Bromley kick off their first ever season in the top flight of non-league football on Saturday as they host Wrexham at Hayes Lane.
Mark Goldberg has added half a dozen new faces to the core of last season’s championship winning side and pre-season games have gone ok, but it is hard for an outsider to tell if he is any nearer to knowing what his strongest eleven is going into the start of The National League.
Alex Wall looks likely to partner Brad Goldberg up front, with Ben May and Moses Emmanuel more than capable cover, but there is competition for places in every other position too with Aarron Tumwa pushing Joe Anderson for the left back slot, Sean Francis keeping last years centre back partnership of Rob Swaine & Jack Holland on their toes and a vast amount of choice for the four places in midfield with Ali Fuseini and Reece Prestedge fighting it out with Lee Minshull in the centre and Louis Dennis, Pierre Joseph-Dubois, Anthony Cook and Moses Emmanuel all making claims for the wide spots.
Adam Birchall had had a good pre-season playing in various midfield roles, while Ugo Udoji looks set to keep his start at right back with Paul Rodgers injured.
Gary Mills has made wholesale changes to the Wrexham side as they look to regain their Football League status after some difficult times at The Racecourse Ground, they will certainly give The Ravens a strong first introduction to life at this level.
The Dragons are rumoured to be bringing around 500 fans to the game which will make for a fantastic atmosphere and it is expected there will be over 2,000 fans in the old ground for the league opener.
Fifteen years ago Bromley were struggling at the bottom of Ryman League Division One and the future of the club was in severe doubt, to ever be playing in this league seemed impossible.
The incredible resurgence of the club under the ownership of Jerry Dolke has seen The Ravens exceed expectations and as the fans await this new adventure with nervous excitement some of the old school support is still pinching itself to see if it’s all real.
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