CHEEKY CHAPPIE

BARNABY ROSTANT TAKES A LOOK AT MICHAEL CHEEK'S LENGTHY JOURNEY TO REACH THE EFL-AND HIS STUNNING IMPACT IN IT...

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BROMLEY’S Michael Cheek enjoyed a remarkable debut season in the English Football League, notching 25 goals to top the League Two scoring chart.

At 33-years-old, it took the striker a long time to have a crack at England's fourth tier, but longtime spectators of the Ravens have always felt ‘Cheeky’ had the ability to play higher.

The goals have followed Cheek everywhere he has gone. Leading the line for Bromley since joining the club from Ebbsfleet United in the summer of 2019, the fruitful frontman has been banging them in ever since.

A mid-table finish ensued for Bromley as the Covid-19 pandemic brought an early finish to Non-League football, with Cheek’s first season at the club culminating with 13 National League goals.

Following the dismissal of long-time manager Neil Smith midway through the 2020-21 season, the appointment of Andy Woodman, who had been head of goalkeeping at Arsenal, didn’t set pulses racing.

However, Woodman got Bromley ticking and with the help of Cheek’s 21 league goals, they sneaked into the National League play-off places following a final-day win against fellow promotion hopefuls Notts County.

A narrow 3-2 defeat to Hartlepool United at Victoria Park put Bromley’s promotion dream on hold.

Woodman had proved his managerial credentials and there was real hope Bromley could once again mount a play-off push going into the 2021-22 campaign.

As for Cheek, there was a hunger to build on his 21-goal haul from the previous season which saw him win the National League Golden Boot.

However, Non-League football had not long caught the attention of the world, as Hollywood hit. Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds took ownership of Wrexham, and EFL proven striker Paul Mullin soon followed.