Bromley Green is the only local club since its founding in 1930 to win the Kent Junior Cup at the senior level (in 1985). As a founding member of the Kent County League, the club can also take pride in being the last Football Team Play in Bromley to win the old Kent Amateur League. When the 2011–2012 season concluded, they were recognised as the best team in the Kent County League’s top division. On the youth front, the club has represented England numerous times at home and abroad, and they won the Under 14 International Youth Tournament in West Germany. The only significant honour the club has yet to achieve is reaching the final of the Kent Sunday Premier Cup.
Five varsity squads compete under the club’s banner (haart of Kent County League Firsts and Reserves on Saturdays, with a third team in the Ashford Saturday League, plus firsts and reserves in the Ashford Sunday League). With the help of Sure Start, the Salvation Army, and the Community Hall group as part of the Waterside project, the Green is now home to nine boys’ youth teams, a girls’ U13 team in the Kent Ladies and Girls League, and four teams aimed specifically at people with special needs (Bromley Green Valiants).
The club has seen better days and worse, having connections to Leyton Orient and Arsenal during the war years and coming dangerously close to folding in 1970. In fact, due to a lack of players, half a kit, and no funds, notice of withdrawal from the Ashford Saturday League was submitted. Still, the club rose from the ashes, as the saying goes, thanks to a successful youth policy that laid the groundwork for not only unprecedented success at the club’s spiritual home, Carters Field, but also the confidence to overcome many obstacles, including planning/finance, to rebuild and attempt to recapture former glories at their present Waterside venue.
Jim Staples, a former junior, is now the captain of the Irish national team. Former 1st XV player Paul Collins played for Ireland and London Irish. Mike Friday, a former mini and junior with the London Wasps, is now the United States national sevens team coach. Friday was previously the captain and coach of England’s sevens team.
Recent years have seen an influx of talented young players to Kent’s junior squad, far too many to name individually. Rob Springall and Tom Standfield played on the junior national team for England, while David Fenlon represented Ireland. As of July 2012, Michael Adeniya has been designated as Nigeria’s representative at the Africa Nations Cup. 2016 saw Kieran Leeper travel to Argentina with the Kent Development Squad, and 2016, David Banfield earned his Army cap before transitioning back to civilian life.
Conclusion
Success on both days over a long period has solidified the club’s position as the premier intermediate side in town. The Bromley Football Team Play is now eagerly pursuing a promotion to the Kent League. This is fantastic news for all their players and fans, as up to 30 games will be played at the Homelands Stadium during the 2013-2014 season.