'I'd like to think I've repaid his faith in the short term'! Boston United boss Elliott keen to impress '˜superb' chairman David Newton

Since the new manager’s arrival in November he has brought in the equivalent of a whole new team, with 12 players linking up with the squad.

Some of those fresh faces commanded transfer fees, while balancing the books when adding further wages to the bill is no mean task for a club still fighting its way back from the brink of liquidation a decade ago.

“He’s been superb since day one,” Elliott said of Newton and the club’s board.

“He’s obviously an experienced chairman as well.

“He’s helping me along the way with these things.

“He’s been superb and I’m grateful he’s backed me.

“I’d like to think I’ve repaid his faith in the short term.”

Elliott’s acquisitions have certainly paid off so far, with the club rising out of the National League North’s bottom two, the side currently on an eight-game unbeaten run.

The manager and chairman remain in close contact throughout a regular week, discussing transfer targets and the current squad, making difficult decisions about which players may have to head out on loan to keep the wage bill stable and give everyone a chance of playing.

“We’ve been in dialogue by phone or text, just knowing what targets we’ve got, knowing the lads who may not be a part of it, and just sort of finely tuning the squad as we go along,”said Elliott.

Early in his tenure the manager made wholsesale changes.

Nine of those additions made debuts in Elliott’s opening seven matches in charge.

Loanees Ben Middleton, Adam Curry and Kyron Stabana have since returned to parent clubs Harrogate Town, Hull City and Derby County respectively, while Paul Walker has a dual contract deal with the Pilgrims and Spalding United and Lee Bennett has a similar deal in place with Matlock Town.

However, Reece Thompson, Stephen Brogan, Brad Abbott, Andi Thanoj, Wes Atkinson, Jon Stewart and Ryan Qualter remain regular starters.

With his squad and league position looking more settled, and with the season entering its final third, Elliott expects transfer activity - plus the chairman’s agreeableness towards his requests - to begin slowing down, although he has not ruled out further comings and goings before the end of the campaign

“We’re in a position now where we don’t have to panic, we can be a bit more choosy,” he said.

“So far I’ve had more yesses than nos, but we’ll see how that develops.

“Obviously, he’s been good to me so far.”

Elliott beat off stiff competition to land the United managerial job.

Newton was impressed with the Shaw Lane boss’ promotion record.

He said: “Not only has he been successful, but has been consistently successful.

“Craig is a very ambitious, young manager who has a clear vision of where he wants to go within his career and his ambitions match ours.”