Real Bedford

An awful lot of complicated history led to the formation of Bedford FC in 2002 who changed their name to Real Bedford FC in the summer of 2022 which would go on to see huge changes at the club.

Bedford United FC had been formed in 1957 as the works team of printers Diemer & Reynolds playing very much second fiddle to Bedford Town. They played on a local works pitch, Cople and then Allen Park. They then moved to Fairhill, Clapham Road and played there until Sainsbury’s bought the land. 

As part of the deal with the Council the Club was relocated to Hillgrounds, Kempston until moving to McMullen Park, which was named after a founding member, and is located right next to The New Eyrie, home of Bedford Town in 1996.

Bedford United entered into a trial merger with Bedford Town in 2000, but season 2001-02 saw them back with their own administration (see my visit below). After protracted discussions with a local football club, US Valerio, the two clubs decided to join forces and become Bedford United & Valerio FC for season 2002-03.

A full merger between Bedford United and US Valerio was completed at the end of 2005-06 season and for 2006/07 the Club used the name of Bedford Valerio United FC. With the demise of the Valerio Group in 2007, the club decided to adopt the shortened name of Bedford Football Club from 2007-08 onwards.

Bedford continued to ply their trade in the Spartan South Midlands League, where they finished in third place in Division One in the 2013-14 season under Luke Capon. The side won promotion the following season but dropped back down in 2015-16.

Nothing too much happened for a few years. Like many clubs of similar size, Bedford worked their way through the abandoned pandemic seasons before being purchased by bitcoin podcaster and local man Peter McCormack in 2022 who arrived with big ideas.

His initial intention, open to much ridicule, was that he would take the rechristened Real Bedford FC to the Premier League. Much of the clubs business revolved around cryptocurrency with a new skull and crossbone logo being introduced. It certainly ruffled feathers among tradtionalists.

Rob Sinclair, a midfielder with EFL experience was appointed manager as the 'Pirates' marched to the Division One title. Owner McCormack, not shy of publicity, got into rows with the local authorities over the ground and its allowed usage, picking up big support along the way from those disillusioned with the way the town was being governed.

Youth and womens teams were added while Real did the business on the pitch once again in the 2023-24 as the lifted the SSML Premier Division title to win promotion to Division One Central of the Southern League.

Real Bedford FC will compete in the Southern League Division One Central in the 2024-25 season .

My visit

Tuesday 23rd June 2009

I walked all the way to McMullen Park (see my visit on Bedford Town page) on a lovely summers day.  They were the first set of floodlights that come into view as I approached. The clubhouse and changing rooms sat right behind the goal of The New Eyrie. 

Indeed when the players come out they can look into the ground before a track takes them through the fence and to the pitch at McMullen Park. Surely no too senior football clubs are located so close to each other?

The site had a lot of flat grass around it with a small patch of hard standing right next to the fence surrounding the pitch. The dug outs were on the far side with an embankment with the by pass on top. The only cover was a small stand opposite which is split between red tip up seats and terracing. 

It was all very neat but a little soulless in a dreadful location for visiting supporters. That said, the club may been happy to survive without crowds and just offer players a decent standard of football to compete in?

 

While I spoke to someone next door at The New Eyrie, I asked what the relationship was like with their immediate next door neighbours? He mentioned the "trial" merger. Apparently the club were £8,000 in debt so Town paid the money for them as their major benefactor had passed away as a goodwill gesture. 

They then decided to turn their back on the arrangement and go it alone. Relationships were frosty according to my informant which is a shame in a community where we are meant to be making friends and not enemies.