Bedford Town

[Bald_Eagle]

Well, it's about time we had an Eagle on this site, all I see are Canvey, Gravesend, St Albans (hate the fans!) etc.

This season has until recently been an absolute nightmare for our excellent little club, what I will say is don't take any notice of this seasons form as an indication of how next season will look, it took us a long time to find our feet in the Prem however, as Grays, Heybridge and yesterday Purfleet found out we have a very good team who are capable of beating anyone on our day.<p>All I will say to the Gravesend boys out there is I hope you don't need to win on the last day of the season to go up because we are going to stuff you. <p>Looking forward to going to Canvey after beating the Basingstoke on Saturday.

[Merv]

And you will be made very welcome.<p>Lot of respect for your outfit at Park Lane, especially after we were made so welcome when we came up north to Bedford earlier on (well, it is a long way up the M1, isn't it?)<p>Merv CIFC

[Cressing Toad]

To be honest most of us at Braintree have been surprised at how long its taken the Eagles to become accustomed to the prem, perhaps you should have a grabbed a few old heads from current prem clubs to give knowledge and leadership to your undoubted and able players. Just a little hint baldie Riccay's always dispensing with their stars prematurely. I expect to see Bedford up there with Canvey and Iron battling for promotion next time. Having said that we don't look too far ahead as we've plenty on our plate still for this season, just the little matter of Margate at home in the trophy followed up by a plum home tie with Morecambe. If we get past those two conf sides its into the last 8 with our friends from the marshes. Takes some imagination that i have to admit.

[Guest]

<img src="graemlins/affig.gif" border="0" alt="" /> Thank heavens for that BEAgle I thought you had suddenly developed an identity crisis or just like the rest of your club - just in complete denial about the rest of the season!!<p>And as for the bold statements about next season -well its taken me 24 hours to stop laughing long enough to put up a posting. As for beating anyone on "YOUR DAY" your day has been a long time coming!!<p>Now of course I know the other Beagle was, like your recent few matches - just an imposter!!<p>Seriously though I have been impressed with more recent performances - whats been the turning point (it just had to get better - law of averages etc etc???) <img src="graemlins/images/icons/rolleyes.gif" border="0" alt="[rolleyes]" /> <img src="graemlins/coolsmoke.gif" border="0" alt="" />

[Windy]

Hello Irony. It did indeed have to get better and we've taken an awfully long time to start recovering from losing our first 7 games all by a single goal.<p>As for the turning point, I'm not too sure. Luck has turned our way a bit with the ball rolling in our favour occasionally for a change. The 2 strikers who have played all season have suddenly started taking their chances. The main difference is the defence though. Derek Brown from St Albans is a quality player and has made an enormous difference. Also our own captain, Gary Williams, has just come back from a long innjury. They have formed a decent partnership. Injuries have been a problem all season and still are but that happens to all teams so is no excuse.<p>All these things have just boosted the players confidence a bit and their heads now seem less likely to drop. For a while we seemed to take to the pitch resigned to being beaten.<p>Next season we'll be better but we'll need a couple of new faces in the team. Not title challengers I know but hopefully top half and with a win under our belts before November.<p>Up the Eagles

[Bald_Eagle]

There is no imposter here, I am without doubt the balder of these two eagles, last count zero folicles about the same amount of chance the Braintree have of doing anything in the prem. Every club has a ceiling and I think in all honesty and with rspect you have now found yours as have grays, Boreham Wood, Purfleet etc. Have Bedford found theirs?.... time will tell 'Irony', lets just say some of us are quietly confident.<p>

Watch out for the Basingstoke result on Saturday.

[Windy]

Crikey - somebody has stolen my name! Outrageous! It shouldn't be allowed.<p>Bald_Eagle - there already is an Eagle on this site - it's me, and I've been here all season! You will notice that I am also a Bald Eagle. I'm not impressed at having my name copied because it will just cause confusion but welcome anyway. I'm surprised no other Eagles have been on this site up until now - it's been much better than most of the childish banter on our own site.<p>You've made some bold statements there about how good we are. The improvement in recent weeks has been both impressive and a great relief but, being realistic, we're still a bottom half side. At least now we are finding our feet and giving ourselves something to build on.<p>Against Purfleet I don't think we were the better team but watching us hang on to grind out a 1-0 win was a rare and pleasing sight. I'm not sure if teams are under-estimating us but I've thought all season that we've been better than our league position would suggest.<p>Iron knob - the recent upturn in our fortunes has indeed come from acquiring an "old head". When St Albans had their troubles we wasted no time and snapped up their captain, Derek Brown, to shore up our defence.

Good luck in the Trophy.

[Cressing Toad]

That ceiling theory of yours is not a great one. 10 years ago no one would have considered Canvey as Ryman prem material, nor Irthlingborough Diamonds and the near neighbours Rushden with a town of 25000 inhabitants as football league aspirants and whoever can forget Wimbledon winning the FA cup as well as hold on to a premier league spot for 15 seasons on crowds mostly under 10,000. Have Yeovil reached their ceiling? Toss your ceilings theory in the bin and get real. there are no limitations with the pyramid as it stands if you win enough times you get promoted.<p>[ 01 March 2002: This message was edited by: Iron knob ]</p>

[carjam]

MR Iron Knob

Just a small point that all thos teams mentioned above did not get there with there own grounds. A problem your own club will and are, I understand addressing. Growth on the pitch requires growth on the terraces. The tip at Canvey is not fit for the Kent League let alone the Premiership.<p>And Mr Bald Eagle,

Good luck to Bedford. I think that if a win was required on the last day of the season, well it wouldent be a problem. Hope it dosent come to that. Anyhow Bedford and Gravesend are old friends from the southern league 'glory years'. Two sleeping giants of non-league soccer. Im not even sure that Bedford would wish to put up too much of a fight.

Next season you will improve, top ten at the very least and you can expect to be challenging for the title the following year. Aldershot will take that first.<p>CarJam

[Merv]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by carjam:

<strong>I supect that with the exception of the Floodlights all of the criteria above especially the second, third and forth point must be in doubt.

</strong><hr></blockquote><p>Um.. No, you're wrong. ALL the other points were approved by the ground grading committee when we were passed for A grading (Ryman Premier) some time ago. How do you think we got into this league? Or do you know something that the grading officals missed? If so, you must tell us.<p>At a recent inspection for Conference grading it was pointed out that the height of terracing steps needed to be changed and that work is in hand and will be completed before April 1st.<p>So you really shouldn't post if you don't know what you're talking about. You say yourself that you don't know what the exact requirements for the Conference are. Like it or not, Park Lane is fit for Premier and will be fit for Conference by the 1st April deadline. <p>There are many things wrong with Park Lane, including the fact that it is too cramped and can't be extended, planning restrictions put a height limit on buildings (including stands) so there is no room for upwards expansion, the lack of steep terracing makes for a poor view when it's crowded and the PA isn't very loud. This makes for a 'ramshackle' appearance that belies some very strong plus points; there is always a good atmosphere, even when the crowd is small (Tuesday was a good example of that), the bar gets crowded but is always buzzing and the fans are very well behaved and up for a bit of friendly banter. The playing surface is relatively good (very few home games ever get called off) and the floodlights are unusually bright for the Ryman in that they have 250 lux output (when they're working! Walked into that one, didn't I?).<p>Perhaps I'm guilty of taking all this too seriously but it really does wear a bit thin when people trot out the same insults which usually involve the ground not being to their liking or Jeff King putting in lots of his own money.<p>Merv CIFC

[carjam]

Yes Merv, perhaps we are just a bit touchy about it. Im sure your fans are a lovely bubch of people. Two that I chatted with during the floodlight failure certainly were. Your playing surface is good, that played a significant part in the Gravesend performance a while back. I say again though that in your heart of hearts, deep down you know its poor. Cramped was a good word, I couldent get back up the far end for the second half. There was no room. The covered stands are so small they resemble bus stops. It may well pass for conference grading...that remains to be seen. Its the ground of a club that has come too far too quickly..just like Colne Dynamoes, Sittingbourne, Maidstone Utd, Wimbledon and others.

All The Best

CarJam

[Merv]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by carjam:

<strong>Im sure your fans are a lovely bubch of people.</strong><hr></blockquote><p>Especially me. (you were too embarrassed to say that, I know <img src="graemlins/bussi.gif" border="0" alt="" /> )<p>Merv CIFC

[Windy]

Hello, The real Baldie here again.<p>Carjam, we are the very same club. The old Bedford Town closed due to having their ground turned into a warehouse in 1982. It admittedly took a while but some supporters of the old Eagles reformed the Bedford Town club in 1989.<p>I believe Midd*****rough have made a similar move in recent years although for some reason they didn't have to go back to the very bottom of the pyramid.<p>Or how about Aldershot or St Albans. Are they suddenly now different clubs? I don't think so.<p>We're no different. We were Bedford Town, the Eagles and we happily are again.

[Windy]

Crikey, I didn't realise the names of struggling Premier League sides were seen as being quite so offensive!

[carjam]

Merv, perhaps it was you, then again perhaps not. I asked so many people who CANV and MERV were on the night and nobody had a clue who I was talking about.<p>Thanks Bald Eagle, ex Southern League giants you are. Anf friends of the 'Fleet' I hope.

You wont mind helping your old mates on the last day of the season then...<p>Car Jam

(its only a game)

[Rob_the_Saint]

I wonder what they make of Scunthorpe United?

[Windy]

You've got no worries Carjam. By then it will be a meaningless stroll in the sunshine for us as we look forward to the world cup.

If you really need a win against us then I can't see you having to struggle too much. Then again it might be nice to play you again next season. Hmmmmm.

[CANV EFM]

carjam on a night with 2,000 plus in there you would have spent a lot of time trying to find someone who knows merv, but im sure if you asked many of the regulars loads of em know him, or of him..most of the people who watch canvey are friendly and enjoy a good laugh... on the other hand no-one will know who CANV is, my cyberspace identity is as closely gaurded as gazzas half time burger ... it would be interesting to know how much of the non league fan base the internet users make up.. whilst it is obviously growing i would hazard a guess it is a lot less than most people think <img src="graemlins/images/icons/cool.gif" border="0" alt="" />

[Windy]

I agree with you there Canv. Nobody knows who I am as far as I know and I haven't a clue who anybody else is. I'm actually quite happy with it that way.

[Merv]

Funnily enough, I don't know who I am myself sometimes. Usually when I've had copious amounts of 1664. I have been known to ask others who I am, but they don't seem to know. So I'm b*****d if I know who you are.<p>Merv CIFC (I think)