7 months ago
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It is a moment that would immediately go viral on social media.
Bromley captain Byron Webster raises his eyebrows and smiles at Solihull Moors goalkeeper Nick Hayes before striking home his penalty kick, turning round with arms outstretched ready to embrace his jubilant, victorious team-mates.
He has just guided his team to the English Football League for the first time in Bromley's 132-year history. At Wembley. Coolness personified.
The fact he did it while donning an EFL captain's armband in the National League promotion final only added to a sense of supreme confidence and destiny.
"The keeper said to me, ‘I know which way you’re going,’ and I thought, ‘You don’t because I don’t even know which way I’m going yet,’" he told BBC Sport.
"So that’s why I had a little smirk. The other penalties I was thinking I’d go to my left, and that was the idea.
"It wasn’t until they scored their fifth penalty and I knew that I had to score that I thought he’s gone that way most times, I know if I open my foot up [and shoot to the right] he’s not going to have much of a chance as long as I hit it nice and cleanly.”
Bromley had twice led a captivating National League promotion final through goals from top scorer Michael Cheek.
Joe Sbarra and skipper Jamey Osborne responded for Moors to extend the tie into extra time, where Alex Kirk was denied by the crossbar and the post as the score remained 2-2 with the match going into a penalty shootout.
Solihull won both coin tosses and elected to shoot towards the end in front of their fans and take the opening penalty kick.
But Bromley keeper Grant Smith made two big saves to deny Tyrese Shade and Joss Labadie for Solihull's first two spot-kicks.
Ipswich Town loanee Hayes then saved from Ashley Charles for Solihull.
And after nine penalties with the score 3-3, Webster seized his chance to write his name into Bromley's history.
This was the 37-year-old's fourth game and fourth win at Wembley.
Webster won the League One play-off final with Yeovil Town in 2013 before achieving the same feat with Millwall in 2017.
And he was part of the Bromley team that beat Wrexham to win the FA Trophy two years ago.
He had been due to start in Millwall's League One play-off final defeat by Barnsley in 2016 but was injured in the warm-up.
And eagle-eyed fans were quick to point out he was wearing an EFL captain's armband in the shootout, though the notion he put it on specifically for that moment is wide of the mark.
"We had an old kitman who brought it along with him from Charlton," he said.
"I’m quite superstitious, we saw that manifest as ‘we want to get to the EFL’, so I’ve worn it all year.
“Some other teams have picked up on it and said, ‘You think you’re going to be in the EFL.’ Trust me, I wasn’t thinking about a captain’s armband or anything like that, I had other things on my mind.”
Webster has made 152 appearances for Bromley since joining the club in 2020 but is out of contract following the conclusion of this season.
The centre-back said he would like to stay with the club but no discussions have taken place so far.
Right-back Callum Reynolds reserved special praise for Smith after his goalkeeping heroics in the shootout.
The 34-year-old played the entire game for the Ravens and was booked in extra-time.
"This morning we found out Grant [Smith] was in the team of the season," Reynolds told BBC Radio London.
"I said to their players as we walked past for the penalties, 'We’ve got the best keeper in the league and he knows where all of you are going.'
"It was written for skip to score the winner, you see him on the big screen smiling before he takes it. He always says, 'Smile, enjoy it, pressure is a privilege.'
"We created history this season before we got here with a record points total and no one can take this away from us now."
Bromley will join National League champions Chesterfield in League Two next season.
