After the earlier FA Cup excitements, the disappointments of the league programme were forgotten again when Bedford retained the county Professional Cup and, a few weeks later, the Hunts Premier Cup. A crowd of 4,028, better than any attendance for a league fixture, turned up on 6 April 1964 to see virtually a first choice Luton side go down 0-2. Here David Sturrock drives home the first goal past veteran goalkeeper Ron Baynham from a cross by Miles. He added another in the second half.
A happy afterglow from the FA Cup exploits still bathed the club at the end of the season, even though all there was to show was the retention of the Beds Professional Cup (with a 2-0 home win against Luton) and the Hunts Cup in which Cambridge City were beaten 3-2. But still not enough goals were being scored- although the total of 71 in the league was ten better than the year before- and there were some disappointing displays before poor crowds as the season petered out to an eighth place finish. Defeats by three of the relegated clubs-Hereford, Kettering and Hinckley-and two draws against the fourth, Merthyr, in the final month underlined the view of most supporters that the manager would need to make significant changes over the summer.
Despite the Cup highlights, which increased gate receipts from £11,500 to £14,265, and produced a profit on the season of £600 compared to a loss of £1600 in 1962/3, only three league gates had topped 3,000 and nine had failed to reach 2,000, with the average league crowd coming out at 2,202. The wage bill was running at around £17,500[3]. The contribution of the FA Cup run to the improved financial results was clear from the fact that season ticket sales had reduced by 30% from 1962/3. There was much work to be done.
To continue the story go to 1964/5 -Hayward bides his time
For full results and teams go to Results and teams, 1950-67
LEAGUE TABLES 1963-1964
Premier Division
1. Yeovil Town 42 29 5 8 93 36 63
2. Chelmsford City 42 26 7 9 99 55 59
3. Bath City 42 24 9 9 88 51 57
4. Guildford City 42 21 9 12 90 55 51
5. Romford 42 20 9 13 71 58 49
6. Hastings United 42 20 8 14 75 61 48
7. Weymouth 42 20 7 15 65 53 47
8. Bedford Town 42 19 9 14 71 68 47
9. Cambridge United 42 17 9 16 92 77 43
10. Cambridge City 42 17 9 16 76 70 43
11. Wisbech Town 42 17 8 17 64 68 42
12. Bexley United 42 16 10 16 70 77 42
13. Dartford 42 16 8 18 56 71 40
14. Worcester City 42 12 15 15 70 74 39
15. Nuneaton Borough 42 15 8 19 58 61 38
16. Rugby Town 42 15 8 19 68 86 38
17. Margate 42 12 13 17 68 81 37
18. Wellington Town 42 12 9 21 73 85 33
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19. Merthyr Tydfil 42 12 8 22 69 108 32
20. Hereford United 42 12 7 23 58 86 31
21. Kettering Town 42 10 5 27 49 89 25
22. Hinckley Athletic 42 7 6 29 51 104 20
First Division
1. Folkestone Town 42 28 7 7 82 38 63
2. King’s Lynn 42 28 5 9 94 44 61
3. Cheltenham Town 42 25 10 7 92 49 60
4. Tonbridge 42 24 11 7 98 54 59
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5. Corby Town 42 24 7 11 114 56 55
6. Stevenage Town 42 21 6 15 70 59 48
7. Ashford Town 42 19 9 14 73 57 47
8. Burton Albion 42 19 8 15 76 70 46
9. Poole Town 42 17 11 14 75 61 45
10. Dover 42 18 9 15 86 75 45
11. Canterbury City 42 16 12 14 66 66 44
12. Crawley Town 42 20 2 20 81 71 42
13. Trowbridge Town 42 16 9 17 71 78 41
14. Clacton Town 42 19 1 22 76 88 39
15. Gloucester City 42 17 4 21 88 89 38
16. Yiewsley 42 15 8 19 63 77 38
17. Sittingbourne 42 15 8 19 52 70 38
18. Ramsgate Athletic 42 13 9 20 57 55 35
19. Tunbridge Wells Rangers 42 10 8 24 47 89 28
20. Gravesend & Northfle 42 7 9 26 43 96 23
21. Deal Town 42 5 7 30 48 106 17
22. Barry Town 42 3 6 33 33 137 12
Clacton Town resigned at the end of the season, joining the Eastern Counties League, and were replaced by Wimbledon, who turned professional from the Isthmian League
Yiewsley changed their name to Hillingdon Borough for 1964/5
[1] Though in an interview with a Scottish journalist some years later, Wallace said that he had got some sand stuck behind a lens and that in trying to loosen it he jammed it further into his eye, playing with impaired vision for the last 20 minutes (quoted in the Bedfordshire Times, 17 February 1978).
[2] Or the last in this spell, until he returned in 1967.
[3] Figures quoted in the Bedfordshire Times for 19 June 1964 were £17,230 for 1962/3 and £17,741 for 1963/4. This includes transfer fees (possibly net of fees received).
