Henry Bedford was an English professional footballer who played as a forward. He scored 326 league goals in 485 games.
Club career
Bedford, a striker, began his career at Nottingham Forest in 1919, and it was after his performance against Blackpool at the City Ground that the promotion-seeking Seasiders, under the guidance of new manager Bill Norman, signed him in March 1921 for a fee of £900. He made his debut for the Seasiders in a 1–0 league defeat at South Shields on 12 March 1921, and scored his first goal for the club in the return match at Bloomfield Roadseven days later. Bedford scored seven goals in his first ten league games for Blackpool. In 1921–22 he scored 11 goals in 32 games, and the following season, 1922–23, he played in all 42 league games and scored 32 goals and was the country's leading goalscorer. In 1923–24 he was again the country's top scorer with 34 goals, a feat which only Jimmy Hampson equalled. In 1924–25, Bedford's goals helped Blackpool reach the fourth round of the FA Cupfor the first time and he scored 24 goals in 40 league games. He scored six goals in seven games at the start of the 1925–26 season, but was transferred to Derby County on 24 September 1925, for a fee of £3,500. He scored 142 goals in 203 league games for Derby. In December 1930 he was transferred to Newcastle United, playing 30 league games and scoring 17 goals up to January 1932, when he moved to Sunderland, a move which only lasted for a short time. On 12 May 1932, he moved to Bradford Park Avenue where he scored 15 goals in the 1932–33 season. And in June 1933 he joined Chesterfield, where he scored 12 goals in the 1933–34 season. However, he then refused new contract terms with Chesterfield and the club released him. In August 1934 he joined non-League club Heanor Town, where he ended his playing career.
International career
Bedford was capped twice for England. He made his debut against Sweden on 21 May 1923 in a match which England won 4–2. His only other England cap came against Ireland on 22 October 1924, at Anfield, scoring England's second goal in a 3–1 victory.
Managerial career
In the late 1930s Bedford joined Newcastle United's coaching staff, before joining Derby County where he became the club's masseur in 1938. After World War II he became manager of Heanor Town, a position he held until he resigned in 1955. He died in Derby on 24 June 1976.
Parkinson was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Bloomfield Road, when it was officially opened by former Blackpool player Jimmy Armfield in April 2006. Organised by the Blackpool Supporters Association, Blackpool fans around the world voted on their all-time heroes. Five players from each decade are inducted; Bedford is in the pre-1950s.
