# Birmingham Bears

Birmingham Bears are an Australian rules football team in the city of Birmingham, England. The Bears were set up in the Winter of 2008/2009 to play in the Aussie Rules UK Walkabout National League in 2009 under a 9-a-side format.

## History

The Bears played in their first season in 2009 having been formed at the end of season 2008. They played against teams such as Manchester Mosquitoes, Huddersfield Rams, Sheffield Thunder, Liverpool Eagles and Leeds Bombers.
The Bears played their first games at the Aussie Rules UK National Carnival in Newcastle on 9 May 2009. The Bears played against Huddersfield Rams in their first game, losing 54–19 with the club's first goal scored by Mathew Mitchell. The next game was against the Newcastle Centurions, the current Northern Premiers with the game finishing 42–0 in the opposition's favour. The third game was against the Chippenham Redbacks, featuring the England coach and the Welsh international captain. After a close start the final score was 35–8 to the Redbacks. The scheduled fourth game against Middlesbrough Hawks was won on forfeit after the Hawks refused to field a side. The Bears finished 11th out of 12 in their first taste of Aussie Rules action.
In the 2009 season, Birmingham Bears finished 2nd in the ARUK Central England ladder, resulting in a 3rd vs. 2nd Preliminary Final versus Liverpool Eagles. Having won this match dominantly 147–42, the Bears ascended to their first ever Grand Final to be played in Huddersfield against the Huddersfield Rams. Despite leading going into the final quarter and ruckman Scott Alford being award best and fairest, the Bears were overcome by the Rams 105–84 to finish runners-up in a very successful opening season.

## Season 2010

Season 2010 was a time of rebuilding for the Bears. With the formation and success of the University of Birmingham Sharks Australian Football Club at the end of 2010, midfielder Tim Smith took over the reins from Mat Mitchell.

## Season 2011

The Bears resumed training in January 2011 and will compete in the AFL Britain CNW (Central and North West) Division with old rivals Huddersfield, Liverpool and Leeds as well as the Wolverhampton Wolverines. The complete competition for Season 2011 is as follows: | Manchester Mosquitoes | Nottingham Scorpions | Birmingham Bears | Wolverhampton Wolverines | Liverpool Eagles | Huddersfield Rams | Sheffield Thunder | Peterborough Lightning | Hull Monarchs | Oxford Beavers

## Fixtures and results

| Date | Opponent | Location | Result |
| 9 May | National Carnival | Newcastle | LLLW |
| 16 May | Sheffield Thunder | Manchester | W 6.3.(39) - 3.7.(25) |
| 23 May | Leeds Bombers | Sheffield | W 12.10.(82) - ?.?.(35) |
| 30 May | Huddersfield Rams | Birmingham | L 11.5.(71) - 13.20.(98) |
| 6 June | Liverpool Eagles | Huddersfield | - |
| 14 June | Leeds Bombers | Leeds | W 22.16.(142) - 6.8.(44) |
| 20 June | Huddersfield | Liverpool | Cancelled |
| 27 June | Liverpool Eagles | Huddersfield | - |
| 4 July | Brit Cup | Cardiff | - |
| 11 July | Liverpool Eagles | Liverpool | W 15.5.(95) - 11. 12.(78) |
| 18 July | Bye Weekend | - | - |
| 26 July | Huddersfield Rams | Huddersfield | L 4.5 (29) - 8.15 (63) |
| 8 August | Prelim Final (2nd v 3rd) | Birmingham | W 21.21 (147) - 6.7 (42) |
| 15 August | Central Grand Final | Huddersfield Rams | L 13.27 (105) - 12.12 (84) |

## 2012 season

The Bears competed in the AFL Central and Northern England for the 2012 season. A somewhat disappointing season saw the bears narrowly miss out on finals as well as losing in the final as part of the West Midlands representative side in the Brit Cup.
Best and Fairest: Sean Walton
Most Improved: Jack Wood
Coaches Award: Adam Coxsell

## 2013 season

The 2013 season saw a change in leadership at the Bears with Adam Coxsell and Sean Walton taking over the reins. The Bears under the new leadership had a successful pre-season winning both the Leeds Lightning Cup and the Nathan Blakely Movember Cup in Manchester. The Bears had a strong season making the finals where the narrowly lost to an Australian heavy Leeds Minotaurs in the semi-finals. The highlight of the season came in the Brit cup where the Bears where an integral part of the West Midlands representative side that lifted the Brit cup finally after 3 years of losing out in the final.
* Best and Fairest: Inti Aburto
* Most Improved: Sam Willatt
* Coaches Award: Steven Maguirre

## Past and present players

| 1 | RM | ENG | Mark Barrow |
| 1 | HB | IRL | Jac Quinn |
| 3 | HB/RR | IRL | Barry Fallon |
| 4 | HF | ENG | Tirath Samra |
| 4 | FB/HB | NZL | Dave Gillott |
| 4 | RR/HF | ENG | Tim Smith |
| 5 | RR/HF | AUS | Chris Kimmet |
| 6 | FB/HB | ENG | Ian Mitchell |
| 7 | HF/FF | ENG | Daniel Shelley |
| 9 | HF | ENG | David Marriott |
| 10 | HF/FF | ENG | Dan Cater |
| 10 | RR/HF | ENG | Adam Hill |
| 11 | RR/RM/HF | ENG | Sam Findell |
| 11 | RM/RR/HF | AUS | Chris Potter |
| 12 | FF/HF/RM/RR | ENG | Mathew Mitchell |
| 13 | RR/HF | ENG | Adam Baker |
| 14 | RR | IRL | Eoin O'Luasaigh |
| 15 | FB/RM | ENG | Kristian Jones |
| — | RR/HF | ENG | Peter Woodall |
| — | HB/RM | ENG | Tom Lindlar |
| — | RM/RR | AUS | Scott Alford |
| 20 | RM/RR | AUS | David Veale |
| 8 | RM/RR | ENG | Sean Walton |
| — | FF/RM | ENG | Gav Lawrence |
| — | | ENG | Adam Coxsell |
| — | HF | ENG | Jack Wood |
| — | HF | ENG | Adam McVeigh |

## Appearances in finals

* Aussie Rules UK Central Division
** 2009 - Runners-up
* Sporton Cup
** 2010 (Spring) - Runners-up
* C&NW Lightning Cup
** 2011 - Winners
* Movember Cup
** 2012 - Winners