FRIENDS REUNITED
These are exciting times for Bromley as they enter the Football League and start their new glamorous life in the picturesque setting of Harrogate on Saturday. For some Ravens it has been a lifetime’s dream to poke their head through the non-league ceiling and they will be living out their ambitions in Yorkshire at 3pm on Saturday. But there will also be a fair few eyeballs away from the pitch, with heads swivelling hoping to clasp eyes on one man.
The average attendance last season at what is now known as the Exercise Stadium was 2,710 and they will be eager to welcome former England manager Gareth Southgate for this weekend’s opener. The concerned local resident would not be showing up to complain about parking issues when the match is on, though; instead his best mate is Andy Woodman, the Bromley gaffer, and that’s what friends do.
Southgate has kept a low profile since reaching another Euros final, resulting in defeat to Spain and heading out the door marked ‘Do One’ (of his own accord). But where better to announce your return to football and mainstream society than Wetherby Road, Harrogate? The former Crystal Palace defender has been in, arguably, the most highly-profile football gig on mainland Britain for eight years and it will have taken its toll, so he needs to be eased back into the sport he has given his life to.
It is partly down to Southgate that Harrogate are in League Two; he went into the club to give an inspirational speech prior to their playoff final triumph in 2020. Maybe Woodman will use the same tactic in the away dressing room this time. If Southgate does attend, it might overshadow Bromley’s day for some but for those with perspective it would be what sport is about from the start: fun and friendships. The glory – even if it that glory arrives in leaving with dignity still intact – comes later, as Southgate can tell the teams.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Are there no other referees in Brazil? There are young referees, without bad habits, who can make mistakes but who shouldn’t be as biased as him. He has a standard behaviour that does not allow football to evolve. If he can’t evolve, he needs to do one thing: reform himself! If he can’t lose weight, he should reform himself! We only ask for maximum demands from everyone, just like we have from our clubs, players, and our work. We demand excellence from all sectors involved in football, just as we demand excellence from [the] CBF, journalism, refereeing and the pitches” – there’s backing your boss, and backing your boss. Having watched Palmeiras coach Abel Ferreira get sent off against Flamengo after slo-mo VAR caught him for an “obscene gesture” – rubbing his nethers suggestively – his assistant, João Martins, goes full Rui Faria in backing the gaffer by turning his guns on referee Anderson Daronco.
FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS
In yesterday’s Football Daily letters, the conversation has morphed to getting from Fulham to Arsenal. As any informed person knows, the best way to travel from north London to Fulham is by bicycle. A beautiful trip through the city’s parks, the Serpentine and past the Royal Albert Hall. Less than 40 minutes and a great workout to boot” – Andrew Kluth.
Appreciative and intrigued as I am at the detailed travel suggestions provided by your various correspondents, I still have one question. If I’m at Arsenal, why would I want to go to Fulham?” – Tim Healy.
Alas, I didn’t make it past The Eight Bells at Putney Bridge” – Neil Baynham.
Send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s prizeless letter o’ the day winner is … Neil Baynham. Terms and conditions for our competitions can be viewed here.
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