Luke Garrard takes charge of Boreham Wood as Ian Allinson’s replacement for the first time on Saturday with a trip to fellow National League new-boys Guiseley in the offing.

Like Wood, the Lions won promotion last season – only from the Conference North – with a 3-2 Play-Off Final win over Chorley catapulting the west Yorkshire outfit into the top flight of non-league football for the first time in their history.

Trailing 2-0 in the final, goals from Adam Boyes, Liam Dickinson and Nick Boshell turned the game on its head and completed a miraculous turnaround for a side which had finished in the top five of the Conference North for five consecutive seasons before finally winning promotion.

Currently 19th, just two places and four points better off than Wood, Guiseley are managed by former Bradford City centre-back Mark Bower.

The 35-year-old is in his first managerial role and took up the job in 2013 after ending his career with the club.

Just under 13 miles separate Leeds United’s famous Elland Road ground and Guiseley’s Nethermoor Park, so it is little surprise to see a handful of former United players now plying their trade with the Lions.

One such player is captain and left-back Ben Parker. Now 27, the Pontefract-born defender left Leeds in 2012 after making 55 first team appearances for the Yorkshire giants.

Loan spells in the Football League with Bradford City, Carlisle United and the now defunct Darlington provided Parker with plenty of league experience but he opted to join the Lions following his release by Leeds, with whom he had spent 17 years man and boy.

A former England youth international, Parker had agreed to join Bury on a non-contract basis at the start of the 2013/14 campaign but the Shakers were placed under transfer embargo, putting the kibosh on a move to Gigg Lane.

Another former Leeds United starlet now plying his trade at Nethermoor Park is midfielder Gavin Rothery.

Unlike Parker, the 28-year-old did not feature for the Whites before he left in 2008 following injury issues. A short spell at York City lasted just three appearances before he moved further down the pyramid to Harrogate Town.

He returned to the Football League, initially on a month-long contract, when he signed for Carlisle United in January 2009.

But limited to substitute outings only in the league, the Morley born playmaker left for Barrow on loan – again briefly – before joining Guiseley ahead of the 2010/11 season following their promotion to the Conference North.

Unlike Parker and Rothery, striker Liam Dickinson did not come through Leeds United’s famed Academy. But the 30-year-old spent time on loan at Elland Road in 2009 and also turned out for Derby County and Peterborough United during a lengthy Football League career.

The 6ft 4in forward’s career has gone full circle having started out in non-league with Irlam, Swinton, Trafford and Woodley Sports.

Spotted by Stockport County – then a progressive Football League outfit – Dickinson would go on to represent 12 clubs in the Football League before returning to County in 2013.

Unable to get anywhere near replicating the 35 league goals he managed in 60 starts first time around, Dickinson left for Stalybridge Celtic before arriving at Guiseley this summer.

Will Hatfield and Zac Thompson also started their careers at Leeds United.