Boreham Wood : Club Background
The club was a post-World War II creation, emerging out of the amalgamation of Boreham Rovers and the unlikely named Royal Retournez in 1948. Initially playing at Eldon Avenue, the move to current home Meadow Park was made in 1963.
An amateur club initially, playing in the Mid-Herts, Parthenon, Spartan and Athenian Leagues at various points, it was elected into the semi-pro Isthmian League for the 1974-75 season. There it remained, experiencing a couple of both promotion and relegation campaigns, until 2004.
Our paths didn’t cross during Yeovil Town’s first spell in the Isthmian Premier League between 1985 and 1988 as Boreham Wood had suffered one of those relegations (in 1982) before our arrival. However, we did meet in the second (1995-97) spell, with both our trips to Meadow Park yielding wins. Anyone there in November 1996 may remember midfielder Chris Seymour starting in goal complete with a bobble hat, a brace from Jerry Gill, and having to run for it as home ‘supporters’ made us less than welcome at the final whistle of a 3-0 defeat.
One of the many restructurings of Non-League Football then saw The Wood transferred into the Southern League for a couple of seasons; but by 2006-07 it was back in the Isthmian.
In 2009-10 the club reached the play-offs for the first time and victory over Kingstonian in the Final saw it reach Conference South. There were four seasons of mid-table finishes before 2014-15 saw The Wood runners-up to Bromley. Play-off victories over Havant & Waterlooville (4-2 on aggregate) and Whitehawk (2-1) secured a place in the (newly named) National League Premier.
The first season at the higher level was a struggle, eventually finishing 19th. The second was a comfortable mid-table finish, 11th. The third, 2017-18, saw the club play-off bound in 4th. Victories over AFC Fylde and Sutton United took the club to Wembley for the first time in its history but it was to end in disappointment not glory, a 2-1 loss to Tranmere Rovers.
2018-19 was something of a hangover season and they finished 20th, but 2019-20 it was back in the play-offs again following in the campaign which was cut short due to COVID-19 and final placings decided on points per game. Having beaten FC Halifax Town in the quarter-finals, they were beaten by eventual winners Harrogate Town in the semis.
In the 2020-21 season, where they lost twice to Yeovil Town, Wood finished 14th, two places and three points ahead of the Glovers. The 2021-22 campaign had them consistently sitting in the top four or five right through to March. However a hugely impressive F.A. Cup run, that saw AFC Wimbledon (at home) and AFC Bournemouth (away) defeated in Rounds Three and Four and them finally go out to Everton at Goodison Park in the Fifth Round, caught up with them with league results tailing off in the last couple of months to finish 9th.
This season The Wood had a decent F.A. Cup – eventually exiting in the Third Round to Accrington Stanley in a replay – run, but perhaps a less distracting one than previously and (at time of writing) are looking likely to hold on to play-off spot.
Boreham Wood : We’ve Met Before
Previous Results for Yeovil Town First Team vs Boreham Wood
| Date | Home/Away | Comp | WDL | Score | Crowd | Scorers | |
| 30/09/1995 | Home | IPL | L | 0-1 | 1,283 | ||
| 30/04/1996 | Away | IPL | W | 2-0 | 784 | White, Laidlaw | |
| 12/11/1996 | Away | IPL | W | 3-0 | 333 | Gill (2), Kemp | |
| 15/03/1997 | Home | IPL | D | 0-0 | 3,195 | ||
| 02/11/2019 | Home | NLP | D | 1-1 | 2,879 | J.Smith | |
| 22/02/2020 | Away | NLP | L | 0-1 | 1,040 | ||
| 23/12/2020 | Away | FAT | A | – | – | Walkover to BW | |
| 16/02/2021 | Away | NLP | W | 3-2 | 0 | Murphy, Reid, Neufville | |
| 17/04/2021 | Home | NLP | W | 1-0 | 0 | Knowles | |
| 25/09/2021 | Away | NLP | L | 1-2 | 658 | Gorman | |
| 07/05/2022 | Home | NLP | D | 2-2 | 2599 | Williams 58, Wilkinson 65 | |
| 24/09/2022 | Home | NLP | D | 1-1 | 2146 | Fisher 39 | |
| 29/04/2023 | Away | NLP | L | 0-1 | 1605 | ||
Results Summary For Yeovil Town First Team vs Boreham Wood
| Home | Away | Overall | ||||||||||||
| W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A |
| 1 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 14 | 11 |
Boreham Wood: Club Statistics
RECENT RESULTS
| 14/03/2023 | Southend United | Home | NLP | W | 1-0 | 1762 | Brunt 75 (pen) |
| 18/03/2023 | Solihull Moors | Away | NLP | L | 0-2 | 1306 | |
| 25/03/2023 | Eastleigh | Home | NLP | D | 0-0 | 1339 | |
| 28/03/2023 | Torquay United | Home | NLP | L | 0-1 | 1011 | |
| 01/04/2023 | Maidstone United | Away | NLP | W | 4-0 | 1774 | Lewis 1, 62, Marsh 10, Broadbent 57 |
| 07/04/2023 | Dagenham & Redbridge | Home | NLP | L | 0-1 | 1356 | |
| 10/04/2023 | Bromley | Away | NLP | D | 1-1 | 3305 | Ndlovu 26 |
| 15/04/2023 | Wealdstone | Home | NLP | W | 1-0 | 1122 | Broadbent 9 |
| 22/04/2023 | Wrexham | Away | NLP | L | 1-3 | 10126 | Ndlovu 1 |
| 25/04/2023 | Gateshead | Home | NLP | L | 0-2 | 931 | |
| 29/04/2023 | Yeovil Town | Home | NLP | ||||
ATTENDANCE STATISTICS
Highest League Attendance: 2,536 v Wrexham, 22/10/2022
Lowest League Attendance: 719 v Solihull Moors, 14/02/2023
Average League Attendance: 1,166
CURRENT LEAGUE SEQUENCE STATISTICS
| Games Without A Win: | 2 | Games Without A Home Win: | 1 | |
| Games Without An Away Win: | 2 | Games Without Defeat: | 0 | |
| Games Without A Home Defeat: | 0 | Games Without An Away Defeat: | 0 | |
| Games Without A Draw: | 3 | Games Without A Score Draw: | 3 | |
| Games Without A No-Score Draw: | 7 | Games Without Scoring: | 1 | |
| Games Without Conceding: | 0 | Home Results Sequence: | WDLLWL | |
| Away Results Sequence: | LWDL | Overall Results Sequence: | WLDLWLDWLL |
Boreham Wood: Club Information
Meadow Park (current sponsorship name LV Bet Stadium),
Broughinge Road,
Borehamwood,
Hertfordshire,
WD6 5AL.
(Click for map)
Telephone Number :020 8953 5097
Email:
Chairman: Danny Hunter
Chief Executive: Charlie Hunter
Safety Officer: Tom Coggin & Tracie Coggin
Football Secretary: Dell Ward
Media Manager: borehamwoodfcmedia@gmail.com (unnamed)
Manager: Luke Garrard
Colours: White shirt with black trim, black shorts, white socks.
Nickname: The Wood
Programme: £3.00
Capacity: 4,500
Seated: 1,700
Covered Terrace: Yes (home end, away end is uncovered)
Record attendance: 4,030 (v Arsenal – friendly, July 2001)
Meadow Park hosts both Arsenal Women and Under 23 teams, providing some additional investment and revenue streams for the club. A 1,200 seater covered West Stand running along most of one side of the pitch was opened in 2014; and the home North Terrace redeveloped and given a roof in 2019. For segregated matches (which this is) visiting supporters generally get the South End, a mix of open terracing and flat areas, and some seating – 359 spaces in the West Stand. A flat-rate price is charged, with no differential between sitting and standing, with seating allocated to visiting fans available on a first-come-first-served basis. If that is filled there’s no other choice but being out in the open. The same turnstiles (6 & 7) for used for both the standing and seating away allocation, located in the middle of the South End. Note, it’s a 5.30 p.m. kick-off.
Ticketing
Adult (16 years and over): £20.00
OAP (over-65): £18.00
Under-16s: £12.00
Under-12s: £6.00
On-line ticket purchases – here.
There’s not been a matchday surcharge for walk-up purchase in the past and seen no indication there is this time.
Disabled Info:
Registered Disabled supporters pay the same rate as whichever of the above age categories they fit in to, with a designated Carer allowed in free on production of a valid Carer’s Card.
Wheelchair provision is in a designated area accessed through the South End and then via the West Stand. There is an adapted toilet. Entry to the stadium is by the South End turnstiles, so same place as the rest of the away support. There are eleven free Disabled parking bays available to Blue Badge holders in Brook Road Car Park which is immediately to the south of the stadium. As this is a public car park these spaces can’t be reserved and are on a first-come-first-served basis.
Official Away Travel
The Green & White Supporters’ Club is running away travel to Boreham Wood on Saturday April 29th with a 5.30 p.m. kick-off.
Details are as follows:
Members: Adults £26, Concessions £24
Non-Members: Adults £29, Concessions £27
Coach departs Huish Park: 11.00 a.m.
To book, call Paul Hadlow on 07736 044570 (after 6.00 p.m. please) or email him on paulhadlow@outlook.com.
If you are getting in touch by email, please make it clear which match you are booking for and that you give your full name, the names of people that are travelling and a contact telephone number.
You may be asked to pay a £5 deposit to reserve your seat.
Borehamwood : Directions To The Ground
General
Borehamwood (the name was altered from Boreham Wood in 1974 but the football club has never followed suit) is right on the border of Hertfordshire and Greater London (so close it has ended up with an 020 telephone code), but just on the Herts side. The combined parish of Elstree & Borehamwood (basically if you’re West of the railway line it’s considered Elstree, East and it’s Borehamwood) has a population of around 37,000.
As the traditional home of the British film industry the name Elstree is famous and well known; the name Borehamwood decidedly isn’t. Tucked in the fork of the M1 and A1(M), it’s a decidedly odd place, almost a separate island. The rest of Hertfordshire sees it as the equivalent of Somerset’s Chard, mostly inhabited by banjo-duelling cousins married to each other’s sisters. Now living 13 miles away, it’s the closest town to home I’d purposefully avoid. Those recalling our trips in the Nineties may remember the locals as having a penchant for chucking rocks to vent their disappointment at defeat. A generation on, one can but hope the sons and daughters of those knuckle-draggers have made some evolutionary progress in the meantime.
By Road
Meadow Park is 145 miles from Huish Park. It’s the familiar A303/M3 route, then leaving the M3 at Junction 2 and taking the M25 clockwise (northwards) round to Junction 22.
Exiting at Junction 22 use the left two lanes (signed for A1081, St Albans). At the Bell Roundabout take the fifth exit (still A1081 but going AWAY from St Albans) and after crossing the motorway at the next roundabout take the second exit on to Bell Lane (B556). At the next roundabout take the first exit to stay on the B556 for around another 500 yards. At the roundabout take the first exit on to the B5378. Following the B5378 for around three and a half miles brings you into Borehamwood. Opposite Hertswood Academy on your left is the turning onto Hartforde Road (second exit off the mini-roundabout) to your right. Turn on to Hartforde Road and follow it till the T-junction with Brook Road. At this mini-roundabout take the first exit, left on to Brook Road, and a hundred yards along you’ll see Meadow Park Football Stadium on the left.
Parking
There is no club parking for supporters at the ground. The nearest council car park is Brook Road, immediately south of the stadium and thus particularly convenient for the away end, with 143 spaces (11 of these reserved for disabled drivers). Charges are: 1 hour £1.00; 2 hours £2.00; 3 hours £3.00; 4 hours £4.00; 5 hours £5.00; anything over that £6.50. Parking is free from 6.30 p.m. to 8.00 a.m. The next nearest public car park is at Hertsmere Council Civic Offices, with 391 spaces (4 here have electric charging point access should that be important for you). Terms and pricing are the same as Brook Road. This is five or six minutes walk away. For cashless payment the council’s public car parks use PayByPhone .
Further into the town centre council car parks all seem to be the same price as those above. However, on a Saturday the best parking deal (apart from any free on-street that’s findable of course) if spending the whole afternoon in town (though why anyone would want to is a mystery), appears to be the Elstree & Borehamwood Railway Station car park managed by Apcoa Parking ( Car Parks – APCOA Parking ) which is a flat rate £3.00 all day at weekends – but does mean one has to walk 0.8 of a mile to Meadow Park. There are CPZ’s around Borehamwood, with one of them taking in the area around the stadium, though not as extensively as in some towns, so free on-street parking may well be findable.
By Rail
Having got to London, most likely from Yeovil into Waterloo, the station of Elstree & Borehamwood is served by Thameslink on the line up to St Albans City Station. The main departure stations in central London for this line are Blackfriars and St Pancras International. There’s up to four trains an hour on Saturdays, with journey times between 21 and 24 minutes from St Pancras.
Elstree & Borehamwood Railway Station falls within the Transport for London travel zone so Oyster Card, Travelcard and other TfL payments options are valid. The station is 0.8 of a mile from the stadium.
By Bus
You’re unlikely to need buses around Borehamwood. There are services from outside the Railway Station along the High Street (Shenley Road) running around every ten minutes during the day. The number to look out for that takes you nearest to the ground is the 306 from Stop B (ask for St Theresa’s School stop). The nearest stop for the 107 and 292 services is probably Elstree Studios, about six minutes walking short of the ground. Unless it’s lashing down with rain it’s probably not worth the trouble.
By Taxi
There’s a taxi rank at the Railway Station. Apart from that some local taxi companies can be found here.
Web Sites
Boreham Wood FC – official club website.
Local Press
Borehamwood : Food & Drink
General
With the club bar banned to away supporters and provision within the ground limited travelling fans are likely to be thrown back on the joys of the town for sustenance, both liquid and solid. Apart from a Toby Carvery, Oaklands, just under the mile east of the stadium, everything is pretty much clustered in and just off the High Street (Shenley Road) that runs between the Railway Station and Elstree Studies. We’ve listed ALL the pubs in the town centre… because there’s only four. Yep, that’s your lot. There’s also a variety of cafés, takeaways, fast food joints and the odd restaurant strung out along Shenley Road.
Club Bar
Boreham Wood does not allow away fans entry into its clubhouse, Three Lions Bar.
Provision inside the stadium for visiting supporters is basic fare and hot drinks served from a mobile unit called Lunch Box situated in between the two terraced sections of the South End.
Local Pubs
Alfred Arms: Towards the Railway Station (western) end of Shenley Road, 0.7 miles (so bit under 15 minutes walk) from Meadow Park. Real Ale stopped being stocked several three or four years ago. The keg mentioned is eight different multi-national lagers, John Smiths Smooth, Guinness and Strongbow. CAMRA’s WhatPub website claims it does food but looking at its website, and photos of how the pub’s laid out and its general ‘tone’, I rather doubt it does. There’s certainly no mention of any. Decked beer garden, Pool table and plasma screens showing Sports TV. Opens from noon, closing 11.30 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 12.30 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
The Alfred Arms, 20-22 Shenley Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 1DR. Tel: 020 3210 1041. Map: Alfred Arms.
Good Companion: On our last visit this was a Sports Bar called The Wishing Well. A change of ownership – now a Craft Union, which is one of the many chains in the giant Pub Co. Stonegate Group’s stable – and change of name saw it relaunched in August 2022. Has a couple of hand pumps but don’t expect more than one to be in use and serving Doom Bar. Around ten keg taps entirely devoted to offerings from the multi-national industrial breweries. Disabled access, Sky and BT Sports, Pool table. Opening is from 11.00 a.m. everyday (except Monday when it’s noon), closing at 10.30 p.m. Sunday and Monday, 11.00 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 1.00 a.m. Friday and 1.30 a.m. Saturday. Half a mile (ten minutes walk) from the ground.
Good Companion, 133 Shenley Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 1AH. Tel: 020 8381 5158. Map: Good Companion.
Hart & Spool: Previously known as the Elstree Inn, the local Wetherspoon The Hart & Spool is towards the eastern end of the High Street. Opening times are from from 9.00 a.m. every day to 11.00 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and midnight Friday and Saturday. Food served up to 11.00 p.m., children allowed until 9.00 p.m. Up to eight real ales, with three of the chain’s regular ‘house’ beers and the other five changing. Has step free access and a small outside seating/smoking area to the front. 0.4 miles, so roughly 8 minutes walk, from Meadow Park.
The Hart & Spool, 148 Shenley Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 1EQ. Tel: 020 8953 1883. Map: Hart & Spool.
Wellington WD6: Close by Elstree & Borehamwood Railway Station, 0.8 miles (16 minutes walk) from the stadium. Reports are that the couple of hand pumps the pub had were scrapped last year. Around a dozen keg taps mostly serving mainstream national and multinational beers and ciders. Food in family dining fare style (including separate Children’s Menu) served noon to 2.30 p.m. and 6.00 p.m. – 8.45 p.m. weekdays, noon to 8.45 p.m. Saturday, noon – 6.00 p.m. Sunday. Major refurbishment 2019, disabled access, Sky and BT Sports TV, beer garden, smoking area. Opening hours are from noon every day, closing 11.00 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 1.00 a.m. Friday and Saturday, 10.30 p.m. Sunday.
The Wellington WD6, 4 Theobald Street, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 4SE. Tel: 020 8191 9366. Map: Wellington.
Likelihood the Natives Will Understand You?
It’s just possible one might run into – or more realistically catch a glimpse of as they sail past in their chauffeured limousines – some film or TV star off to Elstree Studios. To be honest, they’re not going to associate with the likes of us. Just as surreally, two of the top private schools in the country, The Haberdashers’ Aske’s School (for Hooray Henrys) and The Haberdashers’ Aske’s School (for Gals) – note their careful use of apostrophes, they ain’t estate Comprehensives – are located there. To be honest, they’re not going to associate with the likes of us either. Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the social spectrum, there’s the local residents – fingers crossed they don’t want to associate with us as they did in the past.
Top Tip
Given the lack of decent pubs one might have thought the Queen Vic on the EastEnders filming set could open its doors to thirsty members of the public. It doesn’t. Arrive as late as possible, watch the game, leave immediately. Borehamwood – it’s grim darn Sarf.
[No responsibility is taken for any inaccuracies. This page is entirely the product of bias and prejudice.]