Pilgrims Worldwide

'Pilgrims Worldwide'

‘Pilgrims Worldwide’ is an online directory of Boston United supporters around the world.

Supporters can include details such as their age, birthplace, current location, why they support the Pilgrims, who they attend matches with, where they stand or sit at The Jakemans Stadium and highlights, lowlights and favourite players and characters from their United-supporting life.

To submit your entry to the ‘Pilgrims Worldwide’ page, please e-mail website@bufc.co.uk.

Fans are also asked to state whether they wish to have their e-mail address published online.

There is no closing date for submissions and the page will be updated on a regular basis.

PAUL CLARKE
I now live in Mirfield, which is very near to Huddersfield. I first saw Boston United in the very early 1970s and the first match I saw was against Wigan. My favourite player was the great John Froggatt, followed closely by ‘bald eagle’ Jim Smith. I watched the Pilgrims through the 70s and into the 80s, including Wembley. I left Boston in 1984 but still have family near Boston. I hope to see some matches in 2010-2011. I enjoyed the play-offs very much — still smiling about it now! The text service on matchday is brilliant, as is the Radio Bostonshire commentary. It is fantastic that the chairman’s name was chanted at Bradford and that he appears to have rescued the club.

PETER DAVEY
I was born at Tower Lane (now Blackthorn Lane), Boston in 1941. I began following the Pilgrims in 1954. Some of my most vivid memories are of beating Corby Town 5-0 in the first use of the floodlights at York Street with a crowd of over 9,000! That was followed by a game against a Uganda FA XI, which we won 5-1, I believe. The Ugandans played in bare feet, but Ken Fox’s archives point out that due to a heavy pitch, only the left winger did. The memory can weaken with time and African football can obviously improve. I remember Ray Middleton bringing his ‘rejects’ from Derby County, as the new Boston player-manager and taking them back to trounce Derby 6-1 in the FA Cup at the Baseball Ground that year. Players like Dusty Miller at centre-half and Andy Graver at centre forward stand out in those Midland League days when our biggest rivals were Peterborough United. Now living 280 miles away in Devon, my attendance at matches is limited, but thanks to the internet, it is great to keep in touch. I can still wear my shirt with pride, still shout for the Pilgrims and send the odd cheque east from time-to-time. As we learned to sing at Boston Grammar ‘Floreat Bostona’ a bit of Latin I still remember the meaning of is “Long may Boston flourish.”

STEVE HARRIES
I moved to Boston in 1970 when my Dad was posted to RAF Coningsby and I attended Boston Grammar School from 1971 to 1978. During this period my Dad and I started going to York Street and I have been a Pilgrims fan ever since. I remember the likes of Jim Smith, Howard Wilkinson, Jon Froggatt, Malcolm White and Billy Howells. My most memorable game was the FA Cup replay against Derby County (apart from the result). I have spent nearly all the last 30 years living and working in various locations around the world. I am a geophysicist working in oilfield services — currently in Houston, Texas and so the opportunity to visit York Street and see a game hardly ever presents itself. However, I still follow the team avidly on the internet and the United Live service is outstanding.

GARY HOUGHTON
I was born in Quadring and now live in Croydon, South London. I attended my first match around 1962 and my father used to take me to every home game from then on. I hardly missed a match until I left home. My most memorable match is the FA Trophy semi-final second leg against Altrincham in April 1985 (won 3-2), while the best moment is the final whistle at Hayes in April 2002 which led to promotion to the Football League. My favourite player of all-time is Bobby Svarc. The worst moment was the FA Trophy semi-final second leg in April 1980 when we lost 2-1 to Mossley. From an early age, I stood on the steps of the old main stand at the halfway line. I have later stood on the York Street End directly behind the goal. Later still, I switched to the Town End and then Spayne Road. When I get to York Street, I try to catch up with regulars Bob ‘Eggy’ Stephenson, Lloyd Walker, Dave Quincey, Mick Faulkner plus Fred, Neil, Dave and others.

HUGO SCHECKTER
I live in Washington DC. I started following the Pilgrims because when I moved from America in 1996, one of my friends who taught me about football supported Boston United! I did not like it for a few years, but after getting hooked on the Championship Manager games, I got more into football and then needed to pick a team. I had brief glory seeking days as a fan of Manchester United, but they did not really offer the same excitement that Boston did. I used to live in Hampshire and I made the five-hour trek up when I was 12 to see my first game, but as I arrived in Peterborough station, I heard the game was postponed. I managed to get to my first (and only) game in the 0-0 draw with Witton Albion a few seasons ago. I have managed to get a small supporters group (three of us) in DC, and we all woke up early and listened to the play-off final online! I was given a Mark Monington matchworn shirt by my friend, and so despite the fact I know nothing about him, he stands out as one of my favourite players. I sponsored Jon Rowan the year he was player of the year, and we share a birthday, so he’s also up there. I am hoping to get to more games, but my university year does not make it easy to get back to matches. Hopefully Boston United can come to play Boston USA sometime soon, so I can watch!

CRAIG SINGLETON
Born in 1986 and employed full-time by the football club since July 2004, I am a lifelong United fan, having attended my first match in 1993 against Yeovil Town. I currently run the club’s commercial and press department — including bufc.co.uk and the United Live updates service. My personal highlights have to be Hayes in April 2002, away at Shrewsbury Town in April 2003 (when Football League survival was virtually secured after an ‘up and down’ season) and May 2010 at Bradford Park Avenue with that magnificent play-off victory. Favourite players are Paul Ellender and Mark Greaves.

JIM SPOONER
I am 56 and I was born in Essex to a service family and currently live in High Wycombe. I do not watch them — more enjoyment travelling 120 miles to watch the Pilgrims! My family originally came from Benington and I settled there in 1960 when we returned from Hong Kong. I started following the Pilgrims after the 1966 World Cup and was kindly taken by a family friend (John O’Mahoney, who used to work down Boston Docks, who has sadly passed away) and have supported them ever since. I left the area in 1973 and joined the RAF and attended games as and when I could, even coming back from Germany for the FA Trophy final. I usually stand in the Spayne Road Stand, though originally I used to be in the York Street End. My personal highlight, in addition to the day out at Wembley, is obviously promotion to the Football League and conversely relegation and subsequent demotions through the Conference were most disappointing. I managed to attend several games at the end of the 2009-2010 season, including the play-off games and as I was unable to attend most of the games this last season, I was greatly impressed by the management team and the way the club’s fortunes have been turned around and also the excellent improvements to The Pilgrim Lounge. I am hoping to get to most home games this coming season and to some of the away games which are within reach of my current location in the south of the country. I have some great memories of the side in the late 60s and early 70s before I moved away, especially Billy Howells and more recently Paul Bastock who were great servants to the club.

JONATHAN VAN-TAM
Aged 46, I am a supporter of roughly 40 years, having been born in Fishtoft. I am a professor at City Hospital in Nottingham and currently live in Grantham. I stand in the Spayne Road Terrace and would select the away match at Hayes as the highlight of my United-supporting life. The worst-ever moment, which lasted months, was thinking that we were going to be wound up when the financial crisis was at its worst. I am not so much a Pilgrim Worldwide since I live in Grantham these days but my job takes me literally all over the world so I’m frequently travelling on matchdays (despite the season ticket) and United Live is a total lifeline at these times. Would like to ‘meet’ Saigon Pilgrim by e-mail (whoever he/she is) as we both have a Vietnam connection.

CHRIS WANDER
I now live in Buenos Aires, Argentina but lived in Boston between the ages of five and 20. I remember the first match that I saw at York Street was the FA Trophy semi-final against Altrincham and after that I was hooked and would go with friends or alone during my teenage years. I have some great memories of those days. Without doubt the best moment was the trip to Wembley to see the FA Trophy final against Wealdstone. I remember the whole town travelled down to London and waving my flag throughout the whole match. I also remember trying to get to the first round proper of the FA Cup and the hope of big opposition. The biggest downer was that we had to play Runcorn two years in a row in the first round and losing on both occasions — not really what you hoped from the draw! It is still one of those matches that brings back some fond memories as I travelled with my Dad, who was visiting me at the time from New Zealand, to Runcorn to see Boston draw (we lost the replay at York Street). I was always proud of York Street, the best ground in non-league football (even when Lincoln were relegated to the Conference). Funnily enough, I met an English guy (John Paul Kennedy) here in Argentina who used to play for Sutton United and he told me that going to York Street was like playing at a Football League stadium. Great players? There were many. I used to run on the pitch after the match to get an autograph or two and ask for their tie-ups — sweaty pieces of bandages used to keep their socks up! Chris Cook, Kevin Blackwell, Paul Casey, David Gilbert, Paul Wilson, John McKenna, Greg Fee are some names that I can remember. Nowadays, I visit bufc.co.uk every Saturday to see the result and also started to tune into Radio Lincolnshire where I listened to the play-off victory in May 2010. I am hopefully coming back to Boston in January 2011 and will definitely want to go to York Street to catch a match. Not only that, I would love my boy Casey to lead out the Pilgrims as match day ballboy!