Nyasa Big Bullets
Full nameNyasa Big Bullets Football Club
Nickname(s)
  • The People’s Team
  • Maule
  • Mapale
Short nameNBB
Founded1966 (1966)
GroundKamuzu Stadium
Capacity40,000
CoachCallisto Pasuwa
LeagueTNM Super League
2022TNM Super League, 1st of 16 (champions)
WebsiteClub website

Nyasa Big Bullets is a Malawian professional association football club based in Blantyre, currently playing in the TNM Super League, the top division of Malawian football. The club was formerly known as Bata Bullets, Total Big Bullets and Bakili Bullets. Nyasa Big Bullets are regarded as the most successful club in Malawian football history, having won the Super League of Malawi a record 17 times.

History

The club was formed in 1967 by a group of players who split from Mighty Wanderers. The original name was Nyasaland Bullets, but the club managed to source good sponsorship from Bata Shoe Company and was renamed as Bata Bullets.[1]

1970 season was a great success as Bullets achieved a treble after winning the Blantyre and Districts Football League (BDFL), the Chibuku Cup and Castle Cup.

In 2003, then Malawi President Bakili Muluzi adopted the team and renamed it Bakili Bullets. It was during this period that the team enjoyed one of its glamorous periods, reaching the lucrative group stages of CAF Champions League 2004.[2][3]

It was also during the same period that the club had a training camp in the United Kingdom in readiness for the CAF Champions League. Currently the team is sponsored by Nyasa Manufacturing Company (NMC).[4] Its nickname ever since is Maulle (native language for bullets).

On 8 October 2018, Rodgers Yasin was sacked as Nyasa Big Bullets head coach along with assistant Elijah Kananji.[5]

Bullets are currently coached by former Zimbabwe national team manager Callisto Pasuwa, with former captain and Malawi national team defender Peter Mponda as his assistant.

Stadium

Kamuzu Stadium is a stadium located in Blantyre, with a capacity of 50,000 seats. It is located next to the Malawi National Council of Sports Offices.

The Blantyre derby

The Blantyre derby between Big Bullets and Mighty Wanderers is a fiercely contested match and in contrast to most of the other games played in the Malawi TNM Super League, matches between the two rivals always attract a large fanbase.

Honours

Domestic

  • Super League of Malawi:
  • Castle Cup (Malawi)
    • Winners (4): 1969, 1970, 1973, 1975
  • Kamuzu Cup
    • Winners (7): 1974, 1975, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1986
  • 555 Challenge Cup:
    • Winners (1): 1990
  • Embassy Trophy:
    • Winners (1): 2003
  • Chombe Tea:
    • Winners (2): 1998, 1999
  • Carlsberg Cup:
    • Winners (3): 2002, 2014, 2017
  • Tutulane Charity Cup:
    • Winners (1): 2007

Airtel Top 8 Cup Winners (1) : 2021

  • Carlsberg Charity Cup:
    • Winners (1): 2012
  • Presidential Cup:
    • Winners (2): 2012, 2016
  • Chifundo Charity Shield:
    • Winners (3): 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022

Continental

Performance in CAF competitions

2000 – Preliminary round
2004 – Group stage
2015 – First Round
2018–19 – Preliminary round
2019–20 – Preliminary round
2020–21 – Withdrew
2021–22 – First Round
1975: Second Round
1979: Withdrew in First Round
1993: Withdrew in preliminary round
1976 – First Round
1977 – Second Round
1997 – First Round
1998 – Preliminary round
1999 – First Round

Current squad 2023–24

As of August 2023

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Malawi MWI Rabson Chiyenda
2 MF Malawi MWI Erick Kaonga
3 DF Malawi MWI Nickson Nyasulu
4 MF Malawi MWI Blessings Mpokera
5 DF Malawi MWI John Lanjesi
6 MF Malawi MWI Frank Willard
7 DF Malawi MWI Precious Sambani
8 MF Malawi MWI Mike Mkwate
9 FW Malawi MWI Hassan Kajoke
10 MF Malawi MWI Ernest Petro
11 MF Malawi MWI Righteous Banda
12 MF Malawi MWI Alick Lungu
13 DF Malawi MWI Yamikani Fodya
14 DF Kenya KEN Clyde Seneji
15 DF Malawi MWI Gomezgan Chirwa
No. Pos. Nation Player
16 GK Malawi MWI Clever Mkungula
17 MF Malawi MWI Henry Kabichi
18 FW Malawi MWI Mphatso Magombo
19 FW Malawi MWI Lanjesi Nkhoma
20 MF Malawi MWI Precious Phiri
21 FW Malawi MWI Anthony Mfune
22 MF Malawi MWI Stanley Billiat
23 GK Malawi MWI Richard Chimbamba
24 MF Malawi MWI McFallen Mgwira
25 DF Malawi MWI Kesten Simbi
26 DF Kenya KEN Collins Okumu
28 DF Malawi MWI Yankho Singo
29 MF Malawi MWI Patrick Mwaungulu
30 FW Malawi MWI Maxwell Gastin Phodo
31 MF Malawi MWI Chawanangwa Gumbo
32 MF Zimbabwe ZIM Kenneth Pasuwa
33 FW Malawi MWI Ephraim Kondowe

Club officials/technical team

  • Chief Executive Officer: Malawi Suzgo Nyirenda
  • Board President: Malawi Konrad Buckle
  • Board Members: Malawi 1. Stone Mwamadi, 2. Fleetwood Haiya, 3. Malinda Chinyama, 4.Sadick Malinga, 5. Dimitri Kalaitzis, 6.Democrotos Kalaitzis, 7 Rev. Moyenda Kanjerwa, 8. Chifundo Makande, 9.Albert Chigoga, 10. Noel Lipipa, 11. Konrad Buckle, 12. Escort Chinula
  • Head Coach: Zimbabwe Kalisto Pasuwa
  • Assistant coach: Malawi Peter Mponda (1st), Malawi Heston Munthali (2nd)
  • Team Manager:Malawi James Chilapondwa
  • Goalkeeper Trainer: Malawi Swadick Sanudi
  • Team Doctor:Malawi Felix Mwalule
  • Kitmaster:Malawi Malumbo Chikoko
  • Media Manager:Malawi Kimpho Loka

References

  1. ↑ "Former Big Bullets most memorable mentor, Team Manager John Gilmore passes on in UK". maraviexpress.com. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  2. ↑ "CAF – CAF Error Page". cafonline.com. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  3. ↑ http://championsleague.mtnfootball.com/live/content.php?Item_ID=280%5B%5D
  4. ↑ "Match Report – Boston United vs Bakili Bullets". bufc.drfox.org.uk. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  5. ↑ Kadewere, Jeromy (9 October 2018). "Malawi: Bullets Sack Coaches After Masters Defeat". Nyasa Times (Leeds). Retrieved 17 December 2018.
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