Bromley’s Byron Webster talks the penalty, a smirk and an armband that went viral in the National League playoff final.
The Ravens captain raised his eyebrows and smiled directly at Solihull Moors goalkeeper Nick Hayes before striking home the winning penalty kick before turning round with arms outstretched as his fellow teammates ran towards him to celebrate after he guided his team to the EFL for the first time in Bromley’s 132-year history.
It weren’t just the cooly taken penalty or the facial expressions from Webster that got everyone smiling, but he also did this while wearing an EFL captain’s armband – despite it being the National League playoff final.
This video right here will be watched over and over again for many years to come.
— Bromley FC (@bromleyfc) May 5, 2024
Asked Byron Webster in the mixed zone yesterday about grinning at Solihull keeper Nick Hayes before scoring the winning penalty for Bromley.
“He said to me: ‘I know where you’re going.’
“I thought: ‘That’s a lie because I don’t even know where I am going.’#WeAreBromley pic.twitter.com/Mmoo0tmDwY
— Edmund Brack (@EdmundBrack) May 6, 2024
“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,’” Webster said to 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 taken the lead twice in what played to be a thrilling final, with goals from their top scorer Michael Cheek. Then Solihull goals from Joe Sbarra and skipper Jamey Osborne sent the game into extra time.
A penalty shootout was needed, with Bromley’s goalkeeper Grant Smith making two crucial saves, denying Tyrese Shade and Joss Labadie from Solihull’s first two spot-kicks. Ipswich Town loanee Hayes also saved a penalty from Ashley Charles for Solihull.
But after nine penalties, with the score level at 3-3, Webster stepped up and etch his name into Bromley’s history.
Webster also helped guide Millwall to victory in the League One playoff final with Yeovil Town in 2013, and did it again with Millwall in 2017.
He then played a role in Bromley’s FA Trophy Final win over Wrexham two years ago.
Byron had been due to feature in Millwall’s League One playoff final loss to Barnsley in 2016, but picked up an injury during the warm-up.
Webster spoke more to the BBC after the National League Playoff Final at the weekend, this time on wearing EFL captain’s armband during the shootout, although the idea that he specifically wore it for that moment isn’t exactly true.
“We had an old kitman who brought it along with him from Charlton,” Webster 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, who has made 152 appearances for Bromley since joining in 2020, states that his contract is set to expire at the end of this season, he wants to continue, but there have been no talks as of yet.
34 year old right back Callum Reynolds, who played the full game and was booked in extra time, praised Bromley keeper Grant Smith for his exceptional goalkeeping performance during the shootout.
“This morning we found out Grant [Smith] was in the team of the season,” he 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.”
This is how fans reacted after Bromley’s Byron Webster talks about the penalty, a smirk and an armband that went viral…
@heyit5sam: I’ve just clocked he was wearing an EFL armband the whole game 😂 confident much?
@CUFC_Aidan: No one can convince me this isn’t the perfect pen. Confident, well struck, and a worldie of an eyebrow raise.
@Owene2220: Man took the safest option possible and the keeper was clueless still. Probably the greatest quote I’ve seen 😂😂😂😂
@ScottCarter97: I’ve seen this bloke take one penalty and I want us to sign him. What a mentality he has to step up and send his team up like that 👍
@SactownMariner: the smirk was very, very funny to be fair.
@JoshuaVisser: Hang it in the Louvre 👏👏
@Alasdair333: EFL armband, the smile, was it ever in doubt?
@tomrobson11: EFL armband to take the winning pen is COLD! Massive balls this fella
@Official_Dusty: Its the laugh and smile 🤣
@BaileyVickerage: Byron Webster sending Bromley to the EFL, love to see it. #DRFC
@Alexjm05: Ahaha just clocked the EFL armband. Thats fucking ridiculous 😂😂😂😂
@Joedenny_10: No way I didn’t clock 😂😂😂😂😂 he put the EFL ARMBAND ON
@CharlieDale09: Putting the EFL armband on before taking the winning pen is absolutely bonkers by the way!
@_olicaig: going to both bromley games solely for this man
@J_Goulding86: Absolutely love this type of shithousery 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
@ReeceNuttall_: that is cold as fuck
@BloodHusky: Wont buy a bevvy ever again him 🤣 class that
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