It's about time we rewrite the club's history, says Bromley coach Neil Smith

Manager Mark Goldberg has guided the Hayes Lane club into The FA Cup First Round four times in the past six years’ and they travel to Highbury Stadium looking to cause a headline page grabbing Cup upset.

The three-time FA Amateur Cup winners, have gone 67 years since their last win at this stage of The FA Cup.

Bromley are desperate to get rid of the statistic that they have NEVER defeated a Football League club in The FA Cup and Fleetwood Town, who clinched the Conference Premier title last season, are in fourth-place in League Two.

There are 59 clubs between Fleetwood Town and Bromley, who climbed up to sixteenth-place in the Blue Square Bet (Conference) South table, following their 3-2 home win over Maidenhead United on Tuesday night.

Bromley, who began their FA Cup campaign in the Second Qualifying Round, have done it the hard way, again.

They defeated two of their league rivals, Sutton United and Dover Athletic, both away from home, before Blue Square Bet (Conference) North Worcester City were dramatically beaten in the last minute at Hayes Lane to set up Saturday’s showdown.

The Lillywhites, also known as The Ravens, were reduced to ten-men with fifteen minutes left,  but 20-club striker Richard Pacquette steered home a 90^th minute winner from close range, before Worcester City substitute Michael Taylor missed a sitter with the last kick of the game.

Goldberg’s men have faced Gillingham (2006), Colchester United (2009) and last season went down to a 3-0 defeat away to Leyton Orient, which saw 1,689 fans make the trip to Brisbane Road.

Smith, 41, who is employed full-time by his home-town club, and has played for Gillingham, Reading and Fulham, is looking forward to the game and praised Goldberg’s record.

“It’s the second year for me on the trot and obviously Mark has got a fantastic record in it,” said Smith.

“He’s done fantastic and I don’t think he gets the credit that he deserves. To get a non-league side into the first round is an achievement but to do it on four different occasions is absolutely fantastic.”

Bromley are in for training tonight to go through their last part of preparation for  the big game.

Smith said: “We’re trying to keep the players’ minds off it but it’s been hard when everybody else’s minds have been on it. 

“Obviously the win on Tuesday, that we desperately needed in the league, we can now go into this game with an open mind now and then go and enjoy ourselves but do ourselves credit and do the supporters’ credit as well.”

Smith wants to banish the 67 years’ of FA Cup hurt.

He said: “I think in the last few years it’s just fallen short when we’ve got into this round and I think it would be great to make a bit of history for the club and for ourselves as well to get into that second round.

“It’s been an absolutely long time. To actually get the achievement of being in the first round proper four times with Mark, I just think it’s about time that we wiped the slate clean and write the history books again and there’s no better chance than Saturday.

“No one and I mean no-one, even some people at the club, are giving us a chance in hell to go there and getting the result, but as a bunch of players and management we’re going there with confidence that we can do ourselves justice.”

Bromley have reached the First Round thirteen times in their history, but have only gone one step further on three occasions, the last time being back in the 1945-46 season.

The Hayes Lane faithful would like to see nothing more than Bromley to end their miserable record.

Smith agreed, by saying, “It’s about time we got into the next round and write a bit of history for the club and that’s what we’re going for.

“If we get any sort of result – we know it’s going to be difficult. They’re flying high at the moment. They’re a new side that’s just gone up and they’ve got backing as well but we can give them a game and that’s what we’ve got to go and do.”

When asked what he is expecting at Highbury Stadium, Smith added: “We’re expecting a tough game. Obviously they’re going to be full of enthusiasm.  They’ve been a non-league side as well so it’s not going to be new to them meeting up against another semi-professional side.

“They also know on any given day if they go in there with the wrong attitude and we go in there absolutely flying there will be a shock and that’s what our fingers are crossed for – that we’re on absolute top form and they have an off day.”

When asked how Bromley will win the game, Smith replied, “It will be won with sheer hard work!  We’ve watched them a couple of times.  They’re a very well organised side and they don’t give many goals away and they’re always liable to score a goal, so we know it’s going to be tough.

“Defensively and offensively we’ve got to be plugging away.  The good thing is we scored three goals on Tuesday and we now believe that we can actually score a goal.”  

Bromley, who depart on Friday afternoon, have a much stronger squad than the one that travelled to Leyton Orient a year ago.

Smith said: “I agree with you!  We’ve got strength-in-depth. Even the players’ who are not getting in the side would probably have played in The FA Cup last year had they been there at that time.  I think that gives us that little bit of strength and if it’s not going right we can bring as good as a player on to change the game for us.

“We didn’t have that strength-in-depth last year. You’re only as good as your subs bench and at the moment we’ve got a very, very strong subs bench. Any one player could be playing on Saturday. It’s not a given and if they are given that chance (to play) they’ve got to take it.”

Two goals from midfielder Danny Waldren and one from striker Richard Pacquette gave Bromley a 3-0 lead over Maidenhead, who made the game interesting by scoring two later on.

The victory has lifted confidence going into Saturday’s FA Cup tie and it was important because Bromley are involved in FA Trophy action on 10 November when Staines Town visit Hayes Lane in the Third Qualifying Round.

Bromley’s next league game is against Billericay Town at Hayes Lane on 17 November.

“It was a massive, massive game,” reflected Smith. “It was so important and I think that showed in the last fifteen minutes when they threw everything as us because they had nothing to lose.

“We knew we had to get a win because we’re now going two weeks into two Cup competitions and a couple of other teams are playing a league game on Saturday.

“We didn’t want to be drawn into that relegation zone when we come out of that fortnight.  We’ve given ourselves a bit of a cushion.  We needed the win after being so dominant as well in the first half. It was a massive and vital game and we’re just pleased that we got the three points.”

Meanwhile, Bromley, who traditionally wear red or blue away from home, will don a new away strip of yellow for the first time on Saturday.

Smith said: “We had a think about what colours we could get away with and yellow was the only one that we could do.  Let’s hope it’s our lucky colours.  Maybe those yellow shirts are worth a few quid after the game.”

Bromley have been allocated 700 seats by Fleetwood on Saturday and Smith hopes the team do their travelling fans proud.

He said: “What we will be saying tonight at training is there’s always is a non-league club that goes through and pulls out a Man United or a Newcastle or an Arsenal – why can’t that be us this year?

“There’s no reason why we can’t!  We’ve got the players. We’re capable on any given day of doing it!

“It’s down to one 90 minute game on Saturday. It would be great to get a replay, bring them home for the finances but we know it’s going to be difficult.

“You very rarely get two bites of the cherry so if we get a chance on Saturday we have got to take it.”

Smith added: “We were surprised how many went to Truro last season and it’s that sort of distance again.

“It’s a bit less pressure being a FA Cup tie. It’s a nice trip to Blackpool if anybody wants to come on the day.

“Whoever comes we will appreciate their support and they could be vital for us and hopefully we can do them proud.”

Victory on Saturday will put Bromley in the national limelight and Smith insists the club should be given the publicity that they deserve here in Kent too.

He said: “I’m hoping that it is out there that we’ve reached this round four times under one manager and I hope it gets out there and people recognise what an achievement it is.

“We can live on that. What we can’t do is then take our eye off the ball, which is our league display because that is the most vital point for us.”

BROMLEY'S FA CUP RECORD
Bromley first competed in The FA Cup back in 1914, their run being ended in the Sixth Qualifying Round by Luton Town, after starting in the previous round, needing a couple of games to get past Hampstead Town.
Bromley have never beaten a Football League club in The FA Cup
Bromley have gone 67 years' since winning a First Round tie in The FA Cup
Bromley's record win (12-1) came in a FA Cup Preliminary Round tie away to Chertsey Town back in 1982.

1937-1938:
First Round:  King's Lynn (away) W4-0
Second Round: Scarborough (away) L1-4

1938-1939:
First Round:  Apsley (home) W2-1
Second Round: Lincoln (away) L1-8

1945-1946:
First Round: Slough United (home) W6-1 & (away) L0-1
Second Round:  Watford (home) L1-3 & (away) D1-1

1947-1948:
First Round:  Reading (home) D3-3 & (away) L0-3

1949-1950:
First Round:  Watford (home) L1-2

1950-1951:
First Round: Aldershot (away) D2-2 & (home) L0-1

1951-1952:
First Round: Torquay United (away) L2-3

1976-1977:
First Round: Swindon Town (away) L0-7

1996-1997:
First Round: Enfield (home) L1-3

2006-2007:
First Round:  Gillingham (away) L1-4

2009-2010:
First Round: Colchester United (home) L0-4

2011-2012:
First Round:  Leyton Orient (away) L0-3

2012-2013:
First Round: Fleetwood Town (away)

FA Cup Qualifying Round ties not listed

Visit Bromley’s website: www.bromleyfc.net  

Fleetwood Town  v  Bromley
The FA Cup with Budweiser First Round
Saturday 3^rd November 2012
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Highbury Stadium, Park Avenue, Fleetwood, Lancashire FY7 6TX