Boreham Wood

Boreham Wood  FC is a non league football club from the town in the south of Hertfordshire, twelve miles north of central London. The club were formed in 1948 as the town grew after the War had ended when two local outfits; Boreham Rovers and Royal Retournez amalgamated.

The new club partook in the Mid Herts League and the Parthenon League before joining the Spartan League, where they finished runners up on a couple of occasions. In 1966 ‘The Wood’ moved into the Athenian League. By 1970 a couple of promotions saw Boreham Wood in the Premier Division, where they went on to be crowned champions in 1973-74.

This triumph led to the club becoming founder members of the Isthmian League Division Two. Promotion followed within two seasons. Relegation came in 1982 back to the second tier, which by then was named Division One, for a spell of over over a decade.

Eventually The Wood found themselves back in the Premier Division following a victorious 1994-95 campaign. The team finished as runners up in the league with FA Cup runs all the way to the Second Round in consecutive seasons. 

In 1996-97 Tring Town, Aylesbury United, Edgware Town and Thatcham Town were beaten in the qualifying rounds before Rushden & Diamonds were defeated after a replay. Luton Town ended the run in their local derby. The following seasons run saw wins over Rushden & Diamonds once more, and then Hayes before bowing out to Cheltenham Town after a replay.

By 2000 the club found themselves demoted once more, but promotion was won at the first attempt. However, the fluctuation in form continued as The Wood found themselves back down in the Isthmian League Division One North following the 2002-03 season. 

In that era under the chairmanship of Danny Hunter, the club had set up a full time academy through PASE (Programme for Academic and Sporting Excellence) for sixteen to nineteen year olds to develop on a full time basis.

Following non league re-organisation the club were placed in the Southern League Eastern Division ahead of the 2004-05 season. The change of scenery obviously worked as the team were crowned as champions in their first season as well as reaching the semi final of the FA Trophy, where Woking denied them over two legs.

The championship win led to a transfer back to the Isthmian League Premier Division, from where they were promoted under returning manager, the ex Arsenal star Ian Allinson in 2009-10 after victory over Kingstonian in the Play Off Final to Conference South.

After a few seasons of consolidation as the club grew, Wood reached the play-offs in 2014-15 after finishing runners-up. Havant & Waterlooville were defeated in the semi-final before a 2-1 victory over Whitehawk at Meadow Park earned the club a place at the elite of non-league football in the soon to be renamed National League.

Allinson resigned as manager as the time required for the step up affected his outside work. Former club defender Luke Garrard took over the managerial reigns before Allinson returned to the club in November 2015 as Director of Football to steady the ship.

Bruno Andrade top scored in 2017-18 as the team reached the playoffs, defeating AFC Fylde and Sutton United to reach Wembley for a tie to reach the Football League against Tranmere Rovers, who eventually won 2-1 after been reduced to ten men after the first minute.

Wood returned in 2019-20 helped by the goals of Kabongo Tshimanga. This time Fc Halifax Town were defeated before Harrogate Town ended playoff dreams in the semifinals. The next stab at the playoffs came in 2022-23 where Barnet were beaten before Notts County won a dramatic semifinal tie.

However, the 2023-24 campaign was a very different story as Boreham Wood were relegated on the final day of the season. It had earlier been announced that long serving boss Garrard would be leaving regardless. 

Boreham Wood FC will play in the National League South in the 2024-25 season.

My visits

Boreham Wood 1 Cheshunt 1 (October 1983) Isthmian League Division One 

The town of Borehamwood played a big part of my life for the best part of a year. As a student at Scarborough Sixth Form College I really didn’t have a clue what I wanted to do in the future. One day I ventured to the careers office in Westborough to speak to an expert who listened to what I had to offer. He came to the conclusion that I may find a future career in Land Surveying & Cartography.

The only place that did the course was the De Havilland College in Borehamwood, so after interviews and finding lodgings I found myself in the slightly underwhelming town where the BBC and Elstree Studios were based and many films and TV series were shot.

My lodgings were nice enough but I didn’t have a lot of time for the older couple whose house it was, or a fellow lodger. I looked for opportunities to get out and about as much as my meagre spending money would allow. Having had a look inside Broughinge Road, as the Meadow Park ground was called at the time, I decided it was time to go and see a game.

The ground was nothing too spectacular at the time. A small low seated Main Stand was on the park side with the clubhouse built into the back of it. The changing rooms were to the side. The far side had a pitch length shelter protecting a few steps of terracing. That continued open behind both goals, with the Shenley Road End having a gap in the middle.

As I remember the game was none too exciting either, but it was another new ground under my belt if nothing else. The Wood eventually finished the season in fifth place, while Cheshunt were relegated after finishing second from bottom.

Boreham Wood 0 Watford 4 (1983-84) Friendly

Quite a good crowd assembled for this mid season friendly under lights, with the visiting Hornets fielding a few first teamers at various stages including Luther Blissett. I attended with Mark, the college librarian and Vicarage Road regular, who was a good pal to me.

I remember taking photos on my very basic camera with flash bulb, but none came out.

Thursday 12^th October 2006

An early finish from work saw me set out on a rainy Autumn day to take photos of several grounds in the north of the capital. After popping into the White Lion Ground in Edgware before heading on the 107 bus to Borehamwood.

The ride along Shenley Road brought back memories, even if some of the cosmetics had changed. The biggest was where I got off the bus. A huge chunk of the Elstree Studios was now a Tesco superstore. On the other side of the roundabout was a MacDonalds which was once a pub that we used on at lunchtime from college.

I wandered round to the grounds entrance, which led to a car park separating the main ground and an artificial pitch on the edge of Meadow Park where the youths partaking in the clubs PASE scheme were just finishing off. The rear of the clubhouse had a cafe serving members of the public and passing motorists.

A gate was open in the corner of the ground. I explained to one of the coaches what I was doing. He was most hospitable. That corner of the ground had some cabins for the academy. Further down the touchline was a fine new seated stand from my previous calls. 

Apart from new barriers and some improvements in cosmetics, the ground was similar to how I remembered it. The pitch was excellent, no doubt in part to the highly successful Arsenal Ladies team using Meadow Park as their home ground.

Once I’d taken my photos I headed my way back to Tesco’s to catch the bus towards Barnet.

Boreham Wood 1 Northwich Victoria 2 (Monday 16^th November 2015) FA Cup Round One Replay (att: 512)

After a absence of thirty one years, I thought it best to get to another game at Meadow Park as Broughinge Road was now called. I’d put it off a few times until the new stand had been completed, which was now done. An FA Cup tie seemed an excellent way to return.

My regular non-league and cricket companion Tony Foster was also going and he kindly picked me up at Stanmore station. We were parked up outside the ground over thirty minutes before kick off. The clubhouse was busy so we turned down beers.

Admission was reduced by £2 to £14. The match programme cost a further £3. The ground had really been enhanced by the steep six rowed all seated stand right along the far side. We took our warm drinks and took up a position towards half way a row from the back.

I wanted Wood to win the game. Northwich Victoria was owned by someone who’d lost their home stadium and continually led a crusade against the FA and HMRC, with several court appearances. The former loyal fans of the club had cleared off a couple of years earlier to form 1874 Northwich.

As the teams came out, I was taken aback by the size and build of some on each side. I thought we’d gone to the wrong venue and turned up for Saracens v Wasps. The pitch didn’t look big enough for them. Sure enough, the game was a real physical battle. Referee Andy Woolmer really had his hands full. He would go on to hand out seven yellow cards throughout the game.

Vics were three divisions below their hosts, although they were on top of the Northern Premier League Division One North, while Boreham Wood hovered just above the relegation places in the National League, as the conference had been renamed. Former manager Ian Allinson had just returned to the club to offer guidance as Director of Football.

After a tough battle in which both sides looked to take the initiative, Northwich gradually began to get on top. A shot just missed at the far post before they took the lead on twenty six minutes. A shot from Brian Summerskill from the edge of the box was spilled by Wood keeper James Russell. Jordan Williams followed up to side foot home.

Russell looked uncertain. A couple of his kicks were miscued putting further pressure on his defence, who were doing their best to stem the tide of a hungry visiting team. The home side had a couple of efforts, but they were at the right height for giant Vics keeper Dane Smith to save.

At the break I commentated to my mate that I thought we may be in for extra time. Straight after the interval the home winger Anthony Jeffrey went on a fine run and cut back a cross. The shot was blocked, but it looked like the fightback was on.

Then Wood gave away a clumsy free kick wide on the left on fifty three minutes. Summerskill’s back post delivery was met with a thumping header by Ryan Astle as Russell flapped. The hundred or so away fans in the seats and behind the goal went wild with delight.

Another header soon after struck the underside of the home bar and was scrambled to safety after Russell once again caused panic with a weak punch. Jeffrey caused another bit of alarm but the chance was kept out by a militant visiting defence. Wood tried playing the ball along the deck, but it was hard work. The introduction of Charlie MacDonald from the bench gave a little bit of hope.

Up at the other end, the home defence had to be in full alert as Vics always looked likely on the counter attack. They had a goal chalked off for a marginal offside.

In the third of four added on minutes Boreham Wood scored through a superb MacDonald overhead kick into the bottom corner. From the restart the Vics forward aimed right into the far corner of the pitch, rugby union style. A few seconds later, the ref blew for full time to spark wild celebrations amongst the visiting contingent.

We headed back to the car and got a clear drive back. Both of us agreed that it had been the correct result, but had enjoyed the game and the surroundings. I was back at my flat by 10.20 to see the Ireland v Bosnia & Herzegovina goals before bed.