Published: 08/08/2010 08:32 - Updated: 07/08/2010 12:36

Barry Fry has hailed Bedford Town manager Ady Williams for saving them from the drop last season and believes the Eagles can soar up the right end of the league table in the new campaign.

Former Reading defender Williams was appointed Bedford boss in March with the club in the Zamaretto Premier Division relegation zone, but he saw them to survival on the last day of term with a 2-0 home win over Tiverton Town.

Peterborough director of football Fry was at his home town club on Thursday to see Bedford beaten 3-0 by a Peterborough XI, with another former Eyrie favourite, Rene Howe, opening the scoring.

“Funnily enough, Mark Robson, our assistant manager [at Posh] was on the same coaching course as Ady, and he said he’s very good,” Fry said afterwards.

“He’s already worked wonders because when he came here it looked certain like they would be relegated.

“They don’t need relegation, they’ve got to stay in that league and go up the ladder, so to speak.”

Town travel to Oxford City on Saturday for the season curtain-raiser and Fry is certain there will be happier times ahead for the club he once played for and managed.

“I think the goalkeeper [Ian Brown] is excellent and the two centre backs are really strong at that level,” he said. ”The rest of the team play with a bit of energy and I expect them to be at the other half of the table this year.

“I know Ady and he’s got them well organised and hopefully, we’ll both have a better season than last time. It was pretty disastrous for the pair of us.

“I always look for Bedford’s result and my boys come over and watch, so do a lot of my friends, so I hope they have a good season.”

Fry also hopes to bring a stronger Peterborough side to Meadow Lane next pre-season after only 248 fans turned out for Bedford’s final home friendly.

He said: “I’m a bit disappointed because I didn’t arrange the game, I think our youth manager did. I said to David [Howell - Bedford chairman] that next year we’ll bring the first team on a Saturday and get it publicised. Being a local boy, I want to support my local team. 

“Times are very difficult throughout football and they need better support than what they’re getting.

“Hopefully next year we can arrange it to be, possibly, Peterborough’s first friendly and we’ll fetch in twice as many.”