Why is the football team called Boreham Wood when the town is called Borehamwood?
BOREHAM WOOD are travelling to Goodison Park to face Frank Lampard’s Everton in the FA Cup fifth round.
They previously beat Bournemouth, who were 74 places above them, in a huge upset.
But some fans were left confused by the team’s name, which doesn’t match that of the town it represents.
The non-league outfit are commonly known as Boreham Wood FC, all separate words, but the town is just called Borehamwood, just one word.
One fan called the club’s name ‘One of life’s great mysteries’…
Where did Boreham Wood originate?
Boreham Wood FC is a club esteemed in history, based in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire. There is evidence that the clubs roots come from a ‘Boreham Rovers’ team, playing in 1919.
Boreham Rovers FC was no more in 1939 when they folded, colliding with World War Two.
The club was officially established in 1948, as a merger of Boreham Rovers and Royal Retournez.
Why does the football club have a different name to the town?
In 1947, Boreham Rovers merged with another team called Royal Retournez.
After an AGM, the club decided to take up the name ‘Wood’ before another team did, and Boreham Wood Football Club was born.
It is believed that the town was initially called Boreham Wood, as two separate words, and so the football team was named accordingly.
However, the Hertfordshire town has been interpreted as many different spellings over the years, including ‘Boram Woode’, ‘Borramwode’ and ‘Barham Wood’.
It is now socially accepted that the town is called Borehamwood, as is regularly seen on street signs.
This may have started with the renaming of Elstree station to Elstree & Borehamwood in 1953.
There has never been an official decision to name the town ‘Borehamwood’, but Elstree Council became Elstree and Borehamwood council in 1982 and the one-word name has stuck.
Boreham Wood FC have simply chosen to stick to tradition, and not change their name to just one word.
Will their name ever change?
It is unlikely that the teams name will change now, as they have risen up the ranks as Boreham Wood FC.
This is a tradition that has now stuck with the club, and long may it continue.
Who do they play in the next round?
The FA Cup underdogs face Frank Lampard’s Everton in the fifth round at Goodison Park, and they will be looking to cause an upset to the 16th placed Premier League opposition.