2021/22 SEASON REVIEW After two curtailed seasons declared null and void, Gary Setchell wanted to give the Eagles fans something to shout about for the 2021/22 season. Here’s some of what Gary had to say, looking back at a championship winning season at Bedford Town FC. We went into the season with hopes of getting a promotion, whether that be the playoffs or winning the league. We felt that there were seven/eight teams genuinely who could probably compete for the title and finish in the playoff spots. We got off to the best start possible, 5-0 up at halftime at Waltham Abbey and winning 5-2. Then we had one or two injuries and suspensions which affected us against Dunstable, Hertford who we only just beat and then probably the worst night of the season against Ware, losing 3-2.
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2021/2022 season review
I knew then, that things needed to change. We needed the missing link. Losing two of your first five when you’re going for promotion isn’t ideal. We found that missing link through Rory McAuley. We brought him in and his first game was a bit of a crossroads game away at FC Romania. If we win, we’ve won two in four which is a reasonable start. Whereas if we lose, we’ve won three and lost three, which is a very average start. Away from home and pouring down with rain we picked up a magnificent 1-0 win through a Callum Donnelly goal and that literally was the turning point. Then we went on a great run where our only other league loss all season was away at Berkhamsted. From then on, we were playing cup football. We were relentless but so were Berko. They just kept winning.
TBC
By Christmas it became clear that it was a three or four horse race for the title. We knew we had a tough January and that was going to be ‘sink or swim’. We had some real tough games, beating Ware away on that famous day when we scored two in injury time. We then beat Berko at home in front of 1,200 people. Then we had some kind fixtures leading up to the Welwyn and Dunstable games, which we knew were going to be tough. Beating those two with Berko slipping up at Harlow and the rest is history. Brilliant season.
to be continued
