The current Bedford Town FC, from the county town of Bedfordshire located fifty eight miles north of London, are the second incarnation of what is regarded by the fans as the same club when they were re-formed in were founded in 1989.
The original version of the club were formed in 1908 and spent their early years in the United Counties League before moving into the Southern League in 1945. The club originally played in amber and black but changed to blue and white in 1951.
The original version of the club were formed in 1908 and spent their early years in the United Counties League before moving into the Southern League in 1945. The club originally played in amber and black but changed to blue and white in 1951.
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| The Eyrie, as taken from a 1970s programme cover |
The 'Eagles' league record was unremarkable as they competed in the various divisions, with a lower title, promotion and relegations thrown in for good measure. However, Town had a name throughout the game for some excellent FA Cup runs. In the 1955-56 season they reached the third round.
Having started in the qualifying rounds, they saw off Leyton and then Watford in the first two proper rounds before they were drawn to face Arsenal at Highbury. Town drew the game 2-2 in front of a crowd of 55,000 before losing out 2-1 in the replay after leading with just four minutes remaining.
The sixties were also noted for some outstanding runs. After being defeated by Gillingham in round two in 1962-63, they went all the way to round four the following season. After defeating Cambridge City, Weymouth and Chelmsford City, they found themselves playing away to Newcastle United. In a huge shock Town won 2-1 at St James Park, but were then defeated 3-0 at The Eyrie by Carlisle United.
The 1965-66 season saw Town reach the same stage. This time Cambridge United, Exeter City, Brighton & Hove Albion and Hereford United were all defeated, before Everton visited The Eyrie and left with a 3-0 victory. The season after Peterborough United ended the teams run in round three.
After all that excitement, the club continued along, until disaster struck in 1982.
The Eagles had played at The Eyrie off Ford End Road since their formation. The land belonged to Charles Wells Brewery who decided that they needed the land for expansion so they served Town notice to leave.
The Eyrie was a superb football ground not far from the town centre with a huge Main Stand and covered terracing opposite and behind one of the goals. The capacity was reckoned to be 14,000. Plans for a new ground with the help of the local council failed so the club was disbanded.
On the 5th May 1989 a group of Eagles supporters met to start a campaign to re-form Bedford Town FC. It was so successful that they obtained Council permission to play their home games on a public pitch in Queens Park not a stones throw from the old ground in Ford End Road.
The team played in the South Midlands League with the assistance of local sponsors and went on through the leagues to lift the Premier League title in 1993. To gain promotion a 'proper' ground was required. With help from the Council a site in Meadow Lane, Cardington a former tree nursery would be the clubs' new home.
They received financial support from the council and much hard work from supporters and committee members helped, with the New Eyrie being ready for the opening game against Peterborough United watched by a crowd of over 3000 in 1993.
They were promoted to the Isthmian League, going up from division Three in 1994-95 and then becoming Division Two champions in 1998-99 under the managership of former players Jason Reed and Tony Luff. Bedford won promotion to the Premier Division in 2000-01 with Roger Ashby as manager.
The New Eyrie was continually developed with Kevin Wilson and then Dave Randell having spells in charge of the team. In 2004 the club was placed back in the Southern League with Nicky Platnauer being appointed as manager.
Lee Howarth and then former Welsh international defender Ady Williams were next in the managerial hotseat before Ady Hall and a returning Platnauer took on the role. Bedford eventually finished bottom of the Premier Division and suffered relegation to Division One Central at the conclusion of the 2013-14 season under the stewardship of Craig Adams, with Lee Barman and Danny Nicolls having previous spells.
Jon Taylor became manager in the summer of 2015, whose father David joined him in purchasing the club. The side reached the playoffs in 2018-19, losing to Corby Town in the semifinals. Jon moved upstairs in 2019 with Nathan Abbey and then Mark Duckett taking charge of the team.
Gary Setchell was given the managers job in September 2020, taking the team to the Division One Central title in 2021-22 to win promotion to Premier Division Central of the Southern League. He departed in November 2022 to be replaced by Paul Davis.
Lee Bircham was appointed as manager in May 2023 following relegation to Division One Central. The new man led the side to the playoffs in 2023-24, defeating Ware and then Waltham Abbey to return to the Premier Division Central.
Bedford Town FC will play in the Soouthern League Premier Division Central in the 2024-25 season.
My visits
Tuesday 23rd June 2009
I walked around the outside of the ground when I saw a gap through to the pitch where the groundsman was working. I managed to attract his attention and he came to let me in. He was a really friendly bloke who had a laugh when I mentioned I was a Scarborough fan and mentioned us knocking Town out in the semi finals of the 1975 FA Trophy.
Bedford Town FC will play in the Soouthern League Premier Division Central in the 2024-25 season.
Tuesday 23rd June 2009
It was a stunning day. I'd been on nights and fancied going goundhopping somewhere new. I decided to take the train to Bedford, a town I'd only ever passed at high speed on trips to the East Midlands. I'd been to nearby Luton before and grimly anticipated somewhere similar. Just how wrong I was!
Bedford was a nice place on the Great River Ouse which proudly proclaimed itself to be 'a town of markets'. I walked to the bus station but could not see any signs for a Cardington service. Unusually for me I hadn't planned my visit down to the finest detail but it was warm, I wasn't in a rush and I wanted to give my recovering hamstring some exercise. I found a town map, saw Cardington Road and thought I'd walk there. Never again!
Bedford was a nice place on the Great River Ouse which proudly proclaimed itself to be 'a town of markets'. I walked to the bus station but could not see any signs for a Cardington service. Unusually for me I hadn't planned my visit down to the finest detail but it was warm, I wasn't in a rush and I wanted to give my recovering hamstring some exercise. I found a town map, saw Cardington Road and thought I'd walk there. Never again!
I walked and walked, passing the sign for the towns border and to a busy roundabout at the intersection of the A421 Bedford by pass and the A603. I saw signs towards the village of Cardington but saw floodlights the other way. I took my chances and headed towards the two sets of floodlights. The first belonged to Bedford FC before a saw a road leading into the joint car parks. A car park lay by was next to it with a food caravan which quickly helped me decide to eat soon.
I walked around the outside of the ground when I saw a gap through to the pitch where the groundsman was working. I managed to attract his attention and he came to let me in. He was a really friendly bloke who had a laugh when I mentioned I was a Scarborough fan and mentioned us knocking Town out in the semi finals of the 1975 FA Trophy.
He reminisced about the happy days at the old ground where he'd sit with his dad and about how proud he was to support the Eagles rather than watching games in the Premiership or on TV. I mentioned the walk and the grounds location to which he replied that it had really hurt the club in trying to attract decent crowds to push them forward.
The bus service was sporadic and the only way people could get there was by car which severely affected trade in the clubhouse. The ground itself was really pretty. A Main Stand had obviously been built in stages and straddled the half way line with the imposing multi purpose clubhouse standing behind it. Flat open standing was either side.
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To the left was a long low cover which reached virtually all the way behind the goal with a couple of steps of terracing. The far side was flat standing until a small cover interrupted on the half way line, again with a few steps. The same lay out was behind the other goal. At least fans had a choice of cover on all four sides with the opportunity to extend in the future.
Everything was in pristine condition with the perimeter fences made from wood with large trees enclosing the whole enclosure. It really did look a picture. Just a shame about the location. I eventually got back into town by bus, in a hungry state as the shutter had gone down on the food hut by the time I re-emerged.
After checking out all the usual sources for the weeks fixtures, a friendly against a Cambridge United XI looked a good option, especially with me finishing work at 2.30pm and Ian being off for the week and suggesting that he could take me to a couple of other clubs in his car before hand for me to take some photos.
He collected me at Bedford station at just gone 4pm, with the news that Bradley Wiggins had just secured GB's second Olympic gold of the day. This made me even happier. I loved a day out to places new anyway, but I'd fallen in love with the Olympics in London.
After visits to AFC Kempston Rovers and Wootton Blue Cross, we had a ride through some pretty places before settling down for a tea time pint in The Guinea in the village of Moggerhanger after our original choice in Willington was closed. We were a bit early, but we headed back towards Bedford and to the ground.
The car park already had some occupants as the players and staff arrived. We had to wait ten minutes before the turnstiles opened to pay out £7 admission, and then a further twenty for the bar; although Ian was otherwise busy at the programme shop. Incidentally there were no programmes being issued for the game.
The bar was a huge room, with a stage for functions and a giant screen above it, which was soon showing Olympic action. The attendance was sparse, yet that Olympic magic had struck everywhere as a few middle aged blokes seemed engrossed in mens judo! There was no hand pumped beer as the amiable staff told me that they didn't sell enough in the off season. I settled for a fine bottle of Waggle Dance honey beer.
A few more entered the bar as kick off approached. I found another extremely strong bottle of beer which was a shock, but very pleasant at the same time as I surveyed a surreal scene summing up the Olympics and how the public had got involved. A bloke came in and saw the TV was showing the build up to the GB v Uruguay game and he said, "Oh no. Not f...ing football."
I went outside to the unaltered arena from my last visit. I snaffled a team sheet from the press box as Ian joined me. The cheese burger I selected for my evening meal was of excellent quality, with a proper toasted bun. We walked around the sparsely occupied ground to the far corner, where Ian introduced me to a magnificent facility.
The Supporters Club had their own tea hut, and what a beauty it was. It took me back to my days as a kid going to the Athletic Ground in Scarborough. There was no fancy hot foods at franchise prices, but hot drinks and jars of sweets to keep the kids happy at sensible prices. I had a cup of tea, but couldn't resist the goodies on a tray in front of me.
The second half once again saw plenty of decent football from both sides, with plenty of effort, but not nearly enough action. United's Michael Gash was the star performer on show and in the sixty ninth minute he collected a pass on the edge of the box and finished past Ian Brown to the cheers of the twenty or so visting fans.
Nothing much else happened until full time. It had been a good work out for both sides and an indicator to the Cambridge staff as to how their fringe and youth players stood up at that level.
Ian had us out of the car park in no time and I arrived at Bedford station to catch an earlier train back to West Hampstead than I had intended, meaning I was back home at 11.20. It had been a fine afternoon and evening out in good company and in a fine football ground. We could have done with a bit more goal action, but you can't have everything!
I'd visit The New Eyrie again but it would have to be with someone driving directly to the ground.
Bedford Town 0 Cambridge United 1 (Wednesday 1st August 2012) Pre Season Friendly (att: approx 160)
My opportunity to visit the ground with a lift came about on Yorkshire Day 2012. My occasional match watching pal Ian Anderson was based in Northampton and had mentioned that he was a willing visitor to The New Eyrie because of the quality of the programme shop as much as anything else.
Bedford Town 0 Cambridge United 1 (Wednesday 1st August 2012) Pre Season Friendly (att: approx 160)
My opportunity to visit the ground with a lift came about on Yorkshire Day 2012. My occasional match watching pal Ian Anderson was based in Northampton and had mentioned that he was a willing visitor to The New Eyrie because of the quality of the programme shop as much as anything else.
After checking out all the usual sources for the weeks fixtures, a friendly against a Cambridge United XI looked a good option, especially with me finishing work at 2.30pm and Ian being off for the week and suggesting that he could take me to a couple of other clubs in his car before hand for me to take some photos.
He collected me at Bedford station at just gone 4pm, with the news that Bradley Wiggins had just secured GB's second Olympic gold of the day. This made me even happier. I loved a day out to places new anyway, but I'd fallen in love with the Olympics in London.
The car park already had some occupants as the players and staff arrived. We had to wait ten minutes before the turnstiles opened to pay out £7 admission, and then a further twenty for the bar; although Ian was otherwise busy at the programme shop. Incidentally there were no programmes being issued for the game.
A few more entered the bar as kick off approached. I found another extremely strong bottle of beer which was a shock, but very pleasant at the same time as I surveyed a surreal scene summing up the Olympics and how the public had got involved. A bloke came in and saw the TV was showing the build up to the GB v Uruguay game and he said, "Oh no. Not f...ing football."
I went outside to the unaltered arena from my last visit. I snaffled a team sheet from the press box as Ian joined me. The cheese burger I selected for my evening meal was of excellent quality, with a proper toasted bun. We walked around the sparsely occupied ground to the far corner, where Ian introduced me to a magnificent facility.
The Supporters Club had their own tea hut, and what a beauty it was. It took me back to my days as a kid going to the Athletic Ground in Scarborough. There was no fancy hot foods at franchise prices, but hot drinks and jars of sweets to keep the kids happy at sensible prices. I had a cup of tea, but couldn't resist the goodies on a tray in front of me.
The kind lady behind the counter told me what was on offer. From a selction of cakes and pastries, I went for a small slice of stunning bread pudding and a small traditional scone. The lady seemed a little surprise on seeing my Boro top. "Is there a day trip down from Scarborough?" she asked. I explained that there was just the two of us and we were based in the south.
While devouring my desserts the home keeper pulled off an amazing reflex save, and not to be outdone, so did the Cambridge custodian. Defences were very much on top as the half ended blank and we retired to the bar to listen to the BBC's best known cure for insomnia; Garth Crooks.
While devouring my desserts the home keeper pulled off an amazing reflex save, and not to be outdone, so did the Cambridge custodian. Defences were very much on top as the half ended blank and we retired to the bar to listen to the BBC's best known cure for insomnia; Garth Crooks.
The second half once again saw plenty of decent football from both sides, with plenty of effort, but not nearly enough action. United's Michael Gash was the star performer on show and in the sixty ninth minute he collected a pass on the edge of the box and finished past Ian Brown to the cheers of the twenty or so visting fans.
Nothing much else happened until full time. It had been a good work out for both sides and an indicator to the Cambridge staff as to how their fringe and youth players stood up at that level.
Ian had us out of the car park in no time and I arrived at Bedford station to catch an earlier train back to West Hampstead than I had intended, meaning I was back home at 11.20. It had been a fine afternoon and evening out in good company and in a fine football ground. We could have done with a bit more goal action, but you can't have everything!
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