OFFICIAL MATCHDAY MAGAZINE OF BOSTON UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB | SEASON 2020/21 THE VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH PROGRAMME OF THE YEAR 2019/20 THE PILGRIM BOSTON UNITED v CHESTERFIELD WEDNESDAY 20TH JANUARY 2021 | KICK-OFF: 19:45 | THE BUILDBASE FA TROPHY FOURTH ROUND David Newton FROM THE BOARDROOM UNITED CHAIRMAN DAVID NEWTON LOOKS AHEAD TO THIS EVENING’S FA TROPHY TIE Good evening everyone and the play for as the season progresses, the nicest men you could meet – warmest of welcomes to this but we will need to continue and it is devastating to lose him. Our evening’s FA Trophy fourth round to adapt to the ever-changing continued thoughts are with Pauline fixture against Chesterfield. Like circumstances. and the family. so many fixtures this season, My thanks must go to Craig When I wrote my Boxing Day notes, this has taken a little time to get Singleton who is constantly re- this area had one of the highest scheduled, but hopefully will go organising games, which of course Covid infection rates in the country, ahead this evening without any is getting harder and harder as the but today the rate has fallen issues. fixtures mount up. drastically and is now well below the Chesterfield are a huge club to be It will be interesting to see how national average, which is fantastic playing in the National League, but we fare against an experienced news, but of course we all must the leagues at this level are very National League side this evening, continue to do our bit to ensure difficult to get out of, and I am sure but of course a number of our that trend continues – and we take that will be their main focus as the players were in fact National League as much pressure off the NHS as season moves forward. players last season, so hopefully possible. Tonight, the league pressures are their experience will help during 2020 was a very difficult year off, and the players can focus on a the game. The fantastic FA Cup run and, with the current lockdown ‘one-off’ game where winner-takes- last season gave the whole town a restrictions, it can feel like things all. lift, so hopefully we can keep this FA are not improving, but of course Like ourselves, Chesterfield have Trophy run going to give everyone they are. We do still need to do had a stop-start season, only something to cheer about at this everything to stem the spread of completing 15 games (ourselves difficult time. the virus, but the Government have 13), which is making life very difficult On a positive note, we were pleased done a fantastic job to get so many for the players and management to secure the signature of Jake vaccination centres up-and-running team who are finding that their Wright last week, with Jake having and, at the time of writing these plans are continuously having fought back from the injury he notes, close to four million people to be changed. The players are picked up in the play-off games last have received the vaccine in the first couple of weeks – and more centres not getting a run of games – and season. Club physio Hayden Clifton are opening. therefore match fitness that they has worked hard with Jake over the need. This frustratingly is also ensuing months to ensure he can Assuming the vaccine supplies can leading to injuries that we are resume his career and we all hope keep pace, we can look forward to a having to manage, which included that things go well for Jake after a much better second half of the year, the loss of Tom Platt in the Bradford couple of frustrating seasons where where hopefully we can get back Park Avenue fixture, which is a real he has been unfortunate to pick up to some normality and, of course, blow as Tom was only just back after a few injuries. It’s great to have you prevent the illness and tragic deaths a fairly lengthy lay-off. back Jake – good luck! we are seeing at the present time. As Craig Elliott has said many times, These are my first programme So stay positive - there are better this is a season like no other. That notes since we learned that Boston times ahead! said, we are privileged to be playing United Supporters Association Let us hope that we have a cracking football when all the leagues below chairman Glen Chapman had cup tie this evening and everyone have been suspended and now sadly passed away. As I said in the has a safe journey home. sadly look like they are going to be club’s tribute to Glen at the time, Look after each other – and stay terminated. We also remain in the aside from him carrying out his safe and well. play-off positions with games in role with BUSA with diligence and David Newton hand, so there is still everything to professionalism, he was just one of Chairman 02 | BOSTON UNITED v CHESTERFIELD Craig Elliott THE MANAGER MANAGER CRAIG ELLIOTT LOOKS AHEAD TO THE FA TROPHY FIXTURE AGAINST CHESTERFIELD. I would like to extend a warm “OUR LAST PERFORMANCE AWAY AT BRADFORD PARK welcome to Chesterfield FC – AVENUE RESULTED IN A 1-1 DRAW AND ON REFLECTION and I hope that all players and WE JUST DID NOT GET THE VITAL FIRST GOAL THAT WE management enjoy their first NEEDED, ESPECIALLY IN THE FIRST HALF. visit to our new stadium. When the draw was made for the FA prove vital. It keeps us unbeaten in try to play as many games as we can. Trophy, I knew this was probably one eight games and hopefully we can of the most difficult ties we could There are plenty of rumours build on this unbeaten run tonight. have got. It is a tie that instantly circulating in the non-league world makes me miss the supporters We unfortunately yet again suffered of football and it’s never-ending as I know this game would have a postponement on Saturday away speculation as to whether this had a large turnout from both at Alfreton Town due to the adverse season will end or have a break. All clubs and generated a real cup tie weather. It was probably inevitable I would say is I have tried to be as atmosphere. However, it still brings a with the snow and rain but still left positive as we can and be as flexible lot of excitement and it is nice to be us all frustrated and facing another as we can as it was always going presented with the opportunity to blank weekend. to be a season like none of us has challenge ourselves against what will We have had a couple of good experienced before. probably be a team challenging for training sessions and the extra time At times this is difficult as we are promotion in the league above. also helped a few injuries clear up. only human and some of the You can clearly see they have had We now begin a remarkably busy restrictions and stop start nature that bounce effect of a new manager period of games where we play every of games has been difficult to and with impressive recruitment midweek and there is no doubt this deal with. But as manager and my over the last month or so they will will be a testing time for us as we try message to the players is that we come here full of confidence and to keep everybody fit and fresh as we will continue to prepare and focus with a lot of quality in their team. We as professionally as we can until we can embrace the opportunity to try are told otherwise. Let other people to progress in this competition and make decisions and it’s important as underdogs we have absolutely we just control what we can and that nothing to lose and give it everything is training and our performances. we have to try get into the last 16. If I just hope the people making the successful, we have more National decisions can make them swiftly to League opposition but that is to give us all peace of mind. concentrate on later. I just want to thank the supporters Our last performance away at for your continued support. It does Bradford Park Avenue resulted in a not go unnoticed and although 1-1 draw and on reflection we just you are not here, your words of did not get the vital first goal that we encouragement on social media or needed, especially in the first half. private messages are very much The game was played in horrendous appreciated. Please stay positive and conditions and it was credit to both safe and I am sure you will be back teams that we both tried to continue with us soon. to play good football. It’s never an easy place to go, as York City found Enjoy the game. out the week before, so in the end, Craig Elliott I feel it is an away point that might Manager THE PILGRIM BOSTON UNITED v CHESTERFIELD | 03 MATCH BY MATCH 2020/21 First teamATTENDANCE fixtures, results and line-ups DATE COMP OPPOSITION RESULT TOTAL AWAY POS OCTOBER 2020 SAT 3 FAC2Q AFC MANSFIELD H W4-2 N/A N/A - FITZSIMONS WARREN SHIELS 1 GIBBENS ASKEW THANOJ PLATT y DIMAIO THEWLIS BURROW 1 HAWKRIDGE 1 CROOK PRESTON 1 TOOTLE GREEN ARCHER DUXBURY GARNER TUE 6 NLN LEAMINGTON A W4-0 N/A N/A 1 FITZSIMONS y TOOTLE SHIELS 1 GARNER 1 y DUXBURY THANOJ PLATT GREEN 1 y PRESTON BURROW HAWKRIDGE WARREN DIMAIO THEWLIS 1 ARCHER ASKEW SAT 24 NLN AFC TELFORD UNITED H W3-2 N/A N/A 5 FITZSIMONS TOOTLE SHIELS y GARNER 1 DUXBURY y THANOJ PLATT GREEN THEWLIS 1 BURROW 1 HAWKRIDGE CROOK ASKEW DIMAIO ARCHER WARREN TUE 27 NLN GUISELEY H D1-1 N/A N/A 3 FITZSIMONS TOOTLE SHIELS GARNER y DUXBURY y DIMAIO PLATT GREEN THEWLIS BURROW HAWKRIDGE 1 CROOK THANOJ ASKEW ARCHER WARREN SAT 31 NLN SOUTHPORT A W1-0 N/A N/A 3 FITZSIMONS TOOTLE y SHIELS GARNER DUXBURY THANOJ PLATT GREEN THEWLIS 1 BURROW HAWKRIDGE CROOK PRESTON DIMAIO ARCHER WARREN NOVEMBER 2020 SAT 28 NLN AFC FYLDE A L1-2 N/A N/A 13 FITZSIMONS TOOTLE SHIELS GARNER DUXBURY PRESTON ROSE y GREEN DIMAIO BURROW 1 HAWKRIDGE CROOK THANOJ LEESLEY THEWLIS ROLLINS DECEMBER 2020 TUE 1 NLN GLOUCESTER