Boreham Wood, founded in 1948, are on the cusp of their first EFL promotion. They face Rochdale in the National League's promotion final.

What's at stake for Boreham Wood?

The Wood have never been a member of the elite 92, despite coming close twice. Their manager, Luke Garrard, has taken charge of over 500 matches in two spells. Garrard made more than 140 appearances for the club as a player.

Garrard's experience

Defeat in the 2018 promotion final to Tranmere and the 2023 final to Notts County was followed by relegation and Garrard's exit. He says the time away from the club was painful. Garrard returned in September 2024 and brought immediate results, earning promotion by beating Maidstone 1-0. | Stat | Value | | --- | --- | | League standing | 4th in England National League | | Points | 90 | | Recent form | WWWLW |

Road to the final

Boreham Wood needed extra time to beat Forest Green Rovers 1-0 in their eliminator. They then beat Carlisle 2-1 in 120 minutes to secure their place at Wembley. Garrard wants his team to remain calm and focused on the task ahead.

Rochdale's second chance

Rochdale have just spent a third season in non-league football after their 102-year stay in the EFL came to an end in 2023. They face Boreham Wood in the promotion final, seeking a return to the EFL. The last result between the two teams was a 2-2 draw on 2026-05-10. Boreham Wood are ready for the challenge, with Garrard believing they have enough to get promotion. He worked out that they would have won three leagues in the past 12 or 13 years with the 90 points they got. The team is excited, but Garrard wants them to remain calm and focused on the task ahead.