Luke Garrard finds sleep elusive as Everton loom and he plots more FA Cup thrills for Boreham Wood and wonders how he will react if he bumps into Ashley Cole inside Goodison Park.
‘I’m driving my wife mad,’ admits Garrard. ‘She says I’m thinking too much. I’m wired. Up at 4.30am after going to bed at half past midnight. I’d managed to park the Everton game, but this week I’ve been excitable and I have to get my emotions in check.’
Things have not been quite the same since his National League outfit toppled Championship promotion-chasers Bournemouth last month, clinching a place in the last 16 of the FA Cup for the first time.
Luke Garrard is hoping to cause another FA Cup upset against Everton on Thursday night
It was nearly 2am by the time Garrard made it home from Dorset, having shared a couple of beers with the club’s chairman Danny Hunter, and set his alarm for 5.30am because he was due on breakfast TV.
‘I was knackered but I couldn’t sleep,’ he says. ‘I got off about two hours later and then the alarm kicked in and I was on ITV at six with Susanna Reid and that lot.
‘My son came home from school saying, ‘Daddy you’re famous’. I’m far from famous but it’s nice for him more than anyone.’
Then his phone pinged with a message from Everton’s manager.
‘Our secretary rang to say Frank Lampard’s PA has asked for your number, can I send it? I was like, ‘Please tell me you have sent it already’. I was sitting there getting quite giddy, unsure whether it could be a call or a text.
Boreham Wood beat Championship promotion-chasers Bournemouth last month (above)
Garrard (left) said he was delighted he have overcome Scott Parker’s (right) side
‘He sent me a message to say: ‘On a coach-to-coach level, I want to congratulate you and, as a club, we welcome you — but hopefully not so much when the game starts’. That shows you the measure of the man.’
Everton have reached out to help Boreham Wood, funding their kit for the occasion, travel and an overnight stay after the match.
‘They’ve been absolutely class,’ says Garrard. ‘It’s a historic club with such passionate fans. I played for Andy King (former Everton midfielder) at Swindon and he told me all about it.
‘I’m so engrossed in the National League that I don’t have time to watch the Premier League, not even Match of the Day. I was struggling to name Everton’s players until I watched them.
‘I didn’t know anything about Anthony Gordon but what I’ve seen from him in the last four games is unbelievable.
Everton manager Frank Lampard contacted Garrard to congratulate him on the result
Garrard is also a big fan of Ashley Cole (right) and said he would be ‘drooling’ if he saw him
‘It’s amazing to think we’re going there to pit our wits against them. Paul Clement is an incredible coach and, for someone who followed Arsenal in the Invincibles era, Ashley Cole is a hero, the best left back Arsenal and England have ever had by a mile. I won’t be able to string two words together when I see him. I’ll be drooling over their bench when I’m supposed to be watching the game.’
Garrard has an easy line in self-deprecation but he has proved his credentials since taking the job, in 2015, aged 30, and has worked on set-pieces this week — aware Everton are vulnerable from them.
‘I went through a lot in my first year,’ says the Boreham Wood boss. ‘A relegation battle, a new-born baby and a terminally-ill mother. I was a flash 30-year-old. I thought I knew everything when I knew nothing. Still know nothing.
‘It would have been easier to quit, but the chairman said, ‘No, you’re not quitting’. I’m so thankful for that.’
This FA Cup run is laced with personal significance for Garrard with wins against Barnet, where he was born and calls home, St Albans, managed by his predecessor and mentor Ian Allinson, and AFC Wimbledon, where he played for many years.
‘I don’t know how much it’s worth,’ says Garrard. ‘It will be a small fraction of the chairman’s outlay during the pandemic. He re-mortgaged his house, paid everyone 100 per cent and gave out £100 food vouchers so his staff didn’t have to go to supermarkets and endanger their families.
‘He put a mind coach in place so players living in isolation away from their families could have a phone call if they were feeling low.
‘We’re repaying him in a small way but I know he’d hand back all the revenue to have one moment at Goodison.
‘I know how he’s wired up. For him it’s about memories and moments. Just to see the fans erupt would be tremendous.’
YOUR GUIDE TO BOREHAM WOOD PLAYER’S BY COACH CONNOR SMITH
Taye Ashby-Hammond (GOALKEEPER, Age 22)
Joined on loan from Fulham when Nathan Ashmore was injured. Quiet and well-educated, oozes calmness on the pitch. Came out of his shell when we secretly rubbed Deep Heat into his half-time Jaffa Cakes.
Taye Ashby-Hammond joined on loan from Fulham when Nathan Ashmore was injured
Will Evans (CENTRE BACK, 30)
Viking-esque defender and maybe our most consistent player this season. Drives in every day from Sheffield with Scott Boden. Always makes me laugh. We have ritual cuddles every morning and he gives great hugs.
Dave Stephens (CENTRE BACK, 30)
A funny man and a big part of the club. Like a few other players, he coaches in the academy. Loves to be the centre of attention. Turns up in a high-spec Audi Q7 one day and a Fiat Punto with the rims hanging off the next.
Connor Stevens (CENTRE BACK, 24)
Had interest from League One and we’re lucky he joined us last month from Wealdstone. What a start he’s had. Signed on the Thursday, trained twice and a clean sheet at Bournemouth by Sunday. Expect him to kick on to a higher level.
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Kane Smith (Right wing-back, 26)
Huge Everton fan. Took his Tony Hibbert shirt to Bournemouth and ran to get it when we won. Thousands of Evertonians are now following him on Twitter and promising to sing a song for him at Goodison. Joined from Hitchin, has a great career ahead.
Kane Smith is a huge Everton fan with thousands of Evertonians are following him on Twitter
Jacob Mendy (Left wing-back, 25)
Rapid, an absolute whippet. I played with him at Wealdstone and told the gaffer to sign him. Won’t be surprised if he’s in the Championship in two years. Doesn’t drink, not an ounce of body fat. Very ambitious. Everything you expect in a modern footballer.
Mark Ricketts (CENTRE midfield, 37)
Captain and goal hero at Bournemouth. Fairytale stuff for the grandad who is doing a computer programming degree alongside his football. Still in great shape. Our Makelele — plays simple, reads the danger, stops a lot of attacks. Stops a few of ours, as well!
Josh Rees (CENTRE midfield, 28)
The Robot. An absolute machine, like a German. Often seen still kicking a ball against a fence half an hour after training. Run into him and you’ll come out injured. Strong, quite quick, passes, tackles, obeys instructions to the letter and scores plenty of goals from midfield.
Frankie Raymond (CENTRE midfield, 29)
Velvet left foot. We joke that he has Pritt Stick on his boots. Handles the ball under pressure, quality from set-pieces. Cool, elegant and effortless on and off the pitch. Dresses like a mannequin in Reiss. Was at Bromley for years — nice to have him on our side now.
Frankie Raymond has a velvet left foot – people even joke he has Pritt Stick on his boots
Scott Boden (CENTRE FORWARD, 32)
A big kid, 32 going on 12. Always messing about in the breakfast room, salt in the water bottles, cups of water on top of doors, smearing yoghurt on people. Like a storm through the building. One of the driving forces in the dressing room.
Tyrone Marsh (CENTRE FORWARD, 28)
The loudest man on earth. Have to keep telling him to use his ‘inside voice’. One of the Bedford Boys, with Kane. Left us for Stevenage and came back. Great understanding with Scotty. The gaffer says if he had a daughter, he’d want her to marry Tyrone.