1973/4 to 1977/8

A scene from Bedford's first qualifying round FA Cup tie against Cambridge City at The Eyrie on 15 September 1973, with David Parratt in the act of beating City keeper Keith Barker to put the Eagles one up in the eighth minute. Gary Sargent added the second later to send the team through 2-0, only to lose to comparative minnows Histon in the next round.

The FA Trophy provided relief from a grim League season in 1973/4. Here David Parratt (white shirt) forces a save from Grantham keeper Gardiner at the Lincolnshire club's London Road ground on 23 February 1974, in the third round. Bedford did well to come away from the then League leaders with a goalless draw and even better to win the following week's replay 4-0.

[Photograph by kind permission of the Worcester News]

Fighting against relegation at the end of the 1973/4 season, Bedford found themselves forced to play their last four matches inside six days. They drew with Telford and beat Folkestone, both at home, but then had to travel to Worcester and Wimbledon on successive evenings. Here Worcester's Gary Holbrooke beats Phil Merry in the air to put his team ahead early in the match at St George's Lane on 29 April 1974, with Russell Shreeves (left) and Norman Cooley looking on. Holbrooke scored again later as Worcester won 2-1, although in the end it wasn't enough to save them from the drop. Twenty four hours later Bedford went down at Wimbledon by the same score to confirm a third relegation in seven years.

This reserve team group was taken early in the 1973/4 season. Back row' left to right: ? Reed, Neil Rodney, Phil Merry, Russell Shreeves, Tony Castiello, Joe Brown, Terry Chalk (assistant manager). Front: ?Lightfoot, ?Lydnen, David Earl, ?Clark, Ray Silous, Bobby Wright.

[Photo by kind permission of the Northants Evening Telegraph]

The Eagles’ three meetings with neighbours Kettering in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round of 1974/5-the first time they’d met in the Cup since 1933-were watched by a total of over 9,500 people. In the first match at Rockingham Road on 2 November, Ray Peacock is about to save from Jim Conde, watched by Norman Cooley, Kettering’s Roy Clayton and in the distance, Trevor Gould. After drawing 3-3 here and 0-0 at The Eyrie, Bedford went down 0-2 in the second replay at Northampton, Conde scoring both goals.

Two scenes from the first replay with Kettering at the Eyrie. Top-Kettering keeper Gordon Livsey clashes with Gary Sargent for a high ball with David Earl and Kettering's Graham Rathbone (6) to the left. Bottom-Peter Hawkins has just headed wide, watched by Kettering's Sean Suddards (5) and Roger Ashby, later manager of the current BTFC.

Eagles' keeper Ray Peacock (left) under pressure at Ashford's Essella Park ground in the 1-1 draw in the second round of the FA Trophy on 1 February 1975, with Bobby Folds (right) keeping an eye on Ashford's Muir (centre). Peacock eventually clocked up 221 senior appearances. Bedford won the replay 4-3 on their way to a semi-final exit against Scarborough, their best season in the competition.

In the first leg of the FA Trophy semi-final, the Eagles go three down at Scarborough's Seamer Road ground on 29 March 1975 as Jeff Barmby (whose son Nicky later played for England) heads past keeper Ray Peacock and Bobby Folds on the goal line, with Norman Cooley (centre) looking on. Despite pulling a goal back, Bedford went down by the same score at home in the second leg. Scarborough were, however, thumped 0-4 by Matlock Town in the final at Wembley.

On a murky evening at The Eyrie on 15 December 1975 , Bedford's Leo Markham (10) outjumps Luton's John Faulkner, watched by Jimmy Campbell (centre) and David Earl, in the final of the Beds Professional Cup. Luton ended the season seventh in the old Division Two (now the Championship) but Bedford held them to 1-1 before two late goals sent the trophy south down the A6. Up to the mid -60s this match had been one of the highlights of the season but by now, shoved into an unwanted midweek slot just before Christmas, it attracted only 750 people. After one more season the competition was abandoned.

Gary Sargent (white shirt) catches the Yeovil defence in disarray, with goalkeeper Franklin miles out of position, at The Eyrie on 20 December 1975 for the first goal in a 3-2 win. A 2-0 lead was pegged back to 2-2 before Sargent snatched the winner in the final seconds.

Gary Burdett (white shirt) goes close against Hillingdon at The Eyrie on 25 September 1976 in a 1-0 win, with Peter Phillips following up. He spent a couple of seasons as a regular, having joined from MK City in exchange for Ray Silous.

Trevor Gould beats St Neots keeper Oldham from the penalty spot to put the Eagles ahead in the third qualifying round of the FA Cup at the Eyrie on 23 October 1976. They went on to win 3-0 but went out at Dudley, of the West Midlands League, in the next round. Note the way that nature has encroached on the River End terracing.

The final League match of 1976/7 brought Margate to The Eyrie on 14 May. With nothing at stake, it was agreed that if the team were awarded a penalty it could be taken by keeper Ray Peacock, the only regular squad member without a goal to his name. Here he beats his oposite number, Steve Bowtell, for the third goal in a 4-1 win. It was, naturally enough, Peacock's only goal in his four year stay at the club and quite probably the only one of his career.

A crowd scene from the 1-1 draw at Hendon in the FA Trophy third round match on 25 February 1978. Ray Newson (left, with moustache) appears to have cannoned a shot off Terry Mortimer (ducking) with Ken Goodeve looking on. Bedford won the replay 2-1 on their way to a three-match struggle against Hednesford and eventual elimination by Leatherhead. The Trophy run was the sole redeeming feature of a miserable season which ended in yet another relegation.

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