Fading memories of the London Senior Cup

Col Head takes us on a trip down a Bromley memory lane

Jan 13, 2023

Famous clubs like Brentford, Wimbledon, and Leyton Orient all enter sides in the London Senior Cup, as do our National League South neighbours Welling and Dulwich Hamlet. But Bromley haven’t entered the competition since they won it in 2013. This is a real shame as it’s a big part of the club’s history and it has provided some great memories over the years.

I was 14 the first time I saw Bromley play in a proper cup final. I was too young to go to the club’s famous Kent Senior Cup win in 1977, so when we reached the London Senior Cup final in May 1985, I wasn’t going to miss out.

This was our first county cup final in eight years, so it was a big deal. During that period, our only flirtation with cup success was an appearance in the 1982 Eastern Floodlight Cup final, which we lost to Chelmsford City over two legs.

The 1985 final was played at Dulwich Hamlet’s original Champion Hill Stadium, which was a huge, old-school non-league ground with a capacity of 20,000. Although it had fallen into disrepair by the mid-80s, Champion Hill was still an impressive sight. A massive wooden stand with a sloping roof ran along one side of the pitch, and cinder terracing hugged the other three sides. It was a fantastic venue for a final.

Our opponents that day were Fisher Athletic, a team on the up at the time and heading for the Football Conference, which is now known as the National League.

I was so excited about the game that I made a banner with a white sheet and some bamboo canes and wrote Bromley FC on it in black paint. My enthusiasm had even rubbed off on a mate from school who’d agreed to come along. Full of hope, we headed up to Denmark Hill on the train from Bromley South.

Sadly for Dave Cooke’s team, with star striker Brian Gregory suspended, we lacked the firepower to trouble Fisher and lost the match 2-0, with Trevor Dark scoring both goals for the Fish. More than a little disappointed, I left my banner in the cinder terrace behind the goal.

In a time before league play-offs were introduced, county cups were an exciting prospect for sides who entered the new year safe from the drop but out of touch from automatic promotion. In that context, this kind of final was a big deal.

Thanks to our geographical location, Bromley could enter both the London and Kent competitions, which have historically given us two chances to lay our hands on some silverware. But getting to the final was rarely easy.

Following the 1985 final, the Ravens’ London Senior Cup campaigns ended in disappointment. We came close in 1988, reaching the semi-final, but we would have to wait until 1996 for another shot at glory.

By this time, the competition had been renamed The London Challenge Cup, and the final would be played at Millwall’s New Den. It was a big occasion for Bromley and their opponents, Leyton Pennant (now Walthamstow), and there was a lot of anticipation leading up to the game.

Having avoided relegation the previous Saturday with a 0-0 draw at Purfleet, George Wakeling’s Bromley side had the opportunity to end a tough season on a high.

On the day of the final, I met my fellow Bromley supporters in New Cross for some pre-game drinks in The Goldsmith’s Tavern and the New Cross Inn. Once we were suitably lubricated, we made our way to the New Den, which was still a new stadium at the time.

Only one stand was open for the final, with Bromley fans on the left and Leyton Pennant on the right, but what we lacked in numbers we made up for with noise!

To our delight, the Ravens came out 3-2 winners after extra time, with goals from Ian Rawlings, Mickey Brown and Joe Francis. Highlights from the game are available on YouTube and are well worth a watch.

Fast-forward to April 2003. Bromley had been slogging it out in Division One of the Isthmian League for four seasons and it was tough going. But new owner Jerry Dolke and manager Stuart McIntyre were busy breathing new life into the club. Promotion was a bridge too far in 2002/03, but the London Senior Cup final gave the Ravens their first sight of silverware since they lifted the Kent Senior Cup in 1997.

In the final, played at Dagenham & Redbridge’s Victoria Road ground, we faced Ford United of the Isthmian League Premier Division. Despite being without our figurehead striker, Wade Falana, Bromley snuck into a 1-0 lead via the mercurial Kirk Watts and proceeded to dig in.

Late in the game, referee Mr Crouch sent off three Bromley players, and a single Ford United player, after a scuffle in front of the dugouts.

Although there were only about 300 of us there that night, the ceaseless cry of ‘Broooooo!’ that erupted from us as our eight men dug in was fearsome. It let Ford United know we weren’t going to be beaten. And we weren’t.

After the final, there was a party back at Hayes Lane and the celebrations continued for days.

Personally, I view this as the moment Bromley began the upward journey that has taken them to the National League. This cup win gave the club its pride back and instilled the belief that we could be something again.

The next London Senior Cup final came in 2007 and was the culmination of a big season. Bromley not only won promotion to the National League South via the play-offs that year but also reached the FA Cup first round and both the Kent and London Senior Cup finals.

We claimed the Kent Senior Cup on a Tuesday night with a 3-1 win at home to Tonbridge Angels. But the London Senior Cup final, played just two days later, was a step too far. That night, we travelled to Tooting & Mitcham United and lost 4-2. As luck would have it, the Terrors were managed by ex-Bromley bosses George Wakeling and Billy Smith and had several former Ravens in their lineup.

Buy me a coffee

When we next reached the final in 2013, Bromley were an established National League South side, but it had been a very difficult season under manager Mark Goldberg. Relegation had only just been avoided and there were rumours of discontent in the camp. But a London Senior Cup final once again provided some end-of-season relief.

Having won the semi-final in a penalty shoot-out at Wingate & Finchley, Bromley faced Isthmian League Premier Division side Kingstonian in the final at Met Police’s Imber Court ground. Of course, we did it the hard way. Having gone 2-0 up with goals from Elliot Buchanan and Aaron Rhule, defender Helge Orome was sent off.

Kingstonian clawed a goal back, which made for a nervy finish, but Bromley held on for a 2-1 win. In the team that day was a young defender on loan from Crystal Palace called Jack Holland.

The following season, despite being holders, Bromley withdrew from the London Senior Cup and haven’t entered it since.

Sadly, it seems that this classic competition has been consigned to the club’s history. For the record, Bromley have won it six times and have reached the final on a further five occasions.

Even if we didn’t reach the final, the competition gave us the opportunity to play at places we wouldn’t normally go, like Edgware Town and Hanwell Town, and see some really entertaining games, like Hounslow Town 6-3 and Haringey Borough 5-4.

We still field our under-23s in the Kent Senior Cup. Why not do the same in the London Senior Cup?

Are we missing out? I think so.

From Bromley with love

Discussion about this post