Andy Woodman: Three Years and Counting

Andrew Miller casts his eye over the Andy Woodman era

Over the Easter weekend, Andy Woodman marked his third year as Bromley manager with two solid results against tricky opponents. This was very in keeping with his tenure so far.

Reflecting on Woodman’s reign, it is hard not to be impressed with the attitude and overall performance of his sides. But when he arrived at the club, Bromley fans had no idea what they were in for. 

In fact, they were still in shock.

When Neil Smith was relieved of his duties as Bromley manager on 25^th March 2021, the news was a bolt from the blue. 

I’ll never forget that I was on the train home when I heard. I immediately felt very sorry for Neil. At the time of his departure, Bromley were just inside the play-off zone in seventh place and had plenty of games to go. They had lost 3-1 to local rivals Sutton United two days earlier, but even so, it seemed harsh.

Bromley was Neil’s hometown team and he desperately wanted to be the man to take them into the EFL. He was invested in every aspect of the club, from the first team to the youth teams and beyond, and his efforts on and off the pitch had been vital in consolidating the Ravens’ position in the National League. It felt like the club lost one of its own that day.

From a personal perspective, Neil was my first Bromley manager, so I had a unique connection to him. But now I and everyone else had to start imagining a future without Neil Smith in the dugout.

A few days later, on the 31st of March, Bromley announced that Andy Woodman had been appointed as the club’s new manager. Quite frankly, I’d never heard of him.

Whoever he was, he was walking into a club with a dark cloud hanging over it.

Year Zero: The Prototype

A quick Google search revealed that Andy Woodman was a highly regarded goalkeeping coach who had worked under Alan Pardew and Arsène Wenger among others. 

He was leaving his role as Head of Goalkeeping at Arsenal to manage Bromley, but aside from a very short stint in charge of Whitehawk, this was his first job as a gaffer.

Personally, I like to give players and managers a chance to prove themselves, but a lot of Bromley fans were critical of the appointment. It’s easy to understand their objections. Not only was Andy replacing a fan favourite, he also had almost no managerial track record. 

It might have seemed risky at the time, but I think we can agree that his arrival had the desired effect. 

Within a few games, the Ravens looked much more defensively solid, which is something they definitely weren't under Neil Smith. To put it in numbers, Bromley kept 6 clean sheets in Woodman's first 13 games, compared to 6 in 29 games under Smith that season.

Woodman's game plan was simple: Keep a clean sheet and win games with a set piece or a single chance. He also elected to introduce younger players into the first team. Jude Arthurs and Liam Vincent were given game time under the new gaffer, and Liam Vincent impressed enough to earn a move to Portsmouth at the end of the season.

I remember Andy’s early games being very nervy, and the haunting empty stadiums of the Covid lockdown didn’t aid the experience. But by the time fans were trickling back into the stands, Bromley were on the verge of sneaking into the play-offs.

It all went down to the final day of the season. A backs-to-the-wall 1-0 win at home to Notts County, and other results falling into place, meant that Bromley pipped Wrexham to the final play-off spot, sparking wild celebrations on the Hayes Lane pitch after the game. 

Bromley’s season only went one game further, with the Ravens losing 3-2 at Hartlepool in the play-off quarter-final, but making the postseason was the first feather in Andy Woodman’s baseball cap.

Year One: All or Nothing

In the summer of 2021, Andy Woodman had the chance to start building a team in his image. 

Fan favourites like Jack Holland and Frankie Raymond were released at the end of their contracts, to be replaced by ‘upgrades’ like Omar Sowunmi and Joe Partington. The two defenders weren’t the only additions that summer.

Popular former Raven Louis Dennis returned after several seasons in the Football League, and Corey Whitely signed permanently having previously played on loan under Neil Smith before Covid curtailed the 19/20 season. 

Youth was also given a chance in Woodman’s new-look Bromley side, with Marcus Sablier joining Jude Arthurs as a regular feature in the middle of the park. 

Bromley ended January 2022 in good shape for a play-off push, and Andy was even being talked up for a number of Football League jobs, but a relegation-worthy run of results in the months that followed put the play-offs firmly out of reach. 

Andy’s main target for the season had been missed. But all was not lost.

In contrast to their poor league form, Bromley had been grinding their way through the rounds of the FA Trophy. A Wembley final beckoned.

We all know how the final played out, but I believe if Bromley had taken a beating against Wrexham that day, Robin Stanton-Gleaves wouldn’t have renewed Andy’s contract. 

The FA Trophy was all or nothing for Woodman. He rolled the dice and came away with another feather in his baseball cap and a three-year contract in his pocket.

By the end of Bromley’s first full season under Woodman, it was clear that they were a totally different proposition to Neil Smith’s version of the club. 

Suddenly, they were capable of winning tight and important games. For example, in the FA Trophy, to reach the final, they came back from a goal down against both Solihull and York, and won a tense penalty shoot-out at Tonbridge Angels.

The Ravens were also winning league games in a manner that we hadn’t seen under Neil. For a prime example, look no further than the 3-1 win at home to Grimsby, and the 2-1 win in the reverse fixture several months later. Both games saw Bromley come from behind to beat one of the league’s biggest clubs.

While I don’t mean to disrespect Neil Smith, during his tenure I always had a sense that Bromley were defensively naive and lacked ruthlessness in their game management. They also struggled when they went behind against ‘bigger’ teams. 

Andy Woodman seemed to be setting that record straight.

Year Two: The Proof 

I think it’s fair to say that 22/23 was the season Woodman silenced his critics.

Using his contacts in the game, and an eye for a good player, Andy brought a number of burgeoning talents to the club on loan. From that cohort, Tom Smith, Ethan Coleman, Ryan Stirk, and Deji Elerewe all went on to play in the EFL, proving that Bromley can be a career launchpad for players with talent and desire.  

They weren’t the only players to use the launchpad that season. With plenty of game time under Woodman, young defender Kellen Fisher thrived and became one of the first names on the team sheet. 

His standout performances earned him a big move to Norwich City at the end of the season, and he was such a special talent that within a few weeks of arriving at the Championship club, he bypassed the reserves and shot straight into the first team set-up.

Talent aside, it was brave of Andy Woodman to pit a young upstart like Kellen against the rough-tough players of the National League. The gamble more than paid off, and it set a precedent for other young players at the club.

Kellen wasn’t alone in turning heads that season. Teenage midfielder Ben Krauhaus began to get minutes in the team, and enthusiastic young winger Harry Forster was trusted in many key games too. Forster went on to earn a contract in the Football League with Crawley Town in the summer. Ben Krauhaus’s moment would arrive later.

The 22/23 season threw many challenges at Andy Woodman.

One of the most notable incidents was fan-favourite Chris Bush spectacularly falling out with the coaching staff. The rift was so irreparable that Chris was allowed to move to league rivals Boreham Wood, despite the fact that Bromley had limited cover in defensive positions at the time. 

There would have been a lot of internal politics at play in that situation, but sending Bush away sent a message that upsetting Andy’s apple cart would not be tolerated.

At Christmas, with Bromley stuck in mid-table, I presumed that’s where the season was heading, but I’m pleased to say I was wrong. A ‘never give up’ attitude began to manifest in the patched-up team, and talented young players started to turn heads with mature performances. 

The turn-around performance was the 1-0 Boxing Day win at Southend United. That game included a debut for Bes Toppaloj, featured starboy Kellen Fisher making only his second league appearance, and also saw a league debut for future starboy Ben Krauhaus. 

The team was a stark mix of youth and experience that day, but they pulled together to grind out a win at Roots Hall. That game acted as a springboard for a run that put the club firmly in the play-off conversation. 

By the end of the regular season, Bromley had chalked up a record points tally and had earned a shot at promotion via the play-offs.

The win at Woking in the play-off quarter-final will live long in the club’s collective memory. The result was one thing, but the performance was an exceptional display of the team’s ‘never give up’ attitude.

A few days later, an exhausted Bromley came close to beating Chesterfield in the semi-final, which would have left them just 90 minutes from the EFL, but it was not to be. 

Reaching the play-off semi-finals put another feather in Andy’s baseball cap, but it also sent out a message that Andy Woodman’s Bromley FC were to be considered genuine contenders from now on.

Year Three: The Open Book

With half of last season’s play-off team departing in the summer, and a pre-season full of injuries, Bromley began the 23/24 season with a patchwork XI that struggled to score goals. 

A five-game winless streak in Bromley’s opening matches caused me to wonder if Bromley would even stay up. While he certainly wasn’t happy about the situation, Andy Woodman was a voice of reason; telling fans not to worry and to trust the process. 

Still, I felt very uncertain.

As Andy later stated in interviews, the turning point in the season came in the game at Kidderminster on August 19th. It was a case of triumph over adversity.

Promising young striker Soul Kader was making only his second senior appearance in that game, but he left the field with a season-ending injury just 15 minutes into the fixture. Six minutes later, new centre-back Cole Kpekawa received a red card for a foolish off-the-ball incident, forcing Bromley to play the majority of the match with ten men.

The Ravens battled their way to a 0-0 draw that day. While the result might not seem particularly exciting on paper, that backs-against-the-wall performance galvanised the team. In the aftermath, Bromley went on an amazing run in the league that cemented their play-off credentials.

A big factor in that run was the emergence of Ben Krauhaus. The teenager was trusted to spearhead the midfield alongside Corey Whitely, and his fearless performances turned a lot of heads. Scouts came from around the country to size up the youngster, and eventually Brentford parted with a suitably sizeable sum to secure his services. 

Several Woodman acquisitions stood out during the good run. Dynamic striker Olufela Olomola arrived from Wealdstone and added relentless energy to the attack, and the loans of Lewis Leigh and Deji Eelerewe, from Preston and Charlton respectively, put Bromley a cut above most of their opponents. 

A torrid start to this season left me fearing the worst, but at the time of writing, Bromley have been in the top three for months on end. 

The team have racked up a club-record points tally with four league games to go, and another shot at the play-offs is virtually guaranteed. The Ravens are also 90 minutes away from another FA Trophy final. 

It hasn’t been perfect, but Andy’s team have earned the right to be in such a promising position.

So, what is the Woodman secret? 

Bromley’s achievements under Andy Woodman are primarily a result of being difficult to beat. ‘Getting Bromleyed’ is a term used in some quarters of the National League. It refers to the Ravens’ ability to shut teams out and pinch the odd goal to get the win.

A friend who supports another National League team confirmed what I’ve seen other fans say about Bromley: "They didn't play well, but they found a way to beat us." 

This mentality epitomises the Woodman spirit and explains why Bromley have enjoyed so much success since his arrival at the club. It isn’t always pretty, but the results speak for themselves.

Of course, Andy’s ultimate target is the Football League, with or without Bromley. In my view, we should enjoy him while we can.

Andy Woodman’s highlight reel:

2020/21 - Play-offs + Club’s highest National League finish (7^th with 69 points)

2021/22 - FA Trophy winners

2022/23 - Play-offs + Club’s highest National League points total (7^th with 70 points)

2023/24 - Play-offs + Club’s highest-ever points total + * 

*This season’s book is still open.

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