In March 1921, Bedford signed professional terms with the club but made only three senior appearances for the side before joining Walsall in 1922.
[4] In the first of four spells with Walsall, Bedford played 97 league matches before joining Sheffield Wednesday in August 1925 for a transfer fee of £575 (£41,000 as of 2025).
He played a total of 26 matches and scored 3 goals for the side before moving to Football League Third Division North rivals Nelson midway through the season.
While at Luton, he played alongside fellow former Nelson players John Black and Harry Abbott,[3] and enjoyed the most prolific goal-scoring period of his professional career, netting 15 goals in 49 appearances for the Bedfordshire club.
[4] Bedford went on to play amateur football until the age of 40, eventually retiring in June 1940 following a spell with Walsall Wood.