Post by Steve T on Oct 14, 2024 18:54:09 GMT 1
This is the fourth Bedford Town FC. The club that ceased playing in 1982 when it was evicted from the Eyrie ground, not for financial reasons but simply because the lease had run out, was formed in 1908 and had succeeded two other clubs of the same name that existed briefly in the last years of the 19th century.
Without a ground to play on, the club was wound up. A new association was formed in 1989 and two years later was ready to enter a team in the South Midlands League, playing on public parks before moving to the current ground near Cardington in 1993.
Initial progress was through the Isthmian sector of the pyramid (the structure was much more rigid back then). Bedford reached the Premier division in 2001. The reforms of 2004 saw the club placed in the Southern League in which it had last played 22 years earlier.
Since then, they've had three promotions and three relegations. The high point was a play-off final victory at Chippenham in 2006 which took them into Conference South (they lasted only a year). The low point was 22-23. Having just returned to the SL Premier, Bedford looked comfortable in 12th place after a 6-1 Boxing Day win over AFC Rushden & Diamonds, but a winless run of 19 matches (just three draws in that and a run of 14 defeats, the last 11 without scoring) saw them relegated again.
Promotion this year has been followed by a much more confident start in which former Banbury player Leon Lobjoit has scored nine times to take Bedford to the top of the table.
FA Cup glory days
The old Eyrie saw some notable visitors and attendances. Arsenal won a 3rd round replay there in 1956, watched by 15,306. In 1964, Bedford won in the Third Round at Newcastle, at that time in the Second Division. 17,858 turned up to see them lose in the Fourth Round to Carlisle (Third Division champions that season). Everton were 3-0 winners in 1966 on their way to winning the competition; a record attendance of 18,407 saw that one.
Between WW2 and their demise in 1982, Bedford Town made 12 appearances in the First Round Proper, going on six times to the Second Round, four times to the Third and twice to the Fourth. They won six ties against Football League clubs.
The current club has reached the First Round just once, losing to Peterborough after a replay in 2001-02.
Bedford Town at the Football Club History Database
Banbury v. Bedford in the SL:
Other results:
Without a ground to play on, the club was wound up. A new association was formed in 1989 and two years later was ready to enter a team in the South Midlands League, playing on public parks before moving to the current ground near Cardington in 1993.
Initial progress was through the Isthmian sector of the pyramid (the structure was much more rigid back then). Bedford reached the Premier division in 2001. The reforms of 2004 saw the club placed in the Southern League in which it had last played 22 years earlier.
Since then, they've had three promotions and three relegations. The high point was a play-off final victory at Chippenham in 2006 which took them into Conference South (they lasted only a year). The low point was 22-23. Having just returned to the SL Premier, Bedford looked comfortable in 12th place after a 6-1 Boxing Day win over AFC Rushden & Diamonds, but a winless run of 19 matches (just three draws in that and a run of 14 defeats, the last 11 without scoring) saw them relegated again.
Promotion this year has been followed by a much more confident start in which former Banbury player Leon Lobjoit has scored nine times to take Bedford to the top of the table.
FA Cup glory days
The old Eyrie saw some notable visitors and attendances. Arsenal won a 3rd round replay there in 1956, watched by 15,306. In 1964, Bedford won in the Third Round at Newcastle, at that time in the Second Division. 17,858 turned up to see them lose in the Fourth Round to Carlisle (Third Division champions that season). Everton were 3-0 winners in 1966 on their way to winning the competition; a record attendance of 18,407 saw that one.
Between WW2 and their demise in 1982, Bedford Town made 12 appearances in the First Round Proper, going on six times to the Second Round, four times to the Third and twice to the Fourth. They won six ties against Football League clubs.
The current club has reached the First Round just once, losing to Peterborough after a replay in 2001-02.
Bedford Town at the Football Club History Database
Banbury v. Bedford in the SL:
67-68 L 1-3 1,627 D 1-1
69-70 L 0-3 1,559 L 0-5
74-75 L 0-2 500 D 0-0
78-79 D 1-1 L 0-1
79-80 L 0-1 L 0-3
80-81 W 1-0 L 1-2
81-82 W 2-0 168 L 0-1
04-05 W 5-1 343 L 2-4 530
05-06 W 3-2 454 L 2-3 474
07-08 L 1-2 314 D 0-0 335
08-09 W 4-0 285 L 0-3 228
09-10 D 0-0 348 D 1-1 260
10-11 W 2-0 243 W 1-0 285
11-12 L 1-2 259 L 0-1 336
12-13 D 1-1 258 L 1-3 226
13-14 W 3-0 123 L 0-2 216
Other results:
69-70 L 0-1 1,343 FAT 2Q
71-72 D 2-2 L 0-1 FAC 1Q
21-22 W 2-0 176 SLC 3
