Ross McNeilly: Bromley’s new gem polisher

As far as coups go, this is a pretty big one. At the age of just 35, Ross is a UEFA A Licence coach with extensive experience at youth level with Sunderland and Aldershot Town. Throw in a nineteen-game spell as Aldershot manager and a stretch as first-team head coach at Dorking and you have a man who seems more than capable of polishing Bromley’s academy gems.

Hailing from the North East, McNeilly has been on a journey that has taken him from Leeds to Sunderland and now London, developing a clear idea of what progressive youth development should look like. Having experienced both Football League and non-league academy systems, McNeilly understands the transformation that Bromley are undergoing as they transition from an ambitious National League club into an established EFL name, which is what he expressed to me when I spoke to him this week.

“It’s everything from facilities, resources, pitch requirements, scholars on contract, to staffing. Once you move up to the EFL, certain requirements are non-negotiable. The EFL is more stringent in terms of expectations, but there is no doubting the benefits, from the education off the pitch to the coaching on it.”