Bedford FC

[LondonEagle]

Thanks.

Neither side will be happy now! On one side it's been promised to Bedford Town already, and on other side they are discussing extending it with Real Bedford!

 

 

 

[Rhodes]

44 minutes ago, LondonEagle said:

Thanks.

Neither side will be happy now! On one side it's been promised to Bedford Town already, and on other side they are discussing extending it with Real Bedford!

LondonEagle - Yes, it's all getting a bit out of hand, I don't know whether you have seen the recent 'handbags' on Twitter:

We have been subjected to two years of relentless hostility from Bedford Town. Mitchell Pearson recently submitted a false accusation regarding our club to The FA. We have made every attempt to work productively with the them and supported them in their endeavours.

[LondonEagle]

Peter wound everyone at Bedfirrd Town up from Day 1 to be fair, with all his talk of history counting for nothing, Premier League in 10 years, said on national radio or a podcast that he had been to watch Bedford Town a few times previously but it was a 'crap experience.'

Have seen more than one tweet from American Real Bedford fans saying how they could just buy up Bedford Town's ground if they need to expand.

Not sure if he expected them to invite him round for drinks after everything that's been said.

Who knows what would have happened if Peter had been successful in buying Bedford Town. They could even be playing in National League North now with the amount of financial backing that he's shown he has, and he wouldn't have any headaches about a lease either as they have a 99 year one, I think.          

 

Edited January 26 by LondonEagle

[Rhodes]

Real Bedford Ladies take on Watford Ladies Development tomorrow (Sunday 28 January) at McMullen Park in the Quarter Finals of the Eastern Region Women's League Cup, kick off 1.30pm. Watford Ladies Development play in the Eastern Region Women's League Division One South however have an identical 100% League record with Real Bedford Ladies with twelve wins from twelve fixtures so clearly it will not be a cake walk tomorrow despite the one tier playing difference:

[Rhodes]

On 20/01/2024 at 13:00, LondonEagle said:

Seems crazy to me that a successful businessman like Peter McCormack would spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on developing the facilities at McMullen Park, without first ensuring that he had a lease on the ground behind 2026.
If I was a Real Bedford investor, I'd be a tad miffed that I may have effectively thrown hundreds of thousands of pounds in the bin due to McCormack's lack of business acumen in spending so much money without first ensuring the lease extension was first signed, sealed and delivered.

LondonEagle - Someone else picked up on your point (see below) and there are a number of other critical and disparaging comments on Twitter however how can you possibly criticise Mr McCormack for what he is trying to achieve, not only for Real Bedford but for Bedford, can you imagine Luton Town and Real Bedford meeting in two Premier League fixtures in 2031/32, if Luton are still in the top flight that is:

Peter, let me get this straight. You’re building a business on land you don’t own. Land you don’t have a long-term lease on. Land they can easily take away from you in two years. Help me understand why that is a good plan.

To be honest I don't think residents of Bedford really like Real Bedford, so I'm not surprised this happens.

[Rhodes]

Lets get ready to rumble for later this afternoon folks, unfortunately there doesn't appear to be a live stream from the fixture at Hitchin Road for overseas fans to enjoy, see the match programme:

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/files.pitchero.com%2Fclubs%2F1770%2FGbB9xCzTRaWADYhmHt4v_Programme_Vol+16_Iss14_Real+Bedford.pdf

[LondonEagle]

Got to hand it for what Peter is trying to do, but Bedford Borough Council have never supported football in the town.

They let the original Bedford Town die in the 80s.  Who were a major force in non-league football.

Then when rhey reformed, they gave them a piece of land miles out of town between a sewage works and an abattoir.

Sadly, their lack of supoort for Real Bedford is exactly what I would have expected. The precedent for this attitude from Bedford Council go back 50 years. They have never done anything to support one club in the town, never mind two. But if Bedford Blues needed any help, they would jump in like a shot. 

Edited January 27 by LondonEagle

[Rhodes]

LondonEagle - You're spot on and I noticed that Bedford Borough Council had no involvement whatsoever in the amazing Cranfield Pavilion project which was rolled out for the 2021/22 season and where the Real Bedford Ladies teams regularly play. It was Central Bedfordshire Council who were in partnership with the Bedfordshire FA, the Football Foundation, Cranfield Parish Council and Bloor Homes who were a really decent property developer and not a familiar unscrupulous one such as Sussex based Thakeham who had Berkhamsted FC's Broadwater ground in their sights in order to build yuppie flats:

https://www.bedfordshirefa.com/news/2021/jun/14/bedfordshire-fa-open-new-3g-pitch-in-cranfield

[Rhodes]

On 27/01/2024 at 12:41, Rhodes said:

Lets get ready to rumble for later this afternoon folks, unfortunately there doesn't appear to be a live stream from the fixture at Hitchin Road for overseas fans to enjoy, see the match programme:

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/files.pitchero.com%2Fclubs%2F1770%2FGbB9xCzTRaWADYhmHt4v_Programme_Vol+16_Iss14_Real+Bedford.pdf

A surprising, and slightly disappointing, 2-2 draw at Baldock Town on Saturday having lead 1-0 at the interval and having a last minute penalty from Joey Evans saved by the excellent home keeper, however the hosts played very well as they did at McMullen Park in November when only losing 2-0, Joey Evans and Ben Stevens scored the Real Bedford goals, see the match report:

https://www.realbedford.com/news/the-pirates-held-to-a-draw-against-baldock-town

Edited January 30 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

On 27/01/2024 at 10:34, Rhodes said:

Real Bedford Ladies take on Watford Ladies Development tomorrow (Sunday 28 January) at McMullen Park in the Quarter Finals of the Eastern Region Women's League Cup, kick off 1.30pm. Watford Ladies Development play in the Eastern Region Women's League Division One South however have an identical 100% League record with Real Bedford Ladies with twelve wins from twelve fixtures so clearly it will not be a cake walk tomorrow despite the one tier playing difference

What can you say about Real Bedford Ladies that hasn't been said already, what a win yesterday against a very good Watford Ladies Development side who had previously won all of their Eastern Region Women's League Division One South League games, only conceding ten goals and also beating Premier Division Needham Market Ladies in the previous round of the League Cup. Incredibly Natasha Fensome (who else) scored four goals from the substitutes bench with Francesca Partridge adding a clinical hat trick and Gemma Croucher and Neve Mayes a brace each, see the match report. Stevenage FC Ladies and 'feared' Wroxham Ladies are also through to the Semi Finals of the competition with St Albans City Ladies and Luton Town Ladies still to play their Quarter Final tie on Sunday 4 February:

https://www.realbedford.com/news/real-bedford-ladies-push-past-watford-to-reach-cup-semi-final

Edited January 30 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

The League table following the two points dropped in the 2-2 draw at Baldock Town on Saturday, Milton Keynes Irish must have been rubbing their hands on Saturday evening, and couriered a crate of champagne to Hitchin Road, however can we really realistically see respected Terry Shrieves men over taking Rob Sinclair's before the end of the campaign and of course the two 'heavyweight' supremo's come face to face on Saturday 9 March at Manor Fields. Hopefully Milton Keynes Irish can gain promotion by way of the play off's like Stotfold managed to do last season: 

Edited January 29 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

Not really Real Bedford related folks however it was interesting to read a groundhopper's match report from another Forum from one of the other Eastern Region Women's League Cup Quarter Final ties played yesterday afternoon, between Mulbarton Wanderers Ladies and Wroxham Ladies, which the away side won 1-0. It was an interesting point made about Stevenage Ladies and I wonder whether they might now be unceremoniously expelled from the competition with their opponents yesterday, Bowers & Pitsea Ladies, taking their place in the Semi Finals where, it appears, Real Bedford Ladies will meet St Albans City Ladies or 'old foes' Luton Town Ladies on Sunday 3 March:

Mulbarton Wanderers Ladies  0 Wroxham Women 1
Eastern Region Women's League Cup Quarter Final
Mulberry Park, Admission - 3 quid, Attendance - 60ish
Mulbarton were one of the two lower division sides to make the quarter finals and made Wroxham work very hard for their win. Wroxham very much on top in the first half with Mulbarton keeper Jody Todd pulling off some fine saves. Wroxham had the better of the second half too, taking the lead after 63 minutes Tigi Robson scoring from close range after a corner, 5 minutes later Wroxham were down to 10, Chelsea Clarke sin binned. Mulbarton had their best spell as they took advantage of the extra player. Wroxham held on and will now have a home Semi Final v Stevenage on 3rd of March.
Edit - I have seen social media postings regarding Stevenage using some players in the first team who had previously played for their development side in this competition, I'm not sure if they've broken any rules.
A fuller report from Darren below:

https://womensfootballeast.com/match-report-549/

[Rhodes]

Here we go folks, the latest Podcast all about the football scene in 'God's County', namely Bedfordshire and it features Real Bedford and the shenanigans going on between the Club and Bedford Borough Council as well as Bedford Town FC who are 'deviously' staying quiet in the shadows as, supposedly, McMullen Park has been promised to them by the Council once the lease expires. Fast forward to seventeen minutes when the discussion starts:

Edited January 30 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

Another League fixture this evening (Tuesday 30 January) for Rob Sinclair's men and I have it on good authority that Stansted have happily agreed to a live stream unlike some other Club's I could mention:

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

[LondonEagle]

2 hours ago, Rhodes said:

Here we go folks, the latest Podcast all about the football scene in 'God's County', namely Bedfordshire and it features Real Bedford and the shenanigans going on between the Club and Bedford Borough Council as well as Bedford Town FC who are 'deviously' staying quiet in the shadows as, supposedly, McMullen Park has been promised to them by the Council once the lease expires. Fast forward to seventeen minutes when the discussion starts:

 

Interesting stuff, the lease expires 2026 though, not at the end of the current season, as they refer to.  

Ps most of the posts on the subject seem to refer to 'less than 2 years left on the lease," which would suggest sometime in 2025 it expires or very start of 2026, but either way that wouldn't be the end of this season.      

 

Edited January 30 by LondonEagle

[Rhodes]

3 hours ago, LondonEagle said:

Interesting stuff, the lease expires 2026 though, not at the end of the current season, as they refer to.  

Ps most of the posts on the subject seem to refer to 'less than 2 years left on the lease," which would suggest sometime in 2025 it expires or very start of 2026, but either way that wouldn't be the end of this season.      

LondonEagle - Yes, very interesting, to quote Barry Davies when Francis Lee scored for Derby County at Maine Road in 1974 😉, I meant to say that the boys on the Podcast did say that the lease will expire at the end of this season but they were mistaken. Perhaps, as you indicated in an earlier post, Real Bedford may have to groundshare with Kempston Rovers in 2025/26 when they are in the Southern League Premier Division Central if the situation hasn't been resolved by then, I assume the Hillgrounds Leisure Ground is already fully equipped for Step 3 football as Kempston Rovers have never played at that level previously in their history have they.

Edited January 30 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

On 29/01/2024 at 12:53, Rhodes said:

What can you say about Real Bedford Ladies that hasn't been said already, what a win yesterday against a very good Watford Ladies Development side who had previously won all of their Eastern Region Women's League Division One South League games, only conceding ten goals and also beating Premier Division Needham Market Ladies in the previous round of the League Cup. Incredibly Natasha Fensome (who else) scored four goals from the substitutes bench with Francesca Partridge adding a clinical hat trick and Gemma Croucher and Neve Mayes a brace each, see the match report. Stevenage FC Ladies and 'feared' Wroxham Ladies are also through to the Semi Finals of the competition with St Albans City Ladies and Luton Town Ladies still to play their Quarter Final tie on Sunday 4 February:

https://www.realbedford.com/news/real-bedford-ladies-push-past-watford-to-reach-cup-semi-final

'New kid on the block' Georgie Giddings collects her player of the match award on Sunday at McMullen following an inspiring debut for the Club against Watford Ladies Development. Georgie could well be the icing on the cake for the Ladies this season having played for England at youth level and had spells with Milton Keynes Dons Ladies, London Bees, Reading Ladies, Ashford Town (Middlesex) Ladies, Millwall Lionesses, Chelsea Ladies and London City Lionesses as well as in Sweden for IK Sirius Uppsala and in America for University of Connecticut Huskies:

https://www.realbedford.com/news/rbfc-ladies-sign-giddings-and-townsend

[Rhodes]

A very nice, albeit narrow, 1-0 win at Stansted last night following an 27th minute goal from Archie Jones, see highlights from the live stream:

Edited February 1 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

On 10/01/2024 at 10:02, Rhodes said:

Yes, a good win last night, albeit a narrow one, against a dogged Cockfosters side who wouldn't lay down, it will be interesting to see the draw for the Third Round of the competition, Codicote at home would be nice following their Second Round win last night 😉

You couldn't make it up could you, following the draw for the Third Round of the SSML Challenge Trophy Real Bedford will meet Codicote on Tuesday 20 February, albeit at their leafy John Clements Memorial Ground. See an update from the Club on some future fixtures for both the Men's and Ladies teams: 

https://www.realbedford.com/news/fixture-update-january-2024-lleck

Edited February 1 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

This should be an interesting League fixture at Pancake Lane tomorrow and Leverstock Green have kindly agreed to Real Bedford's request for a live stream:

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

Edited February 2 by Rhodes