Events to mark 140 years of football in Bromsgrove began recently with Party on the Pitch, a day of music, food, games and celebration at the UK Electrical Stadium, home of Pitching In Southern League Premier Central outfit, Bromsgrove Sporting.
There was an excellent turn-out on a warm and sunny Sunday afternoon as local people joined in the fun to support what is hoped will be the first of many similar events.
Amongst the visitors were members of the Rouslers’ first-team squad, including skipper, Reece King.
“The club has got a real community feel about it, which is being strengthened all of the time,” he told us. “Events like this are great to be able to bring local people together and make them feel part of the club and the journey that we’re on.
“There are also the financial benefits to the club, of course, but we want to reach out into the community and attract more residents to come and support us and follow our fortunes next season.
“We have a strong base to build from; the atmosphere at some of our games during the season was superb and I know that a lot of hard work is going on behind-the-scenes to really push the club forward and promote what’s going on here. We have so much to be proud of and we want to shout about it.”
Having pulled clear of relegation danger to finish 14th, King admits that the season was a ‘roller-coaster’.
“People had written us off at Christmas because of the position we were in and the hard run of games that were coming up in January,” King admitted. “But we managed to get ourselves onto a great run, beating some teams who were in and around the play-off places whilst building momentum.
“We went on to finish the season strongly and secure the highest-ever placing and points tally for Sporting at Step 3, so you could say that the season was very much a roller-coaster.
“The way we ended the campaign gives us something to build on. I was honoured to captain the team and even weighed in with a few goals, which is rare for me!
“This League is a strange one because everyone can genuinely beat anyone. It was so close at both ends of the table; congratulations to Bedford Town for securing a second successive promotion, not an easy feat to achieve, and also I felt that promotion was meant to be for AFC Telford United too because they are a great club with an excellent fan base.
“We want to be up there challenging for the play-offs next season. Our form after Christmas wasn’t far off what is required to achieve that; we’re realists, though, and we know that the League will be just as competitive and difficult, so we have to be able to show the necessary consistency.
“If we can keep the core of this group together and with a few additions, I think we can have a positive season. Seeing crowds here continue to rise would also help greatly in this too."
IMAGE: Chris Jepson
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