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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Richard Garnett

Who is Luke Garrard? The man who took Boreham Wood to the brink of the football league

When Everton face Boreham Wood in the FA Cup Fifth round this evening, it would take a brave, or perhaps affluent, individual to place a wager of any significance on the the non-league visitors.

Currently lying fourth in the National League - the fifth tier of English football - the Hertfordshire side attracted 1,236 spectators to their 1-0 home victory against Eastleigh last Saturday afternoon.

But despite the stark contrast in football standings suggesting that the Blues should expect nothing but a routine victory that keeps hopes of getting to the FA Cup final this season on course, it is in fact 'The Wood' who have played at Wembley Stadium more recently, under the stewardship of young manager Luke Garrard.

READ MORE: Frank Lampard names Everton youngsters that will be in Boreham Wood squad

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Having only just turned 30, Garrard was appointed manager of Boreham Wood in October 2015 and in doing so became the youngest boss in all of England's top five divisions.

Following an initial loan spell, he rejoined The Wood for a second spell in 2010 as a player after spending four seasons with AFC Wimbledon, before working his way into the hot seat on the back of the resignation of previous boss Ian Allinson.

The former Tottenham Hotspur trainee enjoyed his most significant season in 2017/18 when Boreham Wood beat football league opposition for the first time, overcoming Blackpool in the FA Cup first round.

But better was to come for Garrard has he steered his side to a fourth placed finish in the National League, qualifying for the promotion playoffs.

After seeing off AFC Fylde and Sutton United, Boreham Wood were heading to Wembley for the playoff final, where they would face another Merseyside club.

Following a sharp decline in fortunes, Tranmere Rovers were in their third season of non-league football and desperate to return to the Football League having lost to Forest Green Rovers in the playoff final 12 months earlier.

But Garrard's team could hardly have got off to a better start when Tranmere's pumped-up left-back Liam Ridehalgh got himself sent off after just 48 seconds of the match following a wild lunge.

Garrard found himself on the brink of taking Boreham Wood into the Football League, but it was not to be as 10-man Tranmere dug deep and churned out a 2-1 win despite their numerical disadvantage.

The overriding memory of The Wood's manager on the day, for those watching on television at least, was of Rovers' imperious captain Steve McNulty grabbing an upset Garrard around the neck in the middle of the pitch.

McNulty would later admit that the incident was a misunderstanding, but Garrard's Wembley dream was over.

After a couple more near misses, now 36, Garrard is still hoping that he can take the little team from Hertfordshire into the promised land of the Football League.

But having already taken the scalps of AFC Bournemouth and his old team AFC Wimbledon on their current FA Cup run, the young manager will be keeping his fingers crossed for one of the biggest upsets in the history of the 151-year-old competition.

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