Bamford was appointed as head coach when Smales left the club in 1974, but was only in charge for a few months before being replaced by Alan Hardisty.
[8] After spending time at Bradford Northern as an assistant to Peter Fox, he joined Halifax in March 1978, who were bottom of the Second Division and hadn't won a game all season.
In 1985, Bamford was the first ever appointed full-time Development Officer for rugby league in the UK when he served for the Leeds City Council Leisure Services for two and a half years.
He reached the final of the John Player Special Trophy again in the 1987–88 season, but were this time beaten finalists, losing 14–15 to St Helens.
Five changes were made to the team for the third test at Wigan's Central Park with the result being closer than many predicted, though the Australians completed a clean sweep defeating Great Britain 24-15.
Many English fans believed that French referee Julien Rascagneres giving a penalty try to Australian winger Dale Shearer as well as allowing a contentious try to Kangaroos captain Wally Lewis midway through the second half ended any hope of the Lions snatching an unlikely victory.
After retiring from coaching, Bamford made regular appearances on radio and television, and wrote a column for the Manchester Evening News.
[10] He also wrote a number of books on rugby league, including biographies of former players Geoff Gunney, Arthur Clues, Jeff Grayshon, Vince Karalius, Jim Mills and Frank Myler.