Boreham Wood have completed the capture of highly-rated 24-year-old defender Manny Parry from league rivals Dover Athletic.

The 6ft 4in centre-half moves to Meadow Park having most recently been recognised for an excellent campaign by being named in the Non-League Paper’s team of the season.

Parry only switched to Dover a year ago, arriving from Essex side Braintree Town in June 2017, and also lists Maidstone United among his former employers having begun his career with Millwall and Stoke City.

But it was at The Crabble where the defender caught the eye of Wood boss Luke Garrard, who expressed his delight at securing the services of a player as highly regarded at National League level as Parry.

Garrard told the club website: “I have spoken with Manny at length, and for me, he ticks a lot of my boxes – he is powerful, athletic, very, very strong and he scores goals from defence.

“He plays in a position I want him to make his own this year and he is comfortable with coming into our shape. I think that he could be a really, really big signing. He is coming into a settled group of players who are progressive, and he wants to be a part of that.

“He was named in the Non-League Paper’s ‘Team of the Year’ this season and that is a massive achievement. It shows how highly he is regarded at this level and I think that he has great quality.”

Parry, meanwhile, says the ambition of the Meadow Park outfit was the big attraction, even if the club are sure to face additional pressures off the back of an unprecedented league finish that left them on the cusp of a Football League place.

“I am delighted to sign for Boreham Wood, especially with how they did last season and after seeing the direction the club is going in – it looks like a great team going forward and I am delighted to be a part of it,” Parry said.

“Obviously it is going to be difficult this year to replicate last season, because everyone will be looking at Boreham Wood as one of last season’s promotion finalists.”