Boreham Wood manager Luke Garrard would ‘love Arsenal’ in FA Cup third round after Newport County win, chairman wants Premier League rivals Chelsea
By Rhys Jones
Published 07/12/2025 at 21:25 GMT
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National League side Boreham Wood booked their place in the third round of the FA Cup after a 3-0 win over League Two strugglers Newport County. Former Boreham Wood player and current manager Luke Garrard, who admitted himself to be an Arsenal fan, said he would "love" if his side got drawn against Mikel Arteta's team in the third round. The draw takes place on December 8.
Boreham Wood would ‘love Arsenal’ in FA Cup third round after Newport success
Video credit: TNT Sports
Boreham Wood manager Luke Garrard said he would "love Arsenal" in the FA Cup third round after a 3-0 win against Newport County saw the National League side cruise through.
Jeff King and Regan Booty scored in the first half for the hosts before Matt Rush added a third following the break at Meadow Park.
The Wood advance to their first third round match since 2022/23, whilst struggling League Two side Newport are still waiting for a first win under newly-appointed manager Christian Fuchs.
The FA Cup third-round draw is set to take place on Monday evening, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Clubs from the Premier League and EFL Championship are set to enter the competition, and when asked who he wanted to face, Garrard said: "Listen, I'd love Arsenal. Being an Arsenal man, away from home to play a competitive game against."
A pre-season match in July saw Arsenal's under-21 side draw with Boreham Wood, and Garrard would relish the challenge that the senior team would provide should they be drawn together.
He continued: "Chelsea, probably for our chairman.
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"But the boys are going out tonight, they'll enjoy their night. For me, I just need to go and have a quiet beer and reflect. But I'll enjoy the draw tomorrow with my two young kids."
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King uses ‘wand’ to volley Boreham Wood into lead
Video credit: TNT Sports
A fixture against Chelsea would also mean a reunion for 19-year-old goalkeeper Ted Curd, an England youth international on loan from The Blues.
Garrard, who spent a sizeable portion of his playing career at The Wood and then managed them for almost a decade between 2015 and 2024, returned as manager late last year after the sacking of Ross Jenkins.
After being relegated to the National League South in 2024, Garrard led them back to the National League and the club now have back-to-back wins over League Two sides in the FA Cup after knocking out Crawley Town.
"Great day," Garrard said about the Newport victory. "When you get it right as manager, I can put my head on the pillow tonight and be really settled.
"The players take all the credit. We're trying to change the way we're playing, we're trying to change a lot of things in terms of concepts, as opposed to shapes and formations. To implement what we implemented today was a credit to the boys.
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Highlights: Boreham Wood put three past Newport County
Video credit: TNT Sports
"Listen, when you get relegated, and you've got the best budget, biggest club, and I felt I was up there with the best managers in the division, you can't serve up that pragmatic percentage football, so we had to evolve.
"The pre-season wasn't great. We did some great business in the latter stage of the season with five key personnel and I think that's transformed us.
"You have to win games, and when you get buy-in and progress like we have done in the league and these latter stages of the FA Cup, it helps.
"But we are in the infancy of what we're trying to do, there's so much more to come from us. But I'm really proud of the group."
Boreham Wood have only faced Arsenal's senior side once before, in a friendly in 2018, which The Gunners won 8-0, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scoring a hat-trick for Unai Emery's side.
But the two clubs have had a long-standing relationship - Arsenal's Women's Super League side and the men's under-21s often play at Meadow Park.
When is the FA Cup third-round draw?
The third round draw for the FA Cup takes place on Monday, December 8.
It will be held ahead of the second round meeting between Brackley Town and Burton Albion, and proceedings have a start time of approximately 18:40 UK time.
Joe Cole and Peter Crouch will be drawing the teams, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
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