MATHS AND HISTORY (and a bit of Geography, time keeping, politics)

Boston United FC won't excite many of you but the club has quite a history and I saw a game at their York Street Ground, a decade and more ago when the English Schools' FA held their final trial at the ground to decide which lucky Under 18 Schoolboys were going to represent their country. The ground was very comfortable and fit for the Football League.

Nicknamed the Pilgrims, the name refers to those hardy types who made their journey in the past, across the Atlantic, to the "New America" and to Boston (as they named it) in what became Suffolk County, Massachusetts.
Please note that Boston, England is on the East Coast, in Lincolnshire, facing into the North Sea, away from America. Not sure why they would want to head to America when they had Europe at their beck and call! Getting round Britain's coastline would have been a challenge on its own.

Boston United (once a Football League club 2001-7) played at York Street, a stadium that holds 6,500, since 1933, known as the Jakemans Stadium through sponsorship. Boston play in the National League North (6th tier) and this is final season at York Street, with a new home on the way.

The National League North Play Off system was as follows with intervention by Covid-19:
1st in the Division were Kings Lynn, Champions 64 pts from 32 games  = 2.00 Points per Game.
Well done! Promotion.

2nd place were York City (once a FL club) 34 games 66 pts = 1.94 PpG. They were Runners-Up but what happened to them? See the semi-final below***.

In 3rd place were Boston Utd (ex-FL)
32 games with 58 points, and crucially a PpG of 1.81.

In 4th place were Brackley Town (from Northants and Trophy winners 2018) with
34 games and 60 pts at 1.76 PpG.

They drew with Gateshead (ex-FL) 1-1 losing 6-7 on penalties. Gateshead were 7th in the division;    31 games earning 52 pts at 1.68 PpG.

Boston then met Gateshead and beat them 5-3.
Boston then met Altrincham who came 5th with 57 pts from 33 games 1.73 PpG on August 1st losing 0-1 in the Final Play Off. Altrincham go up with Kings Lynn. 

Altrincham, The Robins, had nearly got to the Football League when having won the Alliance Premier League in 1979-80 season, they lost by one vote to Rochdale, who were re-elected instead. Votes promised to The Robins, by Grimsby Town and Luton were lost when one representative went to the wrong meeting on the day and the other turned up late! Nice to see some amateurism still exists in our national game.

Altrincham this time, had previously beaten Chester 3-2 (ex-FL club 6th from 32 games 54 pts @1.69 PpG) and disposed of York City 2-0*** see above and badge below.

From the National League: Promoted to League 2 Barrow and Harrogate Town.
Relegated are Chorley, Fylde to NL North and Ebbsfleet to NL South.

Joining the National League will be Stevenage relegated from L2 to NL.
Wealdstone and Weymouth also go up to the National League from NL South.

5 UP 5 DOWN