and we can’t keep giving teams like that a goal, but somewhere along the line, they’ll all say we’re going to beat someone three or four, I’d take a 1-0 at the moment. Just take a chance if you can.

“We’ve got to be positive.  It is early on in the season but we don’t want to get caught up in the relegation zone too early too soon.”

When asked what came out of the meeting with the club’s owner following the game, Smith replied, “It’s all positive.  Jerry can see how far the boys have turned over the four games.  The one disappointment is Eastbourne Borough at the moment other than that we’ve done enough to have more points than what we should have but at the end of the day we haven’t.

“Jerry’s positive. He’ll back us all the way and we’re backing the boys.  We need someone to go and take the game by the scruff of the neck and say “I’ll score the goals.”

Bromley’s current squad appear to be like a rabbit trapped in headlights whenever they step on to the Hayes Lane turf and for whatever reason just can’t win in front of their frustrated fans.

Smith added: “We’ve always said we want to be hard to beat but we now need to get results and start getting them at home.

“The support has been fantastic. They see we’re trying our hardest and we’re doing things the right way to get the goals.  Somewhere down the line we have to turn these draws into wins.”

Smith admitted he’ll happily go to Farnborough on Saturday and win 1-0.

“They turn round and say they’ll be worried if you’re not taking chances And then go and score but we’re not scoring so that is a worry,” he said.

“It’s a concern. We’ve brought Richard Pacquette in and he’s done great since he’s been here. He’s probably created more chances than he’s had himself but someone has got to stand up and be counted.”

Smith revealed that the team have been working on finishing on the training pitch.

“In fact we’re doing more crossing and finishing than we’ve ever done.  I think that proved the other day when we scored the two goals at Chelmsford (in a 3-2 defeat on Saturday).

“We’re doing more attacking work because we know we need to score goals.   You can do all the training you want, they have to do it on the pitch!”

When asked what he is expecting at Farnborough, Smith replied, “Again, a well organised side. They’re going to be very direct, they’ll be physical.  Again, I concern myself about us. I’m not too fussed about Farnborough. If we go out there and perform then I know we can get a result.”

Meanwhile, Steve Baker has taken over as the Academy manager from Murray Jones, who has joined the Academy set-up at Championship outfit Brighton & Hove Albion.

Bromley will be running two Academy sides again this season in the Football Conference Youth League  – Bromley Blues who will play at Hayes Lane, and Bromley Whites who will play at Sydenham High Sports Ground on Worsley Bridge Road.

Writing in his programme notes for the Tonbridge Angels game, Baker said: “During the season the Academy Scholars will train every morning, they will then go on to have lunch together at the club, ensuring that they are eating the right thing and spending some time together as a squad before attending their lessons in the afternoons.  Match day is generally Wednesday.  It’s very much based on the professional model and a fantastic opportunity for our Scholars to have.

“On the staffing front I have a great team with both Neil Smith and Del Parnham from the first team set up involved. Neil is the Academy assistant and will also manage the Bromley Whites whilst Del is the Academy goalkeeping coach.  Their experience will be invaluable and of course they provide that all important link to the first team so the Academy boys can see that pathway.”

Bromley are running a reserve side in the Suburban League and they will travel to Longmead Stadium to face Tonbridge Angels on Wednesday night.

Baker added: “It’s been a upbeat time and there’s a real joined up thinking and pathway running from the junior teams through to the Academy, reserves and first team.

“Longer term I believe we would all like nothing more than to see a number of the first team squad being products of the Academy as well as the reserves and the youth teams.

“On that note it’s been great to see Dan Hughes break into the first team picture this pre-season.  Dan was with us at the Academy for the past two years and was top scorer in our Football Youth Conference League (under 19s) in his first year at just 16 years old. He is of course joining Aaron Rhule, who also competed at the Academy last year and who has been a regular member of Mark Goldberg’s first team squad over the past year now.”

Meanwhile, in a bid to increase attendances at Hayes Lane, full-time commercial director Barry Wicks has launched a new initiative.

“I am looking for help to start a new initiative called B.O.S (bums on seats) to hand out flyers at the local station on the odd Fridays before the Saturday home game, getting posters up in local pubs, work places, shops and schools even post them through letter boxes, in fact anywhere you can get away with.”

Wicks, who has worked tirelessly to bring in three companies to sponsor the first team shirt, added: “Over the last few weeks I have been knocking on doors in the High Street and local shops introducing myself yet again, but most importantly telling people who Bromley FC are, where the ground is plus the level of football we currently sit at.

“It’s no secret that we like all other clubs at our level of football and indeed above are looking for investors for large or small amounts.”

Bromley’s next home game is against newly-promoted side AFC Hornchurch on Tuesday 4 September (7:45pm), followed by Bath City coming to Kent on Saturday, 8 September.

Visit Bromley’s website: www.bromleyfc.net

Farnborough  v  Bromley
Blue Square Bet South
Saturday 1^st September 2012
Kick Off 3:00pm
at The Rushmoor Stadium, Cherrywood Road, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 8UD