Boreham Wood have opened their summer business with three new arrivals for the 2025/26 National League campaign. Goalkeeper Luca Gunter, defender Oliver Bainbridge and winger Tarryn Allarakhia have all put pen to paper, giving Luke Garrard’s side fresh options as they chase promotion after narrowly missing out on a historic Football League return last term.

What do the new signings bring?

First through the door is 21-year-old Gunter, who joins on a season-long loan from Tottenham Hotspur. The England youth international spent the second half of 2024/25 at Wealdstone, making 14 appearances, and arrives to fill the void left by Ted Curd’s return to Chelsea. Bainbridge, 23, arrives from Sunderland after a standout spell at South Shields, where he was named in the National League North Team of the Season. The defender has Premier League 2 experience and a European debut under his belt, including a UEFA Europa Conference League outing for Sunderland against Tromsø IL. Allarakhia, 26, joins from Rochdale and brings Championship-level pedigree after spells at Colchester United and Crawley Town. His career includes a loan at Wealdstone that saw him net four times in the 2018/19 play-offs, plus 64 league starts and 12 goals in two seasons back at the Stones.

Why do these signings matter now?

Boreham Wood finished fourth in the National League last season with 90 points, 27 wins and a +37 goal difference, but were denied promotion after a 2-2 draw with Rochdale on 10 May 2026. The club’s narrow play-off final defeat to Rochdale in 2025 left them agonisingly close to a first-ever Football League return. With York 18 points clear at the top, the Wood need every squad upgrade to close that gap. The new trio add experience at multiple levels: Gunter’s Premier League 2 title with Spurs’ U21s, Bainbridge’s first-team exposure in the Scottish Premiership and Allarakhia’s EFL Cup outing for Crawley.

How do the players fit under Garrard?

Garrard’s side have been notoriously late to finalise deals, respecting players’ contractual ties, but the trio arrive just in time for pre-season. Gunter’s loan from Spurs gives the Wood a shot-stopper with first-team Premier League experience under Ange Postecoglou. Bainbridge’s versatility and aerial presence shore up a defence that conceded 58 goals last season, while Allarakhia’s direct running and Championship pedigree add creativity in wide areas. The Wood’s recent form—unbeaten in their last five games (DDWWW)—shows momentum, and these signings aim to turn that streak into a title push.

Boreham Wood kick off their 2025/26 National League campaign with a squad boosted by Premier League pedigree, National League North recognition and EFL experience. The club sit fourth with 90 points from 46 games, nine clear of the play-off spots, and the new signings arrive as the Wood hunt promotion once more.