Bromley manager, Andy Woodman is keen to avoid “flash points” in their top of League Two showdown against Swindon.
Woodman’s Ravens host Ian Holloway’s Swindon at Hayes Lane in a massive top of table showdown in League Two tomorrow (24 January), in which Bromley are sat six points clear at the summit ahead of the second-placed Robins.
Woodman is therefore eager to ensure that the attention is solely on the performances in front of a sell-out crowd and that the game passes without major moments of controversy and drama on and off the pitch, as he spoke to Bromley’s YouTube Channel pre-match.
“Absolutely. Yeah I think that’s important that we have the right atmosphere. Um and I think the game is contested in the right way. We don’t want to have any flash points on and off the pitch. That’s very important and I think both clubs could be immensely proud of where they’re at.
“You know I know Swindon have had a couple of tricky years, you know, um so both clubs have really got to embrace this game tomorrow. Uh and hopefully, you know, we give a good spectacle for football and for the league for league two. That’s important.
“But what’s really important is that we get a win.”
The 54-year-old manager also reflected on the momentous progress that Bromley had made to be at this stage of the season in a top-of-table showdown.
“Absolutely. I mean, look, if you said to us two or three years ago, we’ll be kind of top of the table clash at Hayes Lane, uh first and second with a sell-out crowd, would have probably all sort of laughed.
“Um, that’s where we are. That’s the progression football club made and the football team have made. And it’s an occasion we’ve got to relish and it’s where we want to be. And, um, we’re all ready our end. We’re ready for what Swindon are going to bring. And uh hopefully we can come out of the game with three points.”
Swindon however are a strong well-established EFL club and Woodman has refused to underestimate the challenge ahead against them.
“I think it’s going to be a tough game. You know they’re a physically strong team. They’re a big team and they’re a good team. They’ve got goals in various different departments, different ways of scoring. And look, they’ve got an experienced manager in Holloway. You know he’s had over a thousand games. So he’s a wry old fox is he, so we’ve got a lot to contend with.
“They’re a big club and well supported as well with a bit of history. So, um all of that aside, I kind of like where it puts us because it still puts us as the underdog and I quite like that. That seems to be down to the ground.”
Bromley are coming into this game unbeaten in eight matches after a goalless draw at Chesterfield in which Woodman felt that they could of won, if Nicke Kabamba’s penalty hadn’t been denied by a superb save from Zach Hemming.
“I thought we were very good for large majority of the game. Um I thought there was only really one team going to win it. Um I think our disappointment would be that we didn’t convert the penalty.
“Um but there you know there said been saved by the goalkeeper. Um and I think before the game a 0-0 we probably would have taken in a weird way because it’s a tough place to go.
“We’ve always had some tough games there. On reflection I feel we were disappointed that we didn’t come away with three points.”
Kabamba as a consequence was sadly subject to vile racist abuse on social media post-match which left Woodman furious, as he praised Kabamba for his handling of the situation with support of the whole club.
“Uh the racist abuse that Nicke got is despicable and that any player should be subjected to that is despicable and cowardly.
“The second part of the question is anyone that knows Nicke Kabamba, he’s a fantastic human being and a real gentleman of a guy.
“Um and uh, we’ve all sort of rallied around Nicke this week because on the surface he’s saying that he’s ok, but it’s not right. And uh, and myself, the staff, the club and the teammates, we all support Nicke you know through this tricky little time.”
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