Bromley's Unbeaten Streak Hits 16 Games as Cheek's Penalties Seal Victory
Michael Cheek celebrated with joy after converting his second penalty, extending Bromley's unbeaten run to an impressive 16 games. This crucial moment came during a 2-1 win over Accrington Stanley, solidifying Bromley's position at the summit of League Two.
Woodman's Quiet Revolution Pays Dividends for Table-Topping Bromley
The south-east London club now have promotion to League One firmly within sight, marking just their second season in the English Football League. Manager Andy Woodman has been central to this remarkable transformation, driving a quiet revolution that is capturing attention across the football world.
With half an hour remaining before kick-off, a roar echoed around the ground as MK Dons levelled with Cambridge United via a penalty deep into injury time. Aaron Collins scored from the spot, denying Cambridge victory. In the 20-minute interlude between Shayne Lavery's opener at the Abbey Stadium and the referee's fateful whistle, Cambridge had looked set to go top of the table. Instead, Bromley commenced their match against Accrington Stanley with a one-point lead at the summit, much to the relief of home fans.
A Decade of Progress and Transformation
There has been a quiet revolution in this corner of suburban south-east London. A decade ago, Bromley were in the middle of their first season in the National League. Having hosted crowds in the low hundreds in the Conference South a few years prior, the club started to grab people's attention. There was no single turning point – a first appearance in the FA Trophy final in 2018 ended in heartbreak, with Bromley squandering their lead at the death before losing on penalties – but their progress was undeniable. Attendances in the hundreds grew to thousands, investment flowed into facilities and the team, and once settled in the fifth tier, ambitions soared higher.
The arrival of Andy Woodman in 2021 acted as the catalyst for a deeper transformation. Recruited from Arsenal, where he had served as head of goalkeeping, Woodman brought limited experience as a head coach but a habit of sprinkling gold dust. The former keeper came through the ranks at Crystal Palace, forming a lifelong friendship with Gareth Southgate – the pair served as best men at each other's weddings – marked by mutual supportiveness during the biggest moments of their careers. Meanwhile, Woodman's son, Freddie, has played between the sticks for Newcastle, Preston, and now Liverpool, mentored closely by his father, who coached him at St James' Park.
High Standards and Cultural Change
Coming from a Premier League environment, Woodman introduced high standards, emphasising "changing the culture" with a focus on professionalism, ironclad fitness, and hard work. This approach has paid off handsomely: the team now exhibits a dominant, front-foot style of football, specialising in set pieces – echoing his time working with Mikel Arteta – while also capable of blowing away opponents in open play. In his first season, Bromley reached the National League playoffs, only to lose in the quarter-finals.
In his second season, they won the FA Trophy, exorcising old ghosts, before another defeat in the playoffs the following campaign. Finally, in 2024, the dream became reality, with victory over Solihull Moors in the playoff final elevating Bromley to the Football League for the first time. When they finished 11th in their debut season in League Two, fans had to pinch themselves in disbelief.
Current Success and Future Ambitions
As the referee blew for full time against Accrington, the noise was almost drowned out by the steady tattoo of a drum in the George Wakeling Stand. Bromley found themselves four points clear at the top of the table. Two well-taken penalties from Michael Cheek, their top scorer for the past six seasons and counting, and an early red card for Accrington's Donald Love, eased the hosts to a 2-1 win.
Their unbeaten run now stretches to 16 matches, with their last defeat coming against Walsall in November. They are the only side in the top four divisions of English football who remain unbeaten at home in the league this season. Promotion to League One is well within reach, a testament to their resilience and strategic planning.
"We know what we are, we're good at what we do and we don't come away from it," says Woodman, soaking up the silence after the match. "The biggest thing is there's a culture been built here, a desire and a belief. If you've got that throughout the club and among the players, that they won't roll over against anybody and have a real desire to win, it takes you a long way."
Core Players and Off-Field Investments
Cheek, who is now second in the League Two scoring chart with 16 goals, is among a core group of players who have helped carry Bromley through National League promotion and beyond. Six of their starters against Accrington featured for the club in the fifth tier, highlighting the cohesion crucial to their success.
While they have added to the squad since promotion, mixing experienced players such as former Arsenal defender Carl Jenkinson – a starter against Accrington after an injury-disrupted spell – with promising youngsters, the chair and owner, Robin Stanton-Gleaves, has made a point of investing off the field.
"I've seen pretty much everything round the ground [change]," says Matt Hall, who has progressed from programme editor to stadium announcer and head of football operations over the past decade. "The chairman's attitude when we were in the National League was that we needed to be ready [for promotion] off the pitch before we were ready on it."
The result is that Bromley have climbed higher than ever before and are determined to keep climbing. "We really don't want it to come to an end," says Woodman. "We've got a target of how we want the season to finish – and we're going to stick to it."
