Birmingham Bulls (American football)
 | |
| Established | 1983 |
|---|---|
| Based in | Birmingham |
| Home stadium | Erin Go Bragh |
| Head coach | Mark Pagett |
| League | BAFA National Leagues |
| Division | Midlands Football Conference 1 |
| League titles | 4 (1986, 1988, 1991, 1995) |
| Division titles | 19 (1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006) |
| Current uniform | |
 | |
The Birmingham Bulls are an American football team based in Birmingham, United Kingdom. They play their home games at Erin Go Bragh in Erdington. They are a member of the Midlands Football Conference 1 in the BAFA National Leagues.
The Bulls are one of the longer established American football teams playing in the United Kingdom, having been founded in 1983, and are one of the most successful teams in British American Football,[1] winning 4 British titles and 19 conference championships.
The Bulls field a senior team in the BAFA National Leagues MFC1, as well as a youth team, and a junior team in conjunction with the Birmingham Lions and the Sandwell Steelers.
History
Early years
Jerry Hartman, a former US military policeman and security guard for Howard Hughes[2] with some College Football experience formed the team in a local park, and by April 1984, there was enough interest to begin a fully fledged adult team.[3] They are named after the local landmark, The Bull Ring.[4] and were financed by local businessman Dave Gill, who later became the Bulls' first chairman and would go on to become chairman of the British American Football Association.[5]
On Friday June 8, the Bulls played their first game against the Milton Keynes Bucks at the Alexander Stadium, losing 40–7. They later took residence in Salford Park, underneath the Gravelly Hill Interchange, and in later years, the club attempted to purchase the land from the local council.[6]
In 1986, as members of the BAFL, under coach Warren Tate, the Bulls won their first national championship, and represented the UK in the inaugural Eurobowl, finishing third, losing to eventual runners-up, the Bologna Doves. In 1988, the Bulls won their second national championship, and first in the Budweiser League, beating the London Olympians at Loftus Road 30–6, and again qualifying for the Eurobowl. However, they once more lost to the eventual runners up, this time the Amsterdam Crusaders.[7]
In 1989 off-season, the entire Bulls starting secondary was arrested on charges ranging from armed robbery to assault.[8] Now owned by local businessman and Don Ho impersonator Frank Leadon, the team suffered internal strife with American lineman James Thornton regularly threatening to get himself deported,[9] with Leadon himself leaving the club and returning multiple times.[10] Businessman and father of nose tackle Andy Webb, Dave Webb took over ownership of the team part way through the season, with the Bulls' payroll the highest in the league.[11]
the Bulls again made the Budweiser Bowl to challenge for the national championship, but just hours before the game, star quarterback and coach, Russ Jensen, left the team for financial reasons.[12] The Bulls lost to the Manchester Spartans 21–14. In the same year, due to protests against Apartheid from the Bulls' supporters club,[13] the team turned down the offer of a tour of South Africa, estimated at the time to be worth $100,000.[14] It was in 1989 that former sportswriter for the Boston Herald, Michael Globetti, joined the Bulls and authored the book God Save The Quarterback!.[15]
The Nineties
Under the banner of the NDMA league, the Bulls took their third national championship in 1991, defeating the London Olympians 39–38 at the Alexander Stadium, with kicker Mark Webb scoring the winning field goal with just 17 seconds remaining.[16] In 1992, the Bulls again faced Eurobowl disappointment, falling to the eventual winners, the Amsterdam Crusaders once more. The result of the loss was challenged by the Bulls due to player registration issues, but the appeal failed. This failed appeal was part of the reasoning given for the withdrawal of BAFA from the European governing body.[17]
In 1995, the Bulls won their most recent national championship, defeating the London Olympians once more, in a 34–30 game.[18] However, the Olympians got their revenge later in the year, knocking the Bulls out of the Eurobowl at the quarter-final stage, before going onto finish as runners-up. After a re-invention, the Bulls began life in Division 2 in 1996.
The Bulls reached the national championship again in 1999, but fell to the London Olympians in a close, defence-heavy 9–6 loss.[19]
New Millenium & Recent Years
The result of the 1999 Britbowl was repeated a year later in 2000, when the London Olympians again defeated the Bulls in the national championship game, 34–26.
There followed a down period in the Bulls history, marked by several play off appearances, a lone conference championship in 2005, and emerging rivalries with the Coventry Jets and Tamworth Phoenix.
As the Bulls attempted to emerge from the mediocrity of the 2000s, they focused heavily on recruitment within the local area, but they still struggled in the BAFA Premier Division North. In 2013, the Bulls junior team finished an undefeated season by defeating the Woodham Warriors in the junior Britbowl at Keepmoat Stadium, and were crowned national champions.
This would be the last year that the Bulls fielded a junior team, as a new team was formed through links with the BUAFL team, the Birmingham Lions and the newly founded Sandwell Steelers.
In 2014, in the second and final year of former Redditch Arrows head coach Ian Hill's tenure, despite a large rookie contingent, the Bulls came within one game of making the play-offs. 2015 saw a league restructure and the Bulls found themselves placed in the Division One SFC North, with former player, Mark Pagett, taking over the reins.[20]
Following a further restructure, the Bulls will play the 2016 season in the Midlands Football Conference 1.[21]
Logos and Uniforms
The Birmingham Bulls traditionally play with white helmets, with one thicker black stripe surrounded by two thinner red stripes. Their facemask colour is black. A cut-out of the Bull from the full team logo is positioned on both sides of the helmet. In 2013, the Bulls celebrated their 30th anniversary[22] and reverted to the use of their original "Three Legged Bull" logo for a season.
Their home jerseys are typically black, with white numbers and a red trim, while their away jerseys are reversed, being mainly white, with black numbers and maintaining the red trim. Their game pants for both home and away kits are white, with a black and red stripe running the length of the leg. The Bulls have traditionally worn mostly black socks.
Their jerseys are currently manufactured by Rawlings.
Erin Go Bragh
The Bulls play their home games at Erin Go Bragh on Holly Lane in Erdington. The facilities are also the home of the local Gaelic Football team of the same name, several Sunday league football and Hurling teams. Erin Go Bragh, nicknamed EGB has three pitches for use across multiple sports.
Rivalries
London Olympians
The Bulls' rivalry with the London Olympians is largely historic, meeting several times in the late 80's and early 90's in both the league and playoffs, with the rivalry coming to a head in the 1988, 1991, 1994 and 1995 Britbowls, with the Bulls winning three to the Olympians one.[23]
In recent years, the two have rarely, if at all, played each other due to league realignments and a relative lack of playoff success for both organisations.
Coventry Jets
Aside from being purely a local affair, the rivalry became significant when the Jets returned in their latest guise, initiated by several former Bulls, including quarterback Jamie Kilby and Paul Newey.
Thanks in part to geographical proximity, the Jets and Bulls faced each other often. In 2008, the Jets handed the Bulls their heaviest defeat, in a very one sided 67–0 affair.[24]
Tamworth Phoenix
The Bulls' rivalry with the Tamworth Phoenix is not dissimilar to that of the Jets. Whilst they are geographically close, the rivalry was compounded by the fact that the Phoenix were, like many of the younger Midlands teams, founded by former Birmingham Bulls players.[25]
Notable Former players
The following notable players appeared for the Birmingham Bulls during their career.
- Russ Jensen
- Quarterback - Mark Cohen
- Wide Receiver - Bob Shoop - Wide Receiver
- Pat Roach - Defensive Lineman
- Mark Webb - Kicker
Records
| All-Time Bulls Leaders | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leader | Player | Record Number | ||
| Total Points | Mark Cohen | 336 Points | ||
| Passing Yards | Russ Jensen | 5,201 passing yards | ||
| Passing TDs | Russ Jensen | 55 passing touchdowns | ||
| Rushing Yards | Paul Duncan | 2,856 rushing yards | ||
| Rushing TDs | Trevor Carthy | 43 rushing touchdowns | ||
| Receiving Yards | Mark Cohen | 3,740 receiving yards | ||
| Receiving Touchdowns | Mark Cohen | 51 receiving touchdowns | ||
| Most Total Tackles | Colin Nash | 673 tackles | ||
| Sacks | Ken Lewis | 72.5 Sacks | ||
| Most Fumble Recoveries | Ken Lewis | 19 fumble recoveries | ||
| Most Interceptions | Paul Roberts | 30 interceptions | ||
| Most Field Goals | Mark Webb | 18 field goals | ||
| Most Extra Point Kicks | Mark Webb | 160 extra point kicks | ||
| Most Punt Yards | Andy Raffo | 4,676 punt yards | ||
| Most Kick Return Yards | Paul Roberts | 1,368 kick return yards | ||
| Most Punt Return Yards | Paul Roberts | 909 punt return yards | ||
Season by Season record
Notes
- ↑ BBC – Birmingham – Sport – Birmingham Bulls
- ↑ God Save The Quarterback!, Michael Globetti, 1991 Pg. 150
- ↑ Talbot, Michael James. "The Birmingham Bulls American Football Club 1984–1988"
- ↑ Talbot, Michael James. "The Birmingham Bulls American Football Club 1984–1988"
- ↑ BritBallNow Where Are They Now?
- ↑ Talbot, Michael James. "The Birmingham Bulls American Football Club 1984–1988"
- ↑ BritBallNow Results In European Competition
- ↑ God Save The Quarterback!, Michael Globetti, 1991 Pg. XVII
- ↑ God Save The Quarterback!, Michael Globetti, 1991 Pg. 58
- ↑ God Save The Quarterback!, Michael Globetti, 1991 Pg. 83
- ↑ God Save The Quarterback!, Michael Globetti, 1991 Pg. 202
- ↑ BritBallNow 1988-1991
- ↑ God Save The Quarterback!, Michael Globetti, 1991 Pg. 246
- ↑ "Offer declined; American football". The Times. October 9, 1989.
- ↑ NY Times - What It Was Was Britball
- ↑ BritBallNow 1988-1991
- ↑ BritBallNow 1992-1995
- ↑ BritBallNow 1992-1995
- ↑ BritBallNow 1996-2000
- ↑ Mark Pagett Appointed
- ↑ League restructure sees Bulls moved to Midlands Football Conference 1
- ↑ Birmingham Mail Bulls' 30 Year Anniversary
- ↑ Britball Finals
- ↑ BBC Birmingham Bulls vs Coventry Jets
- ↑ Tamworth Phoenix - About Archived April 17, 2015, at the Wayback Machine.