Bromley vs Swindon Town preview
Before Bromley made it to the FA Cup 1st round in 1996, they had endured a 20-year absence from such an occasion.
Their opponents back in 1976 were Swindon Town, who played spoilsport in the then David versus Goliath clash, sending Isthmian Division Two Bromley home to the tune of 7 (SEVEN) goals to 0.
How times have changed. Today, at the tail end of 2024, if you ask one of Swindon Town’s more pessimistic fans, they will tell you they are a non-league club in waiting. This is from a team that graced the Premier League in the 93/94 season.
The club has been beset by financial irregularities off the pitch and is in free fall on it. Last season, the Robins finished in 19th place, signalling one of the worst seasons in the club’s history.
The EFL has charged them with undisclosed shareholdings, and it seems the club is always struggling with cashflow issues. Longstanding debts have crippled their infrastructure and they have been habitually late on payments to HMRC.
As a result of these irregularities, they have had to deal with a ban on paying transfer fees during transfer windows.
Before the season started, Trust STFC wrote to chairman Clem Morfuni declaring a motion of no confidence in his leadership. Fans want him to sell up and go.
Given all that is going on off the pitch, it is perhaps no surprise that a character like Ian Holloway would see the manager’s job as a task to take on with relish. Holloway was appointed as Swindon manager in October after Mark Kennedy was shown the door.
Hollway was in the news recently for having a pop at some of the Town fans after an away defeat at Bradford. He berated them for not getting 100% behind a side he believes are giving him everything, creating a siege mentality around his squad.
Maybe Holloway has had the last laugh. Since that outburst, his Swindon side have gone on to defeat Grimsby Town and draw with Wimbledon, both play-off chasing clubs.
It’s anyone’s guess as to which two clubs in League Two will fall through the National League trapdoor this season, but Swindon are likely to be nervously looking over their shoulder.
If they can survive, then the hope for their beleaguered fanbase is that it would represent some kind of foundation to build on the following season.
For all the doom and gloom, they do have some good players.
Keen observers in the Bromley fanbase will recognise former Dagenham defender Will Wright, as well as Harry Smith (Barnet) and Kabongo Tshimanga (Boreham Wood/Chesterfield).
Between them, Smith and Tshimanga have 12 goals this season.
Their likely midfield three of Joel Cotterill (on loan from Swansea), Gavin Kilkenny (formerly of Bournemouth), and Ollie Clarke (joined from promoted Mansfield) outline the fact that Swindon should not be struggling as badly as they are.
Write them off at your peril.
Bromley extended their unbeaten run to ten games after their comprehensive 5-2 Boxing Day win over Newport County.
At the moment, it is hard to see how a team beats Bromley. But football is a funny old game and the holiday period can throw up all kinds of peculiar results.
On paper, this will be a game that the bookmakers price up as a home win, but I can see this as a potential banana skin if Bromley drop their levels akin to the 10-minute period after they went 4-0 up against Newport.
On the pitch, Andy Woodman will be tempted to stick with the same starting XI that has served him so well recently.
However, I’m slightly perturbed by the lack of squad rotation and minutes management. As legs begin to tire, how long can you stick with the mantra ‘if it ain't broke, don’t fix it’?
Off the pitch, the January transfer window is opening very soon. If you believe the rumours, Bromley may be about to lose Danny Imray, with numerous League One and Championship clubs hovering around him.
If I was in his shoes, I’m not sure I would be chasing another club to join this season. Is four or five more months at Bromley such a bad use of his time?
Playing a full season in senior men’s football as a guaranteed starter is an excellent way to hone your craft, particularly at an upwardly mobile local club with a tough but nurturing environment. Waiting for a chance to shine in League One or the Championship might not yield the same career uptick.
In the fickle world of football, it’s often a case of ‘better the devil you know’.
Then again, if the rumours are true, it’s possible that Danny Imray has very little say in it. Crystal Palace are his parent club and can probably do what they want, and his agent will be working their angle, too.
The point being, the game against Swindon could be the last we see of Imray in a Bromley shirt.
If that is the case, enjoy it.
The From Bromley with Love XI
Smith
Sowunmi Reynolds Grant
Imray Thompson Arthurs Odutayo
Congreve Whitely
Cheek
Please note all match photographs in this article are by Martin Greig - please follow him on Twitter here
All articles are edited by Peter Etherington you can link to him here
If you havent as yet make sure you read the other articles in the archive.
If you’d like to show an appreciation for the work that goes into this newsletter you can buy me a coffee through the link below.
You can also find Machel St Patrick Hewitt on Twitter - here
Most importantly of all subscribe to the newsletter to ensure you get these updates direct to your inbox.
Hi Machel Yes it will be interesting today. Every game starts 0-0 and sometimes it difficult to replicate a performance such as the one against Newport and yes there could be tired legs. I do think the likes of Charles, Louis, Fella and Webster should come in for more than a few minutes as they will surely be needed at some point and are lacking match fitness.
It’s amazing to think we are favourites against a team like Swindon but we will see how it pans out. There is an opportunity this season as no one seems to be grabbing the promotion spots by the scruff of the neck apart from Walsall. Bromley are in good shape whatever happens. Imray will almost certainly go and will be a blow but not a fatal one. Come on Brom!