Northern Premier League

1973/4


Boston United began the 1973/4 season as Northern Premier League champions. The previous season hadn't been plain sailing however as manager Jim Smith had left the club in October 1972 to join Colchester United and he had taken prolific striker Bobby Svarc with him. Keith Jobling had taken over the managerial reins – ably assisted by future Leeds United and England manager Howard Wilkinson as player-coach. The main signing over the summer had been 32 year old former Grimsby striker Matt Tees who formed an impressive strike force with Jim Conde and John Froggatt.

Home form was good, but the Pilgrims were having trouble getting points away from home with early defeats at Matlock, Scarborough and Stafford. There was also the distraction of a glorious run in the FA Cup that ended with a defeat against First Division Derby County in a replay after a draw at the Baseball Ground. By the beginning of February Boston looked to be well out of contention, being in sixth place behind Wigan, Stafford Rangers, Altrincham, Skelmersdale and Scarborough and a full 10 points off the top (in those days there were only 2 points for a win). But Boston then began to string together results in a packed end of season schedule. They went undefeated in February and March in the league, and also won the Northern Premier League Cup along the way with a 2-1 win over Altrincham in the final. April saw them play 13 matches and the undefeated run continued. All looked lost however when the unbeaten run finished with a 2-0 loss at Altrincham at the beginning of May – giving Wigan the top spot, but there was still one game left.

So it all came down to the last game – at home on a Monday night against Morecambe - who a few days before had become the new FA Trophy Champions by beating Dartford 2-1 at Wembley. More than 3500 fans turned out at York Street to see the game. Only a win would be good enough to see Boston leapfrog over Wigan. Seven minutes in Jim Conde leapt high to head home Howard Wilkinson's pinpoint cross and give Boston the lead. Alan Tewley added a second – following up after a shot by Conde had been blocked. It was enough to see Boston retain the championship for a second successive season and triggered ecstatic celebrations from the jubilant fans that Keith Jobling and Howard Wilkinson described as "the best Boston crowd ever". At the end of the match the championship trophy was presented to captain Dick Bate and club chairman Ernest Malkinson by the Northern Premier League chairman Mr D T Keighley.

Usually when a club wins a league title the manager claims much of the credit. This time however Keith Jobling sang the praises of the team coach and the players. He said: "A great deal of the credit should go to Howard. It is his planning and coaching that has made the success possible. And the lads have been tremendous. I don't think you could find a better bunch anywhere." Wilkinson responded by saying: "Everyone has had something to contribute. Everyone knows the job he has to do, and this season the players have shown tremendous character. I thought we would win the league because I had confidence in the players. The secret of our success is no secret really – it has been planning, organisation and hard work. We have demanded a lot of the players and they have responded magnificently."

The 73/4 Boston United squad

The United squad 1973/74

BACK ROW: Keith Jobling, Jim Conde, Phil Waller, John Froggatt, Malcolm White, Matt Tees, John Moyes, Paul Dolby, Owen Simpson, John Blackwell. FRONT ROW: John Croy, Alan Tewley, Cliff Wright, Howard Wilkinson, Mascot, Dick Bate, John Lakin, Billy Howells.


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