Boreham Wood

The club was formed in 1948, and to recap what’s gone on since then is to be drawn into the vast and complicated world of non-league football. As is explained in our guide to English leagues and cups, after the top four leagues, the football pyramid becomes broader and broader. At the moment, The Wood play in the National League, which is at level 5, and therefore the top non-league level. So, even though it’s the National League, it is in non-league football, so when Brits say “the league,” they mean the Football League plus the Premier League. Like so many things here—such as Boreham Wood FC being in Borehamwood—you just have to accept it and move on.

For decades, Boreham Wood moved around through leagues like the Parthenon, the Athenian, and eventually the Isthmian. That one still exists, by the way, and is at level 7 of the pyramid. It covers London and South East England; its counterparts are the Southern League and the Northern Premier League. Boreham Wood didn’t even get that far up until the 1970s. Along the way, their main accomplishments, other than winning these tiny leagues, were making it out of the qualifying rounds and into the first round proper of the FA Cup. They did this ten times from 1974 to 2017.

In the 1996–97 season, they actually made the second round proper after beating Rushden and Diamonds FC (what a name!) in the first round. They made the second round again the next season, but on both occasions they lost to league opposition.

Finally, in 2015 they made what is now called the National League after beating Havant and Waterlooville and then Whitehawk (!) in the playoffs. There they became Cup specialists. In 2017–18, in a major breakthrough, they actually beat a club from the Football League: Blackpool in the FA Cup first round, in a come-from-behind 2-1 win at home.

In 2020–21 they made the FA Cup First Round again, and the next season they made the 5th Round—beating Wimbledon and Bournemouth along the way—before finally losing to Everton, 2–0. In 2023, they qualified for the National League playoffs, before falling to Notts County 3–2 in extra time of the semifinal game, and after a season in the National League South, they are back up in the fifth tier this season.

2024–25 SEASON: 5th in National League South (promoted via playoffs), 1st Round FA Cup

2025–26 SEASON: National League (promoted in 2025)

St Albans City, from just eight miles north and now in the same league again.

None, but their ground is home of the Arsenal Women’s team.

None that stand out

Meadow Park, officially known as the LV Bet Stadium, is a lovely little ground with a capacity of 4,500, of which 1,700 are seated. Those are in the two longsides, one of which also has the ticket office and dressing rooms. Behind one goal is an uncovered concrete terrace, just like the really old days. Behind the other is a covered one now called The North Bank; this is because Arsenal Women play here, and the North Bank was a famous part of that club’s old stadium. 

TOURS: You would probably be the first to even ask for a tour!

GETTING THERE: What you need is the Thameslink train from King’s Cross/St. Pancras to Luton. It’s 45 minutes from there to Elstree and Borehamwood. When you come out  of the station, take a right down the high street and then, after about 10 minutes, turn left at the biggest McDonald’s you’ll probably ever see. It should be about a 15-minute walk.

PUBS: Not that it will be overflowing with supporters or anything, but The Good Companion along the high street is a nice enough little boozer. The Alfred Arms across the street is a better bet for space and food. The Pick and Shovel gets high marks for food.

GRUB: The high street has all the usual high street fare: a Nando’s, where you can get peri peri chicken; a Prezzo Italian; a Kiyoto Sushi; and the usual assortment of kebab, burger, and chicken places.

AROUND THE GROUND: A funny thing you’re likely to notice is that the train station is adorned with photos of movie stars. Why? Because this is kind of like the UK’s Hollywood. Borehamwood and its neighbor, Elstree, have been the home of film and TV studios since 1914; many famous British shows have been made here, and so was The Muppet Show from 1976 to 1981. Certainly the most famous films to come out of here were 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Shining, Superman, the first several Star Wars titles, and the entire Indiana Jones franchise. Sadly, they don’t give tours – it just seems like something you should know!