BUFC v Worksop pix

[Bunyan]

I was recently digitalising some transparencies for a project I was involved in when I came across these two old photos.

All that I could remember about the photos was that I took them posssibly against Worksop on a Boxing Day and that we won around 4-0.

Having researched Ken's wonderful web site I managed to confirm this along with the match details.

Boxing Day 1977,  Boston United 4 Worksop Town 0.  Attendance 1777
BUFC: Stewart,  Phelan,  Taylor,  Poplar,  Adamson(1),  Thompson,  Callery,  Symm(1),  Bates,  Kabia(1),      Hosker. Sub:  Moyes   No record of who scored the fourth goal - could have been an o.g.

The present stadium must have been built not long after this as the main stand on the left is very run down and the far corner (next to York Street) shows the damage to the roof of the stand which I think was caused by wind/storm. In fact the whole of that stand looks rather sad for itself when compared to when it was in all its black and amber striped splendour - courtesy of Nick Thompson.

Also, look how far we have come on the commercial front since those days. Keep up the good work Craig.

Reckon we will get more than 1777 this coming Boxing Day!

[Bunyan]

I'm on a learning curve. First time I've tried uploading a photo on here and it decided to only upload one of them - so here's the second one - hopefully!!!!

[Bunyan]

For any Newbies out there like me - click on pix to enlarge!

[Shodfried]

Thanks for putting that up, thats one of the 1st games I ever attended.

Bloody hell we had a good team then.......

[Boo]

Thanks for this Bunyan it takes me back to the time when I used to sit next to my Grandad and watch.

[father Ted]

  Scary that stand damage .. thats the end where we were sat for the game V  Orient .. Jan 1968..

[Pilgrims67]

Just remember it looking like that. Thanks got posting

[Bunyan]

Sorry but pix seem now to be only available to those logged on. Otherwise seem to have disappeared. Can any one advise on how to overcome this or is there an easier way to download photos on to the Patter.

[Pilgrim21]

Thanks for that Bunyan....... thought I was going mad when I couldn't see the pix.
Whatever happened to the disability cars like the one in the first picture ?
Whenever you saw a game in the seventies there was always at least one of them on the touchline.

[Ken Fox]

Sorry but pix seem now to be only available to those logged on. Otherwise seem to have disappeared. Can any one advise on how to overcome this or is there an easier way to download photos on to the Patter.

I could always grab them, upload them to my site and link back to them from here. Is that OK?

[Bunyan]

Thanks Ken - I thought you would have the answer.
That would be great. Thanks.

[Ken Fox]

Here they are - resized a bit smaller so they look OK in a web browser.

[Ken Fox]

We won the Northern Premier League that season and I wrote that one up for my Trophy Cabinet page in the match programme recently. Here it is:

THE TROPHY CABINET
Northern Premier League 1977/8

Boson United won their fourth and most recent Northern Premier League title in the 1977/8 season. The season began with a publicity stunt by the club. At the beginning of June all the club’s directors except Alf Bell resigned in protest over Boston United not being submitted for election to the Football League despite winning the Northern Premier League title. Unlike today where there is automatic promotion for the winners of the Conference, back in 1978 clubs had to apply for membership with places decided by voting at the Annual General Meeting of the Football League. United’s plans for election were scuppered when the Football League ground inspection team deemed that their York Street ground was not up to the required standard. So the directors of the club resigned en masse to gain some publicity for their plight. After some significant coverage in the press all the directors were however reappointed at a meeting at the end of July that lasted just 15 minutes and was attended by only two shareholders and the five directors. Their first act was to appoint a new manager. Mick Walker joined the club. He had formerly been in charge at Burton Albion.

The race for the title was close all the way to the end. Boston United, Wigan Athletic, Northwich Victoria, Bangor City, Scarborough and Stafford Rangers all vied for the title. By mid November only five points separated Boston in sixth place from leaders Scarborough, but Boston had two games in hand. By mid January a sequence of eight wins in their last ten league games saw Boston topping the table, ahead of Scarborough, Northwich and Wigan, but both Scarborough and Wigan now had games in hand over the leader. Boston United finished off their home schedule with an encounter against second placed Wigan Athletic. It resulted in the most exciting game seen at York Street all season.

Boston dominated the early play, but it was Wigan who went into a two goal lead midway through the first half. Wigan took the lead in the 24th minute when centre-half Noel Ward rose above Dave Poplar and Steve Thompson to head home a free kick from the right at the near post. A minute later Boston went further behind when a shot from Worswick could only be parried out by Stewart to Houghton who scored from close range. Boston pulled a goal back in the 37th minute when Dave Poplar headed a good goal from a free kick hit high into the penalty area by Adamson. Forty-six seconds into the second half Jim Kabia scored from close range to bring the scores level. Player-coach Brian Bates gave Boston the lead in the 65th minute as they began to dominate the match. Four minutes later Poplar got his second goal to clinch the win for United.

The win ended Wigan's title hopes, but it didn't quite confirm Boston as champions. Bangor City still had five games left and if they won all five and Boston lost their two remaining games then Bangor would sneak the title. As it happened, Boston won their subsequent game at Mossley by 2-1 and thus were crowned Northern Premier League champions for the fourth time in six seasons. They finished six points clear of runners-up Wigan.

By the end of the season Boston had beaten Wigan both home and away in the league and home and away in the league cup. Both sides were keen to join the Football League. Boston Chairman Ernest Malkinson however refused to spend money on the ground improvements required to bring York Street up to League standards. This gave runners-up Wigan the chance to apply as the top team in the Northern Premier League with a compliant ground. Wigan got the votes required and they replaced Southport in the Fourth Division.

[Bunyan]

Thanks for the season summary. Remember reading it in the programme. The last paragraph seems quite pertinent in light of the photos showing the state of the ground. No wonder our ground wasn't up to standard for fooball league.

How much longer after this season was it before the new ground was ready for action?

Thanks for uploading the photos. I found it quite dificult to upload the pix with the messageboard software and I knew from all your great match photos that you upload that there must be an easier way to do it - but I assume that is because you have administator's rights.

[Seenbetter]

Aaarrhhhh the good old days. Seven a side football left a lot more room to run around than the modern game.