As the dust settles on 2021/2022, it’s time to reflect on the season we’ve just enjoyed (or endured) and look ahead to what the future holds for Boston United as we head into the summer and beyond. Today, it’s the turn of United photographer, and fanzine writer, Oliver Atkin, who gives us his highlights – and lowlights – of the season. And if you don’t already, give Oliver a follow over on Twitter! He can be found at @oaphotography1, and his fanzine – Don’t Look Back In Amber – is at @bostonfanzine
My favourite moment of the season was…
Brackley away. There was absolute noticeable change in optimism that day, both on and off the pitch. We were fantastic in restricting a very good Brackley side and then being brave enough to push on in the last half-hour to find a winner. A point would have been a steal, so what did that make three? The scenes both when Keenan scored and at full time were fantastic, a real release of emotions, tension and joy. Honorary mention too for Kidderminster in the play-offs and York City away in March, similarly heroic performances.
My player of the season was…
Shane Byrne is a real class act at this level and I think the level of success we’ll enjoy next season hinges on keeping him and Danny Elliott. He is one of those players that doesn’t necessarily stand out, but he’d be badly missed if he wasn’t there, a bit like Tom Platt. He’s been Mr. Consistent all season, sevens/eights every week and that is exactly what you want from a player. Marcus Dewhurst deserves a lot of plaudits too. Came into a very volatile goalkeeping position and made it his own with a string of brilliant saves, he’ll go very far in the game.
My goal of the season was…
I was sat at just the perfect angle at York for Danny Elliott’s screamer in March, it was never not going in. Shane Byrne’s free-kick at Curzon a few weeks ago was a lovely strike too, stats-man Christian can even be heard on video shouting goal before it hit the net. Nice.
My favourite away trip of the season was…
As club photographer I’ve done a lot more away games than I’ve ever done this season and have – often minus results – enjoyed travelling around the country. Kettering in December was a fantastic afternoon out. Good atmosphere, big Boston following and a comeback from 2-0 down. York away in March was a fantastic result and wholly unexpected which made it even better, had the gloss somewhat ripped from that though by last weekend. Bloody York. My favourite in terms of result, enjoyment and following was probably Farsley though, a great day all round and brilliant celebrations on the pitch for both sides at the end.
I really wish I hadn’t bothered going to…
Christ. Where to start. For obvious reasons, I wish I hadn’t gone to West Bridgford to photograph the Youth Team last year. A really awful night that I still think about a lot, poor Dylan, I can only hope he and his family and friends are at peace now. Nobody should have to deal with that, my best wishes to all close to Dylan. On the first team front Stratford was the full on, traditional, Boston United cup bottle job we all know and love. Floodlights went out, it rained, my chips got soggy and we lost. And they didn’t print a programme either… Darlington away too, such a mute away end that day, especially after such a wonderful result at York. Defeat that day was almost curtains for the play-offs and those few Boston fans there reflected the deflated mood.
I think our first proper season at the JCS was…
A rousing success. The attendances alone say it all. Averaging over 1600 in a ground nobody will come to because it is ‘out of town’. I think the naysayers have eaten their words. We have facilities that most clubs in the league could only dream of. Get that end done and it is comfortably Football League standard. It has its issues, but the people who absolutely rip it to shreds because “it’s not York Street” need to consider where we were when we dropped out the Football League to now. York Street was desperately inadequate to cope with the modern rigours of a football matchday and it was also a huge financial burden on the club. It means our whole club is based in one location. It professionalises the club. Ellenders, Club 85, the 3G, the function rooms, these are the kind of things York Street couldn’t offer and they are the kind of things that will boost budgets that mean we can compete both in this league and the National League when promotion finally arrives. I think the biggest compliment I can pay to the JCS is this; I don’t miss York Street like I thought I would and to me, it already feels like home.
If I could retract one furiously held opinion I had during the season, it’d be…
That we shouldn’t have sacked Craig Elliott. That being said, had Kettering done the job a couple of weeks ago, I’d have probably have still thought this. Fickle old game is football. Obviously the acid test is next season, but what Paul Cox has instilled in recent weeks is a belief and a desire to win. I won’t deny something wasn’t right in Craig Elliott’s camp pre-festive period because we were lacking all the qualities that Paul Cox is now demanding, but I do think Craig had enough credit in the bank to be given longer to sort out the issues. One felt that the Alfreton game would have been a turning point for him, but he was never given the chance to turn us around.
If we’re going to get promoted next season, Paul Cox has to…
Refresh the squad. There are some quality players in that squad, players who’ve lost their way a little or maybe spent most of the season injured. I think the clear out we thought we needed may not be necessary, in Shiels, Byrne and Elliott there is a brilliant spine to build around. It is going to need a good seven or eight new faces to inject new life though. Every squad has a natural sell by date, it feels a few of our longer serving players have reached that point. A goalkeeper is an absolute must, you cannot underestimate how important that position is to a winning team and we’ve lacked stability in that position for years. Also seen that Scott Pollock has just been released by Northampton, wouldn’t be a bad call at all…
If Boston United could improve one thing off the field next season, it’d be…
I hate to complain but the situation in the concourses needs to change before it starts putting people off coming or putting money into Burger King instead. We understand that there may be a wait while things are cooked/staff are trained etc.. but people are disappearing down the concourse at half-time and missing the first 10 minutes of the second half. The operation there needs work, as David Newton has alluded to, it needs to be slicker and quicker. I’m sure they’ll get there. Oh, and on a purely media basis, those bloody tables are an absolute liability. I’ve seen countless laptops and phones and radio equipment go flying this year, it is only a matter of time until something expensive breaks and Boston United are paying out for it. I’m sure the Telford media man would agree after his pie, chips and gravy went flying earlier in the season. You could literally see the life drain from his face. I felt that pain too to be fair, poor bloke.
My realistic hope for 2022/2023 is…
Top three and a home play-off semi-final but I do think if Cox has a good summer we can push into a title challenge, AFC Fylde and Kidderminster the main ones to worry about, so if we can be in that top pack with them rather than playing catch up like this season the fanbase will be far happier.
Other 2021/2022 recaps
Pete Brooksbank
Christian James
Adam Upsall
Callum Bates
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