Michael Cheek has revealed that he is “on the mend” and ready for Bromley’s first season as a League One club.
Cheek missed the Ravens’ last 11 matches of last season after he suffered a hamstring injury in a goalless draw at home to Oldham in March en-route to promotion to League One and the League Two title.
The 34-year-old has since undergone surgery and rehabilitation ahead of the new season and revealed in a pre-season interview on Bromley’s YouTube channel that he believed he wouldn’t make the end of the season if he had tried to play on and is now ready for the new campaign.
“I think I had the decision whether to have an operation or not and chose to have the operation cos I was never going to make the end of the season. But luckily everything went well.
“I’m on the mend and ready to get back to it straight away. But it’s taken a bit of time but it probably happened in the best possible outcome. Obviously we got promoted and I’m able to string out the recovery now into pre-season which is nice to just get it 100% right which it is at the moment.
“So looking forward to putting my boots back on and getting out there.”
Cheek also addressed the psychological impact of his injury after being such a constant presence on the pitch without injury, as he added: “Yeah at first, not great to be fair. I always thought I’d just be back out there in a week or so, but yeah, had to get over that stage. But just happy it’s all done now and I can crack on at League One.”
The forward also quipped that he overdid the celebrations following their promotion but is ready to play in League One for the first time in his career.
“Yeah, to be fair I probably enjoyed it and celebrated a bit too much. I had the brace on and I was jumping up everywhere. Probably shouldn’t have been doing that. But luckily the boys got it over the line and we deserve to be champions in the end.
“I believe obviously the stats were through the roof for us all season. Set pieces being obviously a main positive for us and yeah, happy to get over the line and have a crack at League One.”
Bromley have recruited seven new signings following a summer of departures and Cheek has welcomed the fresh characters within the squad.
“Yeah, really good. Obviously, we’ve had the England games. Obviously didn’t go our way the result, but the integration was there before and after the game. And yeah, they’re settling in really well. Some characters for sure.”
The club are currently in Albufeira, Portugal on a warm-weather training camp amidst recent heatwaves back in the UK, with Cheek feeling that the time aboard has been positive for integrating the new players amidst the only difference being the humidity.
“We’re not used to the good weather back home, but I think it’s on par with back home at the moment, but I think the difference is probably the humidity is a lot different. And um yeah, I think it’s the best thing for a full-time club obviously coming away, the integration and the warm weather and it’s what you have to do.”
Cheek joined Bromley in 2019 and manager, Andy Woodman followed suit in March 2021, with the forward quipping that Woodman had promised to take him to the third tier of English Football and delivered, so he wasn’t too surprised at their journey.
“The gaffer said he was going to take me to League One. So, and he’s followed through on that. So, I saw it coming.”
Cheek now just wants to see the club continue their upward trend and the new players buy into the club’s ambitions.
“I mean, let’s just try and keep it going, try and keep it the momentum of last year obviously being really successful. As a team, we’re used to winning and hopefully the new boys that come in, we inject that into them and we carry on that process.”
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