Boston United chairman David Newton backs Craig Elliott to keep getting best out of squad

David Newton is confident Craig Elliott will keep dishing up the goods.

York Street’s final game was the narrow 1-0 defeat to Altrincham in the National League North play-off final, where one error swung the finely-balanced contest in favour of the Robins.

But as Elliott begins to rebuild a squad for next season - expected to be played at the new out-of-town Jakemans Community Stadium - Newton is still firmly behind his manager.

Elliott arrived at the club in November 2017 following the resignation of Adam Murray, reinvigorating the squad as it battled up from second-bottom to missing out on the play-offs onthe final day of the campaign.

The following season didn’t go to plan as a mid-season rebuild of the squad saw the pilgrims off the pace.

But lessons were learned last season as Elliott put together a side that came within a whisker of promotion.

“I think it came down to recruitment. We got recruitmentwrong the previou season, we put out hands up and say that,” Newton told The Standard.

“We were making sure we got the right recruitment this season, the right characters because we wanted to be in the mix at the end of the season. We wanted some experience all over the pitch and that showed.

“The main thing was about getting the right squad.”

But the chairman is adamant that a big part of the club’s successes this season - which included reaching the FA Cup’s second round - were down to the manager.

He added: “He’s second to none. His management skills, man-management skills are second to none, I think.

“I spent quite a bit at training over the past few weeks as I had to get (COVID) tested as well.

“But he’s just outstanding. He’s a top man and, in my view, a top coach.

“I love seeing him on the training ground and, as I say, his man management skills are just second to none.”

Work continues at United’s new stadium, where the pitch now has grass and the floodlights were put up last week.

“It’s been a crazy year, it has been for everybody, particularly us moving oiut of here,” Newton added.

“The only thing left here (York Street) was the CCTV and PA system, everything else had gone and we’ve run matches.

“It’s a bizarre time and we’re juggling lots of things.”