Inside rise of Bromley as they reach EFL after 132 years with help from Football Manager & Arsenal legend’s son in squad
BROMLEY secured promotion to the Football League for the first time ever on Sunday.
The Ravens beat Solihull Moors 4-3 on penalties at Wembley following a 2-2 draw.
They subsequently booked a spot in League Two for the first time in the club’s 132-year history.
Speaking at full-time, Bromley boss Andy Woodman told BBC London: “I’m delighted, it hasn’t really sunk in. I’ve been here a few times and no one wants to speak to you when you lose.
“We’ve got heart, we’re not the best team. We’re the hardest grafting team and the most honest team, we’ve got players who will fight for each other and that showed today.
“I was alright with the penalties because I’ve got the best goalkeeper in the league, I knew he’d save one, maybe two and take care of business.
“I was really chuffed that Grant [Smith] got the plaudits he deserved because he’s been brilliant for us all season.
“This has been an unhealthy obsession for me. It was about changing history at this football club and about making sure that when we’re long gone, me my team and my staff, we’ll be forever the people that got us in the Football League.”
Bromley has been a non-league club since it was established back in 1892.
However, in recent years the Ravens have come close to EFL promotion.
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They missed out to Hartlepool United in the Play-Offs at the end of the 2020-21 campaign and lost to Chesterfield in last year’s semi-finals.
However, some significant steps were taken this season to ensure the jump was possible.
Earlier this year, Nathan Owolabi was appointed as Bromley’s Support Performance Tactician after winning a Football Manager competition.
He spent the last five months learning from and assisting Woodman’s coaching team.
When advertising the job at the end of last year, club officials announced they were looking for “a talented Football Manager gamer to test their skills in the real world”.
Woodman was quick to insist that it wasn’t a “gimmick” and instead revealed he thought it was a “brilliant” idea.
Alongside the addition to the club’s coaching staff, Bromley also signed several players such as goalkeeper Grant Smith and loan stars Alex Kirk from Arsenal and Kamarl Grant from Millwall.
Dennis Bergkamp‘s son, Mitchel, became another star to join the Ravens last summer.
However, the 25-year-old has was limited to just 13 minutes of football this season.
Academy star Ben Krauhaus was snapped up by Premier League side Brentford in January.
The Bees agreed to loan him back to Bromley for the remainder of the season.
Krauhaus played a crucial role in the club’s fight for promotion, making 43 National League appearances.
Bromley will now join Chesterfield in League Two from next season.
Meanwhile, Sutton United and Forest Green Rovers will be demoted to the National League after suffering relegation.