Wet socks, tapping crossbars, KFC coffee and the chief scout on the bench! Craig Elliott reveals the superstitions he hopes will help Boston United cause an FA Cup upset at Rochdale

The Pilgrims boss has dried socks out of his car window, stops regularly at the same fast food chain and has a pre-match ritual involving both crossbars.

And these are just a handful of the things Elliott has to do as he prepares for a game.

“I’ve got a long list, things I do and don’t do,” Elliott said at today’s press conference.

“I wish I didn’t but you have these little things in life.

“The big one for me is we’ve won away from home in the FA Cup in every round, so I hope that continues.”

As Boston face League One Rochdale in the second round on Sunday (KO 2pm), chief scout Richard Boryszczuk will be named on the bench.

He joined Elliott’s team for the 4-0 win at Stamford, which made him a lucky mascot in the manager’s eyes, travelling with the side for further wins at Sutton Coldfield, Hednesford and Carshalton.

Elaborating on his rituals, Elliott added: “I like to touch the crossbar, both ends, before kick off.

“I had these socks I used to wear at Shaw Lane. We went on a great run, my wife washed them but didn’t dry them. So I hung them out the window of my car on the way to the game to get them dry.

“There’s all sorts of things, I have to go to Kentucky (Fried Chicken) at Sleaford and get the exact same thing, coffees, it just goes on.”

While Elliott wishes he wasn’t so superstitious, he confesses he can’t stop himself.

“I promised myself I’d never do it as it’s a load of rubbish, but it’s just literally gets in my head and I can’t stop it.

“You go on a run and it sticks in your head.”

Skipper Luke Shiels, who joined Elliott at the Jakemans Stadium has the opposite approach.

“Not really. I don’t have anything, putting my left sock on before my right or anything like that,” he said, choosing to focus on the match in a different way.

“Each player’s going to be different. I like to keep myself to myself, focus on what I want to be doing.

“The gaffer and his team send out a player profile so we have a look at that, see who I’m up against, what I need to be aware of.”