It was 60 years ago today that Boston FC lifted the league championship trophy at the end of their first ever season.
Captain Bert Linnecor received the silverware before the club’s home game against Lysaghts Sports* at the Mayflower Ground on 17 April 1965.
One of the schoolboys enjoying the presentation that day was schoolboy Pat Rivett (circled), who is still a supporter six decades later.
As part of our 60th anniversary celebrations, Pat looks back at his memories of those early days of the club and why Tattershall Road is such a special place for him.
“I was lucky to see the 64/65 and 65/66 title-winning sides,” says Pat.
“Paul Todd’s star signing was Bert Linnecor from Lincoln City. Pure class as a player and gentleman. Another two were Harry Godbold and Clive Bircham, both ex-Sunderland.
“When the club moved into Tattershall Road they covered the car park with locally -sourced cockle shells (I remember those! – Ed) for drainage. It seemed to do the job but wow did it smell and seemed to attract a lot of seagulls!
“The pitch was originally the other way round and had a running track around it that was used for horse trotting Races. It was moved to its present position the following season. For the 66/67 season the club entered the Eastern Counties League. I can remember one of the players, Alan Withers ex-Blackpool and Notts County, telling jokes on the coach from Boston to Yarmouth non-stop. What a character – he should have been a comedian.
“On another journey, the players got into a card school. By the time we got to the ground it was a mixture of happy and not so happy faces. Realising it was a mistake handing over pay packets when they entered the coach, manager Paul Todd from then on paid them after the game. I did notice it was the ex-pros that seemed to win.
“Even in those early days it was always a family atmosphere at Tattershall Road. I’ve always appreciated that.
“It was on the Tattershall Road pitch that as a 16-year-old I wore my first pair of football boots. I had polio at the age of two and was still wearing leg irons at the time. It was with the encouragement of my mates who all played for the club youth teams and the help from Paul Todd and staff that I achieved my dream of wearing a pair of football boots. Paul Todd’s actual words to me were: ‘Its about time we got those shackles off that leg, son.’ I went on to play at a decent level after that.
“That’s why Tattershall Road is a special place for me.”
- Editor’s note: Strangely, Boston FC lost 2-1 to Lysaghts Sports in the Lincs League that day, their very first league defeat of the season.
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