New season preparation begins

After a poor end to the 2022-23 season, planning for the next campaign began almost immediately after the referee blew for the end of the final game.

Bromsgrove Sporting player/manager Mike McGrath has wasted no time in signing up players though registration forms still have to be completed.

First up was captain and centre back Tom Taylor who has committed for 2023-4 as has midfielder

Miro Pais and striker Brandon Smalley. Moving to the Victoria Ground is left back Ben O’Hanlon, who joins the Rouslers from Ilkeston Town, and returning to Bromsgrove from Worcester City is popular defender Aaron Roberts, who played in Sporting’s first ever match back in 2010 and subsequently clocked up 239 appearances in three spells for the club.

Because of relegations, promotions and movements to other leagues, Sporting will have a few new opponents to face next season. Following their promotion there will be a mouth-watering local derby against Halesowen Town along with matches against AFC Telford United, Leamington, and Kettering Town. There will be another long trip to Suffolk to play AFC Sudbury along with visits to Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire and Stamford in Lincolnshire, who Sporting defeated in last season’s FA Cup.

Stourbridge, Redditch United and Stratford Town remain in the Southern League Premier Diction Central providing a few more local encounters.

Bromsgrove Sporting Ladies finished on a high note defeating Kidderminster United Women 10-0 in their last match. Summing up, manager Alan Horton said: “This was a really productive season for the ladies; it was the first time in the FA Cup for us, we reached the semi-final of the county cup and finished fourth in the league. We are progressing nicely. After only two full seasons we now look to move forward for next year and I would like to thank everybody for their support.”

Meanwhile Bromsgrove Sporting Veterans became champions of their league winning 16 out of 18 matches and capped a fine season by claiming a double when they also won the league cup.

Several of Colts’ team had successful seasons. They are already recruiting for next season and can be contacted via email at colts@bromsgrovesporting.co.uk

More information about Bromsgrove Sporting can be found on the website: www.bromsgrovesporting.co.uk Enquiries can be made to hello@bromsgrovesporting.co.uk

by Phil Baker

There are also Facebook pages for Sporting’s first team, Ladies, Veterans and Colts. The Twitter account is @SportingFC