Everton pay costs of Boreham Wood one-off kit for FA Cup clash
Everton welcome National League Boreham Wood to Goodison Park tonight in the fifth round of the FA Cup and they have already done their bit.
According to the Daily Mail, the Toffees have covered all of the costs for the non-league outfit to produce a special one-off kit for the biggest game in the club’s history.
The away side are unable to play in their home kit due to a kit clash with Everton’s shorts and socks but they are unable to use a black kit, as they will this evening, in the league as referees all wear black in the fifth tier.
Wood boss Luke Garrard even revealed that the Toffees have covered their travel and accommodation costs too for the Thursday evening contest.
“Credit to Everton, they’ve purchased our kit and put on our travel and overnight stay on the day of the game. They’ve been absolutely class,” Garrad said, as quoted by the Daily Mail.
Important to make friends
This might be an incredibly smart decision by the football club and no one even knows it yet.
It may never come to fruition but the next non-league superstar could emerge at Boreham Wood over the next few years and there will be a swarm of EFL and Premier League clubs chasing whoever it may be.
Everton can use this gesture to get preferential treatment from the National League club and first dibs at the hypothetical player, beating the competition to the punch.
It might seem far-fetched right now but Leicester were able to purchase Jamie Vardy from non-league and he has gone on to have a sensational career at the top of the game.
There are more gems like him in the lower leagues of English football if clubs look hard enough and this small gesture might allow Everton to create vital links with the lesser divisions.
In other Everton news, Garrard also said he would struggle to name some of Frank Lampard’s players as he watches very little of the Premier League.