Bedford Town manager Gary Setchell is looking forward to new season as 'unfinished business'

Bedford Town manager Gary Setchell joined the club from Kings Lynn last September

After their excellent run of results before last season was curtailed, manager Gary Setchell is looking forward to this year as ‘unfinished business’ for Bedford Town

He and assistant Darren Edey will be staying on to lead the Eagles’ Southern League Division One Central campaign and hope to pick up where they left off.

Setchell, who replaced former boss Mark Ducket at the Eyrie in late September, said: “When I came in last year, me and Darren started really well, with nine games unbeaten and a good cup run.

“I was getting to know the players and building momentum, then Covid hit. Now everyone is back on a level playing field.

“We are looking at it as unfinished business and we want to have a real good go this year.”

And he believes there is plenty of potential: “Bedford are one of those clubs that have under-achieved in the last five or six years. They are really a Step 3 or 2 club and we want to get them back where they belong.

“We didn’t lose a game, I think we won six and drew three and our last game was against Biggleswade Town in the FA Trophy but we missed out on progressing to the next round because of Covid.

“We were building good momentum, good results and heading in the right direction.”

The Step 4 season will begin again on August 14 .

Setchell said he wouldn’t have wanted to be taking part in any spring tournaments that many clubs have chosen to contest before the new league starts.

“Each to their own, but for my preference I don’t see the value in them,” he said.

“There’s no fans allowed at the moment and you’re risking injuries, so we will just prepare for next season.

“But there’s not much we can do yet to get ready for August. The players are ticking over on their own.

“We need to start training gradually. You can’t go from sitting on the sofa to full training straight away or you’re going to pick up injuries.

“We are probably looking at June time to start preparing – as long as we don’t get another lockdown.”