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Boston United Squad 2008/09


Management and Support Staff

John Blackwell JOHN BLACKWELL General Manager

Born: Kirton
Now lives: Boston

John Blackwell has been involved with the club for many years, helping with the coaching and running the reserve team in the seventies, as Club Secretary from 1978 onwards and as General Manager since 1998. He has even been on the substitute's bench three time for the Pilgrims. He was a member of the Vauxhall Conference Management Committee for nine years and the Unibond League Management Commitee for five years. As a youngster he started off as a goalkeeper with Tower Road School and Kitwood Boys School. He played in successive Pitcher Cup final victories for Kitwood, the first as a keeper against George Farmer, the second as a striker against Sleaford. His prowess at junior level won him a trial with Peterborough United, but he decided to play locally, first with Boston Athletic, then Real Towell. His biggest disappointment is that he was not good enough to play football at a top level. The match he most remembers is the FA Trophy semi-final against Altrincham at York Street back in 1985. In his leisure time he enjoys watching sport on TV, reading the Saturday evening football papers and being with his family.


Playing Staff


Martyn Margarson MARTYN MARGARSON b. 7/6/1988 Goalkeeper

Born: England
Previous clubs: Rushden & Diamonds.

Martyn Margarson joined Boston United from Rushden & Diamonds in September 2008 to provide competition for the goalkeeping position with Chris Wright. He had made three first team appearances for the Diamonds before arriving at Boston to gain more first team experience. He had been spotted by Rushden scouts at an under 16 county trial in Lincoln which resulted in him signing a scholarship deal with the club in August 2004.


Tom Matthews TOM MATTHEWS b. 17/3/1987 Defender

Born: ?
Previous clubs: Hull City.

Joined the Pilgrims in July 2007 after impressing in pre-season games.


Matt Bloomer MATT BLOOMER b. 3/11/1978 Defender

Born: Grimsby
Previous clubs: Grimsby Town, Lincoln City, Hull City, Telford United, Cambridge United.

Joined the Pilgrims from Grimsby Town in July 2007 after impressing in pre-season games.


Liam Green LIAM GREEN b. 17/3/1988 Defender

Born: Grimsby
Previous clubs: Doncaster Rovers.

Joined the Pilgrims in July 2007 after impressing in pre-season games. Playing part-time with Boston United allowed him to combine playing with studying for a Foundation Degree in Exercise and Fitness Management at Loughborough University. He was also selected for the English Universities squad competing in the British Universities Games in April 2008.


Ryan Clarke RYAN CLARKE b. 22/1/1984 Defender

Born: Sutton Coldfield
Previous clubs: Notts County, Leigh RMI, Alfreton Town, Worcester City.

After impressing in trials with the reserves at the end of the 2002/3 season, Ryan Clarke was offered a contract and he signed up in the close season. He had previously been a scholar at Notts County. He left the club to join Leigh RMI after turning out just eight times for the Pilgrims. Later played for Alfreton Town where he was voted "Player of the Year" in 2007, before joining Worcester City for a four figure sum and where he was voted their "Player of the Year" in 2008. He rejoined the Pilgrims in June 2008.


Liam Parker LIAM PARKER b. 22/2/1986 Defender

Born: Skegness
Previous clubs: Grimsby Town, Boston Town.

Liam Parker signed for the Pilgrims from neighbours Boston Town in June 2008 shortly after his brother Wes had also joined the club. He had started his footballing career as a schoolboy with Grimsby Town.


Wes Parker WES PARKER b. 7/12/1983 Midfield

Born: Skegness
Previous clubs: Grimsby Town, Gainsborough Trinity.

Wes Parker signed for the Pilgrims from local rivals Gainsborough Trinity in May 2008. He had started his footballing career as a trainee with Grimsby Town, making 9 appearances for the Mariners before his move to Gainsborough.


Lee Beeson LEE BEESON b. 4/2/1990 Midfield

Born: ?
Previous clubs: Grimsby Town.

Local lad Lee Beeson joined Boston United's Centre of Excellence from Grimsby Town in 2005 and has progressed to the first team, making his debut against Solihull Moors in October 2007.


Stewart Talbot STEWART TALBOT b. 14/6/1973 Midfielder

Born: Birmingham
Previous clubs: Moor Green, Port Vale, Rotherham United, Shrewsbury Town, Brentford.

Midfielder Stewart Talbot joined Boston United from Brentford in June 2005. The 33 year old signed a two year deal with the club after requesting a free transfer from the Bees. He began his footballing career with Moor Green, helping the Beazer Homes League side to win the Midland Floodlit Cup. A move into the Football League to Port Vale followed in 1994. After six seasons with the "Valiants" he joined Rotherham United in July 2000 and he had three seasons with them before having a loan spell with Shrewsbury and then a free transfer to Brentford in February 2004. He was team captain for Brentford in 2004/5 and saw his side reach the League One play-offs, only to be beaten in the semi-final by Sheffield Wednesday. Overall he had made 308 League appearances, scoring 23 goals. His desire to move closer to his family prompted his request for a transfer.


Steve Melton STEVE MELTON b. 3/10/1978 Midfield

Born: Lincoln
Previous clubs: Nottingham Forest, Stoke City, Brighton & Hove Albion, Hull City, King's Lynn.

Midfielder Steve Melton joined Boston United from Hull City in March 2004. He can play in either in the centre or right side of midfield. During his League career prior to joining Boston he made 99 first team appearances scoring five goals. He left Boston after three seasons after making just 21 appearances but rejoined the Pilgrims in September 2008 from King's Lynn.


David Farrell DAVID FARRELL b. 11/11/1971 Midfield

Born: Birmingham
Previous clubs: Redditch United, Aston Villa, Wycombe Wanderers, Peterborough United and Burton Albion.

Experienced midfielder David Farrell joined Boston United in the summer of 2006 from local rivals Peterborough United where he had spent the previous nine seasons making 395 appearances scoring 52 goals. He can play on either wing. He left the Pilgrims following their relegation from the Football League and had a season playing for Burton Albion before rejoining the club in the summer of 2008.


Jon Froggatt JON FROGGATT 23/9/1981 Forward

Born: ?
Previous clubs: Leeds United, Worksop Town.

Joined the Pilgrims in July 2007 after impressing in pre-season games. He was top scorer with Worksop Town in the previous season with 18 goals.


Kieran Leabon KIERAN LEABON 24/9/1988 Forward

Born: Leicester
Previous clubs: Leicester City, Swindon Town, Alfreton Town, Tamworth, Hinckley United.

Former Ipswich Town scholar Kieran Leabon joned Boston United in August 2007 after impressing in pre-season friendlies.


Ollie Ryan OLLIE RYAN 26/9/1985 Forward

Born: Boston
Previous clubs: Lincoln City, Ilkeston Town, Hucknall Town.

Ollie Ryan joined his home town side from Lincoln City in the summer of 2008 after failing to be given many first team opportunities despite impressing with the Imps reserve side. He was soon knocking in the goals for the Pilgrims and scored a hat-trick in his first FA Cup game for the club.


Jon Rowan JON ROWAN 29/11/1981 Forward

Born: Grimsby
Previous clubs: Grimsby Town, Kidderminster Harriers, Gainsborough Trinity, Boston Town.

Jon Rowan joined Boston United from Boston Town in October 2007 after scoring 31 goals in 70 appearances for the Poachers. He started his footballing career with his hometown club Grimsby Town, making 58 appearances and scoring 8 goals.


No longer with the club


Tony Pascu TONY PASCU 19/3/1983 Midfield On loan at Boston Town

Born: Romania
Previous clubs: FC Silentina.

Romanian winger Tony Pascu was snapped up by the Pilgrims in July 2008 after being spotted playing local league football. He has previously played for Romanian side FC Silentina.


Chris Wright CHRIS WRIGHT b. 27/9/1986 Goalkeeper Left the club

Born: Colchester
Previous clubs: Arsenal, Bishop's Stortford.

This former Arsenal trainee returned to the Pilgrims in July 2007 after a season away playing for Bishop's Stortford. His return to the Pilgrims was curtailed when he was released midway through the 2007/8 season, but he rejoined the club following Simon Rayner's recall to Torquay.


Tommy Taylor TOMMY TAYLOR b. 26/9/1951 Manager Left the club

Born: Hornchurch
Previous clubs: Leyton Orient, West Ham United, Team Hawaii, Germinal Beershot as a player and Hamilton, Cambridge United, Leyton Orient, Darlington, Seba and King's Lynn as manager.

Appointed manager in July 2007, following the resignation of Steve Evans.

Taylor joined the Pilgrims from Peterborough United where he had been chief scout. In a long and successful playing career he made 230 appearances for Orient and 340 appearances for West Ham United - where he received an FA Cup winners medal in 1975 following a 2-0 win over Fulham. He also played abroad with Team Hawaii in the Pacific Conference and with Belgian side Germinal Beershot. When his playing career finished he switched to management and became manager of New Zealand side Hamilton, then he returned to England to become assistant manager of Maidstone United then manager of Cambridge United, Leyton Orient, Darlington and Farnborough Town. He went abroad again to coach Jamaican side Seba in Montego Bay before returning to England to manage King's Lynn.


Photographs copyright © Ken Fox.

Boston United Database copyright © Ken Fox 2008.


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