Lessons from the past and a day at the Keepmoat: How Boston United acted fast to get signings secured

Fourteen of last season's squad are signed up.

Craig Singleton sat at a table in a changing room at Doncaster Rovers' Keepmoat Stadium. With him was a pile of paperwork - it was time for business.

One by one members of last season's Boston United squad joined him to sign on the dotted line.

By the time Singleton, the Pilgrims' secretary, got home that day nine members from the 2020-21 campaign were on board for next season.

United may have announced a new signing daily over the past 12 days, but the truth is the bulk of those deals were carried out in quick succession due to precision and planning.

Luke Shiels, Tom Platt, Jay Rollins, Matt Tootle, Peter Crook, Fraser Preston, Paul Green and Connor Dimaio filled out the forms and posed for a photo - scarf and all - in front of the red wall at the Keepmoat, the complex where the Pilgrims train.

With a stop off at Newark, Andi Thanoj's autograph was added to the set.

"As soon as I got the agreements in place I wanted to get it done so we sent Craig on his way to the Keepmoat and just had them in waiting," explained manager Craig Elliott.

"We wanted to get them in and get them done as it gives us all peace of mind. We know where we're at."

Scott Duxbury's signature was collected in the more traditional way, a meeting at a service station, while Terry Hawkridge and Jake Wright have also rejoined.

With Jordan Burrow and Scott Garner already on board, United have a squad of 14 in place for August at a time when thoughts would normally have been focussed on Tuesday's arrival of Gloucester City.

But for Elliott, aided by some lessons from the past - it was important to act as quickly as possible after the null and void vote came in.

"It's an unusual season that lets us plan properly," he said.

"Sometimes as a manager you're spending summer with half an eye on pre-season and half an eye on signings.

"It can take time with agents involved, so I'm really pleased we got a lot of the work done."

Elliott joined the Pilgrims in November 2017 and, within fewer than five months, transformed the club from relegation fodder to a team which only mathematically missed out on a play-off place on the final day of the campaign.

Rollins and Andi Thanoj have been part of Elliott's journey for the past four years. But other members of that side - such as dependable skipper Jordan Keane and the 2017-18 leading scorer Ashley Hemmings - were lost that summer after just one season at York Street.

"I'm more experienced as a manager and, if I look back at my career, that was a mistake that summer that we let them players dictate to us for too long and it backfired," Elliott said, reflecting on a closed season where Keane joined Stockport County and Hemmings AFC Fylde, with a quick stop off at Salford City.

"I remember it being a week or 10 days before pre-season starting and I would say I was rushing around trying to get signings in. It wasn't the right way to do it.

"The lesson was learned and I've not made that mistake since. It's important you move on if players are umming and ahing and take control. They were good players and we waited too long."

There was no such umming and ahing this year and now United have the luxury of planning for next season, and continuing their recruitment, knowing most pieces of the puzzle are in place.

"It's been busy, difficult two weeks with phone calls and getting things over the line, but I've got to say there's been no problems from the lads, they all wanted to come back," continued Elliott.

"The day the league stopped I did say to them all as a group I wanted to keep as many as we can together and I wanted to stick to my word. They've all done that as well.

"Fair play, we've got a lot of business done early."

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