The Steve Bull Collection
The unstoppable Tipton Skin
| Full name: | Stephen George Bull |
|---|---|
| Date of birth: | March 28, 1965 |
| Clubs played for: | West Brom, Wolves, Hereford |
Club Career
Bull started his career with his local non-league club Tipton, where manager Sid Day also worked as a scout for West Brom. Bull promptly joined the Baggies and made his full debut at the age of 20. But first-team appearances were limited at the Hawthorns and he moved on to Wolves in November 1986. Once at Molineux, his strike record went into overdrive and records tumbled regularly.
In the 1987-88 season he scored 52 goals as Wolves won the Fourth Division Championship. The following campaign, he notched 50 as they won the Third Division. Bully went on to make 561 appearances for the club and could have easily added more if it had not been for a number of debilitating knee injuries. Bull retired in 1999, but pulled on his boots again for a season as player-coach with Hereford in 2000-01.
He began a career in management when he took over at non-league Stafford Rangers in February 2008, but left 10 months later as the club ran into financial difficulties.
International Career
Bull has the rare distinction of being selected for his country while still playing in the Third Division. Unsurprisingly he scored on his debut against Scotland in May 1989 and was a member of Bobby Robson’s squad for Italia 90. His last game for England came against Poland in October 1990.
International Career Stats
| Years | Clubs | App | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989-90 | England | 13 | 4 |
Key Games
Scotland 0-2 England (Rous Cup, May 27, 1989)
Making his England bow, Bull marked the event with a typically emphatic finish. After jumping to meet a ball that was lofted into the Scottish penalty area in the 80th minute, Bull reacted smartly as the ball bounced off his back, then drove it past Jim Leighton.
Newcastle 1-4 Wolves (Second Division, January 1, 1990)
Wolves travelled to Tyneside for a New Year’s Day meeting with Newcastle and survived an early home penalty that was saved by keeper Mark Kendall. Bull then took the game by the scruff of the neck and scored all four goals in the second half as Wolves romped home.
Wolves 3-2 Birmingham (First Division, March 23, 1996)
Wolves were losing 2-1 to local rivals Birmingham with just three minutes left before Andy Thompson converted a penalty to seemingly rescue a draw. But Steve Bull wasn't about to settle for a point. With just seconds to play, a long through ball was pounced on by Bull, who drilled home from the edge of the area to seal a memorable win.
Honours
| Club | Competition | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Wolves | Fourth Division Championship | 1987-88 |
| Sherpa Van Trophy | 1988 | |
| Third Division Championship | 1988-89 |
Did You Know...?
Bull holds the all-time Wolves scoring record having netted more than 300 times for the club in all competitions.
He played in the top-flight of English football just the once, when he came on as a substitute for Andy Thompson for West Brom against QPR on April 12, 1986.
Bully was honoured by Wolves in 2003 when the John Ireland Stand was renamed the Steve Bull Stand.
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