THE INTERVIEW

STEPHEN BROMLEY THE INTERVIEW

Full name

Stephen Bromley

Nickname Brommers

What do you do for a living? How does it impact on playing football?

I'm a Police officer of 13 years service and work for North Yorkshire police.

The juggling of shift work and playing at the level I play at is quite impactive especially when I've just finished a nightshift and have to go play to only go back to work after that game, it's quite hard but worth being tired for.

How long have you been playing football?

Since the age of 11.

I was a late starter and to be honest I was terrible compared to my mates so they used to just throw me in goals at 5-a-side (by the way I was like a young Gordon Banks back then)

First football memory?

Wow, this was going to watch Leeds in the 93/94 season (it was my brothers birthday, poor lad's a Leeds fan).

Which team do you support?

Manchester United...one of my distant relatives lives there so I'm allowed to support them

Which coach has had the biggest influence on your football career?

This is an easy one, which is my dad.

Growing up my dad was a coach who managed at a competitive level, he's the one that's guided me through all of my football and any challenges I've had along the way.

I still go to him for advice now, advice on and off the

pitch, football related or not.

Which players have you enjoyed playing with during your career?

I've played with some great players over the years, however it's true what they say in that when you get older you start to enjoy it more.

I think that's because deep down you know it's coming to an end so I would have to refer to people I've played with over the past 5 years or so, which include Matthew Duerdon (Knaresbrough Town)

Dave Thomas (Knaresbrough Town)

Seb Carole (Knaresborough Town)

Simon Parkes (Harrogate Railway)

Nathan Cartman (Harrogate Railway)

Matt Heath (Harrogate Railway).

Best advice given about football?

Yet again, this is advice from my dad and the words I used to hear him say and shout whilst I was on the pitch was 'Hit him back'.

He used to say 'When you do it back to them and you do it right you don't tend to have them do it to you again'. Every footballer can relate to this I'm sure.

(just to get the message across I don't promote violence in football)

Which team have you enjoyed playing for the most? Why?

I'd have to say Halifax Town.

This set up my foundations as a player which I'd like to think I bring to the game today.

We were always told to put players under pressure, you see a player won't usually make mistakes on his own, however if you pressure him into making them you'll reap rewards.

I've grabbed loads of goals doing this and it works.

What position do you prefer playing in? Why? If you could choose any position on the pitch – what would it be?

This ones easy for me, my favourite position is Striker, however in my youth I was a left winger and prior to that a wing-back for Halifax Town.

By the way that's the hardest position I've ever played in. As the club went into administration I was advised by one of the coaches to consider playing left back and in his words 'You'd make it in that position at a higher level'.

Thankfully I've never regretted ignoring that advice as that position bores me.

Which player in the game do you most admire?

There are three :-

Peter Shmichael as Manches-

ter United wouldn't have won half the titles in the 90's without him.

David Beckham and Christiano Ronaldo.

I think most football fans respect what these guys do on and off the pitch and they're great ambassadors for the game and let's face it what child football fans doesn't love them.

Do you enjoy playing? What motivates you to play the game?

Like any other player, I absolutely love the game, once you start to enjoy it at such a young age it has you hooked for life.

Most women think we're mad, well my wife does anyway.

Best player you’ve played with?

People at our level normally mention a professional players at this point but I'm going to name someone from the amateur/semi pro level, who now will be aged in his 50's.

He's named Alan Morley snr.

I've watched this guy humiliate midfielders not just once or twice in a game but throughout the 90 minutes and this was consistent upon season after season.

I've always wondered why this guy never made it at the highest of the pro level. I've no doubt that if he was born 20 years later and with the right coaching we'd have been watching him on TV.

Best coach you’ve worked with?

Even though I've played at a higher level I'd have to say Billy Miller.

Billy has a presence about him which stands out straight away and you just know he's the boss/ manager.

In the 3 seasons I played for him in the Evo-Stick I wasn't aware of one player who had given him any verbals or backchat, nor would they have done so.

In my opinion Billy's coaching is very up to date and modern, most importantly he brings an air of old school to the changing rooms which is what I admire about him as a manager, all of the best managers around have this about them and it gains respect from their players.