Former centre back Noel Ward said: "There was no automatic promotion to the Football League in those days. A club had to be voted off to allow a non-league team to get in and at the end of that season, Southport failed to get enough votes to preserve their place in the old Fourth Division.
"Boston should have taken Southport's place as Northern Premier League champions - we finished second - but their ground did not meet Football League requirements, whereas Springfield Park did."
Back in 1978 few would have predicted the remarkable journey that the Latics have experienced and the prestigious position currently held at the top table of English football. A point certainly worth a drink or two tonight.
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