Words by Sebastian Muscroft
Birmingham Bulls are one of the oldest American Football teams in the UK, having been founded in 1983, as well being as the longest standing squads not merging or changing their name.
The club has had a successful past, winning four National Championships and multiple European campaigns – including winning a bronze medal along the way. To add to this, they have also had (and still) have GB athletes within their members.
The club used to train near Kings Norton, in South Birmingham, before moving to Spring Lane Playing Fields – run by Spring Lane CIO – at the start of the 2025 season.
The move was due to their Kings Norton training group being too far out of the city, with poor transport links, and the problems this posed to recruiting new players and staff – as well as the difficulties some squad members had accessing the grounds.
But why Spring Lane Playing Fields, why Erdington? And why now? LOCAL AMBASSADORS spoke to Birmingham Bulls’ Head Coach Doug Cotterell to find out more.
“Erdington have been an absolute God send,” told Doug, “[Spring Lane CIO have] been very accommodating and can’t do enough for us.
“Where they are and what they’re offering us, it makes sense to move all the Birmingham Bulls set up – the academy, everything.’’
Birmingham Bulls’ move coincides with Spring Lane CIO’s recent plans to re-develop the playing fields and include a multipurpose 4G pitch, a new café, and a new club house – which Coach Cotterall also explained played a crucial role in the club’s decision to move grounds.
He added: “The space they’ve got is massive, as well as the new stuff that’s coming on board… everything going on is attractive for us and they’ve offered the world – they can’t do enough for us – so that’s the main reason we moved’’.
Andy Trueman sits on the Board of Trustees at Spring Lane CIO, the recently registered charity committed to establishing Spring Lane Playing Fields ‘as a resource for Sport, Education and Wellbeing for the community of Erdington and its surrounding areas’ as stated on their website.
Spring Lane Playing Fields has already been used for community events, and host regular training sessions and fixtures for sports teams including Erdington Rugby Football Club, Erdington Cricket Club, Walmley Cricket Club, and Colron Football Club. Now they welcome Birmingham Bulls to their grounds.
Andy explained: “Most of the sites in Erdington are football so we wanted to include some minority sports or slightly different sports and that was a good fit when the Bulls approached us, as it gave us variety.
“With the Bulls coming to the site it also means we have an alternative contact sport for both summer and winter, which is particularly important as one of the key concepts for the site is about trying to get kids out of knife crime and into sport.’’
He added: “It makes sense for the Bulls; it allows them to consolidate both the men’s and junior sections onto one site. At Spring Lane, they have pitch of their own which will be fully licenced to them in the next couple weeks.’’
Birmingham Bulls are set to stay at Spring Lane Playing Fields for the foreseeable future, hoping the move will grow the club and participation. The club also states anyone is welcome to come and get involved, both on the pitch and off.
Birmingham Bulls play their next game at Spring Lane Playing Fields on Sunday 19 April, against the visiting Wakefield District Raiders.
PICTURE GALLERY: Birmingham Bulls during their 2025 season
For more on Birmingham Bulls visit www.birminghambulls.co.uk
To find out more about joining our LOCAL AMBASSADORS programme and editorial team, supporting community journalism and grassroots content creation, email: [email protected]
