I’M OUT OF THE WOOD!
BOREHAM WOOD chairman Danny Hunter says parting company with long-standing manager Luke Garrard was done with a’very heavy heart’ as he prepares to bid farewell to the ‘most successful manager in the club’s history’.
Garrard, 38, has announced this week that he will stand down as Wood boss at the end of the season, ending a nineyear stay in the Meadow Park dugout.
His decision came after an ill-timed run of six straight defeats have left the Hertfordshire club into the National League relegation zone, just 12 months after they reached the play-off semi-finals.
Garrard will go down as one of the most decorated managers in the club’s recent history having led them to the brink of the Football League in the 2018 Promotion Final, and to the third round of the FA Cup for three seasons running.
In March 2022, he guided Wood to the fifth round of the FA Cup where they bowed out to Premier League Everton at Goodison Park.
Hunter and Garrard met just hours after Monday’s 4-2 defeat at Southend United where is was agreed the latter would step down after the final game of this season against Ebbsfleet United on April 20, irrespective of whether the club escape relegation or not.
Dignified
In a lengthy statement, Hunter told of his affection for the long-standing chief. “This advance announcement is made with a very heavy heart on my part, and because of Luke’s service I want his departure to be dignified, respectful and honest,” he said,
“That is very important because he should not be remembered for one disastrous season but for his volume of work over so many seasons.
“I remind those amongst us who think a manager should be sacked every time a club has a bad run, that if I adopted your policy Luke would have gone many times and because I was patient and he was supported, we created magic moments, and look over the years what we’ve achieved together.”
Hunter continued: “I do not want one disastrous season to define the most successful manager in our club’s history and I felt if we did not make this announcement now, Luke would depart our club at the end of the season like a thief in the night, with no thanks, no goodbyes, and without our real fans being able to say a true thank you for his hard work, honesty, friendship and care.
“Luke and I have both recognised that April 20th, whatever the outcome of our season, is the right time for us to say our goodbyes for now… I feel for nearly a decade we had the greatest chairman/ manager collaboration in Non-League football, but both recognise this last period as one of huge regret.
“Time though will heal the hurt, time will allow history to show that this was the greatest decade of success both on and off the pitch that Boreham Wood has ever enjoyed. So sadly, as one chapter comes to an end, a new one will begin.
“We are forever built on ‘old school’ values and I think values like respect, honesty and even how we deal with a painful managerial exit with dignity is so important to our clubs’ moral fabric.
“Luke has shown all those traits and more over the years and I hope, despite the current hurt and pain we are all experiencing right now, that Luke gets the send-off from our fan base that he deserves over the next two weeks.”