NL 2025/26 Preview: Boreham Wood

7th July 2025 9:46 am

Boreham Wood FC: 2025/26 Season Preview – Back in the Big Time

Just over a year after tasting the pain of relegation, Boreham Wood are back in the National League – and they didn’t just scrape it. A commanding play-off campaign, capped by a 1-0 win over Maidstone United in a packed Meadow Park, has reinvigorated belief around the club. Now, the question is: can they stay up, or even surprise a few?

Last Season in Review

League Position: 5th (National League South – Play-off winners)
Average Attendance: 985 (12th highest in the division)
FA Cup: 1st Round – Lost on penalties at home to Leyton Orient
FA Trophy: 5th Round – Defeated 2-0 away to Aldershot Town
Top Scorer: Kwesi Appiah (24 goals)

Boreham Wood’s 2024/25 campaign was a story of redemption. After suffering relegation the season prior, Luke Garrard’s men bounced back at the first time of asking.

While cup exits came earlier than hoped, the side remained competitive throughout and found their cutting edge through the prolific Kwesi Appiah, who delivered 24 goals in all competitions.

Play-Off Glory: Promotion Secured

Promotion was sealed in front of 3,500 fans at Meadow Park thanks to a moment of magic from Charles Clayden. After a tense first half, Abdul Abdulmalik created space and slipped a clever pass through to Clayden, who curled a stunning strike into the top corner.

That goal, and the resulting win, marked a poetic end to Boreham Wood’s bounce-back campaign – restoring fifth-tier status and injecting life into a club that’s had to dig deep in recent years.

Summer business

With Kwesi Appiah departing for Ebbsfleet, Luke Garrard has wasted no time reloading his squad with a mix of experience, pedigree, and potential. Stepping into the void up front is Junior Dixon, whose loan became permanent after netting eight times last season. His match-turning cameos and big-game moments—like that dramatic FA Cup winner against Eastbourne—have earned him a full-time spot at Meadow Park. He’ll be joined by the vastly experienced Luke Norris, returning to Boreham Wood over a decade after a brief loan stint. With over 450 senior appearances and 100+ goals across the EFL, Norris brings physicality, leadership, and an eye for goal—exactly what Wood will need at Step One.

In midfield, Aaron Henry arrives with a cultured left foot and a reputation for set-piece magic—his free-kick against Boreham Wood during a loan spell at Wealdstone no doubt still fresh in fans’ minds. Still only 21, the ex-Charlton prospect adds creativity and Championship-quality technique to Garrard’s engine room. He’s joined by the seasoned Tom White, whose calmness under pressure and experience across both the EFL and National League—most recently with Morecambe—gives the side a reliable presence in the centre of the park. White’s arrival, while a coup for Boreham Wood, also comes with a nod of respect to Morecambe fans amid their club’s ownership turmoil.

Defensively, Wood have shored things up too. Former Solihull Moors left-back Joe Newton adds youthful energy and big-game credentials—having played the full 120-minutes in the 2024 Play-Off Final at Wembley. Meanwhile, the addition of Jeff King on loan from York City adds proven quality on the opposite flank. Twice named in the National League Team of the Season and a title-winner with Chesterfield, King brings not just defensive strength, but a real threat from set pieces. All in all, Garrard’s “Dad’s Army” may be seasoned, but with a blend of battle-hardened pros and hungry young talent, they look well-equipped for life back in non-league’s top flight.

Signings and retained list

New signings: Junior Dixon (signed permanently from Birmingham City after a loan spell last season), Joe Newton (Solihull Moors), Aaron Henry (Charlton Athletic), Jeff King (On Loan until January 2026, York City), Luke Norris (Tranmere Rovers), Tom White (Morecambe)
Retained squad: Nathan Ashmore (GK), Jack Payne (now player-Assistant Manager), Chris Bush, Jon Benton, Charlie O’Connell, Callum Reynolds, Charles Clayden, Abdul Abdulmalik, Matt Rush, Femi Ilesanmi, Tom Whelan, Erico Sousa, Cameron Coxe

Departure list

Players departed: David Agbontohoma, Mo Sagraf, Tyrone Marsh, Josh Hare, Kwesi Appiah (Ebbsfleet United)
Loan players returned to parent clubs: Gus Mafuta (Solihull Moors)

Coaching Reshuffle

Luke Garrard is firmly back in charge, having returned from a brief spell away to steer Boreham Wood back to the top end of non-league football.

Meanwhile, club legend Mark Ricketts steps down after a remarkable career on and off the pitch. Serving as Assistant Manager during the promotion-winning campaign, he leaves with his legacy firmly intact — and there’s no doubt he’ll receive a hero’s welcome whenever he sets foot back at Meadow Park.

Replacing him is Jack Payne, who steps into a dual role as player-Assistant Manager. Payne will also relinquish the club captaincy as part of the transition.

Luke Garrard’s backroom team also includes:

Ross Weare (First Team Coach)
Brandon Bevans (Lead Physical Performance Coach)
Cav Costi (Lead Analyst)
Ciaran Pack (Senior Therapist – returning from Scunthorpe)

This continuity behind the scenes could prove crucial in managing the jump back to the National League.

Off the Pitch: Big Partnerships, Big Upgrades

Boreham Wood’s long-standing partnership with Arsenal Women FC continues to flourish. The North London giants will once again call Meadow Park home for UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage matches, fresh off their famous win over Barcelona in Lisbon.

To support this, Meadow Park is undergoing upgrades, including:

Pitch movement and enlargement
Relocation of dugouts
Improved facilities and fan zones
Floodlight upgrades from 500 to 800 lux
Installation of stadium CCTV and control room

These enhancements not only improve matchday experience but underscore Boreham Wood’s unique role as a hub for top-level women’s and youth football.

2025/26 Predictions: Survival First, Momentum Second

Reasons for Optimism

Retained key players from promotion run
Cohesion in Garrard’s coaching team
Upgraded facilities and Arsenal partnership boost the club’s stature
Clear tactical plan under a manager who knows how to grind out results (some call it “hoof ball”)

Concerns

Measured transfer activity so far and an ageing squad (27.9 average age — seven are 30 or older)
Will Junior Dixon continue to impress and build on his tally of 8 goals last season to fill Appiah void?
Need for depth, especially in attack and midfield

Final Prediction: 17th

Boreham Wood return to the National League with momentum and togetherness after a well-earned promotion campaign, but the realities of fifth-tier survival will bring fresh challenges. The departure of 24-goal striker Kwesi Appiah leaves big boots to fill, though the permanent signing of Junior Dixon and the arrival of seasoned frontman Luke Norris offer hope in attack. While the squad remains one of the league’s oldest, a flurry of summer additions—including midfield creativity, defensive steel, and set-piece threats—suggest Garrard is quietly assembling a side capable of more than just survival.

Expect a season of hard-fought games and narrow wins, with a finish around 15th–17th likely, making survival a success as they consolidate back in the division.