Bedford Town Football Club can confirm the funeral information for the funeral and remembrance for club legend Norman Cooley, which will take place on Friday 15th March at Bedford's Norse Road Crematorium from 12:15pm. A wake will follow in The Eagles Bar at The Eyrie shortly after the service.

Born in Meppershall on 16th January 1941, Norman Sidney Cooley represented Bedfordshire County Cricket Club between 1962 to 1975, making 61 Minor Counties Championship appearances for the county, scoring 2,459 runs alongside 78 catches and 12 stumpings as a wicket-keeper. He also made history when he became the first Bedfordshire cricketer to score two centuries in the same minor counties match against Lincolnshire in 1964.

10th October 1964, Norman Cooley challenges visiting keeper Andy Donnelly of Weymouth at The Old Eyrie Stadium

Alongside his summer endeavours in the game of cricket, Cooley played for Bedford Town over a remarkable 18 year career, making over 750 appearances and becoming the second highest appearance maker for the club behind fellow club legend David Skinn. Norm, who began his football career as a forward scored 73 goals for the club before moving to midfield and later operating as a defender.

In more recent years, Cooley continued with his passion for the club becoming a Bedford Town youth coach and then later became the club groundsman in the 2010s. In 2017, Cooley was rewarded with the Groundsman of the Year award by the Southern League, in a ceremony held at St .George’s Park, England’s training ground.

Supporters old and new are welcome to join us in paying their respects to one of the towns greatest sportsmen and reminisce on the prodigious impact he had on sport in Bedford.

R.I.E.P. Norman Cooley (1941-2024)