For the third successive year, the fate of Bedford Town has come down to the final day of the football season, as the Eagles prepare for a relegation showdown as one of six potential clubs that can still be relegated from National League North.
Their opponents are play-off chasing, Scarborough, but Lee Bircham’s men have home advantage at The Eyrie, with the club making one final push for fans to take the plunge into non-league football and cheer their side home.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of a deciding game against Scarborough at The Eyrie, which will also be manager, Lee Bircham’s final game in charge of Bedford Town.
You can buy your tickets here.
Read: Bedford Town manager Lee Bircham resigns
The permutations
For Bedford Town, the aim is simple and unequivocal. Win, and they stay at step two of the English non-league pyramid.
A draw or a loss drags them back into a relegation mix that involves five other teams, including Alfreton and Curzon Ashton – who are playing each other – as well as Hereford, King’s Lynn Town and Oxford City.
Bedford Town are currently 18th on 52 points; usually a mark that would have guaranteed safety at this point, but a variety of different results could drag them into the dreaded 21st and final relegation place.
Other key fixtures alongside the clubs in 21st and 22nd facing each other, are Hereford hosting already relegated, Peterborough Sports, King’s Lynn Town travelling to Chester and Oxford City making the long trip to Darlington.
King’s Lynn especially are breathing a sigh of relief, after they escaped a points deduction following a National League ruling made yesterday (23 April) in relation to a postponed game against title-chasing, South Shields in February.
In an episode dubbed ‘Sprinklergate’, King’s Lynn were fined £10,000 by the National League for breaching rule 8.11, which stipulates a club “must take every precaution to keep its ground in good playing condition”.
Despite already wet conditions, the Club employed their sprinkler system on the pitch, and the game was eventually postponed amongst reports of a series of injuries for the home side.
King’s Lynn, who say “this occurred without the knowledge or approval of senior staff”, went on to win the rearranged fixture 3-0 in March.
How key could those three points be in the complexion of a relegation battle that could reach a number of different conclusions?
When and where?
The game kicks off at the earlier time of 12:30pm on Saturday, 25 April at The Eyrie, home of Bedford Town.
The Eyrie is situated just off the A421 bypass on Meadow Lane before you drive into Willington. Fans are urged to get to The Eyrie early with a larger than usual crowd expected, and limited car parking space.
Alternatively, fans can get a free Grant Palmer bus that stops just outside the ground. You can claim your complimentary bus ticket on the 72, 73 or 74 services by showing a valid matchday ticket or a piece of club merchandise.
The form book
Bedford Town’s form heading into this crunch game is excellent, remaining unbeaten in their last five games, although there are murmurs of what could have been had the Eagles not conceded a 96th-minute equaliser at South Shields last weekend.
Read: Bedford Town are still not safe after conceding 96th minute equaliser at South Shields
Hereford’s form is also superb, and they are expected to beat a fragile Peterborough Sports side already preparing for step three football. Curzon Ashton have won just one of their last 12 league games while their opponents, Alfreton are unbeaten in almost a month.
King’s Lynn also haven’t won in five, losing three of them, while Oxford City begin the day in the best position out of the six clubs still in danger, after going on an eight game unbeaten run before losing 2-1 to Chester last weekend.
Such is the unique pressure of the final day however, the form book may well go out of the window.
The men to watch
Undoubtedly, the Eagles’ star man this season has been hometown signing, Tyrone Marsh.
Employed to score goals, Marsh has exceeded expectations, bagging 26 of them as Bedford Town have maintained their position above the relegation zone.
The Eagles captain will be hoping to add to that tally on Saturday after making his return from a four-match ban at South Shields.
Elsewhere, another key position has been between the sticks, where Nathan Ashmore – on loan from National League side, Boreham Wood – has been a revelation and has won points single-handedly.
The 36-year old goalkeeper was credited with another incredible performance in the north east last weekend, succumbing to a late equaliser which he maintains he kept out, but otherwise awarded by the assistant referee.
Ashmore could once again play a key role against a Scarborough side who are looking to secure their place in the play-offs, while midfielder, George Moncur has scored big goals of late, including against Leamington and King’s Lynn across the Easter bank holiday weekend.
The Lee Bircham effect
Spearheading this incredible journey has been manager, Lee Bircham.
Come survival or relegation, Saturday’s clash will be the last for a man who has already sewn his place in Eagles folklore.
Bircham, who joined the club in May 2023 after the Eagles had just been relegated to step four, has masterminded back-to-back promotions and an excellent chance at a second stint in the National League.
He calls National League North a “beast” of a division, and the hardest league he’s ever been a part of, demonstrated by the fact the 52 points his team have already amassed has still not been enough to secure survival before the final day.
Even if Bedford Town do stay up, there is a chance they could be in an entirely different division next season, swapping National League North for National League South, depending on which teams get promoted from step three, and where the FA draw the all important latitude line.
All of that is part of the future however, with all focus on the 90 minutes ahead of them on Saturday.
Chants of, “one more year” at South Shields don’t look like coming to fruition, but Bircham will be hoping he can galvanise his players one final time to keep National League football at Bedford Town for at least another campaign.
Bedford Town vs Scarborough kicks off at 12:30 on Saturday, 25 April. You can buy your tickets here.
