Bedford Athletic

The second in Bedford Park by the lake, the third behind the Fox & Hounds PH in Goldington Road, 'where a pond encroached on the pitch in which stood the corner flag'.

In 1933, during the depression, the then Secretary, Captain E.H.G.Chambers raised funds and under his guidance, some unemployed, mainly ex-servicemen levelled the whole of the area which now contains municipal playing fields and the Athletics Stadium.

The Council took pity on the Ath when the County Fire Service took over the site and the club were offered the lease on the land that it now occupies.

During the summer the club previously entered a side in the Beds & District Cricket League, which in recent years have been rather successful and in season 2006 the Ath won the Second Division.

The same year the club progressed to the East Midlands Cup Final at Franklins Gardens although this time without success losing out to Rushden.

In this season not only did the club go undefeated they won a grand slam of titles including the RFU Intermediate Cup Final at Twickenham when Stroud were defeated 29–24.

Eventually Ath won two of their last three games and drew the final fixture at home to Scunthorpe to ensure survival, albeit on points difference.

However a tremendous fightback in a final day 36–31 victory over Malvern ensured that under the RFU league re-organisation the club retained its status in the new National 3 Midlands.

This however proved to be something of a poisoned chalice as the club lost all 26 league games in season 2009–10 and returned to level 6 rugby in Midlands One East where it probably should have been 12 months previously.

They also finished runner-up to Wellingborough in both East Midlands League and Cup competitions but all in all the future looks bright with the club brimful of home grown talent.

The 2018–19 season saw youngsters, Harry Sawford-Smith and Leo Mortimer, propel the team to sixth place, in London Premier, through their exceptional form and extraordinary leadership (they were rockstars both on, and off the pitch).