After six years, two promotions, 199 games and that winning penalty at Wembley, heroic club captain Byron Webster has left Bromley Football Club and subsequently retired.
The phrase “as a Bromley player” in the club’s social media statement did provide a glimpse of optimism for fans that Webster wouldn’t leave the Ravens fully.
However a more recent post from Bromley FC, where manager Andy Woodman commended Webster’s time and impact at the club in a team meeting before their game against Walsall, suggests otherwise.
With the 39-year-old consistently shifting to a coaching and mentoring role as the season progressed, Webster’s departure felt inevitable.
Now that the centre-back’s presence won’t be evident on the Hayes Lane pitch anymore, who could fill Webster’s boots and become Bromley’s new leader?
There’s been interest last campaign about Sowunmi leaving Bromley with Aberdeen, Bolton and Barnsley all rumoured to be suitors.
Albeit, all speculation since has silenced.
Included in EFL’s League Two Team of the Season and a nominee for their Player of the Season award, the centre-back has been crucial to Bromley’s meteoric rise.
So has the responsibility of becoming the permanent club captain enticed Sowunmi to stay?
Captaining Bromley several times previously, Omar has leadership experience already that neatly combines with his 161 appearances for the Ravens.
Add to that his charisma demonstrated through his publicly showcased modelling, content creation and love for fashion, and Sowunmi may well be the perfect fit.
At 24-years-old, Jude finds himself on the younger side of the squad.
Yet being at Bromley since the start of Andy Woodman’s tenure, the midfielder has been present throughout all that the Ravens have achieved in their recent history.
Captaining homegrown Arthurs would ensure that Bromley’s core identity is preserved within the dressing room.
But game time may prove to be a problem for the academy product, who is also out of contract this summer.
Arthurs’ role is less permanent in the Bromley starting eleven than the likes of Omar Sowunmi and goalkeeper Grant Smith which will hinder his captaincy hopes.
Regular rotations in Bromley’s midfield this campaign look set to continue as the Ravens face a physically demanding League One.
As mentioned earlier, Grant Smith could take the armband as well as the talismanic Michael Cheek.
There is also the slight possibility that a new signing could take the captaincy role.
With Bromley embarking on their debut campaign in the third tier, an experienced summer arrival may tempt Woodman to choose this option.
However, it is most likely that a key member of Bromley’s title-winning squad will become Byron Webster’s captaincy successor.
