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Bitcoin-funded non league club, looking to be bigger than Luton, reveal their ambitious plans

A bitcoin-funded non league club, who are looking to be bigger than Luton, reveal their ambitious plans having been left inspired.

Real Bedford FC, formerly Bedford FC, was acquired by Bitcoin investor and podcaster Peter McCormack in the hope of elevating the club from its current position to its target of the Premier League.

McCormack has leveraged his Bitcoin community to fund and promote the club, and in 2022, raised significant sponsorship funds, with reports mentioning £750,000 in just a month. Then in April 2024, Gemini founders Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss decided to invest $4.5m in Bitcoin (worth about £3.6m) into it while also becoming co-owners.

This has attracted an international following, with supporter groups forming in the US, Europe, Africa, and Australia.

The goal is not only to bring league football to Bedford but also to use Bitcoin’s global reach to create a sustainable model for the club’s growth.

Real Bedford FC and Bedford Town FC are in negotiations to become one club, aiming to unify into a single entity to transform local football.

McCormack says the merge club won’t be known as Real Bedford, but instead could be “called Bedford Town or Real Bedford Town, or something else”.

Bedford Town FC, who have an average attendance of 713, currently sit 2nd in the Southern League – Premier Central (7th tier), with 46 points from 26 games played. Halesowen are top with 46 points from 26 games, Telford are 3rd with 46 points from 25 games, Kettering are 4th with 44 points from 23 games.

Real Bedford, who have an average attendance of 307, are top of the Southern League – Central Division (8th tier), with 57 points from 23 games played, and 2 points clear ahead of Berkhamsted.

Real Bedford’s co-owner Peter McCormack will assume the role of chairman of the newly merged club while Jon Taylor and Ben Banks, of Bedford Town, would be non-executive directors.

He says are being ridiculed for the last. few years, they “now we have had some success people are coming round to it”, with a step by step target of being bigger than Kettering Town, then Northampton, then Milton Keynes, then Luton, “and ultimately to the Premier League”.

He says, per BBC Sport, that this is “about the coming together of two clubs to achieve something for the town” and that “when we started we had 40 fans and a tiny little stadium”, but “ultimately I want the town of Bedford to win”.

Proposed merger between two non league clubs from same town causes a stir

McCormack said: “I think Wrexham’s goal is the Premier League and they are up to League One now and they are backed by Ryan Reynolds and his wealth, but Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss are worth twenty times his net wealth and there are two of them.

“The short term goal was always football league for the men’s side in ten years.

“If we go up this year that will be three promotions in three years, leaving us with three left to do in seven years and I think that is ambitious, but we think we can do that.”

On the plans to merge, he said that Bedford Town have been “waiting to hear back from the FA and the Southern League, do they approve it and where they will position the team in the pyramid”.

Real Bedford currently play at McMullen Park, but should the merger get the green light, then home games will be at Bedford Town’s ground with a 3G pitch, that has been described by Peter as “pretty cool” as they “wouldn’t lose games due to the weather”.

He adds that legal agreement on the Bedford merger is yet to be done, aimed to be by the end of March in time for the end of the season.

Bedford Town’s director Jon Taylor: “This proposed merger represents a unique opportunity to build on that legacy and take football in Bedford to the next level.”

Bedford Town boss Lee Bircham meanwhile said, per Bedford Independent: “My personal opinion, it’s the only solution for the football club, it’s the right solution for the football club.

“Our budget is not sustainable, I think that’s been proven. We can’t compete at this level, eventually you’ll get relegated.

“The owners have done the right thing. Jon Taylor is the best man I’ve worked for in football and he loves this football club and he gets my total backing.

“Whatever happens to us, we’ve had a brilliant season. If this is the last Bedford Town team, we want to represent it really well.

“This won’t be for [Jon Taylor’s] benefit, it’ll be for this football club’s benefit. It’s the only solution.

“We’re not giving up on the season that’s for sure!”

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