New Year's Day Blues? Stephen Brogan wants to make it a derby double as he returns to the Northolme

The former Gainsborough Trinity player expects the Pilgrims will have to be at their best to claim three points from what he expects to be a ‘feisty’ affair between two Lincolnshire rivals.

“Gainsborough are a club in and around us so it’s a six pointer,” Brogan said, looking forward to New Year’s Day’s clash (KO 3pm).

“I’m prety sure we’ll be up for it, and I’m pretty sure they will be too.

“It should make it an entertaining game, a feisty game.

“But it’s one that we’re confident about, and we’re looking to get the three points.”

Brogan - who left the Blues for North Ferriby, before agreeing to link up with Craig Elliott’s side earlier this month - was not involved in the Villagers’ 2-0 National League North defeat at the Northolme at the start of the season.

So he doesn’t know what kind of a reception to expect, particularly now he’s pulling on an amber shirt.

“I don’t know (what it’ll be like),” he said.

“I enjoyed my time there and the fans semed to like me a lot.

“But it was a change of management (that saw me leave).

“I was offered a deal but Housh (ex Trinity manager Steve Housham) went to Ferriby and wanted to take me with him as captain, so I couldn’t really turn it down.”

Brogan, however, says he has nothing against his former club.

“There are no hard feelings,” he said.

“They might see it a bit different now with me coming to Boston, but that’s football.

“I didn’t leave on bad terms. I had a good time and thought I did well.

“Who knows what kind of reception I’ll get. We’ll see how it goes on match day.

“I’ll leave it up to them.”