Craig Elliott looking forward now Boston United's season is officially over

'Up and down' season will not include mini league, FA rule...
Craig Elliott. Photo: Oliver AtkinCraig Elliott. Photo: Oliver Atkin
Craig Elliott. Photo: Oliver Atkin

Boston United can begin putting all their energies into next season after proposals for a National League North and South mini-league were quashed.

On Friday the Football Association's Alliance Committee rejected plans for interested teams from step two's regional divisions to combine after the normal season was declared null and void.

"I'm just glad to get some conclusion to the season really," Elliott told The Standard.

"I'm sick of things dragging on, the season stopping and not knowing if we were going to start again with this mini-league talk.

"I just feel it's been dealt with now and we can all look forward to next season and concentrate on next season."

Boston were one of the 18 clubs who launched the Let Us Play campaign after the regular season was axed.

The Alliance Committee also rubber stamped the resolutions voted on by the National League's 66 member clubs, meaning the National League would play on but the North and South would halt.

There will be no relegations from any of the three divisions.

"I feel like that since Christmas I've just been refreshing social media to find out what's going on in the football world and it's been pretty frustrating, to be honest," Elliott added.

"Now I feel a sense of being able to plan and hopefully have a better season next year."

Friday's meeting draws a line under what has been a bizarre and frustrating campaign for United.

After kicking off their season at Gainsborough Trinity's Northolme stadium - with all their games played behind closed doors due to step two being labelled elite football - the Pilgrims were forced to withdraw from the FA Cup after cases of Covid-19 in the camp.

A further 20 scheduled matches did not go ahead as planned due to Coronavirus, weather conditions and opponents opting not to fulfil fixtures due to the funding support package ending in December, just three months into the campaign.

On top of that, United were leading 2-0 at Darlington in November, only for the game to be abandoned in the 87th minute due to an injury to the Quakers' Nicky Hunt, a contest the league stated had to be replayed.

The final insult came this week when a floodlight at the Jakemans Community Stadium, that the Pilgrims have called home since December, snapped due to strong winds.

"It's been up and down," Elliott said, reflecting on the campaign.

"I think obviously on the pitch it's been great. We had a good team, played good football and got good results.

"But externally things have been a complete nightmare to deal with. You couldn't write it this last 12 months.

"Even this week, the flodlight snapping on the pitch has just added to it.

"I think we need a breather and everybody needs to come back energised and really focussed on being as positive as we can be next season."

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