After securing survival during their first ever EFL campaign, Bromley will be looking to kick on during the 2025-26 League Two campaign.
The Ravens have had a busy summer so far signing the likes of Mitch Pinnock and Will Hondermarck. There could be another name through the door soon as former Premier League striker, Connor Wickham, has reportedly been training with Bromley.
Who is Connor Wickham?
Wickham started his youth career with Reading before moving onto Ipswich Town. The striker made his debut for the Suffolk side in 2009 and went on to make 72 appearances for the Tractor Boys.
His performances in the Championship saw him gain a move to the Premier League with Sunderland. Wickham scored 23 goals in 91 appearances for the North East side before staying in the top flight with Crystal Palace in 2015.
His time at Selhurst Park was fairly uneventful and he was released after a six year spell in South London. The 32 year old then had spells with numerous clubs including Preston North End, Milton Keynes Dons, Forest Green Rovers and Cardiff City in the space of three years.
His most recent club was Charlton Athletic, making four appearances at the end of the 2023-24 season. Having been without a club since then, Wickham has reportedly been training with League Two side Bromley ahead of the new season.
What could Connor Wickham bring to Bromley?
One attribute that Wickham could bring to the Ravens is his experience. At the age of 32, the striker has made over 300 appearances during a career that has included spells in the Premier League, Championship and League One.
Arguably Wickham’s biggest asset is his aerial ability and hold-up play. The striker is 6ft 3in and during his spell with Cardiff in the Championship, he won 3.03 aerial duels on average per 90 minutes.
This attribute of Wickham’s would suit Bromley’s style of play. The Ravens were ranked sixth for accurate crosses per match last season with an average of 4.7 crosses per 90 minutes.
On top of this, Andy Woodman’s side were ranked fifth for cross successes with a 24.2% success rate throughout the campaign. This style of play would suit Wickham as he would be able to use his aerial threat to get on the end of Bromley’s crosses.
During his time in League One with Forest Green the 32 year old scored nine goals in 20 appearances, showcasing his ability to finish chances presented to him. Transferring this ability to Bromley’s side could be a smart move given that the Ravens were ranked fifth in League Two for big chances created with a total of 101 across the season.
How likely is Connor Wickham signing for Bromley?
Having spent the entirety of the 2024-25 season without a club, the question will be whether Wickham is ready to return to football. When speaking in March about his next move, Wickham said:
“I’m just going to keep training, stay fit. I’ve had options, but I feel like I want to challenge myself”
“I’m sure sooner or later the right opportunity will come along and it will be one that will fit me and challenge me”
There have been recent reports suggesting that Bromley’s top scorer, Michael Cheek, has handed in a transfer request. With this in mind, it is clear to see why Andy Woodman’s side would be interested in boosting their attacking options.
Cheek won 7.86 aerial duels on average per 90 minutes for Bromley last season. If he was to depart Hayes Lane, moving to sign someone with Wickham’s aerial ability would go some way to replacing Cheek.
There will be other options for the Ravens such as Nicki Kabamba who is still contracted with the club. Despite this, if Wickham sees Bromley’s project as the right opportunity for himself it may be a smart piece of recruitment to add some depth and experience to the League Two side’s attack ahead of the 2025-26 campaign.