Bradford Bulls
Encyclopedia
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league
club based in the city of Bradford
, West Yorkshire
, England. They play in the European Super League
and are currently joint 10th in the league.
They are five times Challenge Cup
holders, six times League / Super League
champions, three times World Club Challenge
champions and eleven time winners of the Yorkshire Cup
.
Since 1934 (with the exception of the 2001 and 2002 seasons) Bradford has played its home games at Odsal Stadium
to the south of the city centre. The team jersey is white with red, black and amber hoops.
Bradford formed as a rugby league club under the name Bradford Northern in 1907, from a split within Bradford F.C.
(itself a 1895 founder club of the Northern Union
which switched to playing Association Football).
The 1940s and early 1950s were very successful for the club, but in the following decade its fortunes and attendances declined to an all time low, with Northern going out of business in 1963. It was reformed the following year with the financial support of fans and former players. The revived club had a mixed career over the next 3 decades as it struggled to replicate its former glories. Despite winning the Championship twice in the 1978-79 and 1980-81 seasons, financial problems resurfaced in the mid eighties, forcing the club to transfer list many of its players.
Renamed the Bradford Bulls in 1996 on the advent of Super League
, with an injection of talent from New Zealand and Australia they became one of the major success stories of the summer season era. The highlight was the 2003 season, when the Bulls won all of the major rugby league honours, (Challenge Cup, Super League Championship, World Club Championship, and Minor Premier).
Bradford's main historical rivalry is with the Leeds Rhinos
, although their traditional derby is with Halifax RLFC
and they have a lesser rivalry with the Huddersfield Giants
.
was formed in 1863 and played rugby football
, subsequently joining the Rugby Football Union
. Park Avenue
was established as the home ground in 1880 and the club achieved its first major success by winning the Yorkshire Cup
in 1884. In 1895, along with cross-town neighbours Manningham F.C., Bradford was among 22 clubs to secede from the Rugby Football Union
after the historic meeting at the George Hotel
in Huddersfield
in response to a dispute over "broken time" payments to players who were thus part-time professionals. These 22 clubs formed the Northern Rugby Football Union, which eventually became the Rugby Football League
.
Bradford enjoyed some success in the Northern Union. In 1903-04, the team finished level on points with Salford at the top of the league and then won the resulting play-off 5-0. In 1905-06, Bradford beat Salford 5-0 to win the Challenge Cup
and were runners up in the Championship. In 1906-07, Bradford won the Yorkshire Cup 8-5 against Hull Kingston Rovers
. Meanwhile, Manningham had run into financial difficulties and, despite a summer archery contest that generated enough money to ensure their survival, its members were persuaded to swap codes and play association football instead. Manningham was invited to join the Football League in 1903, in an attempt to promote football in a rugby-dominated region, and the newly renamed Bradford City A.F.C.
was voted into full membership of the Second Division without having played a game of football, having a complete team or even being able to guarantee a ground.
The creation of Bradford City led to demands for association football at Park Avenue too. The ground had already hosted some football matches including one in the 1880s between Blackburn Rovers and Blackburn Olympic F.C.
. In 1895, a Bradford side had beaten a team from Moss Side, Manchester, by 4-1 in front of 3,000 spectators. With becoming successful at Bradford City, a meeting was called of the Bradford FC members on April 15, 1907 to decide the rugby club's future. An initial vote appeared to favour continuing in the Northern Union, but then opinion shifted towards rugby union
and the Chairman, Mr Briggs, used his influence to swing the committee behind the proposed move to association football. This act, sometimes referred to as "The Great Betrayal", led to Bradford FC becoming the Bradford Park Avenue
association football club. The minority faction decided to split and form a new Northern Union club, appropriately called Bradford Northern, which applied for and was granted Bradford FC's place in the Northern Union for the 1907-08 season. Bradford Northern's first home ground was the Greenfield Athletic stadium in Dudley Hill, to the south of the city.
, Northern had had two other homes at Greenfield Athletic Ground in Dudley Hill and at Birch Lane which was part of the Bowling Old Lane cricket ground, although at times they also had to hire Valley Parade as the capacity at Birch Lane was insufficient for large matches.
On 20 June 1933 Bradford Northern signed a ten-year lease with Bradford council for a former quarry being used as a waste dump at Odsal Top. It was turned into the biggest stadium outside Wembley. The Bradford Northern team played its first match there on 1 September 1934. Success came in the 1940s with a number of cup wins: the Yorkshire cup in 1940-1, 1942-3, 1944-5, 1945-6, 1948-9 and 1949–50; and the Challenge cup 1943-4, 1946-7 and 1948-9. In the championship Bradford found it difficult to win either before the war or after despite being runners up in 1942-3 and 1947-8. On Saturday 3 November 1945, Bradford Northern met Wakefield Trinity
in the final of the Yorkshire Cup held at Thrum Hall, Halifax. Wakefield began the match as favourites, they had lost only one of thirteen matches thus far in the season. However, Bradford won 5-2 and lifted the Yorkshire Cup for the fourth time in six seasons.
Bradford defeated Leeds 8-4 to win the Challenge Cup at Wembley in 1947. The 1947-8 Challenge Cup final was notable as it was the first rugby league match to be attended by the reigning monarch, King George VI, who presented the trophy. It was also the first televised rugby league match as it was broadcast to the Midlands. Unfortunately Bradford lost 8-3 to Wigan and Frank Whitcombe
became the first player to win the Lance Todd trophy
on the losing side. The 1949 Challenge Cup final was sold out for first time as 95,050 spectators saw Bradford beat Halifax. In 1951-2 Bradford were runners up in the league but beat New Zealand
at Odsal in the first floodlit football match of any code in the North of England.
In 1953, a crowd of 69,429 watched Bradford play Huddersfield in the Challenge Cup third round. This was Northern’s highest ever attendance. Northern also won the Yorkshire Cup final 7-2 against Hull. Bradford Northern and Leigh were the first rugby league clubs to stage matches on a Sunday in December 1954, although there was opposition from the Sunday Observance lobby. Bradford Northern's support declined rapidly in the 1963 season, attracting a record low crowd of 324 against Barrow. Northern went out of business on 10 December 1963 having played just 13 matches; winning 1 and losing 12, scoring 109 points and conceding 284.
and Trevor Foster
. On 20 July 1964, Bradford Northern (1964) Ltd came into existence. The club's new side had been built for around £15,000 and had Jack Wilkinson
as coach. On 22 August 1964, Hull Kingston Rovers
provided the opposition in the reformed club's first match and 14,500 spectators turned out to show their support, as Odsal hosted its first 10,000 plus gate for a Bradford Northern match since 1957.
The reformed club won its first cup in 1965-66 by beating Hunslet 17-8 in the final of the Yorkshire Cup
. In 1972-73 Bradford lost the Challenge Cup final against Featherstone Rovers
33-14. In 1973-74 Bradford won the Second Division Championship and were promoted back to the First Division. During this season Keith Mumby
made his début, becoming the Bradford's youngest player at only 16 years of age, kicking 12 goals and scoring a try in the match against Doncaster. He went on to make a record 576 appearances for the club. In 1974-75 Bradford won the Regal Trophy 3-2 against Widnes
.
Peter Fox joined Bradford as coach for the first time in 1977-78. Bradford won the Premiership final 17-8 against Widnes and were also Championship runners-up.
In 1978-79 Bradford appeared in another Premiership final this time losing 24-2 to Leeds
. A year later Bradford won the Championship and Regal Trophy, Peter Fox winning the award for Coach of the Year. In 1980-81 the club made it back-to-back championships. In 1981-82, Bradford lost the Yorkshire Cup final 10-5 against Castleford
and lost again in 1982-83, this time 18-7 against Hull. Keith Mumby won the award for First Division Player of the Year while Brian Noble
won the Young Player award.
In 1985, Ellery Hanley
left Northern to join Wigan
for a then record transfer deal, worth £80,000 and a player exchange involving Steve Donlan and Phil Ford. By November 1987, Bradford had cash-flow problems and the local council refused to help financially, but appointed a special committee to administer the clubs' finances. In December 1987, desperate for cash, Bradford transfer-listed 22 players for a total of £210,000 plus Phil Ford for £120,000.
In 1987-88 Bradford won the Yorkshire Cup final replay against Castleford 11-2 after drawing 12-12. Ron Willey
coached Bradford Northern for a short stint in 1989-90 and led them to the Premiership final and success in the Yorkshire Cup final when they beat Featherstone Rovers 20-14.
David Hobbs became coach at Northern in 1990 until he left for Wakefield Trinity
in 1994. Bradford lost the Regal Trophy against Warrington
12-2 in 1990-91. Peter Fox returned to Bradford for a second spell as coach in 1991, and in 1993-94 the last Championship before Super League, Bradford finished as runners-up behind Wigan on points difference. Fox left the club in 1995.
season and changed from a winter to a summer season. As the sport in Britain entered a new era, Bradford rose to prominence. The club won the Super League championship in 1997, 2001, 2003 and 2005, the Challenge Cup in 2000 and 2003 and the World Club Challenge in 2002, 2004 and 2006.
is a stadium situated in Bradford
in West Yorkshire
, England
. The venue is used for rugby league
and has been the home ground of Bradford Bulls since 1934. Odsal has also hosted many other sports, including association football
, speedway
, stock car racing
, basketball
featuring the Harlem Globetrotters
, wrestling
, show jumping
and kabaddi
. The stadium boasts one of the largest attendances of all time for any UK sports event (102,569) when Halifax
played Warrington
on 5 May 1954.
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Outs
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!width=15%|2 Years
!width=25%|August 2011
|-
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!width=30%|Marc Herbert
!width=35%|
!width=15%|
!width=25%|August 2011
|-
|- bgcolor=#FFFFFF
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!width=30%|Shad Royston
!width=35%|Pia Donkeys
!width=15%|2 Years
!width=25%|August 2011
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!width=15%|
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!width=30%|Vinny Finigan
!width=35%|Sheffield Eagles
!width=15%|1 Year
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!width=30%|Steve Crossley
!width=35%|Dewsbury Rams
!width=15%|2 Years
!width=25%|October 2011
|-
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!width=30%|Cain Southernwood
!width=35%|Dewsbury Rams
!width=15%|1 Year Loan
!width=25%|October 2011
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1996 - 2004Jamie Peacock
2005Iestyn Harris
2006Paul Deacon
2007 - 2009Andy Lynch 2010–Present
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
club based in the city of Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, England. They play in the European Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
and are currently joint 10th in the league.
They are five times Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
holders, six times League / Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
champions, three times World Club Challenge
World Club Challenge
The World Club Challenge is an annual rugby league football match held between the champions of the Australasian National Rugby League and the European Super League competitions to determine the world's best rugby league club...
champions and eleven time winners of the Yorkshire Cup
Rugby league county cups
Historically, British rugby league clubs competed for the Lancashire Cup and the Yorkshire Cup, known collectively as the county cups. The leading rugby clubs in Yorkshire had played in a cup competition for several years prior to the schism of 1895...
.
Since 1934 (with the exception of the 2001 and 2002 seasons) Bradford has played its home games at Odsal Stadium
Odsal Stadium
Odsal Stadium is a stadium situated in Odsal, Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. The venue is used for rugby league and has been the home ground of Bradford Bulls/Bradford Northern since 1934...
to the south of the city centre. The team jersey is white with red, black and amber hoops.
Bradford formed as a rugby league club under the name Bradford Northern in 1907, from a split within Bradford F.C.
Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C.
Bradford Association Football Club, previously also known as Bradford and since its reformation in the 1970s now referred to as Bradford Park Avenue, is a football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England...
(itself a 1895 founder club of the Northern Union
Rugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league football in England. Based at Red Hall in Leeds, it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, Super League and the Rugby League Championships...
which switched to playing Association Football).
The 1940s and early 1950s were very successful for the club, but in the following decade its fortunes and attendances declined to an all time low, with Northern going out of business in 1963. It was reformed the following year with the financial support of fans and former players. The revived club had a mixed career over the next 3 decades as it struggled to replicate its former glories. Despite winning the Championship twice in the 1978-79 and 1980-81 seasons, financial problems resurfaced in the mid eighties, forcing the club to transfer list many of its players.
Renamed the Bradford Bulls in 1996 on the advent of Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
, with an injection of talent from New Zealand and Australia they became one of the major success stories of the summer season era. The highlight was the 2003 season, when the Bulls won all of the major rugby league honours, (Challenge Cup, Super League Championship, World Club Championship, and Minor Premier).
Bradford's main historical rivalry is with the Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
, although their traditional derby is with Halifax RLFC
Halifax RLFC
Halifax RLFC is one of the most historic rugby league clubs in the game, formed over a century ago, in 1873 in the Yorkshire town of Halifax. Known as 'Fax', the official club colours are blue and white hoops, blue shorts and blue socks . They share The Shay stadium with football club FC Halifax Town...
and they have a lesser rivalry with the Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
.
Bradford FC: 1863-1907
The original Bradford Football ClubBradford Park Avenue A.F.C.
Bradford Association Football Club, previously also known as Bradford and since its reformation in the 1970s now referred to as Bradford Park Avenue, is a football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England...
was formed in 1863 and played rugby football
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
, subsequently joining the Rugby Football Union
Rugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...
. Park Avenue
Park Avenue (stadium)
Park Avenue is a sports ground on Horton Park Avenue in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. It was used for both cricket and football. It held 306 first class and 48 list A cricket matches between 1881 and 1996, and was home to former Football League club Bradford Park Avenue, to which it lent its...
was established as the home ground in 1880 and the club achieved its first major success by winning the Yorkshire Cup
Yorkshire Cup (rugby union)
The Yorkshire Cup is an English Rugby Football Union competition founded in 1878. It is open to all eligible clubs in the Yorkshire area. It was initially known as the Yorkshire Challenge Cup.-History:...
in 1884. In 1895, along with cross-town neighbours Manningham F.C., Bradford was among 22 clubs to secede from the Rugby Football Union
Rugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...
after the historic meeting at the George Hotel
George Hotel, Huddersfield
The George Hotel, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England, situated in the centre of the city, is a Grade II listed building famous as the birthplace of rugby league football....
in Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
in response to a dispute over "broken time" payments to players who were thus part-time professionals. These 22 clubs formed the Northern Rugby Football Union, which eventually became the Rugby Football League
Rugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league football in England. Based at Red Hall in Leeds, it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, Super League and the Rugby League Championships...
.
Bradford enjoyed some success in the Northern Union. In 1903-04, the team finished level on points with Salford at the top of the league and then won the resulting play-off 5-0. In 1905-06, Bradford beat Salford 5-0 to win the Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
and were runners up in the Championship. In 1906-07, Bradford won the Yorkshire Cup 8-5 against Hull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR is an English professional rugby league football club based in Hull, England. The club formed in 1882 and currently competes in Super League, having won promotion from National League One in 2006...
. Meanwhile, Manningham had run into financial difficulties and, despite a summer archery contest that generated enough money to ensure their survival, its members were persuaded to swap codes and play association football instead. Manningham was invited to join the Football League in 1903, in an attempt to promote football in a rugby-dominated region, and the newly renamed Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
was voted into full membership of the Second Division without having played a game of football, having a complete team or even being able to guarantee a ground.
The creation of Bradford City led to demands for association football at Park Avenue too. The ground had already hosted some football matches including one in the 1880s between Blackburn Rovers and Blackburn Olympic F.C.
Blackburn Olympic F.C.
Blackburn Olympic F.C. was an English association football club based in Blackburn, Lancashire in the late 19th century. Although the club was only in existence for just over a decade, it is significant in the history of football in England as the first club from the north of the country and the...
. In 1895, a Bradford side had beaten a team from Moss Side, Manchester, by 4-1 in front of 3,000 spectators. With becoming successful at Bradford City, a meeting was called of the Bradford FC members on April 15, 1907 to decide the rugby club's future. An initial vote appeared to favour continuing in the Northern Union, but then opinion shifted towards rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
and the Chairman, Mr Briggs, used his influence to swing the committee behind the proposed move to association football. This act, sometimes referred to as "The Great Betrayal", led to Bradford FC becoming the Bradford Park Avenue
Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C.
Bradford Association Football Club, previously also known as Bradford and since its reformation in the 1970s now referred to as Bradford Park Avenue, is a football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England...
association football club. The minority faction decided to split and form a new Northern Union club, appropriately called Bradford Northern, which applied for and was granted Bradford FC's place in the Northern Union for the 1907-08 season. Bradford Northern's first home ground was the Greenfield Athletic stadium in Dudley Hill, to the south of the city.
Bradford Northern: 1907-1963
Northern moved to Birch Lane in 1908. Bradford council offered the club a site for a new stadium between Rooley Lane and Mayo Avenue in 1927. However the RFL said the site was too small and the club kept on looking. Before moving to OdsalOdsal Stadium
Odsal Stadium is a stadium situated in Odsal, Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. The venue is used for rugby league and has been the home ground of Bradford Bulls/Bradford Northern since 1934...
, Northern had had two other homes at Greenfield Athletic Ground in Dudley Hill and at Birch Lane which was part of the Bowling Old Lane cricket ground, although at times they also had to hire Valley Parade as the capacity at Birch Lane was insufficient for large matches.
On 20 June 1933 Bradford Northern signed a ten-year lease with Bradford council for a former quarry being used as a waste dump at Odsal Top. It was turned into the biggest stadium outside Wembley. The Bradford Northern team played its first match there on 1 September 1934. Success came in the 1940s with a number of cup wins: the Yorkshire cup in 1940-1, 1942-3, 1944-5, 1945-6, 1948-9 and 1949–50; and the Challenge cup 1943-4, 1946-7 and 1948-9. In the championship Bradford found it difficult to win either before the war or after despite being runners up in 1942-3 and 1947-8. On Saturday 3 November 1945, Bradford Northern met Wakefield Trinity
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
in the final of the Yorkshire Cup held at Thrum Hall, Halifax. Wakefield began the match as favourites, they had lost only one of thirteen matches thus far in the season. However, Bradford won 5-2 and lifted the Yorkshire Cup for the fourth time in six seasons.
Bradford defeated Leeds 8-4 to win the Challenge Cup at Wembley in 1947. The 1947-8 Challenge Cup final was notable as it was the first rugby league match to be attended by the reigning monarch, King George VI, who presented the trophy. It was also the first televised rugby league match as it was broadcast to the Midlands. Unfortunately Bradford lost 8-3 to Wigan and Frank Whitcombe
Frank Whitcombe
Frank William Whitcombe was a Welsh rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1930s and '40s who played rugby union for Cardiff RFC, London Welsh RFC, and Army Rugby Union, playing at Prop, i.e...
became the first player to win the Lance Todd trophy
Lance Todd Trophy
The Lance Todd Trophy is awarded to the Man-of-the-Match in rugby league football's Challenge Cup Final.The trophy was introduced in 1946, in memory of Lance Todd, the New Zealand-born player and administrator, who was killed in a road accident during the Second World War...
on the losing side. The 1949 Challenge Cup final was sold out for first time as 95,050 spectators saw Bradford beat Halifax. In 1951-2 Bradford were runners up in the league but beat New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
at Odsal in the first floodlit football match of any code in the North of England.
In 1953, a crowd of 69,429 watched Bradford play Huddersfield in the Challenge Cup third round. This was Northern’s highest ever attendance. Northern also won the Yorkshire Cup final 7-2 against Hull. Bradford Northern and Leigh were the first rugby league clubs to stage matches on a Sunday in December 1954, although there was opposition from the Sunday Observance lobby. Bradford Northern's support declined rapidly in the 1963 season, attracting a record low crowd of 324 against Barrow. Northern went out of business on 10 December 1963 having played just 13 matches; winning 1 and losing 12, scoring 109 points and conceding 284.
1964-1995
A meeting on 14 April 1964 saw 1,500 people turn out to discuss the formation of a new club, and those present promised a £1000 to help get plans for the new organisation underway. Amongst those who led proceedings were former players Joe PhillipsJoseph Phillips (rugby league)
Joseph "Joe" Phillips was a New Zealander rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1950s who at representative level played for Other Nations, and Rugby League XIII, and at club level for Bradford Northern, playing at , i.e...
and Trevor Foster
Trevor Foster
Trevor J. F. Foster MBE , was a Welsh rugby footballer and coach. He played rugby union for Newport and rugby league for Bradford Northern...
. On 20 July 1964, Bradford Northern (1964) Ltd came into existence. The club's new side had been built for around £15,000 and had Jack Wilkinson
Jack Wilkinson (rugby league)
Jack Wilkinson was an English professional Rugby League World Cup winning footballer of the 1940s, '50s and '60s, and coach of the 1960s. A classmate of wrestler Shirley Crabtree, he was a Great Britain international , who played at club level for Halifax, Wakefield Trinity and Bradford Northern...
as coach. On 22 August 1964, Hull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR is an English professional rugby league football club based in Hull, England. The club formed in 1882 and currently competes in Super League, having won promotion from National League One in 2006...
provided the opposition in the reformed club's first match and 14,500 spectators turned out to show their support, as Odsal hosted its first 10,000 plus gate for a Bradford Northern match since 1957.
The reformed club won its first cup in 1965-66 by beating Hunslet 17-8 in the final of the Yorkshire Cup
Rugby league county cups
Historically, British rugby league clubs competed for the Lancashire Cup and the Yorkshire Cup, known collectively as the county cups. The leading rugby clubs in Yorkshire had played in a cup competition for several years prior to the schism of 1895...
. In 1972-73 Bradford lost the Challenge Cup final against Featherstone Rovers
Featherstone Rovers
Featherstone Rovers are a semi-professional rugby league club, based in Featherstone, West Yorkshire, England. They currently play in the Championship. The Rovers are one of the last vestiges of "small town teams" that were once common in rugby league during the early twentieth century...
33-14. In 1973-74 Bradford won the Second Division Championship and were promoted back to the First Division. During this season Keith Mumby
Keith Mumby
Keith Mumby is a former rugby league player, who most famously played for the Bradford Bulls between 1973 and 1993 as a , or .-Bradford Northern:Keith Mumby began his Bradford Northern professional playing career at the age of sixteen...
made his début, becoming the Bradford's youngest player at only 16 years of age, kicking 12 goals and scoring a try in the match against Doncaster. He went on to make a record 576 appearances for the club. In 1974-75 Bradford won the Regal Trophy 3-2 against Widnes
Widnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings RLFC are an English professional rugby league club based in Widnes, Cheshire. They currently play in the Engage Super League, the top tier of European rugby league, after being awarded a license to compete in the top-flight Super League from 2012 onward...
.
Peter Fox joined Bradford as coach for the first time in 1977-78. Bradford won the Premiership final 17-8 against Widnes and were also Championship runners-up.
In 1978-79 Bradford appeared in another Premiership final this time losing 24-2 to Leeds
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
. A year later Bradford won the Championship and Regal Trophy, Peter Fox winning the award for Coach of the Year. In 1980-81 the club made it back-to-back championships. In 1981-82, Bradford lost the Yorkshire Cup final 10-5 against Castleford
Castleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers are a professional rugby league club based in Castleford in West Yorkshire, England. They participate in the professional European competition Super League. They are sometimes known as 'Cas', 'Cas Tigers', 'Classy Cas' or the 'Black & Amber'...
and lost again in 1982-83, this time 18-7 against Hull. Keith Mumby won the award for First Division Player of the Year while Brian Noble
Brian Noble (rugby league)
Brian 'Nobby' D. Noble is an English former rugby league footballer. Noble is also the former coach of the Great Britain National Rugby League team. He was also the captain of the 1984 Great Britain touring team to Australia...
won the Young Player award.
In 1985, Ellery Hanley
Ellery Hanley
Ellery Cuthwyn Hanley MBE is a British former rugby league footballer of the 1970s, 80s and 90s, and former head coach of Great Britain, St. Helens and Doncaster. As a player he played most of his games at /, or /. Over a period of nineteen years, he played for Bradford Northern, Wigan, Balmain,...
left Northern to join Wigan
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
for a then record transfer deal, worth £80,000 and a player exchange involving Steve Donlan and Phil Ford. By November 1987, Bradford had cash-flow problems and the local council refused to help financially, but appointed a special committee to administer the clubs' finances. In December 1987, desperate for cash, Bradford transfer-listed 22 players for a total of £210,000 plus Phil Ford for £120,000.
In 1987-88 Bradford won the Yorkshire Cup final replay against Castleford 11-2 after drawing 12-12. Ron Willey
Ron Willey
Ron Willey was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach. He was a representative for the Australian national side. Post-playing, Willey had a long and successful first grade and State representative coaching career.-Club career:...
coached Bradford Northern for a short stint in 1989-90 and led them to the Premiership final and success in the Yorkshire Cup final when they beat Featherstone Rovers 20-14.
David Hobbs became coach at Northern in 1990 until he left for Wakefield Trinity
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
in 1994. Bradford lost the Regal Trophy against Warrington
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
12-2 in 1990-91. Peter Fox returned to Bradford for a second spell as coach in 1991, and in 1993-94 the last Championship before Super League, Bradford finished as runners-up behind Wigan on points difference. Fox left the club in 1995.
Summer era: 1996-present
In 1996, the first tier of British rugby league clubs played the inaugural Super LeagueSuper League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
season and changed from a winter to a summer season. As the sport in Britain entered a new era, Bradford rose to prominence. The club won the Super League championship in 1997, 2001, 2003 and 2005, the Challenge Cup in 2000 and 2003 and the World Club Challenge in 2002, 2004 and 2006.
Season summaries
| Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Position | |R | |F | Super League 1 Super League I The year 1996's Stones Bitter Super League I was the official name for the 102nd season of top-level rugby league football, and the first year of Europe's new championship: Super League. It is also the first season of rugby league to be played in summer... | 22 | 17 | 0 | 5 | 3/12 | Brian Smith Brian Smith (rugby league) Brian Smith is an Australian coach and former player of rugby league football. He is the current head coach at the Sydney Roosters of the NRL. Smith played for St. George and South Sydney Rabbitohs , appearing in a total of 31 first grade games... |
Robbie Paul Robbie Paul Robert Rawiri 'Robbie' Hunter-Paul is a New Zealand rugby league player. He currently plays for Leigh Centurions in England. He played for the New Zealand national team 27 times. He is the younger brother of Leeds Carnegie player Henry Paul.-Early years:Born in Tokoroa, New Zealand, his junior... |
Bradford Bulls 1996 Bradford Bulls 1996 -The Super League era:The Super League era - 1996 In April 1995, the Rugby League announced the formation of the European Super League. The Super League consisted of 10 clubs from the existing First Division plus London Broncos from the Second Division, and new club Paris Saint-Germain.For the... |
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| Super League 2 Super League II Stones Bitter Super League II was the official name for the year 1997's Super League championship season, the 103rd season of top-level professional rugby league football in Britain, and the second championship run by Super League.-Season summary:... |
22 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 1/12 | |
Matthew Elliott | Bradford Bulls 1997 Bradford Bulls 1997 -Champions-1997: Bradford won the 1997 Super League title with a record run of 20 successive victories from the start of the season. The Bulls were also Challenge Cup runners-up for a second season, losing 32-22 to St Helens. James Lowes was the Super League Player of the Season while Matthew... |
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| Super League 3 Super League III -Dream Team:The Super League Dream Team for the 1998 season was: 1 Kris Radlinski 2 Jason Robinson 3 Gary Connolly 4 ? 5 Anthony Sullivan 6 Iestyn Harris 7 Gavin Clinch 8 Dale Laughton 9 Robbie McCormack 10 ? 11 Steele Retchless 12 ? 13 ?-External links:**... |
23 | 12 | 0 | 11 | 5/12 | |
Bradford Bulls 1998 Bradford Bulls 1998 This article details the Bradford Bulls rugby league club's 1998 season.On the Road - 1998 In 1998, as part of rugby league's "on the road" scheme the Bradford Bulls played London Broncos at Tynecastle in Edinburgh in front of over 7,000 fans. 1998 was a disappointing season for Bradford,... |
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| Super League 4 Super League IV -End of season mergers:Huddersfield managed to avoid relegation again despite finishing bottom due to the merger with Sheffield Eagles to form Huddersfield-Sheffield Giants. Also at the end of this season Gateshead Thunder and Hull Sharks were merged to form Hull F.C... |
30 | 25 | 1 | 4 | 1/14 | |
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Bradford Bulls 1999 Bradford Bulls 1999 -So Close - 1999: In 1999 Bradford signed New Zealand international Henry Paul from Wigan Warriors who linked up with brother Robbie Paul for the first time at professional club level. The club achieved record season ticket sales, and set a new scoring record as the Bulls thrashed Workington Town... |
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| Super League 5 Super League V -Wide to West:St Helens, who finished second in the regular season table, hosted Bradford Bulls for the qualifying play-off in week one of the play-offs. One of Super League's most well known tries was scored in the final seconds of the match. Bradford led the game 11–10 into the final minute when,... |
28 | 20 | 3 | 5 | 3/12 | |
Bradford Bulls 2000 Bradford Bulls 2000 This article details the Bradford Bulls rugby league club's 2000 season. They averaged 15,369 for home games this season.-The Millennium:Flower Of Scotland - 2000... |
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| Super League 6 Super League VI Tetley's Super League VI was the official name for the year 2001's Super League championship season, the 107th season of top-level professional rugby league football in Britain, and the sixth championship run by Super League... |
28 | 22 | 1 | 5 | 1/12 | |
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Brian Noble Brian Noble (rugby league) Brian 'Nobby' D. Noble is an English former rugby league footballer. Noble is also the former coach of the Great Britain National Rugby League team. He was also the captain of the 1984 Great Britain touring team to Australia... |
Bradford Bulls 2001 Bradford Bulls 2001 -Summary:Brian Noble was appointed Bradford head coach in 2001 and the club took up residence at Valley Parade, the home of Bradford City, to allow for the redevelopment of Odsal Stadium. Reaching the Challenge Cup final, held at Twickenham, the team suffered a 13-6 defeat to St Helens... |
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| Super League 7 Super League VII Tetley's Super League VII was the official name for the year 2002's Super League championship season, the 108th season of top-level professional rugby league held in Britain, and the seventh championship run by Super League... |
30 | 24 | 0 | 6 | 3/12 | |
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Bradford Bulls 2002 Bradford Bulls 2002 This article details the Bradford Bulls rugby league club's 2002 season.World beaters- 2002 The Bulls were crowned World Club Champions on 1 February 2002 after defeating Australian Premiers Newcastle Knights 41-26 in front of a crowd of 21,113 at Huddersfield's McAlpine Stadium... |
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| Super League 8 Super League VIII Tetley's Super League VIII was the official name for the year 2003's Super League championship season, the 110th season of top-level professional rugby league held in Britain, and the eighth championship run by Super League.... |
30 | 24 | 0 | 6 | 1/12 | |
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Bradford Bulls 2003 Bradford Bulls 2003 -Tre-BULL Champions -2003: The first match played following the clubs' return to Odsal was against Yorkshire rivals Wakefield Trinity Wildcats on Sunday 9 March 2003 and attracted an attendance of 20,283. Bradford Bulls won the game 22-10.... |
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| Super League 9 Super League IX -Television:Live Super League IX matches were broadcast in the United Kingdom by Sky Sports in the first year of a new five-year television deal. The contract was signed less than three weeks before the start of the season. The deal, worth £53 million, represented a 15 percent, or £7 million,... |
28 | 20 | 1 | 7 | 2/12 | |
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Bradford Bulls 2004 Bradford Bulls 2004 This article details the Bradford Bulls rugby league club's 2004 season.World Champions - 2004 Bradford Bulls regained the World Club Challenge in 2004 by beating the NRL champions Penrith Panthers 22–4 at the McAlpine Stadium in Huddersfield... |
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| Super League 10 Super League X engage Super League X is the official name of 2005's Super League season. It was the 10th season of Super League and saw twelve teams from across England compete for the premiership. The season kicked off in early February, culminating in a six team play-off seriesThe Grand Final, held at Old... |
28 | 18 | 1 | 9 | 3/12 | |
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Jamie Peacock Jamie Peacock James "Jamie" Peacock is an English professional rugby league footballer for the Leeds Rhinos of the European Super League... |
Bradford Bulls 2005 Bradford Bulls 2005 -History Makers - 2005: After a difficult start to the 2005 season, The Bulls went on a 12 match unbeaten run and managed to win the Super League title from third place by beating Leeds Rhinos at Old Trafford.-Fixtures:-Squad:... |
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| Super League 11 Super League XI Engage Super League XI was the official name for the year 2006's Super League season in the sport of rugby league in Europe. Bradford Bulls were looking to retain the title they won in Super League X.... |
28 | 16 | 2 | 10 | 4/12 | |
Iestyn Harris Iestyn Harris Iestyn Rhys Harris is a Welsh former rugby league footballer, who is currently the assistant coach at Wigan Warriors. Harris is a former Man of Steel winner and has also represented Wales on numerous occasions at both codes of rugby... |
Bradford Bulls 2006 Bradford Bulls 2006 -New Era - 2006: The Bulls started the 2006 season by beating Wests Tigers 30-10 in the World Club Challenge Match at the Galpharm Stadium. This was their third such win in four years. Coach Brian Noble left Bradford to coach relegation threatened Wigan Warriors on 20 April 2006, Steve McNamara... |
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| Steve McNamara Steve McNamara Steve McNamara is an English professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is currently coach of the England national team.-International honours:... |
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| Super League 12 Super League XII Engage Super League XII is the official name for the year 2007's Super League season in the sport of rugby league.The 2007 season kicked off on the weekend of 2 February 2007 at the Galpharm Stadium. For the first time, the league had a staggered start due to the World Club Challenge between St... |
27 | 17 | 1 | 9 | 3/12 | |
Paul Deacon Paul Deacon Paul Deacon is a retired rugby league footballer. He previously played for Bradford Bulls from 1998 until joining his hometown club Wigan Warriors in 2010... |
Bradford Bulls 2007 Bradford Bulls 2007 In 2007 the Bradford Bulls celebrated the centenary of the club. They competed in Super League XII as well as the 2007 Challenge Cup.-February:Bulls new signing David Solomona orchestrated a tense opening 'engage Super League' win for the Bradford Bulls over the Huddersfield Giants. Bradford Bulls... |
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| Super League 13 Super League XIII Engage Super League XIII was the official name, due to sponsorship, for the 2008 Super League season by Engage Mutual. Twelve teams competed for the Minor Premiership over 27 rounds after which, the top 6 finishing teams entered the play-offs where they competed for a place in the Grand Final and... |
27 | 14 | 0 | 13 | 5/12 | Bradford Bulls 2008 Bradford Bulls 2008 The 2008 Bradford Bulls season saw the club compete in Super League XIII as well as the 2008 Challenge Cup tournament.- February :Super League 13 Started in February with a game against Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Bradford narrowly were deafeted by a in form Wakefield side 24-26, Bradford tries came... |
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| Super League 14 Super League XIV The 2009 Super League season is the fourteenth season of rugby league since the Super League format was introduced in 1996... |
27 | 12 | 1 | 14 | 9/14 | Bradford Bulls 2009 Bradford Bulls 2009 This article details the Bradford Bulls rugby league football club's 2009 season.This is the fourteenth season of the Super League era.-2009 Fixtures and Results:2009 Engage Super LeagueChallenge Cup-2009 Squad Stats:... |
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| Super League 15 Super League XV The 2010 Super League season was the fifteenth season of rugby league football since the Super League format was introduced in 1996. Fourteen teams competed for the League Leader's Shield over 27 rounds . All clubs also participated in the 2010 Challenge Cup tournament... |
27 | 9 | 1 | 17 | 10/14 | Lee St Hilaire Lee St Hilaire Lee St Hilaire is a rugby player from Huddersfield, where he previously spent many years as a player and coach. St Hilaire joined the Bradford Bulls from Wakefield Trinity Wildcats in July 2006, to become assistant to Steve McNamara. Lee also played for Castleford and Hunslet. He is the brother of... |
Andy Lynch | Bradford Bulls 2010 | |||||||||||||
| Super League 16 Super League XVI The 2011 Super League season was the sixteenth season of rugby league football since the Super League format was introduced in 1996... |
27 | 9 | 2 | 16 | 10/14 | Mick Potter | Bradford Bulls 2011 2011 Bradford Bulls season This article details the Bradford Bulls rugby league football club's 2011 season. This is the sixteenth season of the Super League era.-Season review:August 2010... |
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| Super League 17 Super League XVII The 2012 Super League season is to be the seventeenth season of rugby league football since the Super League format was introduced in 1996... |
27 | Bradford Bulls 2012 2012 Bradford Bulls season This article details the Bradford Bulls rugby league football club's 2012 season. This is the seventeenth season of the Super League era.-Season Review:July 2011... |
Statistics and records
Honours- World Club ChampionshipWorld Club ChallengeThe World Club Challenge is an annual rugby league football match held between the champions of the Australasian National Rugby League and the European Super League competitions to determine the world's best rugby league club...
- Winners: 2002, 2004, 2006
- Super LeagueSuper LeagueSuper League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
- Champions: 1997, 2001, 2003, 2005
- Minor Premiers: 1999, 2001, 2003
- Grand Finalists: 1999, 2002, 2004
- Challenge CupChallenge CupThe Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
- Winners: 1943-44, 1946–47, 1948–49, 2000, 2003
- Runners-up: 1944-45, 1947–48, 1972–73, 1996, 1997, 2001
- RFL Championship
- Champions: 1979-80, 1980–81
- Beaten Finalists: 1947-48, 1951–52
- Second Division
- Champions: 1973-74
- War Emergency League
- Championship Winners: 1939-40, 1940–41, 1944–45
- Beaten Finalists: 1941-42
- Regal TrophyRegal TrophyThe Regal Trophy was a knock-out competition for British rugby league football clubs between 1971 and 1996.It was initially for professional clubs with the exception of two amateur teams who were finalists of the BARLA National Cup...
- Winners: 1974-75, 1979–80
- Runners-up: 1990-91, 1992–93
- Premiership
- Winners: 1977-78
- Runners-up: 1978-79, 1979–80, 1989–90
- Middlesex Rugby Union 7s
- Winners: 2002
- Yorkshire CupRugby league county cupsHistorically, British rugby league clubs competed for the Lancashire Cup and the Yorkshire Cup, known collectively as the county cups. The leading rugby clubs in Yorkshire had played in a cup competition for several years prior to the schism of 1895...
- Winners: 1940-41, 1941–42, 1943–44, 1945–46, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1953–54, 1965–66, 1978–79, 1987–88, 1989–90
- Runners-up: 1913-14, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1991–92
- Yorkshire LeagueRugby league county leaguesThe Yorkshire League and the Lancashire League formed two sections of the Rugby Football League Championship for much of its history. Initially, the 22 clubs that broke away in 1895 played in one combined league, however the following season saw the addition of many clubs, and the League was split...
- Winners: 1939-40, 1940–41, 1947–48
Stadium
Odsal StadiumOdsal Stadium
Odsal Stadium is a stadium situated in Odsal, Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. The venue is used for rugby league and has been the home ground of Bradford Bulls/Bradford Northern since 1934...
is a stadium situated in Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
in West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The venue is used for rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
and has been the home ground of Bradford Bulls since 1934. Odsal has also hosted many other sports, including association football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, speedway
Motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...
, stock car racing
Stock car racing
Stock car racing is a form of automobile racing found mainly in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Great Britain, Brazil and Argentina. Traditionally, races are run on oval tracks measuring approximately in length...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
featuring the Harlem Globetrotters
Harlem Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater and comedy. The executive offices for the team are currently in downtown Phoenix, Arizona; the team is owned by Shamrock Holdings, which oversees the various investments of the Roy E. Disney family.Over...
, wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
, show jumping
Show jumping
Show jumping, also known as "stadium jumping," "open jumping," or "jumpers," is a member of a family of English riding equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes commonly are seen at horse shows throughout the world, including the Olympics...
and kabaddi
Kabaddi
Kabaddi is a South Asian team sport...
. The stadium boasts one of the largest attendances of all time for any UK sports event (102,569) when Halifax
Halifax RLFC
Halifax RLFC is one of the most historic rugby league clubs in the game, formed over a century ago, in 1873 in the Yorkshire town of Halifax. Known as 'Fax', the official club colours are blue and white hoops, blue shorts and blue socks . They share The Shay stadium with football club FC Halifax Town...
played Warrington
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
on 5 May 1954.
2012 Squad
*Announced on 22/11/112012 Transfers
Ins{| class="wikitable" width="65%" style="font-size:90%"
{| width=95%
|- bgcolor=#FF0000
!width=5%|Nat
!width=30%|Name
!width=35%|Signed From
!width=15%|Fee
!width=25%|Date
|- bgcolor=#FFFFFF
!width=5%|
!width=30%|Keith Lulia
Keith Lulia
Keith Lulia is a professional rugby league player who currently plays for the Bradford Bulls in the English Super League. He previously played for the St...
!width=35%|Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
!width=15%|2 Years
!width=25%|July 2011
|-
|- bgcolor=#FFFFFF
!width=5%|
!width=30%|Luke Gale
Luke Gale
Luke Gale is a rugby league player for Harlequins Rugby League in the European Super League. He plays on as a stand-off or scrum-half....
!width=35%|Harlequins RL
!width=15%|2 Years
!width=25%|July 2011
|-
|- bgcolor=#FFFFFF
!width=5%|
!width=30%|Adrian Purtell
Adrian Purtell
Adrian Purtell is an Australian rugby league footballer for the Penrith Panthers of the NRL. He previously played with the Canberra Raiders. His usual position is .-Career:...
!width=35%|Penrith Panthers
Penrith Panthers
The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan...
!width=15%|3 Years
!width=25%|August 2011
|-
|- bgcolor=#FFFFFF
!width=5%|
!width=30%|Jarrod Sammut
Jarrod Sammut
Jarrod Sammut is an Australian born Maltese rugby league player who plays for Bradford Bulls in the Super League. He previously played for the Penrith Panthers in the National Rugby League...
!width=35%|Crusaders RL
!width=15%|1 Year
!width=25%|September 2011
|-
|- bgcolor=#FFFFFF
!width=5%|
!width=30%|Elliot Kear
Elliot Kear
Elliot Kear is a Wales international rugby league footballer with the Bradford Bulls . His usual position is full back but can also play on the wing...
!width=35%|Crusaders RL
!width=15%|3 Years
!width=25%|October 2011
|-
|- bgcolor=#FFFFFF
!width=5%|
!width=30%|Manase Manuokafoa
Manase Manuokafoa
Manase Manuokafoa is a Tongan-Australian rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Parramatta Eels in the National Rugby League.-Playing career:...
!width=35%|Parramatta Eels
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
!width=15%|1 Year
!width=25%|October 2011
|}
Outs
{| class="wikitable" width="65%" style="font-size:90%"
{| width=95%
|- bgcolor=#FF0000
!width=5%|
!width=30%|Name
!width=35%|Sold To
!width=15%|Fee
!width=25%|Date
|- bgcolor=#FFFFFF
!width=5%|
!width=30%|Dave Halley
Dave Halley
David Halley is a rugby league player who currently plays for English club Bradford Bulls in the Super League competition...
!width=35%|Keighley Cougars
Keighley Cougars
Keighley Cougars are a professional rugby league club from Keighley in West Yorkshire, England. As of 2012 they will play in Co-operative Championship having won the Co-operative Championship 1 play off final 32-12 against Workington...
!width=15%|3 Month Loan
!width=25%|June 2011
|-
|- bgcolor=#FFFFFF
!width=5%|
!width=30%|Patrick Ah Van
Patrick Ah Van
Patrick Ah Van is a professional rugby league player who currently plays in the Super League for the Bradford Bulls...
!width=35%|Widnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings RLFC are an English professional rugby league club based in Widnes, Cheshire. They currently play in the Engage Super League, the top tier of European rugby league, after being awarded a license to compete in the top-flight Super League from 2012 onward...
!width=15%|2 Years
!width=25%|August 2011
|-
|- bgcolor=#FFFFFF
!width=5%|
!width=30%|Marc Herbert
Marc Herbert
Marc Herbert is a Rugby League player who is now unattached after being released by the Bradford Bulls at the end of the 2011 season. He made his NRL debut in the Round 20 clash vs. the Gold Coast Titans, in place of the suspended Todd Carney...
!width=35%|
!width=15%|
!width=25%|August 2011
|-
|- bgcolor=#FFFFFF
!width=5%|
!width=30%|Shad Royston
Shad Royston
Shad Royston is a rugby league player who is currently contracted to Bradford Bulls. On 11 August 2011 it was confirmed that he will be moving to Pia Donkeys in 2012Before joining Halifax in 2006, Royston played at Doncaster Lakers and Batley Bulldogs...
!width=35%|Pia Donkeys
!width=15%|2 Years
!width=25%|August 2011
|-
|- bgcolor=#FFFFFF
!width=5%|
!width=30%|Gareth Raynor
Gareth Raynor
Gareth Raynor is a rugby league player and former Great Britain international who previously played for the Crusaders and Hull in the Super League. and from his release from prison on 31 December 2010 he will be playing for the Bradford Bulls having signed a 1 year contract.- Early career:Raynor...
!width=35%|Released
!width=15%|
!width=25%|September 2011
|-
|- bgcolor=#FFFFFF
!width=5%|
!width=30%|Andy Lynch
!width=35%|Hull FC
!width=15%|2 Years
!width=25%|September 2011
|-
|- bgcolor=#FFFFFF
!width=5%|
!width=30%|Vinny Finigan
Vinny Finigan
Vinny Finigan is an English professional rugby league player who is currently contracted to the Bradford Bulls of Super League and is dual registered to the Sheffield Eagles. He is of Irish descent.-Bradford Bulls:...
!width=35%|Sheffield Eagles
Sheffield Eagles
Sheffield Eagles RLFC are an English rugby league club based in the South Yorkshire city of Sheffield. They currently play in the Co-operative Championship. Their home games are played at Bramall Lane after leaving Don Valley Stadium in late 2009....
!width=15%|1 Year
!width=25%|October 2011
|-
|- bgcolor=#FFFFFF
!width=5%|
!width=30%|Steve Crossley
Steve Crossley
Steve Crossley is a rugby league player who currently plays for Bradford Bulls.-Bradford Bulls:Steve Crossley was signed from Clayton RLFC by the Bradford Bulls, after a few years in the academy Crossley finally made his debut...
!width=35%|Dewsbury Rams
Dewsbury Rams
Dewsbury Rams RLFC is a professional rugby league club based in the West Yorkshire town of Dewsbury. They are arguably most famous for becoming Champions in 1972-73 after finishing the regular season in 8th place. In the playoffs they beat Featherstone away, Warrington away, and then Leeds in the...
!width=15%|2 Years
!width=25%|October 2011
|-
|- bgcolor=#FFFFFF
!width=5%|
!width=30%|Cain Southernwood
Cain Southernwood
Cain Southernwood is a professional rugby league footballer who plays for Bradford Bulls, and has previously played for Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, playing at , or .Signed from Castleford amateur side Smawthorne ARLFC....
!width=35%|Dewsbury Rams
Dewsbury Rams
Dewsbury Rams RLFC is a professional rugby league club based in the West Yorkshire town of Dewsbury. They are arguably most famous for becoming Champions in 1972-73 after finishing the regular season in 8th place. In the playoffs they beat Featherstone away, Warrington away, and then Leeds in the...
!width=15%|1 Year Loan
!width=25%|October 2011
|}
Sponsorship
- 1980-1986 - SGS Glazing
- 1986-1987 - Wang Computers
- 1986-1992 - WebstersSamuel Webster'sWebster's , was a brewery founded in 1838 by Samuel Webster which operated at the Fountain Head Brewery in Halifax in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England until 1996. Its two most famous brands, Webster's Green Label, a light mild, and Yorkshire Bitter continue to be sold, although the cask...
- 1993-1995 - Vaux BreweriesVaux BreweriesVaux Breweries was a major brewer based in Sunderland. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange.-History:The Company was founded by Cuthbert Vaux in Sunderland in 1837 and for nearly 170 years was a major employer in the town....
- 1996-1998 - CompaqCompaqCompaq Computer Corporation is a personal computer company founded in 1982. Once the largest supplier of personal computing systems in the world, Compaq existed as an independent corporation until 2002, when it was acquired for US$25 billion by Hewlett-Packard....
- 1999, - AsicsASICSASICS is a Japanese athletic equipment company. ASICS produces professional footwear and sports equipment designed for football, running, netball, tennis, badminton, squash, martial arts, cricket, golf, wrestling, track & field, cross-training, volleyball, cheerleading, lacrosse, and for many other...
- 2000-2001, - SkylarkSkylarkThe Skylark is a small passerine bird species. This lark breeds across most of Europe and Asia and in the mountains of north Africa. It is mainly resident in the west of its range, but eastern populations are more migratory, moving further south in winter. Even in the milder west of its range,...
- 2002–present - JCT600JCT600JCT600 is a car dealership founded in Bradford, England in 1946 by Edward Tordoff - the company is now run by his grandson, John Tordoff. It has 22 franchises operating from 48 retail outlets across the North of England with an annual turnover in excess of £450 million.JCT600 takes its name from...
Kit supplier
- 1992 - 1995 - Ellgren
- 1996 - 1997 - MitreMitreThe mitre , also spelled miter, is a type of headwear now known as the traditional, ceremonial head-dress of bishops and certain abbots in the Roman Catholic Church, as well as in the Anglican Communion, some Lutheran churches, and also bishops and certain other clergy in the Eastern Orthodox...
- 1998 - 1999 - AsicsASICSASICS is a Japanese athletic equipment company. ASICS produces professional footwear and sports equipment designed for football, running, netball, tennis, badminton, squash, martial arts, cricket, golf, wrestling, track & field, cross-training, volleyball, cheerleading, lacrosse, and for many other...
- 2000 - 2002 - Joe Bloggs
- 2003 - Bulls.net
- 2004 - 2006 - ISC Sportswear
- 2007–Present - KoogaKooGaKooGa is an Australia-based rugby apparel company. It was established in December 1999. The company is headquartered in Labrador on the Gold Coast of Queensland, with other Australian offices as well as a UK office in Rochdale, Greater Manchester....
Captains
From 1996 -Robbie PaulRobbie Paul
Robert Rawiri 'Robbie' Hunter-Paul is a New Zealand rugby league player. He currently plays for Leigh Centurions in England. He played for the New Zealand national team 27 times. He is the younger brother of Leeds Carnegie player Henry Paul.-Early years:Born in Tokoroa, New Zealand, his junior...
1996 - 2004Jamie Peacock
Jamie Peacock
James "Jamie" Peacock is an English professional rugby league footballer for the Leeds Rhinos of the European Super League...
2005Iestyn Harris
Iestyn Harris
Iestyn Rhys Harris is a Welsh former rugby league footballer, who is currently the assistant coach at Wigan Warriors. Harris is a former Man of Steel winner and has also represented Wales on numerous occasions at both codes of rugby...
2006Paul Deacon
Paul Deacon
Paul Deacon is a retired rugby league footballer. He previously played for Bradford Bulls from 1998 until joining his hometown club Wigan Warriors in 2010...
2007 - 2009Andy Lynch 2010–Present
See also
- Bradford Bulls statisticsBradford Bulls statistics-100+ Tries:-100+ Appearances:-All-Time Records:Tries in a gameGoals in a gameMost points in a gameMost tries in a seasonMost goals in a seasonMost points in a seasonMost career tries...
- Bradford Bulls AcademyBradford Bulls AcademyBradford Bulls AcademyThe Bradford Bulls Youth Development is the youth system of the rugby league club Bradford Bulls. It is one of the most famous and successful youth systems for rugby league and has produced some of the best players in both rugby league and rugby union...
- Former Bradford Bulls PlayersFormer Bradford Bulls Players-Former Super League Players: Paul Anderson Ryan Atkins Michael Banks Marcus Bai Chris Birchall Graeme Bradley Chris Bridge Justin Brooker David Boyle Sam Burgess Matt Calland Gary Christie Richard Colley Paul Cook Matt Cook Brandon Costin Kevin Crouthers Paul Deacon Jason Donahue Jeremy Donougher...
- Bradford Bulls OfficialsBradford Bulls Officials-Club Officials:Board of directors:Bradford Bulls Coaching Staff:Medical staff:-External links:*...
- Bradford Bulls 2007Bradford Bulls 2007In 2007 the Bradford Bulls celebrated the centenary of the club. They competed in Super League XII as well as the 2007 Challenge Cup.-February:Bulls new signing David Solomona orchestrated a tense opening 'engage Super League' win for the Bradford Bulls over the Huddersfield Giants. Bradford Bulls...
- Bradford Bulls 1997Bradford Bulls 1997-Champions-1997: Bradford won the 1997 Super League title with a record run of 20 successive victories from the start of the season. The Bulls were also Challenge Cup runners-up for a second season, losing 32-22 to St Helens. James Lowes was the Super League Player of the Season while Matthew...
- 2000 Challenge Cup2000 Challenge CupThe 2000 Challenge Cup Final was held on Saturday 29 April 2000, at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, UK. The game was contested by Bradford Bulls and Leeds Rhinos.Referee: Steve Presley Attendance: 67,247...
- 2003 Challenge Cup2003 Challenge CupThe 2003 Challenge Cup final was held on Saturday 26 April 2003, at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, UK. The game was contested by Bradford Bulls and Leeds Rhinos.Referee: Russell Smith Attendance: 71,212...
- 2001 Super League Grand Final2001 Super League Grand FinalThe 2001 Super League Grand Final was held on Saturday 13 October 2001, at Old Trafford, Manchester, UK. The game was contested by Bradford Bulls and Wigan Warriors.Referee: Stuart Cummings Attendance: 60,164...
- 2003 Super League Grand Final2003 Super League Grand FinalThe 2003 Super League Grand Final was held on Saturday 18 October 2003, at Old Trafford, Manchester, UK. The game was played between Bradford Bulls and Wigan Warriors.Referee: Karl Kirkpatrick Attendance: 65,537...
- 2005 Super League Grand Final2005 Super League Grand FinalThe 2005 Super League Grand Final was held on Saturday 15 October 2005, at Old Trafford, Manchester, England. The game was played between Bradford Bulls, who finished 3rd in the league after the 28 weekly rounds, and Leeds Rhinos, who finished second after the weekly rounds.-Route to final:Regular...
- 2002 World Club Challenge2002 World Club ChallengeThe 2002 World Club Challenge was held on Friday, 1 February, 2002, at the Alfred McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield, UK. The game was contested by Bradford Bulls and Newcastle Knights.-Teams:-Bulls:...
- 2004 World Club Challenge2004 World Club ChallengeThe 2004 World Club Challenge was held on Friday, 13 February 2004, at the Alfred McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield, UK. The game was contested by Bradford Bulls and Penrith Panthers.-Bradford Team:...
- 2006 World Club Challenge2006 World Club ChallengeThe 2006 World Club Challenge was a Rugby League match held on Friday, 3 February, 2006, at Galpharm Stadium, Huddersfield, UK. The game was contested by Bradford Bulls and Wests Tigers.-Bradford Bulls:...