 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 Road seven days later.Bedford scored seven goals in his first ten league games for Blackpool.