Bromley Football Club is a professional association football club based in Bromley, Greater London, England. They are currently members of . Bromley play their home matches at Hayes Lane.
Formed in 1892, they were founder members of the Southern League in 1894, before becoming founder members of the London League in 1896. After winning the Division Two title, they spent one season in the Kent League. In 1907, they became founder members of the Spartan League and won the division title before joining the Isthmian League. They won the Isthmian League in 1908âÂÂ09 and 1909âÂÂ10 as well as the FA Amateur Cup in 1910âÂÂ11. Bromley joined the Athenian League in 1919, which they won in 1922âÂÂ23, 1948âÂÂ49 and 1950âÂÂ51. In this period, they also won the FA Amateur Cup in 1937âÂÂ38 and 1948âÂÂ49.
Bromley joined the Isthmian League again in 1952âÂÂ53. After several promotions and relegations between Division One and Two of the Isthmian League in the second half of the 20th century, they joined the Conference South in 2007âÂÂ08. They won the Conference South title in 2014âÂÂ15 to earn promotion to the fifth tier. After two unsuccessful play-off attempts, as well as winning the FA Trophy in 2021âÂÂ22 in this period, they won the National League play-offs in 2023âÂÂ24 to reach the English Football League for the first time in their history.
Established in 1892, Bromley initially played in the South London League, before becoming a founder member of the Southern League in 1894, joining Division Two. However, after finishing bottom of Division Two in 1895âÂÂ96 they left to become founder members of the London League, also joining Division Two. They won the division at the first attempt and were promoted to Division One. They switched to the Kent League for the 1898âÂÂ99 season, but after finishing bottom of the league, they returned to Division One of the London League. During the 1899âÂÂ1900 season the club withdrew from Division One, taking over their reserves' fixtures in Division Two. They withdrew from Division Two at the end of the 1900âÂÂ01 season.
In 1907 the club were founder members of the Spartan League and went on to become its inaugural champions. They joined the Isthmian League for the following season, and won back-to-back titles in 1908âÂÂ09 and 1909âÂÂ10. In 1910âÂÂ11 the club won the FA Amateur Cup, beating Bishop Auckland 1âÂÂ0 in the final. However, the club then left the Isthmian League and returned to the Kent League, being placed in Division One. They remained in the league until World War I, but joined the Athenian League when football resumed in 1919. The club were Athenian League champions in 1922âÂÂ23. In 1937âÂÂ38 they reached the first round of the FA Cup for the first time. After beating King's Lynn in the first round, they lost 4âÂÂ1 at Scarborough in the second. They also reached the final of the FA Amateur Cup again, beating Erith & Belvedere 1âÂÂ0. The club repeated the feat the following season, this time playing Football League opposition for the first time as they lost 8âÂÂ1 at Lincoln City in the second round. In 1945âÂÂ46 another second round appearance resulted in a 4âÂÂ2 aggregate defeat to Watford. In 1947âÂÂ48 they held Reading to a 1âÂÂ1 draw in the first round, before losing the replay at Elm Park 3âÂÂ0.
The club won another Athenian League title and the FA Amateur Cup in 1948âÂÂ49, with the following season seeing another FA first round defeat, this time 2âÂÂ1 to Watford. In 1950âÂÂ51 the club won their third Athenian League title; the season also saw them lose 1âÂÂ0 to Aldershot in the FA Cup first round. Going straight into the first round the following season, they lost 3âÂÂ2 at Torquay United. In 1952 they rejoined the Isthmian League, and after finishing as runners-up in their first season back in the league, they were champions in 1953âÂÂ54. They won the league for a fourth time in 1960âÂÂ61.
After finishing bottom of Division One in the 1974âÂÂ75 season Bromley were relegated to Division Two. In 1976âÂÂ77 the club appeared in the FA Cup first round for the first time in over twenty years, losing 7âÂÂ0 at Swindon Town. Division Two became Division One in 1977, and the club were promoted to the Premier Division after finishing as runners-up in 1979âÂÂ80. They were relegated to Division One again in 1983âÂÂ84, but returned to the Premier Division as Division One runners-up in 1985âÂÂ86. Another relegation followed in 1989âÂÂ90, but was followed by an immediate return to the Premier Division as Division One runners-up in 1990âÂÂ91. In 1996âÂÂ97 they qualified for the FA Cup first round again, but were beaten 3âÂÂ1 at home by Enfield.
Bromley were relegated to Division One of the Isthmian League again at the end of the 1998âÂÂ99 season; non-league reorganisation in 2004 saw Division One become the eighth rather than seventh tier of the football pyramid. A fourth-place finish that season saw them qualify for the promotion play-offs, and after defeating Metropolitan Police on penalties in the semi-finals, they beat Horsham 3âÂÂ1 in the final to earn promotion to the Isthmian Premier Division. In 2006âÂÂ07 they finished as runners-up in the Premier Division, again qualifying for the promotion play-offs. A 1âÂÂ0 win over AFC Wimbledon in the semi-finals and a victory against Billericay Town on penalties in the final saw them promoted to the Conference South. The season had also seen them reach the FA Cup first round again, eventually losing 4âÂÂ1 at Gillingham. Further appearances in the first round were achieved in 2009âÂÂ10 (against Colchester United), 2011âÂÂ12 (Leyton Orient), 2012âÂÂ13 (Fleetwood Town) and 2014âÂÂ15 (Dartford), but they were beaten on each occasion.
In 2014âÂÂ15 Bromley won the Conference South, earning promotion to the renamed National League. Another FA Cup first round appearance in 2017âÂÂ18 saw them defeated by Rochdale. The season also saw them reach the final of the FA Trophy, where they lost 5âÂÂ4 on penalties to Brackley Town after the match had ended in a 1âÂÂ1 draw. In 2020âÂÂ21 the club finished seventh in the National League, qualifying for the promotion play-offs, in which they lost 3âÂÂ2 to Hartlepool United in the quarter-finals. The club won the FA Trophy for the first time in their history in 2021âÂÂ22, beating Wrexham 1âÂÂ0 in the final. In the 2022âÂÂ23 season they finished seventh in the National League again. In the play-offs the club defeated Woking 2âÂÂ1 in the quarter-finals, before losing 3âÂÂ2 to Chesterfield in the semi-finals. In the 2023âÂÂ24 season, Bromley achieved promotion to League Two after defeating Solihull Moors 4âÂÂ3 on penalties in the promotion play-off final, entering the Football League for the first time in the club's history.
On 10 August 2024, Bromley beat Harrogate Town 2âÂÂ0 to win their first EFL League Two match, with Michael Cheek scoring the club's first League goal. They then played south London rivals AFC Wimbledon at Hayes Lane twice in four days, losing their EFL Cup first round tie 2âÂÂ1, then winning their first home league game 2âÂÂ0.
The club initially played at the Queensmead Recreation Ground, before moving to Glebe Road. Seven years later they moved to the Plaistow Cricket Club ground when Glebe Road was bought for use as housing. However, the cricket club's ground was also obtained for housing in 1904, leading to the football club (and the other sports club using the ground) moving to a site on Hayes Lane. The new ground was opened on 3 September 1904.
In 1938 the club moved to the current Hayes Lane ground. The record attendance of 10,798 was set during a game against a Nigeria XI in September 1948. The ground currently has a capacity of 5,150, of which 1,606 is seated.
Lifelong fan Dave Roberts wrote three books on his experiences following Bromley FC: The Bromley Boys (2008), 32 Programmes (2011) and Home and Away (2016). The first book was made into a 2018 film, The Bromley Boys, available on DVD and via streaming, starring Martine McCutcheon, Alan Davies and Jamie Foreman.