Bedlington is another English town with a long and rich tradition in
soccer/
football, since the early 1900s. Bedlington Terriers were
founded in 1949,
disbanding and
reforming in the mid 1960s. On the verge of extinction in 1992 (after finishing near the bottom of their league), the Terriers pulled off one of the biggest turnarounds in sports. They went on to win the league in the 1993/94 season and gain promotion to the NPL's First Division. Four years later, they won the NPL First Division title (their first of four consecutive league titles).
Most football clubs in England have bleak futures ahead of them, but
Bedlington Terriers is one club with a bright future.
Historical league table:
Place Year and League GP W D L GF GA PTS
***Joined Northern Premier League Second Division***
10th 1982-83 Northern Premier League Second Division 30 5 9 16 33 48 24
8th 1983-84 Northern Premier League Second Division 34 14 7 13 52 41 49
2nd 1984-85 Northern Premier League Second Division 34 25 5 4 77 28 80
***Northern Premier League Second Division runner-up; Promoted to Northern Premier
League First Division***
2nd 1985-86 Northern Premier League First Division 38 19 10 9 65 44 67
***Northern Premier League First Division runner-up***
20th 1986-87 Northern Premier League First Division 38 6 4 28 40 87 22
***Relegated to Northern Premier League Second Division***
7th 1987-88 Northern Premier League Second Division 34 11 11 12 49 46 44
7th 1988-89 Northern Premier League Second Division 38 16 7 15 63 50 55
9th 1989-90 Northern Premier League Second Division 38 17 5 16 67 72 56
11th 1990-91 Northern Premier League Second Division 36 14 6 16 60 73 48
19th 1991-92 Northern Premier League Second Division 38 7 2 29 38 97 20*
17th 1992-93 Northern Premier League Second Division 38 11 3 24 64 86 33*
1st 1993-94 Northern Premier League Second Division 36 28 5 3 114 36 89
***Northern Premier League Second Division Champions; Promoted to Northern Premier
League First Division***
4th 1994-95 Northern Premier League First Division 38 21 12 5 72 35 75
2nd 1995-96 Northern Premier League First Division 38 22 12 4 90 37 78
***Northern Premier League First Division runner-up (2nd time; on goal difference)***
3rd 1996-97 Northern Premier League First Division 38 28 5 5 113 37 86*
1st 1997-98 Northern Premier League First Division 38 29 3 6 120 32 90
***Northern Premier League First Division Champions***
1st 1998-99 Northern Premier League First Division 38 33 2 3 128 37 101
***Northern Premier League First Division Champions (2nd time); FA Vase runner-up***
1st 1999-00 Northern Premier League First Division 38 25 8 5 89 26 83
***Northern Premier League First Division Champions (3rd time)***
1st 2000-01 Northern Premier League First Division 40 28 5 7 108 31 89
***Northern Premier League First Division Champions (4th time); FA Vase semifinalist***
*=3 points deducted
Thanks to the FCHD (www.fchd.btinternet.co.uk) for the historical league table and thanks to the Official
Bedlington Terriers website for the club history (www.btfc.fsnet.co.uk/ClubInformation/History.html)