Luke Garrard: Boreham Wood promote assistant to manager

Luke Garrard is a former Swindon and AFC Wimbledon defender

Boreham Wood have named Luke Garrard as manager, making him the youngest boss in England's top five divisions.

The 30-year-old former Tottenham youth player was assistant to Ian Allinson before the ex-Arsenal winger's resignation as Wood manager on Monday.

Garrard joined Wood as a player in 2010, helping them win promotion to the Conference South in that year and into non-league's top flight last season.

He takes over a side currently 20th in the National League table.

Allinson had been in charge of Boreham Wood since May 2008 and took them to the National League last season with a Conference South play-off final victory over Whitehawk.

"The club is and has been a huge part of my life," said Garrard, who will continue to work alongside alongside first-team coach Junior Lewis.

"I've worked alongside Ian for just over three seasons as his assistant manager and I have learnt a lot in that time.

"I owe Ian a huge thank you but it's now my turn to make the tough decisions, it's now my head that's on the block and hopefully I will get the big decisions more right than wrong."