Following promotion to the top flight, Bamford played all 46 first-team matches in the 1913–14 as the side attained a respectable 12th-placed finish in the league. Despite starting his career as a left-back, Bamford became an established right-sided defender as Burnley built on their cup success of the previous campaign, beating South Shields, Derby County and Bolton Wanderers in the early rounds before atoning for their defeat to Sunderland in the fourth round. Bamford was selected in the starting line-up as Burnley defeated Liverpool 1–0 to win their first (and as of 2010, only) FA Cup title.Simpson, p. 131 The eleven players selected for that match had only ever previously played four first-team matches together and in fact never again lined up together after the Final. Bamford carried his first-place berth into the next season, again playing in every league and cup fixture in 1914–15 as Burnley finished fourth in the division, their highest league finish since 1899.Simpson, p. 72Simpson, p. 136 On 24 April 1915, Bamford played what turned out to be his final game in a Burnley shirt, a 0–0 draw with Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.
