Bedlington is another English town with a long and rich tradition in soccer/football, since the early 1900s. Bedlington Terriers were founded in 1949, disbanding and reforming in the mid 1960s. On the verge of extinction in 1992 (after finishing near the bottom of their league), the Terriers pulled off one of the biggest turnarounds in sports. They went on to win the league in the 1993/94 season and gain promotion to the NPL's First Division. Four years later, they won the NPL First Division title (their first of four consecutive league titles).

Most football clubs in England have bleak futures ahead of them, but Bedlington Terriers is one club with a bright future.

Historical league table:

Place Year and League                                   GP  W  D  L  GF  GA PTS
***Joined Northern Premier League Second Division***
 10th 1982-83 Northern Premier League Second Division   30  5  9 16  33  48  24
  8th 1983-84 Northern Premier League Second Division   34 14  7 13  52  41  49
  2nd 1984-85 Northern Premier League Second Division   34 25  5  4  77  28  80
***Northern Premier League Second Division runner-up; Promoted to Northern Premier
League First Division***
  2nd 1985-86 Northern Premier League First Division    38 19 10  9  65  44  67
***Northern Premier League First Division runner-up***
 20th 1986-87 Northern Premier League First Division    38  6  4 28  40  87  22
***Relegated to Northern Premier League Second Division***
  7th 1987-88 Northern Premier League Second Division   34 11 11 12  49  46  44
  7th 1988-89 Northern Premier League Second Division   38 16  7 15  63  50  55
  9th 1989-90 Northern Premier League Second Division   38 17  5 16  67  72  56
 11th 1990-91 Northern Premier League Second Division   36 14  6 16  60  73  48
 19th 1991-92 Northern Premier League Second Division   38  7  2 29  38  97  20*
 17th 1992-93 Northern Premier League Second Division   38 11  3 24  64  86  33*
  1st 1993-94 Northern Premier League Second Division   36 28  5  3 114  36  89
***Northern Premier League Second Division Champions; Promoted to Northern Premier 
League First Division***
  4th 1994-95 Northern Premier League First Division    38 21 12  5  72  35  75
  2nd 1995-96 Northern Premier League First Division    38 22 12  4  90  37  78
***Northern Premier League First Division runner-up (2nd time; on goal difference)***
  3rd 1996-97 Northern Premier League First Division    38 28  5  5 113  37  86*
  1st 1997-98 Northern Premier League First Division    38 29  3  6 120  32  90
***Northern Premier League First Division Champions***
  1st 1998-99 Northern Premier League First Division    38 33  2  3 128  37 101
***Northern Premier League First Division Champions (2nd time); FA Vase runner-up***
  1st 1999-00 Northern Premier League First Division    38 25  8  5  89  26  83
***Northern Premier League First Division Champions (3rd time)***
  1st 2000-01 Northern Premier League First Division    40 28  5  7 108  31  89
***Northern Premier League First Division Champions (4th time); FA Vase semifinalist***

*=3 points deducted

Thanks to the FCHD (www.fchd.btinternet.co.uk) for the historical league table and thanks to the Official Bedlington Terriers website for the club history (www.btfc.fsnet.co.uk/ClubInformation/History.html)