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Michael Cheek
Michael Harry Cheek (born 23 August 1991) is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for EFL League Two club Bromley.
Cheek played non-League football at a low level initially, turning out for Stanway Rovers in the Eastern Counties League and Marks Tey in the Colchester & East Essex League. He moved on to Heybridge Swifts of the Isthmian League in May 2012. He then secured a move to Conference South club Chelmsford City in January 2014. He was named Chelmsford City Player of the Year for the 2014–15 season and moved up a division to Braintree Town in May 2015. He scored 34 goals in 84 National League games over two seasons, though he could not prevent the club from being relegated. In June 2017, he turned professional by signing for Dagenham & Redbridge. He was sold on to Ebbsfleet United in August 2018, where he continued his excellent scoring record despite the club's financial problems.
He joined Bromley in May 2019 and went on to become the top scorer of the National League at the end of the 2020–21 campaign, also winning a place on the National League Team of the Year. He was capped by England C in 2022 and scored the winning goal for Bromley in the 2022 FA Trophy final. He scored two goals in the 2024 National League play-off final victory to win Bromley promotion to the English Football League (EFL). He turned 33 shortly after playing his first EFL game, though he belied his age by winning the League Two Golden Boot at the end of the 2024–25 season, being named on the Team of the Season and PFA Team of the Year, as well as the League Two Player of the Year award.
Cheek spent time in the youth team at Port Vale, though he did not enjoy his time at Vale Park. He moved to Colchester following his parents' separation, and spent a year on the east coast of Australia at age 18. He returned to England and began his senior career with Stanway Rovers, whilst working as a barista in a café in the corner of a furniture store. He later spent six years working the night shift at a call centre for the breakdown recovery arm of an insurance company. He played for Marks Tey in the Colchester & East Essex League between 2009 and 2011. He re-joined Stanway for a second spell, where he scored 34 goals in 60 games in all competitions, before signing for Heybridge Swifts in May 2012, alongside teammates Ben Newson and Russell Malton.
In January 2014, following 13 goals in 20 Isthmian League Division One North appearances for Heybridge Swifts during the opening months of the 2013–14 season, Cheek signed for Conference South club Chelmsford City. Cheek's arrival at the club followed former Heybridge manager Mark Hawkes, who had joined Chelmsford in November 2013. On 21 January 2014, in his second game for the club, Cheek scored his first Chelmsford goal, in a 3–1 win away to Concord Rangers. Cheek finished the 2013–14 season with 12 goals from 20 appearances, a tally which included four goals in a 7–1 win over Tonbridge Angels on Easter Monday.
On 28 December 2014, Cheek recorded his second four-goal haul for Chelmsford in a 5–3 win away over Staines Town. Despite only scoring one goal in his final 13 appearances for Chelmsford, Cheek scored 23 goals in 46 appearances in all competitions for the club during the 2014–15 season. He won the club's Player of the Year award.
On 23 May 2015, Cheek signed for National League club Braintree Town. Upon signing, Braintree boss Danny Cowley said "Cheek was the best all-round forward in the Conference South last year". Braintree qualified for the play-offs at the end of the 2015–16 season, which Cowley described as "nothing short of a miracle". They lost out to Grimsby Town in the semi-finals. After scoring 15 league goals in his debut season for the club, Cheek signed a new one-year deal with Braintree in June.
Ahead of the 2016–17 season, after playing as a lone striker in the previous campaign, Cheek's role at Cressing Road changed, following the appointment of Jamie Day and the signings of Lee Barnard and Jack Midson. Day was sacked in September, and was replaced by Hakan Hayrettin, who demanded his players to work hard in every match. Cheek scored a hat-trick in a 5–2 victory at East Thurrock United in the FA Trophy. He scored 19 goals in 44 league appearances as Braintree were relegated back to the National League South. He was the division's fourth-highest scorer and also claimed eight assists.
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Michael Cheek
Michael Harry Cheek (born 23 August 1991) is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for EFL League Two club Bromley.
Cheek played non-League football at a low level initially, turning out for Stanway Rovers in the Eastern Counties League and Marks Tey in the Colchester & East Essex League. He moved on to Heybridge Swifts of the Isthmian League in May 2012. He then secured a move to Conference South club Chelmsford City in January 2014. He was named Chelmsford City Player of the Year for the 2014–15 season and moved up a division to Braintree Town in May 2015. He scored 34 goals in 84 National League games over two seasons, though he could not prevent the club from being relegated. In June 2017, he turned professional by signing for Dagenham & Redbridge. He was sold on to Ebbsfleet United in August 2018, where he continued his excellent scoring record despite the club's financial problems.
He joined Bromley in May 2019 and went on to become the top scorer of the National League at the end of the 2020–21 campaign, also winning a place on the National League Team of the Year. He was capped by England C in 2022 and scored the winning goal for Bromley in the 2022 FA Trophy final. He scored two goals in the 2024 National League play-off final victory to win Bromley promotion to the English Football League (EFL). He turned 33 shortly after playing his first EFL game, though he belied his age by winning the League Two Golden Boot at the end of the 2024–25 season, being named on the Team of the Season and PFA Team of the Year, as well as the League Two Player of the Year award.
Cheek spent time in the youth team at Port Vale, though he did not enjoy his time at Vale Park. He moved to Colchester following his parents' separation, and spent a year on the east coast of Australia at age 18. He returned to England and began his senior career with Stanway Rovers, whilst working as a barista in a café in the corner of a furniture store. He later spent six years working the night shift at a call centre for the breakdown recovery arm of an insurance company. He played for Marks Tey in the Colchester & East Essex League between 2009 and 2011. He re-joined Stanway for a second spell, where he scored 34 goals in 60 games in all competitions, before signing for Heybridge Swifts in May 2012, alongside teammates Ben Newson and Russell Malton.
In January 2014, following 13 goals in 20 Isthmian League Division One North appearances for Heybridge Swifts during the opening months of the 2013–14 season, Cheek signed for Conference South club Chelmsford City. Cheek's arrival at the club followed former Heybridge manager Mark Hawkes, who had joined Chelmsford in November 2013. On 21 January 2014, in his second game for the club, Cheek scored his first Chelmsford goal, in a 3–1 win away to Concord Rangers. Cheek finished the 2013–14 season with 12 goals from 20 appearances, a tally which included four goals in a 7–1 win over Tonbridge Angels on Easter Monday.
On 28 December 2014, Cheek recorded his second four-goal haul for Chelmsford in a 5–3 win away over Staines Town. Despite only scoring one goal in his final 13 appearances for Chelmsford, Cheek scored 23 goals in 46 appearances in all competitions for the club during the 2014–15 season. He won the club's Player of the Year award.
On 23 May 2015, Cheek signed for National League club Braintree Town. Upon signing, Braintree boss Danny Cowley said "Cheek was the best all-round forward in the Conference South last year". Braintree qualified for the play-offs at the end of the 2015–16 season, which Cowley described as "nothing short of a miracle". They lost out to Grimsby Town in the semi-finals. After scoring 15 league goals in his debut season for the club, Cheek signed a new one-year deal with Braintree in June.
Ahead of the 2016–17 season, after playing as a lone striker in the previous campaign, Cheek's role at Cressing Road changed, following the appointment of Jamie Day and the signings of Lee Barnard and Jack Midson. Day was sacked in September, and was replaced by Hakan Hayrettin, who demanded his players to work hard in every match. Cheek scored a hat-trick in a 5–2 victory at East Thurrock United in the FA Trophy. He scored 19 goals in 44 league appearances as Braintree were relegated back to the National League South. He was the division's fourth-highest scorer and also claimed eight assists.