County v Boston: Match Thread, Take 1 (13/03/2018)

And here, in the meantime, is my updated/revised pre-match piece for COWS:

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TAKE FIVE (2018)… Boston United

By Hatter in Macc

1. So, next up - possibly our last league match under the Edgeley Park lights this season?

Barring postponements - or, I guess, especially gloomy afternoons - between now and the end of April, yes! And it so happens that this will be Boston’s first-ever experience of playing at EP in midweek, after four visits in our current division and two earlier ones from Football League days.

2. Ah, yes - another ex-League club with whom we get to renew acquaintance.

There are seven of them among this season’s opponents in all. And while Boston did not enjoy FL status for as long as Bradford Park Avenue, Darlington, Gainsborough, Southport or York, the ‘Pilgrims’, like Kidderminster, competed in the League’s fourth tier for five seasons (in Boston’s case, from 2002 to 2007).

They made some unwanted history on their League debut, by becoming the first FL club to begin a campaign with negative points - having been docked four of them, for breaking FA rules over the registration of players, before a ball was kicked. And on leaving League Two, they were to face an unprecedented double-demotion, after entering a Company Voluntary Arrangement at a late stage of their final match in the hope it might avoid a points-deduction at the start of 2007/08.

3. But they have a rather more illustrious history in the world of non-league?

They surely do - and over the last 50 years in particular. Having been formed in 1933 from the ashes of Midland League outfit, Boston FC - which itself succeeded two pre-Great War clubs, Boston Swifts and Boston Town, that had used separate pubs adjacent to the current ground (known as Shodfriars Lane in its pre-York Street days) for changing rooms - the Pilgrims spent their formative years switching between the Midland, Southern, Central Alliance, United Counties and West Midlands Leagues. And for 1964/65, in the face of financial difficulties, they operated as a local amateur side in the Boston and District League, simply to keep the club’s name alive.

Their beginnings were not entirely modest - as they lifted the Lincolnshire Senior Cup, or a variant thereof, on seven occasions before the 1970s. And, in 1955/56, they set an FA Cup record that still stands for an away-win by a non-league side against Football League hosts by thrashing that season’s Third Division North champions, Derby, 6-1 at the Baseball Ground. But the Pilgrims really… erm, progressed with the formation in 1968 of the Northern Premier League, which they won on four occasions - and, 11 years later, the new top-tier Conference, where they stayed for 14 straight seasons until 1993. Boston are the only current National League North club to have been founder members of each - and also reached the 1985 FA Trophy Final, before losing by the odd goal in three to Wealdstone - although, since that relegation by two levels from the FL, have remained in non-league’s second and, briefly, third tiers. The last seven years have seen them enjoy an unbroken spell in the NLN, and make the play-offs on three occasions - in 2011, 2015 and 2016 - albeit narrowly bowing out at the semi-final stage each time (twice on penalties).

4. How about players to have featured for both clubs? Are they confined to our NLN years?

Not at all. Certainly, since we left the League, there have been several: including goalkeepers Christian Dibble (at County in 2014) and Lewis King (2012-13); defender Carl Piergianni (2011/12); winger Kaine Felix (2016/17); and strikers Richard Brodie (2016) and Lamin Colley (2015). But, going further back in time, cultured midfielder Tom Bennett (1995-2000) and winger Alan Daley (1956-58), together with strikers Keith Alexander (1990), Peter Duffield (1993), Anthony Elding (2007-08 and 2011), Jason Lee (1991) and Bob Newton (1986), have also worn the amber and black of Boston. Lee also served as player-manager at York Street during 2011/12, while another former County striker, Ernie Moss (1986/87), was assistant manager there from 1992 to 1994. And current Boston midfielder Jamie McGuire was a pre-season trialist for the Hatters in 2006.

5. Having a Tea Party before setting off for this one?

Putting the Lipton on ice as we speak…

Weather forecast looks a good deal better for tomorrow - but, in view of how heavy and worn the pitch looked two days ago, I hope the sunshine is not too late!

'Take Five' now up on COWS:

www.stockportcounty.com/take-five-2018-boston-united/

As a result of the postponement, 2 of their better players (who were given straight reds on Saturday and who would have been able to play tomorrow) will be suspended for the 20th. One was sent off for his reaction to receiving a sickening 'tackle' in front of the ref which really should have broken his leg - the York player who perpetrated it got a yellow, albeit his 2nd yellow. Truly worrying the amount of straight reds that are not given.