Bedford FC

[Rhodes]

A recent interview with, who else, Peter McCormack, on his achievement, it's a crying shame isn't it that he's now being criticised simply for wanting to put the town of Bedford on the football map where it deserves to be:

Olly Clink is joined by cryptocurrency podcaster and Real Bedford FC Chairman Peter McCormack to explain how the club secured over £3.5 million in investment from the Winkelvoss twins. They discuss being the World's first Bitcoin Club, the teams rise and where they could end up. Peter thinks the sky is the limit and is aiming for the Premier League.

Edited March 1 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

With Real Bedford Men all dressed up with nowhere to go on Saturday it was left to the Ladies yesterday (Sunday 2 March) afternoon and they didn't disappoint with a comprehensive 5-0 FA Women's National League Division One South East win over Queens Park Rangers Ladies at the Ledger Stadium with clinical goals from Nicola Puddick. Amber Gaylor, Leyla O’Brien, Sofia Casaubon Stovold and Breon Grant, see both Club's match reports and the match programme: 

https://www.realbedford.com/news/five-star-pirates-extend-unbeaten-run-in-the-league

https://www.qpr.co.uk/news/2025/march/03/match-report-real-bedford/

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/619758344d16e93725c39d0a/t/67c6e2886f24ac66861f2c87/1741087371029/%2312+v+QPR-compressed.pdf

Edited March 4 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

There are more recent comments and observations on another Forum starting with the interesting interview with Mr McCormack on TalkSport Radio where he had the presenters eating out of the palm of his hand:

Interesting interview on TalkSport with Peter McCormack. Highlights: Aim is Football League in ten years (promotion to FL is fully budgeted), spending on wages so far has been modest, merger should happen at end of season, maybe one day will play matches in the USA.

Nobody ever asks him any challenging questions. Bedford Town's owner told me at one point he wouldn't sell the club to him "for any money in the world." At that point, he was also banned from The Eyrie. He's got thicker skin than a lizard to rock up at The Eyrie as the new Chairman and owner next season.

About Bedford playing matches in the USA? Maybe in a pre-season tour but, if he's talking League, no way in hell.

An interesting topic. Premier League clubs have talked about playing matches abroad for a few years now and would need special permission. But it hasn't been suggested in Non League before. Is there anything to stop Real Bedford from playing a home game in the USA? They would have to pay for the away team to travel there too and I don't think any Non League Club would turn down a trip to America.

They've taken the most outspoken remark from the whole article and used it for the headline. Although the article seeks to be objective and impartial, it's full of red flags for me. McCormack seeks to position himself as edgy and rebellious, when in fact he's just a rampant capitalist who's only really interested in sweeping away any inconvenient rules and restraints that stop him and his mates from making an even bigger fortune."By his own admission he “knew nothing about non-league football” until this project." You don't say! I'm not sure he knows much more 3 years later". His success allowed him to make a recent pivot as a counterculture interviewer. “I’m someone who dislikes authority,” he says. “I’m not a royalist, I hate the Government, I hate bureaucracy”. It also provided a platform and the financial means to attempt an ambitious quest to buy a local Club and take them into the Football League. “I thought: ‘I’m in this bitcoin world, why don’t I make us this freedom and liberty bitcoin Club?’” he says. “A little bit punk, a little bit anarchist. We’re going to have a ‘lollipop you’ attitude. It’s natural for me". This is just embarrassing, I always think of "counterculture" as a World where people do things for mutual enjoyment and satisfaction, not for attention or adulation or success. He probably hates the government and bureaucracy for all those pesky laws and societal obligations that stop him from doing exactly as he pleases. As for not being a royalist, he's literally called his club "Royal Bedford" (in Spanish) and paid a Sunday side £1,000 for the name, and would have paid ten times as much "if I'd had to". The guy sounds utterly clueless. Then again, spending an extra ten grand is probably like buying a round of drinks to someone like him. Then there's the Winkelvoss twins and their £3.6m investment. The trouble is that £3.6m is nothing to a pair of multi- billionaires. They won't even notice they've spent it, the Club will have no genuine material or sentimental value to them, therefore they can easily drop it and walk away if they get bored or it fails to meet their expectations, whereas Bedford Town will mean everything to their longstanding supporters.

The crux is that Bedford FC were essentially a club watched by pretty much just the families of the players, although they did have a committee as well. So therefore there probably wasn't a huge number of complaints about his rebranding them, bringing along some success, and making them the 'freedom and liberty Bitcoin Club.' Locals then had a choice of the traditional Town or the freedom and liberty Club. If Bedford Town fans wanted to support the freedom and liberty Bitcoin club, they would have done so by now, although I suspect a few probably have switched allegiance, and one or 2 probably watch both. From next season Bedford Town fans will have no choice but to support the freedom and liberty Bitcoin club, if they want to support a club with Bedford in its name.

Kempston Rovers may not have the name, but offer an alternative in the area.

[Rhodes]

More National publicity, surely Bedford Town should be over the moon, and grabbing Mr McCormack's arm out of its socket, rather than biting the hand that will feed them and take them into the Football League:

https://x.com/i/status/1896674925026681214

[LondonEagle]

20 minutes ago, Rhodes said:

More National publicity, surely Bedford Town should be over the moon, and grabbing Mr McCormack's arm out of its socket, rather than biting the hand that will feed them and take them into the Football League:

https://x.com/i/status/1896674925026681214

Bedford Town will no longer exist though, will they? The same as Bedford FC, before them.

 

[LondonEagle]

A survey created by long-time Bedford Town supporter and fundraiser, Steve Fish outlined that the “vast majority” of Bedford Town fans would accept a merger that left the name as Bedford Town.

And, given the name ‘Real Bedford Town’ was floated as an idea by McCormack at the forum, more than half of current Bedford Town fans say they would not accept that as a new club name and would not support the new club as a result.

[Rhodes]

On 08/02/2025 at 15:54, Rhodes said:

It's incredible isn't it, just take a look at the high profile speakers secured thus far for the Cheatcode Conference in Bedford in April. It's a 'who's who' and Winston Marshall for example is the former lead guitarist with the folk rock band Mumford and Sons who have won multiple awards including two Grammy and two Brit Awards, whilst at the Grammy Awards event in Los Angeles in 2012 Marshall performed on stage with, wait for it, Bob Dylan. Additionally Steve Baker is a former Cabinet Minister who served as Minister of State for Northern Ireland and Minister of State for the Cabinet Office, he considered running for the Conservative Party leadership following Boris Johnson's resignation:

Announcing our first batch of speakers for CheatCode, Bedford '25. Three days of Bitcoin, tech, counter-culture ideas, and football with @realbedford. April 11-13.

More high profile attendees and speakers have been added to the Cheatcode Conference in Bedford next month, tickets for the Conference are still available however don't drag your feet to avoid disappointment:

https://www.cheatcode.co.uk/

Edited March 6 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

On 17/02/2025 at 10:53, Rhodes said:

Yes, you're not seeing things folks, Real Bedford Ladies beat Biggleswade United Ladies 8-0 yesterday in the Semi Final of the Bedfordshire FA County Senior Cup and will take on 'old foes' Luton Town Ladies in the Final of the competition, date and venue still to be confirmed. The tie was switched to the Stratton Upper School in Biggleswade on a 3g surface and there were some clinical goals, including a Leyla O'Brien hat trick, giving the Ladies sweet revenge on behalf of Real Bedford Ladies Reserves who were beaten by the Eastern Region Women's League Division One North side in the First Round, see a match report:

https://www.realbedford.com/news/the-pirates-score-8-as-they-book-their-place-in-the-womens-senior-cup-final

Here we go folks, the Final of the Bedfordshire FA County Women's Senior Cup between Real Bedford Ladies and Luton Town Ladies will take place at Kenilworth Road on Thursday 20 March, see ticketing information:

https://www.eticketing.co.uk/lutontown/EDP/Event/Index/1991?position=4

Edited March 7 by Rhodes

[Winslow Boy]

15 hours ago, Rhodes said:

More high profile attendees and speakers have been added to the Cheatcode Conference in Bedford next month, tickets for the Conference are still available however don't drag your feet to avoid disappointment:

https://www.cheatcode.co.uk/

Damn, can’t make it. I’m having a Tabasco enema that day.

[Rhodes]

How do we see tomorrow's fixture at fifth in the Southern League Division One Central table Hadley going:

[Rhodes]

Real Bedford Ladies host West London outfit Actonians Ladies on Sunday (9 March) and a FA Women's National League Division One South East fixture whereby the Ladies can extend their lead at the top of the table with third place Chatham Town Ladies hosting second place Norwich City Ladies Ladies on Sunday. The fixture will be livestreamed:

https://www.realbedford.com/real-bedford-women-v-actonians

https://www.realbedford.com/live-stream

[RallyInRaleigh]

12 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

Damn, can’t make it. I’m having a Tabasco enema that day.

Shame, you'll be sorely missed

[Rhodes]

On 06/03/2025 at 16:56, Rhodes said:

More high profile attendees and speakers have been added to the Cheatcode Conference in Bedford next month, tickets for the Conference are still available however don't drag your feet to avoid disappointment:

https://www.cheatcode.co.uk/

Furthermore, wait for it, former British Prime Minister Liz Truss has been added to the delegates list as a key note speaker:

I’m delighted to announce that former British Prime Minister Liz Truss will be joining CheatCode as a Keynote Speaker.

[Rhodes]

Let's get ready to rumble then:

[Rhodes]

Half time at Brickfield Lane and so far so good thanks to a goal from, that's right, who else, Joey Evans:

[RallyInRaleigh]

Bedford's most unserious football club knocks its magic number down to just 25 points. The back to back to back promotion run is coming. Nothing stops this train.

[Rhodes]

20 hours ago, RallyInRaleigh said:

Bedford's most unserious football club knocks its magic number down to just 25 points. The back to back to back promotion run is coming. Nothing stops this train.

RallyinRaleigh - It's a shame this has happened isn't it concerning the merger with Bedford Town as it has taken the gloss off of Real Bedford's huge achievement under Mr McCormack over the last three season's. I still have a gut feeling that it is all going to fall through, similar to Robert Maxwell's infamous Thames Valley Royals merger between Reading and Oxford United back in 1983, surely just a long term groundshare agreement at the Eyrie between the two Bedford Club's will suffice and Mr McCormack can put some money Bedford Town's way in the short term until new owners, investors or backers can be found particularly if Bedford Town get promotion to the National League South. Anyway it was another excellent win for Rob Sinclair's men on Saturday, 2-0 at Hadley with two goals from, who else, Joey Evans, see local press coverage:

https://www.bedfordindependent.co.uk/another-evans-double-seals-three-points-for-real-bedford-at-hadley/

Edited Monday at 17:37 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

There are more interesting comments on another Forum, make of them what you will:

Bedford is, principally, a rugby town and beyond that it has increasingly become a commuter town where people's ties are to London Club's, and Luton Town. Take a look at MK Dons to see just how hard it is to crack that challenge - Milton Keynes has a population of around 230,00 and MK Dons, without any competition in the city can only get crowds of around 6,000. If you're up against that alienating 1,000 isn't a great idea.

Bedford also has very little civic pride and maybe that's not because it is not particularly famous for anything and had has very little sporting success in any sport ever. It wasn't destroyed by Thatcher like many Northern communities and there's no rivalry between it & surrounding towns like Luton and MK which can be whipped into into a sporting rivalry. You would probably get a few thousand in L2 if you could build a suitable ground somewhere, but I'd be surprised if they could become any bigger than a Club like Cambridge United. Even that would be years and years away.

Just a shame that there does not appear to be anyone who has the money to buy out the Bedford Town owner(s) and keep the name, identity and colours. If anyone knows any millionaires who like football, ask them to contact BTFC!

To be fair, that Tweet has thousands of views, hundreds of likes and has engaged people to be talking about Real Bedford - that's a success. Seriously, I know people don't like the idea of the merger, I don't either, but let's not try to say that every idea the man has is a bad one. A poison symbol on a mug is no worse than being asked 'what's your poison' when you go into a bar. https://x.com/PeterMcCormack/status/1897241448174829758

As someone who grew up relatively near Bedford, it has to be said that with this potential merger and also the proposed Universal Studios it is going to be interesting to see what the future actually holds for Bedford as a town.

The merger/takeover makes perfect sense in the business world. But what comes into play here is that long standing Bedford Town supporters have an emotional investment in their Club.

And also many or them literally built the ground themselves as the new Club is still quite young reformed 1989 and Meadow Lane built 1993. To do all that and paint it in blue and white and then have some rich business people come along and paint over it in Bitcoin orange and black will just be too much for quite a few.

The rugby ground holds 5,000 not sure what the average crowd is but it won't always be full, sometimes maybe 2-3,000 crowds I guess. The football Club's problem currently is the location, need to drive or get a cab or bus from town. most people in Bedford could probably get to Kenilworth Road on the train in same sort of time it would get them to the Eyrie and have a drink and something to eat in town in Luton, as well as generally seeing a decent standard of football. If the FC were in town centre then I'm sure a Bedford side would get good crowds.

Have 0% interest in Bedford based teams other if folded/merger team could help my team not get relegated, can you explain this comment? What has Peter McCormack done to make him a wrong'un? as with Maldon and Tiptree new owners they are many documented "red flags" already If you're saying for personal attention/try make money on bitcoin from a non league Club can kind of understand and I get could easily get bored and drop Real Bedford and kill the Club if at a level the Club can not fund their self yet nothing so far suggest a scam as with the Winklevoss twins Investment which appears to include yearly clauses to stop promised funding if factors are not met and Peter McCormack has according to the fiscal report since taken over Bedford FC/Real Bedford has put a substantial amount himself to get promotions to step 4 and on course to win league this year which would be silly if a scam.

Well, he's promoting the ideas of Britain's worst and most incompetent prime minister for a start. A woman whose disastrous budget derailed my own club's ground redevelopment plans. Anyone who acts as a cheerleader for the likes of her gets nothing but contempt from me. I'm not going any further off topic than that. Quite simply, the more I hear about him the less I'm inclined to trust him.

I bet there's a few teams fighting in a relegation battle out there hoping this merger goes ahead to give them a chance of a reprieve.

Edited Monday at 20:28 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

On 07/03/2025 at 17:41, Rhodes said:

Real Bedford Ladies host West London outfit Actonians Ladies on Sunday (9 March) and a FA Women's National League Division One South East fixture whereby the Ladies can extend their lead at the top of the table with third place Chatham Town Ladies hosting second place Norwich City Ladies Ladies on Sunday. The fixture will be livestreamed

No problems in the end for Real Bedford Ladies yesterday (Sunday 9 March) although they did make rather hard work of disposing of a dogged Actonians Ladies side who would not go away or lay down until a goal deep into stoppage time from Sofia Stovold sealed their fate. With Norwich City Ladies winning 2-0 at Chatham Town Ladies it is now looking like a two runner race to the FA Women's National League Division One South East Championship with just one point between them however Real Bedford Ladies have two games in hand and a superior goal difference:

Edited Tuesday at 15:11 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

Let's get ready to rumble for this evening's Southern League Division One Central fixture at bottom of the table North Leigh: