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2023/24 OPPOSITION IN FOCUS: BROMLEY – News
We begin to turn our attentions to the 2023/24 season by taking a first look at some of the clubs we’ll be facing in the Vanarama National League in the new term.
Bromley are next on the list, the third consecutive team in this series who lost out in the play-offs in 2022/23.
Overview
The Ravens equalled their highest ever finish last season as they qualified for the Vanarama National League play-offs for just the second time.
In 2020/21, an early collapse against Hartlepool United cost them, but just last month, Bromley made the semi-finals for the first time.
They picked up an impressive 2-1 win at Woking in the eliminator and forced Chesterfield into extra time through a last-gasp Michael Cheek goal. However, Liam Mandeville’s winner sent the Spireites into the final.
The south-east London club have been remarkably consistent since promotion to this level in 2015 and have finished between 7th and 14th in each of their eight seasons in the National League.
The Ravens have also enjoyed plenty of success in the Isuzu FA Trophy, lifting the trophy in 2022. They reached the final in 2017/18 but suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Brackley Town.
Wrexham looked much tougher opponents on paper in 2021/22, but Cheek’s second-half strike won it in front of 45,000 fans.
Who’s in the squad?
The majority of Bromley’s squad from 2022/23 will remain at Hayes Lane for the forthcoming season, with no particularly notable departures.
Callum Reynolds and Louis Dennis have both had options triggered to extend their contracts, while key striking duo Cheek and Adam Marriott are also tied down. Young full-backs/wing-backs Besart Topalloj and Kellen Fisher are two more names in what looks to be a strong squad.
Byron Webster, who has played more than 100 games for Bromley, is also set to stay in place, as is tricky forward Corey Whitely. Mitchel Bergkamp, son of Dennis, had his contract extended recently.
The manager
A former goalkeeper, Andy Woodman is more than two years into in his second managerial job after a short spell at Whitehawk in 2017.
He has also got coaching experience at Premier League clubs Newcastle United, Crystal Palace and Arsenal. The 51-year-old made 438 league appearances during his playing career at the likes of Northampton, Brentford and Oxford.
His time as Whitehawk’s manager only lasted a few months as he arrived in the February of the 2016/17 campaign and comfortably took them to National League South safety by seven points, before leaving abruptly in the May.
Woodman was appointed at Bromley in March 2021 with the Ravens in a tight play-off race. He received a Manager of the Month award after guiding them to a top-seven finish.
That success saw him linked with a couple of EFL jobs, most strongly Gillingham, but Woodman remained at Hayes Lane and of course masterminded their FA Trophy success too.
Stadium
Hayes Lane | Capacity 5,000
Two sides of Hayes Lane are seated and the other two are standing. Away fans are housed in the uncovered East Terrace, which is behind the dugouts and runs the length of the pitch.
To the right of the East Terrace as you look out onto the pitch is the North Terrace, where the rowdiest section of home support are located.
Behind the other goal is the relatively new Glyn Beverly Stand, which seats more than 1,000 fans. The final stand is the John Fiorini Stand, which is mostly used for directors and members of the media, although a small amount of general admission tickets are available.
Have we met before?
We have been scheduled to play Bromley over the National League’s festive double header in each of the last two seasons.
In 2021/22, one of the games was postponed to February due to covid-19 but the rearranged date saw ticket prices reduced and more than 8,000 make their way into Roots Hall to witness a 2-0 win.
Of the other three meetings, the Ravens have won one and the other two have been drawn.
Highest league finish
National League 2020/21 and 2022/23 – 7th
