The former Portsmouth pair driving one of football's shock success stories this season
The duo have been key goal-scoring figures of late in Bromley’s unlikely push for promotion
A former Pompey pair are driving Bromley’s remarkable League Two season which is threatening to become a stunning achievement.
And this time around, Ben Thompson will be hoping there’ll be no repeat of the Fratton Park pain from seven years ago.
Thompson and Nicke Kabamba have weighed in with some crucial goals since Christmas to keep an unlikely promotion push firmly on track.
Andy Woodman’s in-form side, who joined the Football League in 2024, presently top League Two, two points ahead of Swindon, having registered six successive victories.
Indeed, both Thompson and Kabamba came off the bench to score against Bristol Rovers on Boxing Day, sparking a stunning comeback triumph, having initially trailed 2-0.
Thompson, now aged 30, netted twice in the final nine minutes to thwart Steve Evans’ men and the 3-2 success strengthened the visitors’ bid to compete in League One for the first time in the club’s history.
Painful January 2019
The midfielder, of course, knows plenty about leading a division in January, with the infamous 2018-19 season at Fratton Park long remembered.
While on loan at Fratton Park from Millwall, he was a pivotal performer in a dominant Kenny Jackett side which were five points clear at the top of League One entering 2019.
Thompson also featured in a memorable 1-0 win at Norwich in the FA Cup, when Andre Green struck five minutes into stoppage time amid wonderful scenes with the travelling fans.
That Carrow Road triumph would prove to be the midfielder’s final Blues game, with his eye-catching form prompting Millwall to recall him in January 2019 for their Championship campaign.
Without his presence - and with no suitable replacement found in that January transfer market - the once runaway leaders plummeted into fourth.
Within 44 days of Thompson’s departure, the Blues were nine points adrift of leaders Luton and heading for the play-offs, where they would lose in the semi-finals to Sunderland over two legs.
The energetic performer subsequently seemed to be endlessly linked with an emotional Fratton Park return, with fans longing for a reunion, yet it never happened.
Instead, Thompson, who made 27 games and scored three times, moved to Gillingham, Peterborough, Stevenage and, following a successful loan spell, joined Bromley last summer.
He has made 21 appearances and scored three times for the Ravens this season, although primarily featuring as a substitute, with just five league starts.
Featured in 2016-17 title-winning team
As for Kabamba, who was part of Pompey’s 2016-17 League Two title-winning squad under Paul Cook, he has scored eight times this season.
As with Thompson, he has largely been used off the bench, with seven league starts, yet also continues to make a significant contribution.
In addition to netting in the Boxing Day win over Bristol Rovers, he scored Bromley’s second in the New Year’s Day 2-1 victory at Newport County, having once again appeared as a substitute.
Kabamba, who is now 32, has had something of a nomadic career since leaving Pompey in the summer of 2018 after six appearances.
And now the former Fratton Park pair are attempting to pull off a shock title triumph for Bromley.