In five fab years, my overriding emotion is pride
IT’S NEARLY a week after his surprise departure from Bromley and Neil Smith is reflecting on quite how far the club has come in recent years. From struggling in the Conference South when he arrived ten years ago as Mark Goldberg’s assistant, to pushing for promotion into the Football League as a full-time, professional outfit.
But it’s been the messages from outside that have been most satisfying – the support from fellow managers people tend not to hear in the thick of battle.
“I’ve taken in what’s happened now,” Smith tells The NLP. “You’ve got to move on and you’ve got to be positive. The best thing that has come out of it, and I am humbled by it, is the response I’ve had from other managers, other clubs and people in football all saying, ‘Be proud of what you’ve done’.
“It’s reassuring people outside of Bromley have appreciated what we’ve done as well. All I’ve ever wanted is to make sure the supporters are proud of their football club. And the owners are proud of what we are doing. Other than that, your full focus is on your players and your club.
“When you step away, you actually hear what people think about when you played them, that they always knew they’d get a tough game. I’d never asked people what they think of us. I’m just solely concerned with my players performing the best they can.
“It gives you a boost to hear that because you think you must have been doing something right.”
Perhaps it’s why so many in the game were shocked by his sacking from the Ravens, who he also took to Wembley in the FA Trophy just three years ago, when they were sat seventh in the National League table.
Breakfast and lunch for the players at the training ground, in-depth analysis, and work in the community, Smith has played his part in it all to help the club progress.
“When we went into the National League it was always going to be difficult because we were part-time – or semi part-time – and coming up against these big clubs we’d only ever draw in the FA Cup. To all of a sudden to be against them every week.
“But the club has just grown. It’s an amazing place. It is set-up to go into the Football League. The chairman’s plans are amazing. I’m probably just frustrated I can’t be there to see it through because, they’ve got some fantastic plans and it’s a great environment to work with the players.
“I don’t take responsibility myself. Mark Hammond, my assistant manager and head of the academy, just grew it. I had to just make sure I was there supporting him, making sure we were doing the assemblies together – making sure Bromley got on the map.
Pathways
“The reason people want to go to the club now is because the first team is doing well, they can see pathways. But that’s been a gradual incline for the last five years.”
Academy graduates like Liam Vincent, Jude Arthur, Oli Tanner and Jordan Higgs have all made the first team, while Louis Dennis, pictured right, and Reeco Hackett-Fairchild were both sold to Portsmouth along with Josh Rees, now at Aldershot, who joined League One Gillingham.
Loan players have been a success. Luke Woolfenden went back to Ipswich Town and played in the Championship. Alfie Doughty did similar at Charlton Athletic before moving to Stoke City.
“What I think we are good at is developing and coaching,” Smith says. “It’s a major asset when League clubs are offering you players to develop for them. They go back and do really well for their parent club but the trust in us as coaches and management is immense.”
The calls of support have come from those clubs as well and Smith also makes a point of thanking the Bromley fans and staff at the club who have made his time there so special. It’s probably why he occasionally still refers to the situation as ‘we’.
“The love for the club is never going to go away,” Smith says. “It is my local club. I was very proud and honoured when they gave me the job and I gave it everything I’ve got.
“The one thing someone said is when you leave a club, make sure it is in a better position than when you walked into it. I think it is. “From top to bottom, there is a foundation through the youth section, the academy, U23s to the first team. I’ve given it everything I’ve got. I can’t have given it any more.”
So, does he need a rest? “I can understand if you’ve been bottom of the table and it’s been constant pressure, pressure, pressure,” Smith says. “It’s not been like that. I’ve enjoyed the last few weeks. The team had a bit of form, we were doing well and I could really see us pushing in and around those play-offs.
Momentum
“So, now I am out of it, I’m not, ‘Oh, I just needed to get away’. I’m in the mode of, ‘I want to get back in’.
“The last four weeks the team were more consistent, players had come back from injury and we were gaining that little bit of momentum. So I didn’t need the rest. Unfortunately that decision was taken out of my hands. I will enjoy the sun while it is out and the relaxation of lockdown to see some family and friends. But as soon as the right thing comes along I’ll jump straight back in.
“This time last year I was sitting in the back garden because there was a national lockdown. A year later I’m doing the same. So it’s weird in that respect because since I left school I’ve been in football. I love the banter, I love getting ready for games, for training, preparing to do your best.
“I love being on the coaching side, being ready for the next game. Especially when it is your local club. I am literally five minutes away from the club. You could feel the atmosphere of the supporters getting ready for games. So that Saturday of getting ready for games will be a big loss – but hopefully not for too long.”