Coventry Bears

The Coventry Bears are a semi-professional rugby league club based in Coventry, England, formed in 1998. Their major honours include winning the National League 3 title in 2004 (now called Rugby League Conference National Division) and the Rugby League Conference in 2002. They play at the Butts Park Arena, and have a selection of youth teams.

Coventry Bears
Club information
Full nameCoventry Bears Rugby League Football Club
Nickname(s)Bears
Colours
Founded1998 (1998)
Current details
Ground(s)
CEODebbie Watson
Chairman Alan Robinson
CoachRichard Squires
ManagerRyan Cousins
CaptainChris Barratt
CompetitionLeague 1
2019 season9th
Current season
Uniforms
Home colours
Away colours

History
See also: Coventry RLFC

Coventry Bears were formed in 1998 by a group of university students led by Alan Robinson. They made an approach to Keith Fairbrother, the Coventry rugby union club's Chairman and one time rugby league player, with a plan to form a team to play from Coundon Road Stadium.

The club were admitted into the Rugby League Conference for the 2000 season and were unbeaten by any club within their division. They then won their quarter-final against Manchester Knights before being narrowly defeated by only one point in the semi-finals at Super League club Warrington Wolves’ Wilderspool Stadium. Further success followed in 2001 with the Bears reaching the Grand Final at Webb Ellis Road, Rugby, only to lose out by a very narrow margin in a match against Teesside Steelers. The following season Coventry won the Rugby League Conference Grand Final in September 2002 when they beat Hemel Stags at Cheltenham. Following on from this success the club applied for, and won, elevation to the newly formed National League Three.

The Bears reached the National League Three Grand Final in 2004, winning comfortably. The following season Coventry Bears RLFC experienced difficulties and chose to resign from the National League to take time to rebuild and regroup. 2006 saw the return of the Bears as a Rugby League Conference Midlands Premier side, and the club finished the season in second place. They went on to beat Leicester Phoenix in the qualifying semi-final to set up a Midlands Grand Final with Nottingham Outlaws, which ended in defeat.

Coventry defeated Nottingham Outlaws in 2007 to win the Midlands Premier and also won the Kilkenny 9s, The Bears went on to finish as runners-up to St Albans Centurions losing 28-20 in the final of the Harry Jepson Trophy. In 2008, the Bears finished as runners up in the Midlands Premier to Nottingham. In 2010, Coventry linked up with Super League side Wigan Warriors.[1]

2015–present: League 1

They were accepted into the semi-professional ranks of League 1 for the 2015 season,[2] and entered their newly formed reserve side into the Conference League South in the same season. They finished their first semi-professional season in 12th place.

Stadiums

1998–2004: Coundon Road
Main article: Coundon Road Stadium

The Bears moved into Coundon Road shortly after their formation in 1998. The ground had been owned and operated by sister rugby union club Coventry R.F.C. They stayed there for six years until the ground was sold and demolished in 2004. Both clubs moved out to the newly built Butts Park Arena at the other side of Coventry.

2004–present: Butts Park Arena
Main article: Butts Park Arena
The Main Stand

The stadium was built in 2004 and currently has one stand, the East Stand, which has a capacity of 3,000 and includes a number of conference and banqueting facilities. The West Stand which was a temporary structure holding 1,000 was removed at the end of the 2005–06 season on grounds of health and safety.

2021 squad
Coventry Bears 2021 Squad
First team squad Coaching staff
  • -- Dave Scott - FB, WG
  • -- Kadeem Williams - CE
  • -- Nathan Hill - FB
  • -- Reece Rance - WG
  • -- Hayden Freeman - WG
  • -- Brad Sheridan - SO
  • -- Doug Chirnside - SH
  • -- Jordan Paga
  • -- Kian Morgan
  • -- Jack Dawson - CE
  • -- Chris Cullimore - HK
  • -- Dan Coates - SO, SH, HK
  • -- Matty Welham - CE
  • -- Liam Welham - CE
  • -- Darius Hamilton - PR
  • -- Andy Joy - PR
  • -- Harry Kaufman - SR
  • -- Dan Bedford - HK, LF
  • -- Peter Ryan - PR
  • -- Delaine Bedward - PR
  • -- Will Budd - PR
  • -- Leon Harber - SR
  • -- Kieran Sherratt
  • -- Sandy Rae - CE
  • -- Sam Bowring
  • -- Ryan Langton - SR
  • -- Elliot Townsend - PR, SR
  • -- William Tully - PR
  • -- Jed Charlton
  • -- Niall Sidney

Head coach

  • Rich Squires

Assistant coach

  • Mark Sloan
Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice captain(s)

Updated: 28 December 2020
Source(s):

2021 transfers

Gains

PlayerClubContractDate
Dave ScottBatley Bulldogs1 YearSeptember 2020
Jordan PagaHuddersfield Giants2 YearsSeptember 2020
Kian MorganCastleford Tigers1 YearOctober 2020
Kieran SherrattNorth Wales Crusaders2 YearsOctober 2020
Sam BowringBatley Bulldogs1 YearOctober 2020
Dan CoatesNewcastle Thunder2 YearsOctober 2020
Dan BedfordUnattached1 YearOctober 2020
Andy JoySaddleworth Rangers1 YearOctober 2020
Delaine BedwardLondon Broncos1 YearNovember 2020
Elliott TownsendHull FC1 YearNovember 2020
Jack DawsonDerby City Elks2 YearsNovember 2020
Matt WelhamKeighley Cougars1 YearNovember 2020
Jed CharltonNewcastle Thunder1 YearNovember 2020
Niall SidneyNewcastle Thunder1 YearJanuary 2021

Losses

PlayerClubContractDate
Brad ClaveringDewsbury Rams1 YearOctober 2020
Jonny AllenReleasedOctober 2020
Tyler ChantReleasedOctober 2020
Niall CollettReleasedOctober 2020
Zak FellowsReleasedOctober 2020
Ben GrayReleasedOctober 2020
Fiach MillwardReleasedOctober 2020
Jay NeathReleasedOctober 2020
Aaron RyanReleasedOctober 2020
Kieran SmithReleasedOctober 2020
Cameron StewartReleasedOctober 2020
Euan TiernanReleasedOctober 2020
Alex WilliamsReleasedOctober 2020
Reece WilliamsReleasedOctober 2020

Juniors

Coventry Bears' junior teams take part in the Midlands Junior League.

Honours

League

Winners (1): 2004
  • RFL Midlands Division One:
Winners (1): 2013
  • RLC Midlands Premier:
Winners (3): 2007, 2009, 2010
  • RLC Midlands Division:
Winners (2): 2001, 2002
  • RLC Western Division:
Winners (1): 2000

Cups

  • Harry Jepson Trophy:
Winners (1): 2002

Nines

  • Midlands 9s:
Winners (1): 2007, 2009, 2013
  • Kilkenny 9s
Winners (1): 2007

Women

  • RLC Women's Plate:
Winners (1): 2010
  • RLC Women's South Division:
Winners (1): 2011

Seasons in the RFL
Season League Challenge Cup Play-offs
DivisionPWDLFAPtsPos
2015 Championship 1 22517043075510 12th R3 Did not qualify
2016 League 1 144192894609 11th R3 Third in Shield
2017 League 1 1520132876154 14th R3 Sixth in Shield
2018 League 1 267019406105814 11th R5 Did not qualify
2019 League 1 2040163658298 9th R3 Did not qualify
2020 League 1 League abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom R4 None Played

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 28 April 2012. Retrieved 22 April 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. "Coventry Bears: Rugby league side step up to Championship One". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
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