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Boston United Squad 2012/13


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.


Dennis Greene DENNIS GREENE Manager

Born: Bethnal Green
Previous clubs: St Neots, Histon, Hemel Hempstead Town, Chesham, Maidenhead, Windsor & Eton.

Dennis Greene was appointed manager in March 2013 after previous incumbent Graham Drury's Boston side had won only two out of thirteen games and brought the club perilously close to the relegation zone. Boston's fortunes soon improved and they avoided the drop and subsequently Greene was offered a contract for the following season. Greene had previously been manager of St Neots and Histon. In his playing career Greene had played for Wycombe Wanderers, Dagenham & Redbridge, Harlow, FC Haka, Chelmsford City, Bishop's Stortford and Windsor & Eton.


Playing Staff


Dan Haystead DAN HAYSTEAD b.13/2/1986 Goalkeeper

Born: Chesterfield
Previous clubs: Sheffield United, Boston United, Ilkeston Town, Hucknall Town, Hinckley United.

Dan Haystead rejoined Boston United at the start of the 2012/13 season from Hinckley United following the release of Paul Bastock. He had previously played for the Pilgrims in 2011 but had suffered ankle ligament damage after falling down stairs after tripping over a dog's toy.


Tom Ward TOM WARD b.30/8/1990 Defender

Born: Sleaford
Previous clubs: Sleaford Town.

Talented young defender Tom Ward made the step up from the reserve side for the start of the 2011/12 season.


Gareth Jelleyman GARETH JELLEYMAN b. 14/11/1980 Defender

Born: Holywell
Previous clubs: Peterborough United, Boston United, Mansfield Town, Rushden & Diamonds, Barrow.

Former Welsh Under 21 international Gareth Jelleyman, who had a loan spell with the club back in December 1998, returned on a month's loan from Peterborough United in August 2004. Gareth is a left sided wingback. In his six seasons with the Posh, he made 125 first team appearances. He left Peterborough to join Mansfield Town in January 2005 and later played for Rushden & Diamonds and Barrow before returning to Boston in the summer of 2010.


Nathan Stainfield NATHAN STAINFIELD b. 9/10/1988 Defender

Born: Swineshead
Previous clubs: Boston Town, Spalding United.

Nathan Stainfield signed up with Boston United in September 2011 from neighbours Boston Town. He scored on his debut against Hinckley United. He had a three month coaching spell in the USA in the summer of 2011.


Conor Marshall CONOR MARSHALL Defender

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

Teenager Conor Marshall signed up with Boston United in January 2012 from Evo-Stik Division One side Brigg Town. He had previously been in the youth team at Grimsby Town but was released before gaining a professional contract.


Ben Milnes BEN MILNES b. 12/9/1991 Midfield

Born: ?
Previous clubs: Leicester City.

Ben Milnes signed up with Boston United in July 2011 from Leicester City's youth side.


Gary Silk GARY SILK b. 13/9/1984 Midfield

Born: Newport, Isle of Wight
Previous clubs: Portsmouth, Wycombe Wanderers, Boston United, Notts County, Mansfield Town, Grimsby Town.

Midfielder Gary Silk first joined Boston United on-loan from Portsmouth in January 2006. The 21 year old had yet to make his first team debut for Pompey, but had a loan spell with Wycombe Wanderers in 04/5 that saw him turn out 28 times for the Chairboys. After his loan spell with the Pilgrims he went on to play for Notts County, Mansfield Town and Grimsby Town. He rejoined Boston at the start of the 2012/13 season after being released by Grimsby Town.


Ian Ross IAN ROSS b. 13/1/1986 Midfield

Born: Sheffield
Previous clubs: Sheffield United, Bury, Notts County, Rotherham United, Gainsborough Trinity, Alfreton Town, Harrogate Town.

Midfielder Ian Ross rejoined Boston United in November 2011 from Harrogate Town. Ross had previously played for the Pilgrims in a loan spell from Sheffield United at the end of August 2005. Ross had scored the goal that knocked the Pilgrims out of the Carling Cup a few days earlier. The Carling Cup match against Boston was his first team debut. He joined the Blades at the age of 12 and went through their Academy. He signed up as a trainee with them in July 2003. After returning to the Blades he had further loan spells with Bury, Notts County and Rotherham United before dropping into non-league football with Gainsborough Trinity and Alfreton Town.


Marc Newsham MARC NEWSHAM b. 24/3/1987 Forward

Born: ?
Previous clubs: Rotherham United, Gainsborough Trinity, Sheffield, Ilkeston Town.

Marc Newsham joined Boston United in June 2009 after helping Ilkeston Town achieve promotion to the Blue Square North. He started his footballing career with Rotherham United playing alongside current fellow Boston United striker Jamie Yates and manager Paul Hurst. He had loan spells with Sheffield FC and Gainsborough Trinity whilst at Rotherham.


Ben Fairclough BEN FAIRCLOUGH b. 18/4/1989 Forward

Born: Nottingham
Previous clubs: Nottingham Forest, Notts County, Ilkeston Town, Hinckley United, Eastwood Town.

Striker Ben Fairclough joined Boston United in September 2011 from Eastwood Town. He had started his footballing career with Nottingham Forest, but never made the first team before tranferring to Notts County. He had a brief loan spell with Ilkeston Town before joining Hinckley United in 2010. He is the cousin of former Boston United defender Jordan Fairclough.


No longer with the club


Jason Lee JASON LEE b. 9/5/1971 Manager

Born: Forest Gate
Previous clubs: Charlton Athletic, Stockport County, Lincoln City, Southend United, Nottingham Forest, Grimsby Town, Watford, Chesterfield, Peterborough United, Falkirk, Northampton Town.

Former Nottingham Forest striker Jason Lee was signed up by the Pilgrims in July 2004 after impressing in pre-season training. Jason started his footballing career as a trainee with Charlton Athletic. After a loan spell with Stockport County he moved on to Lincoln City. A transfer to Southend United followed, but he was soon spotted by Nottingham Forest who snapped him up. In four seasons with Forest he scored 14 goals in 76 League appearances. He then went on to play for Charlton Athletic, Grimsby Town, Watford, Chesterfield, Peterborough United and Falkirk.


GRAHAM DRURY b. 20/4/1971 Manager

Born: Grantham
Previous clubs: Corby Town, Stamford AFC.

Graham Drury was appointed as manager of Boston United following the dismissal of Jason Lee in December 2012. Drury had previously been manager of Stamford AFC and Corby Town.


Photographs copyright © Ken Fox.

Boston United Database copyright © Ken Fox 2012.


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