England weren't the only side winning a football trophy in 1966 - Boston United picked up a couple of their own.
| After being within a whisker of going out of business in 1964, Boston United had remained alive by spending a season in the Premier Division of the Boston and District League. At the end of that season Boston switched to the United Counties League and former Irish international Don Donovan was appointed player-manager after being released by Grimsby Town. He brought with him a few players from Grimsby's reserve side that had just been disbanded including two youngsters who were to become the backbone of the Boston side for many seasons to come; full back John Lakin and wing half Billy Howells. Other signings included centre-forward Tony Richardson from Ramsgate, striker Paddy Roche from Margate, outside left Barry Johnstone who had been with Luton and Aston Villa juniors and veteran 'keeper Ken Oxford who had just been released by Port Vale. The highlight of the pre-season games was a match against Second Division Derby County which saw Boston come back from being 3-0 down to gain a 3-3 draw. |
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Boston only lost three league games all season. The first defeat was against lowly Kettering Reserves at the end of October, who despite being on the defensive for most of the game took a 2-0 lead in the first half with the Boston players claiming that the second goal had been pushed home via a hand. Boston got a goal back in the second half, but couldn't find an equaliser. Boston won the reverse fixture 8-0 a month later. The second defeat was at Peterborough United Athletic at the beginning of December. As it happened Peterborough United Reserves were without a fixture that Saturday so they decided to field their reserve side – complete with a few first team players – as Athletic. Not surprisingly the Posh side came out on top 4-1. This now left Bourne Town topping the table. Bourne had former Boston stars Geoff and Don Hazledine in their team and they were scheduled to meet Boston at York Street the following weekend. This game reunited the Hazledine brothers with another member of the side that had defeated Derby County in the FA Cup ten years earlier as defender Geoff Snade was still turning out for Boston. Boston won 3-1 in atrocious conditions. John Lakin gave Boston the lead with a left footed shot from the edge of the area eight minutes before half-time. Howard Swain netted twice in the first ten minutes of the second half. Bourne got a consolation goal when Kelly headed a Don Hazledine free kick past Ken Oxford. A run of 15 successive league wins – which included a record 12-0 win against Wisbech Reserves - saw Boston climb back to the top of the table. Just as it looked like they were about to clinch the title they suffered their third defeat – going down 2-0 at Desborough when defender Brian Jackson turned up 15 minutes after kick-off due to his being involved in a road accident on the way to the game in a taxi. The title was finally confirmed after Boston won their final game 1-0 at Wellingborough. In his end of season analysis Don Donovan announced that he had been most pleased with the performances of his two "discoveries" – Bobby Baker and Howard Swain – who he had picked up from local junior football. Baker finished the season as top scorer with 39 goals. Boston also recorded their biggest ever win this season - defeating Wisbech Reserves 12-0 with Baker, Jimmy Rayner and Fell all recording hat-tricks.
Boston also won the United Counties League Cup. Wins over Holbeach, Peterborough United Athletic and Wisbech Reserves took Boston to the final against Bletchley with the match taking place at their Manor Field ground. With no substitutes allowed, Bletchley went down to 10 men on 23 minutes when full back Abrahams went off with an ankle injury after colliding with a Boston forward. Howard Swain gave Boston the lead five minutes later after Jimmy Fell had dribbled through the Bletchley defence to set up the goal. Just before the interval Bobby Baker doubled Boston's lead following a goal-mouth scrimmage. Further goals by Baker and Swain in the second half made the result certain. The Cup was presented to Boston, along with tankards to both teams, by recently elected Labour MP for Buckingham and future media mogul – Robert Maxwell.
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