Bobby Brown
Boson United won their third Northern Premier League title in the 1976/7 season. The race for the title that season was close all the way to the end. Any one of half a dozen teams was in with a chance.
| The previous season they had finished in 5th place – eight points behind winners Runcorn. The main changes to the Boston squad were the arrival of young striker Bobby Brown who had just been released from Sheffield Wednesday, midfielder Dave Poplar from Gainsborough and central defender Steve Thompson from Worksop Town. |
Bobby Brown |
Boston began the season showing little sign of title winning form. By mid September they were in 9th place having just lost two games on the trot - to Bangor City and Gateshead. They then received a boost when young Lawrie Madden who had been playing for them at centre half the previous season returned from Mansfield. They now began to string together some good results – although there was the odd blip such as a 5-1 home defeat to Matlock Town.
When Northwich Victoria visited York Street in February 1977, Boston were topping the table ahead of Lancaster City, Matlock Town and Scarborough, but Northwich were just five points behind them in fifth place with four games in hand. Boston United had recently parted company with their manager Howard Wilkinson, who had left to take charge at Mossley. In a new approach, team affairs at Boston were now being managed by a players' co-operative being led by Gordon Bolland and Freddie Taylor. Bolland was born in Boston and had had a highly successful footballing career playing for Millwall, Chelsea, Orient, Charlton Athletic and Norwich City before returning to play for his home town club. The match against Northwich was a fierce, physical encounter. Boston had already taken two points off the Vics when a Dave Poplar hat-trick had proved decisive in the 3-1 win at the Drill Field back in October. Boston came out victorious again when goals by Dave Poplar and Jim Kabia let the Pilgrims overturn an early Northwich lead after Frank Corrigan had chipped the ball over the defensive wall from a free-kick.
Boston maintained their good form through March and April only suffering one defeat in ten games. Northwich had also recovered from their defeat at York Street and were only just behind Boston. So it all came down to the last games of the season. Both Boston and Northwich had to play Scarborough fresh from their 2-1 FA Trophy Final victory over Dagenham at Wembley. Boston were to play at Scarborough on the Monday then Northwich would play them on the Wednesday. Boston were one point in front of Northwich with a much better goal difference, so a single point against Scarborough would virtually assure them of the title. However they lost the game 2-1. This left Northwich with the task of beating Scarborough but they could only manage a 1-1 draw. They had led at half time but an 85th minute equaliser denied them the point they needed. So Boston won the title because of their better goal difference. The Boston rejoicing was tempered however by the tragic death of 22 year old Scarborough striker Tony Aveyard who had died after leaving the pitch in the game against Boston complaining of double vision before being taken to hospital.
Bobby Brown finished as top scorer with 32 goals from 52 appearances. Dave Poplar chipped in with 20 goals and Jim Kabia knocked in 14.
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