COLUMN: Let's be having you! Fans can play their part in cheering Boston United to FA Cup glory... or make it one special farewell to York Street

Duncan Browne looks forward to Monday's big FA Cup tie...
Jay Rollins in action at Rochdale. Photo: @russelldossettJay Rollins in action at Rochdale. Photo: @russelldossett
Jay Rollins in action at Rochdale. Photo: @russelldossett

Forget Newcastle United. Forget the third round. Forget the £150,000 TV deal.

Boston United may be one match from a dream FA Cup tie. But they’ll be light years further away if they don’t defeat Rochdale in their replay on Monday night.

And it will take an even bigger team effort to get anything against the smarting League One side this time.

That’s why, with home advantage at York Street, the Pilgrims need you.

Following last Sunday’s goalless draw at Spotland, club captain Jay Rollins made it very clear the backing of the near-1,000 spectators who made their way west along the M62 from Lincolnshire spurred Boston on to hold a team three divisions higher up.

Let’s not mix our words. Those United fans in Greater Manchester were nothing short of immense.

They sang from the warm-up to long after the players were back in the dressing room, many of them losing their voices after backing the boys in amber and black throughout that hard-fought, memorable match.

On Monday they’ll do it again.

But they’ll need more.

More people. More noise.

It’s the club’s final season at York Street and maybe your last chance to be part of something special there.

That compact old ground, with the spectators just yards from the playing surface, has never been a popular place to come for visiting teams. Especially when it’s packed.

A full house will be just be what that youthful Rochdale side won’t want as they come under pressure to get past the lowest-ranked side left in the competition at the second time of asking.

If they have any pre-match jitters, they will only be magnified by a raucous crowd less than two metres from the playing surface.

Any journey from outside Lincolnshire into Boston is a nightmare at best.

It would be a frustration for United if the most comfortable part of the visitors’ day was the game itself.

And that’s why it would be fantastic for the town – those who don’t normally care for football, those who prefer to watch another team, those who thought it’d be ok to stay in as the game’s on the box –to come out and play a part.

While the Boston supporters celebrated, Rochdale left Spotland to boos and jeers from their own fans after that draw.

A backlash followed on social media.

Many a time, that reaction would have seen the Dale arrive at York Street dejected, feeling sorry for themselves. Possibly there for the taking.

But the chance to host Premier League Newcastle will have put a spring in their step and given everyone around the place a much-needed boost.

It’s the same for Boston United, however, and the people of the town.

If you want to see the Magpies at York Street, the job needs to be done first.

Forget Newcastle United. Forget the third round. Forget the £150,000 TV deal. Forget Rochdale at your peril.