Exciting signings for Bedford Town as quartet join the ambitious Eagles

Centre half Cole Kpekawa, versatile midfielder Lewis Coyle and strikers Shaun Jeffers and Tyrone Marsh have all put pen to paper.

The 29-year-old Kpekawa joins from Oxford City.

Cole was born in Blackpool and made his Premier League debut for Queens Park Rangers in 2015, and has since gone on to play for Colchester United, Portsmouth and Leyton Orient. On leaving QPR, he signed for Barnsley, before returning permanently to Colchester.

Spells in Slovakia and Scotland followed, before Cole returned to non-league, signing for National League South side Hemel Hempstead Town, and later was part of the Bromley side who gained promotion to the EFL.

Bircham said: “I am over the moon to get the big man in. Coley has vital experience of the level both in the North and South. He is also a bit of a leader and a terrific lad who will fit perfectly into the changing room we have.

“He’s someone that I’ve known since he was a kid at QPR and I’ve followed his journey since then, which led to me signing him for Hemel from Cheltenham.”

Coyle, 33, also arrives at the Eyrie having left Oxford City in the summer.

He spent five years at Oxford, making over 200 appearances in the National League, National League South and North.

Bircham said “I'm very pleased to get Lewis on board.

“After a superb five seasons at steps one and two with Oxford City, Coyley quite rightly had several offers both from National League clubs and wanted to do the right thing, speaking to others as well as us.

“Lewis is a fit, hungry, busy ball type player that isn’t bothered about doing the ugly part of the game as well. He can also play a number of positions and with his experience at the level and above, it only adds massively to what we already have in that changing room for next season.

“He is another signing for us that we are over the moon with and will be a really big addition to our football club."

Jeffers started his career at Coventry City with loan spells with Cheltenham Town, Cambridge United and Tamworth. Further spells with Peterborough United and Newport County followed, before signing for Yeovil Town in League Two.

After entering non-league, Jeffers started to have success in the National League, representing Chelmsford, Brackley and Boreham Wood.

However, the best spell of his career was to come at St Albans City with 98 goals in 194 appearances, scoring at a rate of every other game at step two.

“I’ve been a long admirer of Shaun during his career and it’s been a long chase on my part - Shaun definitely felt wanted to say the least,” said Bircham.

“Shaun is another lad that, living locally and having a desire to play for his hometown club, played a huge factor in getting him through the door.

“He is a strong and physical “big nine” type player with an incredible goal scoring record to boot.

“It is an incredible signing for us, that will definitely surprise a few and, again, another player that shows how far we’ve come in such a short period of time.”

Marsh is another local lad, living in Bedford, who started his career at Oxford United, before moving on to Conference sides Ebbsfleet United, Torquay United, Dover Athletic and Macclesfield Town.

It was at Boreham Wood where Marsh had the most success, scoring 45 goals in 186 appearances at the National League level and securing promotion from the National League South last season with Boreham Wood.

Bircham said: “Marshy brings a wealth of experience with him on top of being an outstanding player anywhere in the front area of the pitch.

"It is amazing to think where we have come in the last two years as a club with signing players of the pedigree of Tyrone.

"It just shows the club's positive future and where we hope this club is heading.”