News
Pat Tapley heads into tenth season
Bedford Blues are delighted to conclude a week of stalwart re-signings with the news that the club’s longest serving current player, Pat Tapley has committed his future once again and been granted a Testimonial Year in 2023/24.
Tapley, kindly sponsored by the FECCers, is rewarded with such an honour as a testimonial as he prepares to head into his tenth season at the club having initially arrived at Goldington Road during the 2013/14 campaign.
An inductee into the club’s prestigious century club back in 2021; Tapley has made 140 appearances at Bedford Blues – third highest among the current crop – alongside adding 63 tries in that time; only Dean Adamson has scored more.
He chipped in with three tries from 17 appearances last season, including some crucial match winning moments.
On prolonging his stay at the club past a decade, Tapley said: “I say this every year but there’s no other club I’d play for and I’m very, very happy to be prolonging my stay.
“The main thing which has stayed a constant during my time here has been the support. Ever since that first game in 2013, it’s been the same and there is no better place to play in the Championship than Goldington Road.
“I was lucky enough to run out as skipper last season which was a massive honour to me. Never expected it but really proud to have been able to do it.
“If you’d have said to me all those years ago when I first came across that I’d still be playing here over ten years later, I definitely wouldn’t have believed you. This club and this town mean an awful lot to me and honoured to be granted a testimonial.”
Joint top try scorer in the truncated 2021 campaign and outright winner in 2014/15, Tapley has been an important figure at Goldington Road throughout his time at the club and will now be earmarking surpassing 150 appearances next season.
A key figurehead, Tapley embodies everything about the culture of Bedford Blues – both on and off the field – and we are delighted to announce he becomes the latest to receive a testimonial at our proud and historic club.
He becomes the 13th member of the squad confirmed for the upcoming campaign – when will you follow suit? We hope to have fixture dates announced soon with Season Tickets for the 2023/24 campaign ON SALE NOW! Get yours by clicking here.
