Grace Swan Memorial Cup

1992


The Grace Swan Memorial Cup is a rather obscure trophy won by the club in July 1992. Boston began their pre-season schedule that season with a competitive match at Spilsby Town for the Grace Swan Memorial Cup.

Founded in 1881, Spilsby Town FC are one of the oldest football clubs in Lincolnshire. In April 1882 they became the first winners of the Lincolnshire County Cup and they went on to win it again in the following two seasons. The early successes didn't lead to future glory and the club had spent many years turning out in the Boston & District League although they had recently moved up into the Lincolnshire League. The last time the two clubs had met in a competitive fixture was in the 1964/5 season after Boston United dropped out of the Midland League and put out a team of youngsters in the Boston & District League just to keep the club name alive. That season Spilsby Town won the league title beating Boston United 10-3 at York Street and 7-0 at home along the way.
Boston United had a new manager for the start of the 1992/3 season. Peter Morris – who had guided Kettering Town to third place in GM Vauxhall Conference – had taken over from the enigmatic David Cusack. Morris had made some radical changes to the Boston United squad that had finished eighth in the table - only four players surviving. Highly rated young striker Mark Hallam had been signed for £8000 from Leicester United after scoring 35 goals the previous season. A double player swap had seen Mickey Nuttell and Chris Swailes going to Kettering in return for Jon Graham and Trevor Slack. Striker Gary Jones had been put on the transfer list at his own request and he had impressed Kevin Keegan at Newcastle United after completing a two week trial and scoring two goals in a friendly match for the Toon. Tenacious midfielder Neil Grayson had joined after catching Morris's eye whilst on loan at Chesterfield from Gateshead. Midfielder Steve Chambers had signed on a free transfer from Mansfield. David Cork was one of three recruits from Darlington – the others being Les McJannet and Drew Coverdale. The most significant signing was the replacement for goalkeeper John McKenna who had finally joined Dagenham & Redbridge for an undisclosed sum. Morris turned to Kettering and brought in 22 year old Paul Bastock – who he had signed for his old club the previous season. Paul Bastock
Paul Bastock made his Boston United debut in this match

Boston won the game 11-0, only one goal shy of their biggest ever win. Paul Bastock arrived late for his first appearance for Boston and only played the second half, with triallist John Butler taking his place between the sticks in the first half. Mark Hallam scored a hat-trick and David Cork, Steve Stoutt, Darren Munton, Steve Chambers, Richard Toone and Les McJannet also found the net.

In the rest of their pre-season games Boston went on to lose 2-0 to Notts County, draw 2-2 with Chesterfield and thrash Mansfield Town 4-0. These results gave Morris the confidence to predict: "We can be amongst the leaders. At the end of the day we will be doing our best." Boston however got off to an appalling start to their league campaign and failed to pick up a win until their thirteenth game. Things never got much better and despite six of their last seven games being at home the slump continued and they finished bottom of the table and were relegated into the Northern Premier League.

The pre-season in 2009/10 saw Boston United repeat the 11-0 scoreline – this time at Spalding United. This time however, it wasn't a relegation omen, in fact Boston United got promoted via the Unibond League Playoffs.


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