Bromley

Until very recently, it was about the same history as Boreham Wood, Dulwich Hamlet, and any number of other non-league clubs who have never made the Football League. Bromley was formed in 1892, played in a bunch of London-area leagues, won some obscure Cups and leagues—especially in the 1950s—and recently has made a surge upward.

In 2014–15 they won the Conference South, which is now called the National League South, putting them into the fifth-tier National League for the first time. In 2017–18 they made the final of the FA Trophy (for levels 5–8 of the pyramid) but lost on penalties to Brackley Town. In 2022, though, they went back and won it, beating Wrexham in the final at Wembley for their first Trophy win ever. In 2023, Bromley was just one spot off from securing a place in the National League playoffs. And in 2024, they made the playoffs and won them, making the Football League for the first time ever. Last season they finished a respectable 11th, four points out of the playoff spot.

One interesting thing is that Bromley has a weird way of popping up in the general culture. For example, remember the Monty Python skit about Spam? It was set at the (made-up) Green Midget Café in Bromley. The Pythons also had one about seeing all seven continents from the roof of the Kentish Times building in Bromley. When the Sex Pistols were going around raising their particular kind of hell, they had a crew that followed them around under the name the Bromley Contingent, because that’s where many of them were from. Among their numbers: Bromley-born Siouxsie Sioux (of “and the Banshees”) and Billy Idol.

And finally, there’s a Bromley fan who has written three books about his life supporting the Ravens, one of which—The Bromley Boys—was made into an independent film of the same name. It’s a lovely story about a boy falling for soccer and a girl.

2024–25 SEASON: 11th in League Two, 3rd Round FA Cup, 1st Round EFL Cup

2025–26 SEASON: League Two (promoted in 2024)

Nearby Sutton United is a rival, but after their own first trip to the Football League, in 2024 they went back down to the National League.

Bromley Ladies play in the amateur London and South East Regional Women’s Football League, which is at tier 6 of the pyramid. Home games are at Hayes Lane.

There’s a band called Dogstand who recorded several songs about Bromley, including a version of Newcastle United’s “Blaydon Races” about walking down Mason’s Hill to see the Bromley Aces.

Hayes Lane is your very standard non-league ground—two stands and two terraces—with home supporters who switch ends at halftime to be behind the goal the boys are shooting at. Capacity is 5,150, of which 1,300 are seats.

It used to be the pitch that most people know about; it was a 3G surface, which replaced grass in 2017, but it had to come out again when they got promoted to the Football League, which still bans artificial turf (Sutton had to deal with this as well—and now are back out of the league!). But “plastic pitches,” as the British like to call them, are becoming more popular in non-league football because, once they are installed, they require less money for maintenance and they allow many more games to be played there. The academy, the youth teams, the women’s team, community teams, “soccer camps”—all could play at Hayes Lane. But perhaps not anymore.

Also, since Sutton United has a plastic pitch as well, people like to call their derby El Plastico.

GETTING THERE: The station you want is Bromley South, which is about 20 minutes from London Victoria and 35 minutes from London Bridge. That’s a mile from the ground, so either walk it or take bus 119 (Purley Way) or 314 (New Addington) from just outside the station to Hayes Road, about a 5-minute walk from the ground.

PUBS: The best option is right at the ground: Broomfields. It has several TVs and a good beer selection. It also stays open during the game, but since in England you can’t drink and watch football in person at the same time, right before kickoff a screen comes down and covers the windows!

There is also a Wetherspoon named the Richmal Crompton right across from the station, and if you’re walking from the station to the ground you will go past the Crown of Bromley on Mason’s Hill Road.

GRUB: Broomfields serves pizza and pasties, and there’s the usual fare inside the ground. Otherwise, everything is up by the station, especially in the opposite direction from the ground.