Bromsgrove Sporting Football Club was formed in 2009 by a group of former Bromsgrove Rovers directors and supporters when the latter was facing closure. That would have meant the town having no football club playing at a serious non-league level. With Rovers’ difficulties deepening, Sporting were offered the tenancy of the town’s Victoria Ground by the local Council but had to play home matches at Studley FC, until the Victoria Ground pitch was in a playable condition.

Their first ever match (a pre-season friendly) was at Stratford Town in July 2010 then a month later the season started in the Midland Combination Division Two away to Young Warriors in Coventry. Sporting played their first match in Bromsgrove on 6th November in front of a crowd of 458 and ran up an unforgettable 7-0 win against Greenhill.

Myles Day had been the manager but he resigned due to outside commitments and was replaced by Rovers legend Stewart Brighton. Sporting missed out promotion but a reorganisation of the Midland Combination saw them move into Division One for season 2011/12.

Not long after the start, Brighton stood down as manager owing to work commitments and was replaced by Keith Draper. They finished 3rd and played their first cup final losing the Evesham Hospital Cup to Littleton on penalties. Although missing out on automatic promotion, Sporting were promoted to the Midland Combination Premier Division when the number of teams was increased.

For season 2012/13, Graham Scott was appointed joint manager but Draper stepped down at the end of March leaving Scott in charge eventually finishing 6th. Sporting also claimed their first silverware with the Reserves winning the Midland Combination Reserve Division Two and the Under 18’s claiming success in the Worcestershire FA Youth Cup.

Season 2013/14 saw Adrian Mander as joint manager with Scott but he stepped down in October, leaving Mander in charge.

Sporting ended the season 2nd to Brocton and gained their first trophy success winning the Smedley Crooke Memorial Challenge Cup beating Paget Rangers. Sporting also entered the FA Vase for the first time but bowed out to Westfields after wins against Lye Town and Stafford Town.

After 2 games of the 2014/15 season Adrian Mander resigned as manager and Paul Smith was appointed his successor.

Smith guided The Rouslers to runners-up in the league for the second season. They also lifted the League Cup at Walsall’s Bescot Stadium beating Southam United 3-2 in the final. Sporting also competed in the FA Cup for the first time but lost to Coleshill Town after a replay. In the FA Vase Sporting progressed to the 3rd Round before losing to Thurnby Nirvana.

2015/16 saw The Rouslers as bridesmaids again; finishing second in the Midland Football League Division One to Coventry United, despite a club record 91 points.

Season 2016/17 was Sporting’s most successful to date winning the league with 104 points (19 ahead of their nearest rivals Hinckley AFC) and remaining undefeated for the whole campaign. In addition, they reached the semi-finals of the FA Vase before losing narrowly 2-1 on aggregate to Cleethorpes Town. The season also saw a vast increase in home support with several crowds of over 1000 including a record 3349 for the match against Cleethorpes.

For Season 2017/18 Sporting were promoted to the Midland Football League Premier Division but Smith, who guided the Rouslers to promotion, stepped down as manager in February and his assistant Brendan Kelly took over. Kelly and new assistant Andy Mason brought in experienced coach, Kevin Barry, who was also the manager of the RAF Senior XI.

The club won the Midland Football League Premier Division at the first attempt, losing just 6 of their 42 league fixtures scoring 110 goals and earning a place in the Southern League Division One Central.

Sporting’s FA Vase run came to an end at the hands of eventual winners Thatcham Town but the club did run out winners of the Worcestershire Senior Urn after a penalty shoot-out over Lye Town.

Sporting faced a new challenge in Season 2018/19 with their first encounter of step 4 football. This was another successful campaign finishing runners-up and a place in the play-offs. Sutton Coldfield Town were beaten by a single goal in extra time of a tense semi-final then extra time was also needed to beat Corby Town in the final ensuring a third successive promotion.

Sporting started in the Southern League Premier Division Central and when the COVID-19 crisis forced an early end to the season and were in 4th place and hopeful of at least a play-off place.

The next season was curtailed with just 8 matches played though a few friendly matches were played against local teams. Season 2021/2 were mixed fortunes with the best ever run in the FA Cup before losing at home to former league club Grimsby Town. However league form dipped and manager Kelly left the Club. Gavin Hurren took over but he also left at the end of the season after finishing 18th in the league.

Thomas Baillie was appointed manager but after a poor run of results, he parted company by mutual agreement. Captain Mike McGrath was made temporary manager and with results improving, his appointment was made permanent. However, a poor end to the season saw the Rouslers finish above the relation zone though with nine points to spare.

There were a number of changes off the pitch at the beginning of season 2023/4 with chairman Mike Burke stepping aside and Brian Seymour-Smith taking over. However Seymour-Smith and his colleagues departed abruptly after two months. Vice-chairman Graham Scott took over at the top temporarily before a new chairman in former Rovers manager Rod Brown was appointed. In February McGrath departed as player/manager and was replaced by former England goalkeeper and experienced non-league manager, Tim Flowers who just did enough to avoid relegation. At the season end, former manager Paul Smith returned to the dugout.

However Smith could not repeat his previous success as a manager and stood down in November 2025 with Sporting one place off the bottom of the league. He was replaced as manager temporarily by coach Scott Adey-Linforth who immediately turned results around taking the club out of the relegation zone. Adey-Linforth's appointment was made permanent and Sporting finished 14th in the league.

Last season, following a poor start, saw the return of Tim Flowers and assistant Leon Broadhurst. The team was never far from the relegation places but some excellent away performances ensured survival.
Off the field, a consortium of local businessmen bought into the Club. Darren Alderson, Adam Hutchison, Alex Moran, Elliott Nash & Darren Smith have brought much needed resources and skills, and this season’s squad will hopefully mean relegation battles are a thing of the past!


1	Real Bedford	18	6
2	Bury Town FC	18	6
3	Alvechurch	15	6
4	BromsgroveSporting	15	6
5	Kettering	12	6
6	Rushall	12	6
7	Anstey	11	6

Bromsgrove Sporting

Match Outlook

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