Boston United

Boston v Hereford
Boston may hand on-loan Darlington midfielder David Rowson his debut and defender Lee Canoville is back from a knee injury to play. In a further boost, Brad Maylett (knee), Stewart Talbot (calf strain), Galbraith (hamstring) are available. Hereford will make a late decision on striker Stuart Fleetwood's inclusion after his recovery from an ankle injury and viral infection. On-loan duo John Eustace and Neil Mackenzie return from being cup tied.

Pair extend loan deals at Boston
Boston United have extended the loan deals of Ipswich defender Ian Miller, 23, and Middlesbrough midfielder Jason Kennedy, 20, until the new year. Both players have made four appearances for the Pilgrims in the last month. \"They are top-class professionals - hopefully they can help us climb away from the foot of the table,\" boss Steve Evans told Boston's website. \"I would like to thank Ipswich boss Jim Magilton and Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate for their continued help.\" Miller joined Ipswich from Ryman Division One North side Bury Town in September. Kennedy has started one league game and one Uefa Cup tie for Boro, but has not featured in their first team this season.

Torquay v Boston
Torquay striker Jamie Ward could return to the starting line-up after being left on the bench for Tuesday's FA Cup second round win over Leyton Orient. Midfielder Kevin Hill is doubtful with a virus but versatile Stevland Angus should be fit to feature after he was badly winded against Orient. Boston manager Steve Evans looks set to name an unchanged side. Simon Rusk (knee) and Stewart Talbot (calf) are again his only two absentees and the Pilgrims have no suspensions.

Lincoln 2-1 Boston Utd
Substitute Jeff Hughes earned Lincoln victory to leave them in third place. Hughes swept the ball home from close range on the hour to finish off a four-man move which tore Boston apart. Lincoln went ahead when Mark Stallard hit a low shot past goalkeeper Andy Marriott before Boston's Jason Kennedy volleyed in off the crossbar. The Imps had chances to win by a wider margin after Hughes' goal, with leading scorer Jamie Forrester hitting the post from close range 10 minutes from time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lincoln City: Marriott, Eaden, Morgan, Brown, Nicholson (Hughes 53), Amoo, Beevers, Kerr, Forrester (Moses 86), Stallard, Gritton (Frecklington 52). Subs Not Used: Rayner, Birley. Goals: Stallard 16, Hughes 60. Boston Utd: Marriott, Canoville, Ellender, Miller, Tim Ryan, Kennedy, Rowson, Galbraith (Farrell 63), Elding, N'Guessan (Maylett 63), Green. Subs Not Used: Clarke, Richie Ryan, Stevens. Booked: Ellender. Goals: Kennedy 38. Att: 6,820 Ref: M Thorpe (Suffolk).

Ellender sorry about strike talk
Boston captain Paul Ellender has apologised on behalf of the team after admitting talk of strike action had distracted them from the task in hand. The players were angry about not being paid and subsequently lost 4-0 to fellow strugglers Rochdale, but the club said they will be paid on Tuesday. \"The players talked about strike action on Friday,\" Ellender told the club's official website. \"We now appreciate it was ill-timed and was an error of judgment on our part.\" Boston announced on Friday that the players would receive their wages for December on Tuesday. \"These are worrying times for all the players and staff, especially around Christmas,\"said Ellender. \"But we should have prepared properly for the Rochdale game by focusing solely on the match in hand. \"In hindsight, we let that talk get the better of our preparations, considering we were told very early last Friday that we would be getting paid on 2 January.\"

Boston Utd 0-1 Bury
Andy Bishop struck four minutes from time to hand Bury a scrappy victory and ease the visitors' relegations fears. Boston had the better of the opening exchanges with Francis Green spurning two fine early opportunities. Glynn Hurst then missed a sitter for the visitors, but his blushes were spared when Bishop swivelled to fire in from Dave Kempson's knock-down. The win ended Bury's 16-match winless run and dealt a severe blow to Boston's hopes of survival. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Boston Utd: Marriott, Stevens, Cryan, Greaves, Clarke, Talbot, Cooksey (Galbraith 81), Farrell, Green, Broughton, Joynes (Maylett 71). Subs Not Used: Rowntree. Bury: Warrington, Challinor, Brass (Baker 38), Kempson, Scott, Jason Kennedy, Buchanan, Woodthorpe, Mocquet (Pugh 66), Bishop, Hurst (Youngs 90). Subs Not Used: Thomas Kennedy, Fitzgerald. Goals: Bishop 86. Att: 1,946. Ref: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).

League withholds Boston payment
Troubled Boston United have had their share of a cash hand-out withheld by the Football League. Around £100,000 normally paid to League Two clubs from television and sponsorship revenues has not been paid due to "uncertainties" at York Street. A Football League spokesman said: "As in previous cases of this kind, the League has withheld the payment. "This is due to current uncertainties as well as the club's outstanding debts to the League and fellow clubs." Boston, who have reported debts of over £1m and are two months behind in paying staff wages, are due to meet creditors on Wednesday. The club, who are struggling to avoid relegation into the Conference, are thought to be considering going into a Company Voluntary Arrangement in a bid to stave off possible liquidation. However, any decision is likely to be delayed until after the season finishes to avoid incurring an immediate 10-point penalty, which would send them down. Boston had less then 11 fully fit professional players for their game against Chester City last Saturday and could name only three substitutes. They have also travelled to some recent away games in cars to cut costs.

League concern over Boston future
The Football League has written to Boston United ahead of Saturday's crucial League Two match at fellow relegation-threatened side Wrexham. Boston must win to avoid the drop - but a victory for them would send Wrexham down if Macclesfield avoid defeat. A Company Voluntary Agreement has been proposed to pay off Boston's creditors. However, that would see them deducted 10 points - and the letter hints that the League reserve the right to decide when any deduction would take place. The League is also concerned that there is "little prospect" of football creditors being paid in full under the CVA - which is a requirement of the League's articles and insolvency policy. Proposed modifications put forward by the League to resolve the issue were rejected - at "great concern" to the League. The timing of any 10-point deduction (called "sporting sanctions" by the League) would be crucial to the survival hopes of both Boston and Wrexham. Reports have claimed that if Boston were losing and looking set to be relegated to the Conference anyway, they could attempt to enter the CVA during the game - and suffer the 10-point deduction immediately which would have little effect in real terms. However, if they beat Wrexham and stay up, they could delay the CVA until after the season is over in order to take the 10-point deduction next season in League Two. Ironically, Wrexham were the first Football League side to be deducted 10 points for entering administration, during the 2004/05 season, which saw them relegated from League One to League Two. However, in 2006, Rotherham were in danger of relegation from League One going into their final game of the season, which was also a winner-takes-all game. Having drawn 0-0 with Milton Keynes to ensure the Dons went down instead of them, Rotherham then entered a CVA in the summer and were deducted 10 points at the beginning of this season. But on Friday, Leeds United - all but relegated from the Championship - went into administration with their 10-point deduction imposed immediately, allowing them to start next season in League One on zero points.

Boston chief bemoans past debts
Chairman Jim Rodwell says Boston's current owners and directors are not solely responsible for the situation which led to the club being relegated. After Saturday's defeat at Wrexham, which sealed the Pilgrims' exit from League Two, it was confirmed the club would be going into administration. He told SSB: "The club's lurched from crisis to crisis. "We just couldn't make the repayments to the Revenue. Most of the debt is historic - it still is." Rodwell added: "If you look at the level of the debt and the historic debt and the biggest one being to the Inland Revenue it's not a lot bigger than it was three or four years ago."

Boston await news on League fate
Boston must wait to see if they will be accepted back into the Conference after their exit from the Football League. The Pilgrims were relegated on Saturday after losing 3-1 at Wrexham. During the game chairman Jim Rodwell entered Boston into a Company Voluntary Arrangement, preferring the docking of 10 points to apply this season. That has raised serious concerns with Conference bosses, who will discuss Boston's predicament at a board meeting on Thursday. Conference vice-chairman Charles Clapham said: "It's a unique situation with them going into administration in the last two minutes of the last game of the season. "Whichever way you look at it, you can't turn around and say that this is sending out the right message in the world of football. "It might be technically legal, but morally it's sending out the wrong message to creditors. "In conjunction with the Football League, we'll have to look long and hard at the rules and the legality of it all in order to see what the implications will be. "Leeds entered administration to save themselves a 10-point deduction next season and now a precedent has been set. "It seems that clubs are using a loophole in the rules and I'm sure it will catch the attention of the ruling bodies. "You've got to look at the trail of destruction which has been left behind and the people who've been good enough to give them credit. "Maybe in the future clubs won't be able to get credit because of this type of action."

Evans & Raynor leave Boston roles
Boston United manager Steve Evans and his assistant Paul Raynor have resigned from the club with immediate effect. The Pilgrims went into administration during the final game of this season and were relegated to the Conference. Evans told the club's website: "This was a hard decision but, given events over the last few weeks and months, it was the only decision we could make. "We have families to support and we need to be given at least some chance of doing the job we're employed to do." The management duo had been in talks with Pilgrims chairman Jim Rodwell over the last few days. Rodwell told the club's website: "It is with great reluctance that I accepted the resignation of Steve and this was quickly followed by that of Paul. "However, given our current situation, I can understand why they have left with immediate effect." Evans was originally appointed manager of Boston in October 1998 following the resignation of Greg Fee. Evans led Boston United to promotion to the Football League in April 2002 but left the club at the end of an FA investigation. However, he returned to Boston in March 2004 and worked his magic again as the Pilgrims reached their highest League standing of 11th position in the fourth tier. Raynor, a former Boston player, rejoined the club in February 2004 to take up the role of first-team coach. He was then promoted to assistant manager when Evans returned to the club.

Fund started to save sorry Boston
A special fund has been set up to try to save ailing Boston United from going out of business. The club have asked local businesses and individuals to contribute to the fund that could be used to buy the club should a potential takeover collapse. Negotiations between the Standing Alone consortium and the current owners have been ongoing for the last six months. Boston were relegated from the league then demoted to Blue Square North after breaking rules regarding debts. In all, they owe about £3m to a number of creditors and have entered into a form of administration known as a CVA. Sunday's meeting was called by the club's former chief executive Barrie Pierpoint and long-serving general manager John Blackwell. "We need to have a plan B and this is it," Pierpoint said. "I'm not here for an ego trip, I'm not here for land deals, I'm just here to try and help you."

Bastock in line for Boston return
Rushden and Diamonds keeper Paul Bastock could be on his way back to former club Boston United. Boston boss Tommy Taylor wants to take the 37-year-old back to the club where he holds the all-time appearance record after playing in more than 600 games. However, the move has been held up as Diamonds were unable to sign a loan keeper before last Thursday's deadline. "Paul is 100% behind returning and it's just a matter of time," Taylor told the Lincolnshire Echo.

'Season is over' says Boston boss
Manager Tommy Taylor says Boston United have no chance of making the play-offs at the end of the season. The Pilgrims were beaten 1-0 by Barrow on Tuesday, slipping to 11th in Blue Square North and twelve points behind the play-off places. "The season is over for us but we have got to keep it going," the Boston boss told SSB. Taylor's team suffered a double relegation from League Two at the end of last season.

Weaver and Ellender leave Boston
Defenders Paul Ellender and Simon Weaver have left Boston United after failing to agree new deals. Captain Ellender, who was Boston's longest-serving player, has joined Blue Square North rivals Alfreton Town after rejecting a new deal at York Street. Ellender, 33, who played 275 times for United in seven years, had been with Boston since they were in the League. Weaver, who had a six-month spell with the Pilgrims, has agreed a deal to join divisional rivals King's Lynn. Ellender becomes the fourth new face at the Impact Arena following the signings of Danny Mayman, Danny Davidson and Martin McIntosh.

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