The Birmingham Bulls are one of the longer established American football teams playing in the United Kingdom, having been founded in 1983.
Jerry Hartman, a former US military policeman 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. The team was financed by local businessman Dave Gill, who later became the Bulls’ first chairman and would go onto become chairman of the British American Football Association.
On Friday June 8th 1984, 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 under Dave Webb, the club attempted to purchase the land from the local council.
In 1986, as members of the BAFL, under coach Warren Tate, the Bulls won their first national championship, beating the Glasgow Lions 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, aided by US imports QB Russ Jensen, WR Gregg Harris, OL James Thorton and DL Steve James and again qualifying for the Eurobowl. However, they once more lost to the eventual runners up, this time the Amsterdam Crusaders.
In 1989, the Bulls again made the Budweiser Bowl to challenge for the national championship, but lost to the Manchester Spartans 21-14 after Jensen walked out of the team days before the final.
Under the banner of the NDMA league, the Bulls took their third national championship in 1991, QB Dave Kramme helping defeat the London Olympians 39-38 at the Alexander Stadium, with kicker Mark Webb scoring the winning field goal with just 17 seconds remaining.
In 1992, the Bulls again faced Eurobowl disappointment, falling to the eventual winners, the Amsterdam Crusaders once more.
Bulls returned to the Brit Bowl finals in 1994, beating old rivals Leicester in OT in the semi-final to seal their place. Against the Olympians, a missed field goal as time expired was the difference in a 23-24 defeat.
In 1995, the Bulls won their most recent national championship, defeating the London Olympians once more, in a 34-30 game, with QB John Riggs taking MVP honours. 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. 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.
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.
In 2014, in the second and final year of former Redditch Arrows head coach lan 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.
After two seasons of transition, with a large number of rookies getting regular playing time due to a number of experienced players retiring or moving to new clubs, the Bulls were relegated to Division Two following a one win season in 2017.
Mark Pagett resigned from the role as Head Coach and the Bulls moved to appoint Matthew Sheldon as the new leader for a new chapter of "Bulls Football" in 2018.
Post Covid the 2021 Bulls saw a division featuring the Swindon Storm of division 1 and the Bristol Aztecs of the premiership. Leading to a 4-2-1 season.
The 2022 season saw a return to normal division play with the Bulls upgraded to D1, facing the division title winning Leicester Falcons. Leading to a 4-6 Season.
In 2023 the Bulls continued their Division 1 campaign facing division rivals in the Caesars and Romans, They also secured a victory against the Sheffield Giants. ending the season with a victory against the Steelers to end 4-5-1.
In 2024, we once again held our own, a 2 game streak and some other close scores enabled us to keep our place in D1 with stiff competition in the likes of the Northants Knights, Nottingham Caesars and the renamed Leicester Panthers.
In 2025, we started slow, bedding in a large quantity of total rookies who took to the Bulls with passion and commitment. We held our own for most games, going on a three game unbeaten run and taking the final regular season game against division winners Sandwell to the final minute. Unfortunate circumstances saw us take part in the D1/D2 Relegation Game versus historical rivals Leicester and the long layoff from final regular season game to this one and an in-form Panthers side saw us drop down a division for 2026.
History and our experience of the last few years says we will bounce back to D1 sooner rather than later. But we know the hard work is needed and that starts this winter!
OUR HISTORY
Through the ups and downs of the fickle nature of sports fans, economic downturns, new teams formed in the area, the challenges of finding a home where we are welcomed, Covid and player apathy, we have come through our 43rd season in 2025.
From a proud history where we started as one of THE teams of the country, we took 4 National Championships, played in numerous European campaigns (winning a bronze medal in 1986) and too many capped GB Internationals to mention that went onto European dominance in 1989 and 1991. We continued to challenge through to the early 2000’s, taking in three more Bowl appearances and being a perennial title chasing team year in, year out.
Inevitably, the good times couldn’t last but the one thing we are proud of is, through all the downturns on the field and those off as described above, we have survived and we can proudly call ourselves the oldest team in British American Football! (Or Britball, as those in the community know it as)
For 2025 and beyond we have a new sense of purpose. After establishing ourselves in the middle tier of the league system for the past three years, we had to transition hard this past season, taking in 60% rookies making up the team. Somewhat controversially, we find ourselves in Division Two for 2026 and another challenge to the team. This can be seen as a reset and a chance for those 1 year guys to really step up and improve their game after a baptism of fire in '25. Through our media team and the coaching staff turning training into something fun and engaging, we are currently looking at 50 new guys over the offseason to stake their place on the team. Whereas other clubs are struggling for recruitment, we have thrived this winter. We also are part of the Birmingham Academy of American Football, where we have a feeder-type system in operation with the Under 19’s Birmingham Lions, bringing in young talent to the Bulls.
As the NFL games in London continue to sell out and the game of American Football is more accessible than ever, come and give us a watch or contact us to play for the 2026 season. We feel we have something special brewing so whether playing, volunteering, coaching or as a fan, come Join Us!
