Bedford FC

[Rhodes]

On 27/11/2023 at 17:05, LondonEagle said:

Wow, was the comfortable 2-0 away win at Hertford and a 9th clean sheet of the season a good win or not? Think they are now one of only 4 unbeaten teams in the league in the top 10 tiers of English football this season

LondonEagle - I see that you have 'got out of jail':

Edited February 12 by Rhodes

[LondonEagle]

I wonder if the Spartan Ground gradings have been done yet? Assume McMullen Park needs a bit of work to get it up to Step 4 standard?   

Edited February 13 by LondonEagle

[LondonEagle]

Mayor Tom Wootton's rather brief letter of reply to the Bedford MP, ref. the leases at McMullen Park.

 

 

Edited February 13 by LondonEagle

[LondonEagle]

Interesting listen/watch - Peter McMormack on a podcast/interview with the owner of Hashtag United.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTSesNqMHjA

[Rhodes]

LondonEagle - Thanks, yes, very interesting, RallyInRaleigh, Cruz and other overseas fans will enjoy watching it. Thanks also for posting the letter from Bedford Borough Council to Mohammad Yasin MP, it sounds as if they are just fobbing him off doesn't it and have no intention whatsoever of renewing/extending the lease at McMullen Park. It's now looking likely that Bedford Town and Real Bedford won't be meeting in the League next season however hopefully in 2025/26 in a Southern League Premier Division Central fixture so long as Bedford Town can manage to stay up following promotion, unlike last season.

[LondonEagle]

31 minutes ago, Rhodes said:

LondonEagle - Thanks, yes, very interesting, RallyInRaleigh, Cruz and other overseas fans will enjoy watching it. Thanks also for posting the letter from Bedford Borough Council to Mohammad Yasin MP, it sounds as if they are just fobbing him off doesn't it and have no intention whatsoever of renewing/extending the lease at McMullen Park. It's now looking likely that Bedford Town and Real Bedford won't be meeting in the League next season however hopefully in 2025/26 in a Southern League Premier Division Central fixture so long as Bedford Town can manage to stay up following promotion, unlike last season.

Yep I don't think they have any intention of renewing the lease in short-term. 

Without a new lease Real would have to spend a lot of money upgrading their ground to Southern Premier Central standard with a lease that would be about to run out, so there would basically be no point in them doing that. So who knows what the future holds for them.  I think when Bedford Town give their side of the story a lot more will come out.   

Edited February 16 by LondonEagle

[Rhodes]

Here's everything you need to know but were afraid to ask about the Real Bedford v Biggleswade United Premier Division fixture at McMullen Park tomorrow which, fortunately, is being live streamed. I wonder whether high profile Biggleswade United Chairman Guillem Balagué will be in attendance with a nice bottle of 1982 Château Lafite Rothschild red wine for his opposite number Mr McCormack:

https://www.realbedford.com/news/match-focus-mcmullen-park-hosts-first-league-action-of-2024

[Rhodes]

Real Bedford Ladies take on Wootton Blue Cross Lionesses Reserves on Sunday at McMullen Park in a Bedfordshire FA Women's County Cup Quarter Final tie, having received a First and Second Round bye in the competition. The Ladies Development side were also in the competition, who currently lead the Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Women's League Division Two, however lost 5-2 to Woburn and Wavenden Lionesses in the Second Round:  

https://fulltime.thefa.com/competition.html?selectedSeason=445832072&selectedFixtureGroupAgeGroup=0&selectedDivision=0&selectedCompetition=338232517&ftsCompetitionPageContent.selectedFeatureCode=1_338879304

Edited February 16 by Rhodes

[LondonEagle]

Another Peter interview.. 

 

Edited February 16 by LondonEagle

[Rhodes]

On 03/01/2021 at 17:24, Rhodes said:

Some groundhoppers visits to McMullen Park over the years: 

Pie and Mushy Peas: Bedford FC

Modus Hopper Random: Capon the Super Hero as Only One Bed Has a Clean Sheet

The Cold End: THE LUCKS JUST NOT IN FOR BEDFORD AS WODSON PARK COLLECT ALL THREE POINTS

Hodd Hold Out - Base of the Pyramid (botp.co.uk)

Hopping all over the World: Bedford (worldgroundhop.blogspot.com)

Bedford: McMullen Park (bedford-fc.blogspot.com)

https://footygrounds.blogspot.com/2016/03/bedford-mcmullen-park.html

This old post may be of interest to some of the overseas fans from before Mr McCormack walked through the door and took over the Club, it's a totally different World now isn't it.

Edited February 17 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

This is a very interesting and well written article about the Club that I don't recall seeing before by journalist, author and historian Professor Scott Anthony based at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Professor Scott's unique research interests focus on the history of propaganda, the role of artists and intellectuals in public life and the use of history as a tool of activists, campaigners and policy makers, he is extremely highly regarded and has worked with the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Science Museum and the British Film Institute as well as written articles for for the Guardian, the Times, the BBC and the Political magazines New Statesman and Tribune so that says it all about Mr McCormack's contacts, he must be doing something right:

https://www.footballparadise.com/bitcoin-football-the-story-of-real-bedford-fc/

[Rhodes]

Lets get ready to rumble, McMullen Park looking like Wembley this afternoon ninety minutes or so before kick off against Biggleswade United:

[Rhodes]

It must be costing Milton Keynes Irish a fortune in Krug or Dom Perignon Champagne mustn't it with a crate winging its way from Manor Fields to Second Meadow 'as we speak' following Biggleswade United somehow getting a 3-3 draw at McMullen Park on Saturday with a goal totally against the run of play just before the interval and a last minute penalty to equalise, their second spot kick of the game. See an interesting, and longer than normal, post match interview with boss Rob Sinclair:

Edited February 19 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

On 16/02/2024 at 17:19, Rhodes said:

Real Bedford Ladies take on Wootton Blue Cross Lionesses Reserves on Sunday at McMullen Park in a Bedfordshire FA Women's County Cup Quarter Final tie, having received a First and Second Round bye in the competition. The Ladies Development side were also in the competition, who currently lead the Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Women's League Division Two, however lost 5-2 to Woburn and Wavenden Lionesses in the Second Round

Disappointingly and frustratingly Real Bedford Ladies Bedfordshire FA Women's County Cup Quarter Final tie with Wootton Blue Cross Lionesses Reserves on Sunday was called off due to the condition of the McMullen Park pitch, they will try again however it is unclear when with the Ladies otherwise engaged in League fixtures, and the Eastern Region Women's League Cup Semi Final tie with Luton Town Ladies, every Sunday now up until Sunday 21 April.

[Rhodes]

On 02/01/2024 at 10:37, Rhodes said:

No problems in the end last Saturday at McMullen Park albeit against a dogged and resilient Cockfosters side and another three points for Rob Sinclair's men, see a match report, a groundhoppers report and photographs from his visit and highlights of the live stream

https://www.realbedford.com/news/the-pirates-produce-a-last-minute-winner-to-finish-2023-with-a-win

https://manygameshaveiseen.blogspot.com/2023/12/real-bedford-3-v-2-cockfosters.html

A little after the Lord Mayor's Show however the match programme has come to light from the Cockfosters League fixture at McMullen Park on Saturday 30 December, apparently there was no programme issued for the SSML Challenge Trophy Second Round tie with Cockfosters just ten days later (Tuesday 9 January) which was actually the last home fixture for the men's side prior to last Saturday's 3-3 draw with Biggleswade United:

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/619758344d16e93725c39d0a/t/65cce5aad5466f2d79be2aba/1707927070861/%2336+RBFC+v+CFC+-+SMSPL+30.12.23

[Rhodes]

This one has crept up on the rails and passed everybody by, Second Division Codicote won't just roll over this evening will they and a decent size crowd is expected at their John Clement Memorial Ground. I gather that the game will be covered by the Spartan Talk Podcast team for their next episode due out later this week:

[Rhodes]

Highlights of the livestream, a match report and local press coverage from the disappointing 3-3 stalemate with Biggleswade United at McMullen Park on Saturday:

https://www.realbedford.com/news/real-bedford-share-the-points-at-mcmullen-park-after-a-last-minute-equaliser-from-biggleswade-town

Real Bedford share six goals in Biggleswade thriller - Bedford Independent

Edited February 23 by Rhodes

[RallyInRaleigh]

Tough run of form of late for our pirates. Gonna have to figure it out fast or MK will be walting to the title.

[LondonEagle]

I think 31 March is the deadline for clubs to pass ground grading for promotion.

Rhodes, I assume McMullen Park in its current state would be unlikely to pass Step 4 grading for promotion? 

[Rhodes]

On 20/02/2024 at 11:13, Rhodes said:

This one has crept up on the rails and passed everybody by, Second Division Codicote won't just roll over this evening will they and a decent size crowd is expected at their John Clement Memorial Ground. I gather that the game will be covered by the Spartan Talk Podcast team for their next episode due out later this week

Does the shock SSML Challenge Trophy Third Round result on Tuesday evening at the John Clement Memorial Ground rank with the likes of Walsall v Arsenal in 1933, Yeovil Town v Sunderland in 1949, Hereford Utd v Newcastle Utd in 1972, Bournemouth v Manchester United in 1984, Sutton United v Coventry City in 1989 and more recently Ipswich Town v Maidstone United a few weeks ago: