VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH PROMOTION FINAL BOSTON UNITED vs. ALTRINCHAM THE JAKEMANS STADIUM, BOSTON SATURDAY 1ST AUGUST 2020 – KICK-OFF 3PM OFFICIAL SOUVENIR PROGRAMME £ 3.00 THE NATIONAL LEAGUE 4th Floor Waterloo House 20 Waterloo Street Birmingham B2 5TB Telephone: (0121) 643 3134 thenationalleague.org.uk PRESIDENT Brian Lee MBE VICE PRESIDENTS Jack Pearce, Lord Faulkner of Worcester, Charlie Clapham MBE BOARD OF DIRECTORS CONTENTS CHAIRMAN Brian Barwick VICE CHAIRMAN Jack Pearce CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Michael Tattersall 5 WELCOME TO THE GAME A Welcome to the game from Vanarama National League Chairman, DIRECTORS Brian Barwick and VanaramaVs Andy Alderson Shahid Azeem, Caroline Barker, Sid Blain, Anthony Kleanthous, Jim Parmenter, 7/8/9 SEASON REVIEW Richard Parsons, Garry Plant, Steve Sam Elliott looks back at the 2019/2020 season Thompson MBE, Tony Wilson, Graham Wood 10/11 THE STORY SO FAR OPERATIONAL SUPPORT DIRECTOR A Brief look back at the Eliminators and Semi-Finals Colin Peake LEGAL ADVISOR Mel Stein 22/23 CHAMPIONS CORNER HEAD OF PLAYER DEVELOPMENT Sam Elliott and Oliver Osborn look at the Champions, King’s Lynn Town Gary Owers HEAD OF FINANCE Steve Brookfield 26 NATIONAL LEAGUE UNDER 19 ALLIANCE OPERATIONS MANAGER Michaela Garrard 27 NATIONAL LEAGUE TRUST REGISTRATIONS & EVENTS MANAGER Louise Edwards 29 FACTS & FIGURES ADMINISTRATION OFFICER A look back at how the season ended with final tables and leading scorers Melissa Whitmore 31 TEAMS ADMINISTRATION OFFICER A check on todayVs Squads and Match Officials Michelle Gibson MEDIA AND OPERATIONS OFFICER Oliver Osborn LIFE MEMBERS W.J. King, D.R. Reynolds, N. White, G.E. Smith, P.D. Hunter CONTRIBUTORS: Sam Elliott, Tom Scott, Dec O’Reilly, Craig Singleton, Tim Hoff (Boston United), John Edwards, Brian Flynn, Michael Ripley (Altrincham), Printed and Designed by Dan Simmonite (York City), Jack JJ Sports Promotions Ltd McGraghan (Gateshead), Mark Hearle Telephone: 07771 802 048 (King’s Lynn Town), Ollie Bayliss, Daryl West, Sue O’Brien, Graham Hill. 01.08.20 BOSTON UNITED v ALTRINCHAM 03 WELCOME TO THE GAME BRIAN BARWICK THE VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAIRMAN regular season and play-offs to take season’s promoted sides adapted place behind closed doors. tremendously to their new surroundings in the Vanarama In times of suffering and great National League. challenge, we have seen a phenomenal amount of hard work The prize of promotion is now within from the 18 participating play-off reach for the two clubs competing in clubs to ensure these matches are the concluding match of a played within a safe environment. memorable season. For one club, Credit must go to those behind the there will be much joy at the full-time scenes at these wonderful football whistle, while the other will be in A very warm welcome to the clubs, who are not always recognised desolation, having fallen at the final Vanarama National League North for their herculean efforts. hurdle. Promotion Final matchday Congratulations to newly crowned May I close by wishing both clubs programme. Today’s game between champions King’s Lynn Town for and their supporters the very best of Boston United and Altrincham is an their tremendous performance, luck. Today is one where the saying exciting prospect. achieving promotion in their first ‘win with style, lose with grace’ is of The world has faced unprecedented season in the sixth-tier. The blueprint the upmost importance. times with the outbreak of Covid-19. for further success has been provided for them and the winners BRIAN BARWICK For The National League, Covid-19 Chairman of today’s match. Three of last has caused a curtailment to the The Vanarama National League SPONSORS WELCOME FROM THE COMPETITION SPONSOR - VANARAMA monumental effort by all involved Prostate Cancer UK and raised and the reason we have a great final further awareness of this awful to look forward to today. disease. A huge thanks to the clubs of The Vanarama North and their Both clubs here today might have fans for getting involved in their thought that the opportunity of numbers. promotion was off the table a few months back - yet here they are. Having football back provides a light That makes for an exciting at the end of the tunnel following a encounter and an opportunity to difficult period. end this season on a high. So, enjoy the live stream of today’s For Vanarama and The National final and I`m sure it won’t be long A warm welcome to the Vanarama League, the 2019/2020 season has before you’re all back in the stands National League North Promotion continued to see award-winning cheering on your team. Final between Boston United and success. Our MANarama campaign Altrincham won Brand Activation of the year at I hope you all have a fantastic day the Football Business Awards, supporting your team and the best The past few months have been beating off the likes of Barcelona of luck to both Boston United and tough, and I`d like to thank The and Liverpool in the process! Altrincham. National League and its 68 clubs for their hard work in completing the More importantly we raised ANDY ALDERSON season behind closed doors. A thousands of pounds more for Vanarama CEO and Founder 01.08.20 BOSTON UNITED v ALTRINCHAM 05 BY SAM ELLIOTT departure of boss Nicky Eaden after a run of poor form. Paul Cox the man asked to kick-start their season - and what a job he did. Another new arrival to the division were having a ball. Farsley Celtic’s superb start saw Adam Lakeland claim the September Manager of the Month accolade. October was a month to remember for Liam Watson, who celebrated 500 games in charge of Southport with a fourth home win on the bounce. Skipper David Morgan with the decisive strike against Brackley. The question already was could anyone stop York City? At the VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH end of the third month they were sitting pretty, undefeated at eight points clear. There would, of SEASON REVIEW course, be twists to come. Bradford (PA) were off the It turned out to be a season for slow starts. bottom for the first time this nobody could ever have predicted - season after new boss Bower got and the on-field action left us By the end of the first month we his teeth into their survival surprised in equal measure. had a flavour of what was ahead. challenge. Back in August, there was no sign York were August’s leaders with Kettering’s new management of what was in front of us. Little did Steve Watson’s unbeaten side saw for themselves the size of we know back then how things winning six from eight. King’s Lynn, the task in hand, going into would play out on and off the pitch though, were hot on their heels - winter bottom but just one point in the months ahead. just a point behind. separated the bottom four. A newcomer ultimately stole the Former Cardiff City and Leyton One club nobody seemed to be show in the National League North Orient boss Russell Slade was talking about at this stage was but there was no evidence of King’s announced as the new manager of Altrincham. Lynn Town’s incredible feat on the Hereford but he wouldn’t see the first day of the season. They were season out. hammered 3-0 at Guiseley, while Chester really impressed in York City grabbed the headlines September and ended the month in thanks to a highly impressive 3-1 second behind York. win at dangerous Altrincham. But the biggest win belonged to By matchday two Guiseley had hit brilliant Brackley Town - with much eight goals without reply, Aaron credit due to Player of the Month Martin was on fire in that first James Armson. Their 8-0 thumping week as his hat-trick downed of Bradford (PA) saw interim Bradford (Park Avenue) who had manager Marcus Law leave, with suffered back-to-back 5-0 defeats. Mark Bower eventually returning There were two very early to the Horsfall Stadium. managerial exits. Avenue boss Kettering Town were in need of a Garry Thompson and Hereford’s new manager as well. The Marc Richards both paid the price newcomers announced the 01.08.20 BOSTON UNITED v ALTRINCHAM 07 VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH SEASON REVIEW Adam Marriott outscored man to replace outgoing every other player in boss Mike Cook - with England’s top seven the club heading home leagues by this point - next season, they and King’s Lynn sat believe it was a proudly on top forward-thinking following their appointment. promotion. Boston United came so No fewer than nine goals in close to setting up an FA Cup November helped his side to wins third round tie against Newcastle against Kidderminster Harriers, United - they pushed League One They sat just above that cluster of Bradford, Leamington, Southport Rochdale all the way but they just early-season stragglers but Phil and Gateshead after starting the missed out on a glamour tie. Parkinson went on record saying month with a draw against things would get better - and he Altrincham. He was “It was a big target of mine to was true to his word. unquestionably the Player of the create an FA Cup run,” reflected manager Craig Elliott. “The players People were starting to take notice Month - but wasn’t such a good deserve all the credit. Now we of Darlington. A flawless October moment for Kidderminster. have to wake up and concentrate saw the club record four wins from John Pemberton left his role as on what’s to come.” four.