Andy Woodman has made no secret of his ambitions for Bromley this season, telling BBC London that the club should be targeting a place in the League One play-offs rather than simply consolidating after winning promotion.
Speaking ahead of the new campaign, Woodman was direct when asked how high the south London club could aim in the third tier. "Why not target the play-offs?" he said, a question that doubles as a statement of intent from a manager who has already shown he is not here to merely make up the numbers.
Confidence after a strong start
Bromley have already backed those words with action. The club opened their League One account with a win at Barnsley, a result that signalled they will not be overawed by the step up. Getting points on the board early is precisely the kind of form that turns pre-season talk into something more credible.
Woodman has been busy in the transfer market, too. Goalkeeper Owen Mason has joined from Mansfield Town, adding experience between the sticks as Bromley build a squad capable of competing across a long, demanding season. Strengthening that position early suggests a manager who has done his planning and knows where his side need depth.
Why the play-offs is a realistic aim
Reaching the top six in League One is no small task. The division is competitive from top to bottom, with well-resourced clubs chasing the same prize. But Bromley come into this season with momentum, a clear identity under Woodman, and the self-belief that comes from back-to-back promotions working their way through the non-league pyramid and into the third tier.
Newly promoted sides sometimes retreat into survival mode once they arrive at a higher level. Woodman is refusing that mindset entirely. His argument, implicitly, is that a club with their recent trajectory and the ambition to match it has every right to set the bar at six places and above.
That does not mean the division will simply let them in. The play-offs require consistency over 46 matches, the ability to handle injuries and suspensions, and the tactical flexibility to grind out results when the football is not flowing. Those are tests that Bromley have not faced at this level before.
The bigger picture
For a club that spent much of its history in non-league football, simply competing in League One is a landmark. But Woodman is not using that as a ceiling. By stating publicly that a play-off push is the aim, he sets an expectation that gives his players something to chase and gives supporters something to believe in.
The win at Barnsley suggests that, so far, the team are following his lead. Whether they can sustain it over the course of a full season will be the real test. On the evidence of his opening remarks, Woodman would not have it any other way.
Frequently asked
- Are Bromley in League One this season?
- Yes, Bromley are competing in League One, the third tier of English football, this season.
- What are Bromley's ambitions in League One?
- Manager Andy Woodman has stated publicly that Bromley are targeting a place in the League One play-offs.
- How have Bromley started their League One campaign?
- Bromley opened their League One account with a win away at Barnsley, making a positive start to life in the third tier.