Everton make a top class gesture to non league side Boreham Wood ahead of the two sides’ FA Cup meeting on Thursday night.
The Toffees have stepped in to ensure that the southern Hertfordshire outfit’s dream FA Cup fifth round tie at Goodson Park will be even more memorable.
The Premier League club have funded the one-off Puma kit, all black with flashes of green and yellow, with embroidery on the chest to mark the occasion, to be worn by Luke Garrard’s team on Thursday.
🏆👕 𝐅𝐀 𝐂𝐔𝐏 𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐒
With both our home and away kits creating a colour clash, @Everton have kindly offered to pay the costs associated with our commemorative playing kit
💙 Thank you, Everton FC! Such a classy guesture, you truly are the People’s Club! #WeAreTheWood
— Boreham Wood FC (@BOREHAM_WOODFC) February 18, 2022
Black kits can’t be worn in the National League competition because the officials within that division still wear black.
Boreham Wood can’t play in their all-white home colours or their sky blue away strip because of a clash with Everton’s shorts and socks.
The Premier League side have also made a contribution towards the travel costs of their opponents and a night in a hotel in Liverpool.
‘Credit to Everton,’ said Garrard. ‘They’ve purchased our kit and put on our travel and overnight stay on the day of the game. They’ve been absolutely class.’
Boreham Wood have sold 1,800 tickets for the tie, meaning there will be approximately 400 more supporters in the Wood Army than there were in the fourth round, when they claimed an impressive 1-0 victory at Bournemouth of the Championship.
The squad were set to leave their base at 10am on Thursday morning, picking up their northern-based players on the way to Liverpool.
They will check in at the hotel for pre-match meals and team talks before checking out their surrounding in Liverpool.
Garrard wants to arrive at Goodison Park for 6.45pm, 90 minutes before kick-off. The game will be live on ITV where many neutrals will be hoping for an upset
‘I’ve never been to Goodison in any capacity,’ said the 36-year-old Londoner, who spent Tuesday evening on a scouting mission at Dagenham.
‘They’re moving in two years and a lot of my Arsenal friends have told me what a historic stadium it is, and their fan-base is incredible.
‘Evertonians are so passionate and it’s going to be a massive part of the excitement on the evening.
‘It’s amazing to think we’re going to Goodison to pit our wits against Frank Lampard. It’s something you can only dream.
‘I think it will only sink in on the day. I don’t think we’ll respect what we’ve done until the season finishes.
‘We need to take stock of what we’ve done. We’re in the last 16. I hate the words fifth round. I prefer to think we’re in the last 16 of a national cup competition.’
Boreham Wood are 78 places below Everton in the English football pyramid and post-war, the only non league side to reach a quarter final are Lincoln City in 2017 – who ended up losing to Arsenal at that stage.
Luke Garrard not only wants to stun Everton in the FA Cup on Thursday, but if the non league side cannot cause an upset he will settle for going home with Frank Lampard’s shirt.
“I’m taking Frank Lampard’s shirt off his back! His zippy, his ball. I’m getting everything,” Garrard said on Wednesday.
“Seriously, though. This isn’t too much respect. We’ve done our analysis on them. So the respect’s there. Hugely. I’m not foolish in any way, shape, or form. They are unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable.
“These are international players playing week in week out the highest level. So trust me, there’s a huge respect.
“But we go there with a purpose, we go there with a job. And if we can implement our game plan, we will cause them problems.
“Through this cup run, we’ve been lucky. It’s been really simple, working hard and working together as a team and riding our luck. And if we can do that on Thursday night, we have a chance.”
Garrard told the media that Lampard gave congratulations after they confirmed their trip to Everton by beating Bournemouth.
“He texted me after the Bournemouth game and I think he’s a class individual,” he said.
“Just to have the luxury of five minutes with him before the match or potentially an hour afterwards, I’m really looking forward to it.
“We can all talk about his playing career, which is amazing: Champions League winner, what he achieved with England, and obviously his managerial career, but to do what he did for me was incredible and shows you the measure of the man.”
Twitter users reacted as Everton make a top class gesture to Boreham Wood ahead of the FA Cup clash…
@StephenWarman3: What an amazing club we are, makes me so proud to be an #efc #fan 💙💙
@XolaniCFC: Since Lampard it’s been good vibes all around Goodison
@neilhoultram: Class from the Blues 🙌💙
@CarolRoberts28: Well played 👏🏻
@miketaylor2708: That’s actually a really nice kit! Would of thought they’d try and get a couple of kit sponsors for the game try and milk as much money as they can while they can 👌🏻
@PaulOBr87778940: What a club and a great gesture from Everton football club.
@peter_baxman52: What a nice thing to have done
@MattHuddyHudson: Classy thank you @Everton 👏
@GarethD64802755: This is a brilliant gesture from @Everton! Well done @Everton. Having said that, couldn’t we just have worn blue socks and shorts for the match? I like the all blue kit, and prefer the blue shirt, white shorts, blue socks combo personally. 😆
@ToffeeCarolyn: Wouldn’t expect anything else from @Everton! A truly wonderful club
@broonlar: Very smart – nice to see clubs collaborating for the good of the game…💙
@GezzaClarke: That’s amazing @Everton showing a true community football spirit helping lower league clubs this is what all the top leagues should be doing. We couldn’t even get anything from @Arsenal @ManUtd @SpursOfficial @ManCity to raffle off for charity for our youth team. Class act
@ANDYFIE13: Let’s hope your fans are classy when travelling up north and no anti scouse songs please 🙏 .. Good luck the wood
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