View source for Steve Bull

{{short description|English footballer}}
{{Distinguish|Sir Stephen Bull, 2nd Baronet}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{BLP sources|date=October 2018}}
{{infobox football biography
| name        = Steve Bull<br/><small>{{post-nominals|country=GBR|MBE}}</small>
| image       = Steve Bull (2019).jpg
| image_size  = 150px
| caption     = Bull in 2019
| full_name   = Stephen George Bull
| birth_date  = {{birth date and age|1965|3|28|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Tipton]], [[Staffordshire]], England
| height      = 175 cm
| position    = [[Forward (association football)|Striker]]
| youthyears1 = 1981–1984
| youthclubs1 = [[Tipton Town F.C.|Tipton Town]]
| youthyears2 = 1984–1985
| youthclubs2 = [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]]
| years1      = 1984–1985
| clubs1      = [[Tipton Town F.C.|Tipton Town]]
| caps1       = 20
| goals1      = 17
| years2      = 1985–1986
| clubs2      = [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]]
| caps2       = 4
| goals2      = 2
| years3      = 1986–1999
| clubs3      = [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]]<ref>[http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/Steve_Bull.html Steve Bull] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130528210540/http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/Steve_Bull.html |date=28 May 2013 }} ''Wolves Stats''. Retrieved Nov 2012.</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpvXglmymwE Steve Bull interview] "Of those 306 goals, I think 300 were against the [[West Bromwich Albion|Albion]]!" Retrieved Nov 2012.</ref>
| caps3       = 474
| goals3      = 250
| years4      = 2000–2001
| clubs4      = [[Hereford United F.C.|Hereford United]]
| caps4       = 6
| goals4      = 2
| totalcaps   = 504
| totalgoals  = 271
| nationalyears1 = 1989
| nationalteam1  = [[England national under-21 football team|England U21]]
| nationalcaps1  = 5
| nationalgoals1 = 3
| nationalyears2 = 1989–1991
| nationalteam2  = [[England B national football team|England B]]
| nationalcaps2  = 5
| nationalgoals2 = 2
| nationalyears3 = 1989–1990
| nationalteam3  = [[England national football team|England]]
| nationalcaps3  = 13
| nationalgoals3 = 4
| manageryears1  = 2008
| managerclubs1  = [[Stafford Rangers F.C.|Stafford Rangers]]
}}
'''Stephen George Bull''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|MBE}} (born 28 March 1965) is an English former professional [[Association football|footballer]] who is best remembered for his 13-year spell at [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]]. He played there from 1986 until his retirement from playing in 1999, and holds the club's goalscoring record with 306 goals, which included 18 [[hat-trick#Association football|hat-tricks]] for the club.

He was capped 13 times for the [[England national football team|England team]] between 1989 and 1990, scoring four goals.

==Playing career==

===Early years===
Bull was born in Tipton and started school in September 1969 at [[Wednesbury Oak Primary School]] and moved up to [[Willingsworth High School]] in September 1976, by which time he was excelling in school football teams. The junior teams he played for included [[Ocker Hill]] infants, Red Lion and Newey Goodman. He left school in 1981 to join non-league [[Tipton Town F.C.|Tipton Town]]. During this time he also held down a succession of factory jobs in addition to playing local league games.

He began his professional career, aged 19, after being recommended to [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]] in 1984 by his [[Tipton Town F.C.|Tipton Town]] manager Sid Day, who also worked as a scout for the Baggies. After initially having to train with the club's youth ranks, he was quickly offered a pro contract and moved into first team contention. He made his senior debut on 23 October 1985, replacing [[Garth Crooks]] in a 2–1 [[Full Members Cup]] win against [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]].<ref>{{cite book | last = Matthews | first = Tony | title = The Who's Who of West Bromwich Albion | publisher = Breedon Books | year = 2005 | isbn = 1-85983-474-4 | page = 40}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last=Matthews | first=Tony | title=West Bromwich Albion: The Complete Record | publisher=Breedon Books | year=2007 | isbn=978-1-85983-565-4 | page = 395}}</ref> He made his league debut as a substitute against QPR, away, on 12 April 1986 (lost 1–0), and his full debut at home to Sheffield Wednesday on 22 April (drew 1-1); they were his only league appearances that season and only appearances in top flight football.<ref>{{cite book | last=Matthews | first=Tony | title=West Bromwich Albion: The Complete Record | publisher=Breedon Books | year=2007 | pages = 348–349 |  isbn=978-1-85983-565-4}}</ref>

Bull played three [[Football League Second Division|Second Division]] games for Albion after they were relegated in 1986, scoring twice, and also scored one goal in two League Cup appearances for the club.<ref>{{cite book | last=Matthews | first=Tony | title=West Bromwich Albion: The Complete Record | publisher=Breedon Books | year=2007 | pages = 350–351 |  isbn=978-1-85983-565-4}}</ref> Bull knew it would be difficult to break the Crooks/[[Imre Varadi|Varadi]] partnership, so was prepared to drop to the bottom tier in search of first team football.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ronay |first1=Barney |title=Interview Steve Bull |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2010/feb/05/steve-bull-small-talk |access-date=8 September 2019 |work=The Guardian|date=5 February 2010}}</ref> In November 1986, he was sold to local rivals [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]], along with [[Andy Thompson (footballer born 1967)|Andy Thompson]], for £65,000 where he remained until the end of his professional career in 1999, being one of Wolves' most loyal players.

===Wolverhampton Wanderers===
Bull's debut for Wolves, then languishing in the Fourth Division, was against [[Wrexham A.F.C.|Wrexham]] on 22 November 1986. His first goal for the club came on 2 December 1986 in the [[Associate Members' Cup]] as Wolves beat [[Cardiff City F.C.|Cardiff City]] 1–0 at Ninian Park.

In over 13 years at Wolves, Bull broke four of the club's goalscoring records. He became their all-time leading goalscorer with 306 goals in competitive games (250 of them in the [[Football League]], also a club record) and became their highest goalscorer in a single season when he scored 52 goals in competitive games during the [[1987–88 in English football|1987–88 season]]. Bull also scored a club record of 18 hat-tricks - the first of them against [[Hartlepool United F.C.|Hartlepool United]] in a 4-1 Fourth Division home win on 9 May 1987,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/1986-1987_Season.html |title=1986-1987 Season |publisher=Wolves-stats.co.uk |access-date=2012-10-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227140733/http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/1986-1987_Season.html |archive-date=27 February 2012 }}</ref> the last on 17 August 1996 in a 3-0 Division One away win over [[Grimsby Town F.C.|Grimsby Town]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/1996-1997_Season.html |title=1996-1997 Season |publisher=Wolves-stats.co.uk |access-date=2012-10-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130528235658/http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/1996-1997_Season.html |archive-date=28 May 2013 }}</ref>

Bull's [[1986–87 in English football|first season at the club]] saw him score a total of 19 goals for Wolves - 15 of them in the Fourth Division, in which they finished fourth - although they lost out on promotion after being beaten by [[Aldershot F.C.|Aldershot]] in the playoffs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/1986-1987_General_Stats.html |title=1986-1987 General Stats |publisher=Wolves-stats.co.uk |access-date=2012-10-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130528213544/http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/1986-1987_General_Stats.html |archive-date=28 May 2013 }}</ref>

In the [[1987–88 in English football|1987–88]] season, Wolves won the Fourth Division championship and became the first of only five teams (later matched by [[Burnley F.C.|Burnley]], [[Preston North End F.C.|Preston North End]], [[Portsmouth F.C.|Portsmouth]] and [[Sheffield United F.C.|Sheffield United]]) to have been champions of all four divisions in the English league. Bull's impressive total of 52 goals in all competitions during the season included 34 goals in the league, with league hat-tricks against [[Exeter City F.C.|Exeter City]] and [[Darlington F.C.|Darlington]]. He also scored hat-tricks in cup competitions against [[Cheltenham Town F.C.|Cheltenham Town]] and [[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/1987-1988_Season.html |title=1987-1988 Season |publisher=Wolves-stats.co.uk |access-date=2012-10-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130529020839/http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/1987-1988_Season.html |archive-date=29 May 2013 }}</ref> His 50th goal came just 15 months after signing for Wolves, when he found the net twice in a 4–0 home win against [[Peterborough United F.C.|Peterborough United]] on 9 February 1988.

On 24 January 1989, after just over two years at the club, he took his Wolves goal tally to over 100 with a hat-trick in a Third Division game against [[Bristol City F.C.|Bristol City]] at Molineux, which Wolves won 3–0. 

In the [[1988–89 in English football|1988–89]] season, Bull inspired Wolves to a second successive promotion, this time as Third Division champions, with 50 goals - marking a tally of 102 goals in two seasons. While still playing in the Third Division, he was selected for the [[England national football team|England team]] and scored on his debut against [[Scotland national football team|Scotland]] at [[Hampden Park]]. Thirty-seven of his goals that season came in the league for Wolves. He achieved his first four-goal haul on 26 November 1988 in a 6–0 home win over [[Preston North End]], scoring a hat-trick the following month in a 6–2 home victory over [[Mansfield Town F.C.|Mansfield Town]]. He managed a third league hat-trick that season in a 5–2 February home win over [[Fulham F.C.|Fulham]]. He also scored freely in the cups, scoring four against [[Port Vale F.C.|Port Vale]] in the Associate Members' Cup and then against [[Bristol City F.C.|Bristol City]] in the same competition.<ref name="wolves-stats1988">{{cite web |url=http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/1988-1989_Season.html |title=1988-1989 Season |publisher=Wolves-stats.co.uk |access-date=2012-10-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130529002254/http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/1988-1989_Season.html |archive-date=29 May 2013 }}</ref>

In [[1989–90 in English football|1989–90]], he finally played Second Division football for Wolves, his first goal at this level coming on 26 August 1989 in a 1–1 home draw with [[Bradford City]]. On [[Boxing Day]], he scored his 10th Second Division goal of the season, before impressively grabbing all four goals for Wolves in their 4–1 win at promotion-chasing [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]] on New Year's Day 1990. On 20 March, in the [[Black Country derby]] at Molineux (the first to be played there for six years), as Wolves beat struggling Albion 2–1 to boost their promotion hopes, Bull scored his 20th league goal of the campaign. A hat-trick against [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]] followed a month later, and he finished that campaign with 24 league goals and 26 in all competitions, although Wolves missed out on the playoffs and the chance of a third successive promotion.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/1989-1990_Season.html |title=1989-1990 Season |publisher=Wolves-stats.co.uk |access-date=2012-10-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130528235000/http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/1989-1990_Season.html |archive-date=28 May 2013 }}</ref>

He started the [[1990–91 in English football|1990–91]] season in style with both goals at home to promotion favourites [[Oldham Athletic A.F.C.|Oldham Athletic]], who came away from the Molineux with a 3–2 victory. These goals took his tally in all competitions to 150 goals in just under four years with Wolves. A hat-trick in a 4–0 home win over [[Bristol City F.C.|Bristol City]] took him to 11 Second Division goals by 6 October, and he reached the 20-goal margin (for the fourth season running) on 26 February as they beat [[Port Vale F.C.|Port Vale]] 3–1 at home. A hat-trick at home to [[Oxford United F.C.|Oxford United]] in a thrilling 3–3 draw came the following month, and Bull finished the season with 25 goals in the league and 26 in all competitions, although once again Wolves missed out on the playoffs and the chance of promotion.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/1990-1991_Season.html |title=1990-1991 Season |publisher=Wolves-stats.co.uk |access-date=2012-10-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130528222142/http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/1990-1991_Season.html |archive-date=28 May 2013 }}</ref>

Late in the [[1991–92 in English football|1991-92 season]], he scored his 195th competitive goal for Wolves after just over five years at the club, breaking the club's decade-old goalscoring record set by [[John Richards (footballer)|John Richards]]. Early in the [[1992–93 in English football|following season]] he became the first player to score 200 goals for Wolves, less than six years after signing.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bullybully.net/biography.php |title=STEVE BULL MBE : Official Website |publisher=Bullybully.net |access-date=2012-10-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208101907/http://www.bullybully.net/biography.php |archive-date=8 February 2012 }}</ref> It came on 18 August 1992 in a 3–0 home win over [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]] in the new Division One, as the Second Division was renamed that year with the creation of the new [[FA Premier League]] as the top division of English football.

At the end of the 1994-95 season, when Wolves finished fourth in Division One but lost in the playoff semi-finals, Bull came close to making a £1.5 million transfer to Premier League club [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]], then managed by [[Ron Atkinson]], but ultimately turned it down. Bull revealed in a 2012 interview that [[Torino F.C.|Torino]], [[Celtic F.C.|Celtic]] and [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]] also showed an interest in signing him while he was at Wolves. Media reports at different stages of his career also linked him with moves to numerous other top division clubs.<ref>{{cite news|title=Doug Ellis promised me a move to Aston Villa says Wolves legend Steve Bull|url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/doug-ellis-promised-me-a-move-to-aston-121434|work=Birmingham Mail|date=14 October 2012}}</ref> During the [[1991–92 in English football|1991-92 season]], press reports suggested he was a transfer target for [[Leeds United F.C.|Leeds United]], who went on to win the league title that season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ERFZAAAAIBAJ&pg=1422,3302022&dq=alan+shearer+southampton&hl=en|title=New Straits Times - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/jul/17/leedsunited | location=London | work=The Guardian| first=Rob | last=Smyth | title=On Second Thoughts: Leeds United's 1991-92 title | date=17 July 2008}}</ref>

He scored his 250th goal for Wolves in a 1–1 league draw with [[Tranmere Rovers F.C.|Tranmere Rovers]] at [[Prenton Park]] on 3 May 1995.

Bull played only one game in the English [[Football League First Division|top flight]]&nbsp;— coming on as a substitute, ironically replacing Andy Thompson (who would follow him to Wolves the following season), for West Bromwich Albion in 1986&nbsp;— the rest of his career was spent in the lower divisions. He came close to achieving his ambition of reaching the Premier League in 1995 and 1997, but Wolves lost in the play-offs both times.

During his final two seasons at Molineux, his chances of first-team football were reduced by a series of knee injuries. He reached the 300-goal milestone<ref>[http://www.wolves.co.uk/page/GoldenOldies/0,,10307~65346,00.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120212091131/http://www.wolves.co.uk/page/GoldenOldies/0%2C%2C10307~65346%2C00.html|date=12 February 2012}}</ref> on 18 February 1998, scoring in a 2–0 home win over [[Bradford City]] in the league.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/1997-1998_Season.html |title=1997-1998 Season |publisher=Wolves-stats.co.uk |access-date=2012-10-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130528234118/http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/1997-1998_Season.html |archive-date=28 May 2013 }}</ref> It was the last of nine goals he would score for Wolves that season, as he missed many games due to injuries.

He scored his last hat-trick in all competitions, two years after his final league hat-trick, on 18 August 1998 in a 5–0 home win over [[Barnet F.C.|Barnet]] in the [[Football League Cup]] first round first leg.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thewolvessite.co.uk/bull_306.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120718192048/http://www.thewolvessite.co.uk/bull_306.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 July 2012|title=Bully's 306 Goals|date=18 July 2012}}</ref>

Bull's final goal for the club came against [[Bury F.C.|Bury]] on 26 September 1998<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportinglife.com/football/premiership/wolves/reports/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/98/09/26/SOCCER_Wolves_Nightlead.html&TEAMHD=wolves&DIV=prem&TEAM=WOLVES&RH=Wolves&PREV_SEASON=1997
 |title       = Wolves 1 Bury 0
 |publisher   = Sporting Life
 |date        = 26 September 1998
 |access-date  = 21 March 2010
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110604225722/http://www.sportinglife.com/football/premiership/wolves/reports/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer%2F98%2F09%2F26%2FSOCCER_Wolves_Nightlead.html&TEAMHD=wolves&DIV=prem&TEAM=WOLVES&RH=Wolves&PREV_SEASON=1997
 |archive-date = 4 June 2011
}}</ref> and his final competitive appearance for the club came on the last day of the 1998–99 season against [[Bradford City A.F.C.|Bradford City]].<ref>{{cite news
 |url         = https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-bradford-crown-jewells-season--wolverhampton-wanderers-2--bradford-city-------3-1092653.html
 |title       = Bradford crown Jewell's season - Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 Bradford City 3
 |work   = [[The Independent]]
 |date        = 9 May 1999
 |access-date  = 21 March 2010
 |location    = London
 |first       = Phil
 |last        = Shaw
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20090512211900/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-bradford-crown-jewells-season--wolverhampton-wanderers-2--bradford-city-------3-1092653.html
 |archive-date = 12 May 2009
}}</ref> By January 1999, however, reports were circulating that Bull would soon be retiring as a player due to an ongoing knee problem.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Football%3a+Wolves+will+go+with+Flo.-a060221644 |title=Football: Wolves will go with Flo. - Free Online Library |publisher=Thefreelibrary.com |access-date=2012-10-09}}</ref>

On 13 July 1999, at the age of 34, Bull finally admitted defeat in his battle to fully regain fitness and announced his retirement after 13 years with Wolves.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Football%3a+BRAVE+BULLY+FORCED+TO+QUIT.-a060441147 |title=Football: BRAVE BULLY FORCED TO QUIT. - Free Online Library |publisher=Thefreelibrary.com |access-date=2012-10-09}}</ref>

However, he soon returned to playing as player-coach of [[Hereford United F.C.|Hereford United]] for a season in the [[National League (division)|Conference]], working with [[Graham Turner]], the manager who had signed him for Wolves.

Known by his fans as 'Bully' for his club loyalty, rapport with supporters and passion for the game and also known as the "Tipton Skin" for his trademark closely cropped haircut, he received an [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]] for services to Association Football in December 1999, shortly after retiring as a first class player.

Bull is regarded as a legend at Wolves and one of the main stands at their home ground, [[Molineux stadium|Molineux]], is named after him. This commemoration was made in June 2003, with the stand having previously been known as the ''John Ireland Stand''.

On 29 July 2006, Bull made one final appearance for Wolves in his 20th anniversary testimonial game against [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]] at [[Molineux stadium|Molineux]], playing the first seven minutes of the match.

==International career==
Bull was capped 13 times by [[England national football team|England]], and scored 4 goals, all coming in the buildup to [[1990 FIFA World Cup|Italia 90]]. He scored his first goal on his debut after replacing an injured [[John Fashanu]] against Scotland on 27 May 1989, with a low right-footed shot to the net. Two more goals came in a friendly against [[Czechoslovakia national football team|Czechoslovakia]] on 25 April 1990. His final England goal came against [[Tunisia national football team|Tunisia]], which earned him a place in [[Bobby Robson]]'s World Cup squad.

Despite starting his international career well, he did not score another goal for England after this. He played four times during Italia 90 – three times as a substitute against [[Republic of Ireland national football team|Republic of Ireland]], [[Netherlands national football team|the Netherlands]] and [[Belgium national football team|Belgium]] and once as a starter against [[Egypt national football team|Egypt]]. His final match for England was on 17 October 1990 against [[Poland national football team|Poland]], but he was not picked again by his future Wolves manager, [[Graham Taylor]].

Bull was still technically a [[Football League Third Division|Third Division]] player when he won his first cap, at the end of the 1988–89 season, as Wolves had not yet played in [[Football League Second Division|Division Two]] after their promotion that season. He remains the last player to be capped by England from outside the top two tiers, and one of only five post-[[World War II|war]] players so honoured.<ref>The others were: [[Tommy Lawton]], 4 caps while playing for [[Notts County F.C.|Notts County]] in 1947-48, [[Reg Matthews]], 5 caps while playing for [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]] in 1955-56, [[Johnny Byrne (footballer)|Johnny Byrne]], 1 cap while playing for [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]] in 1961-62 and [[Peter Taylor (footballer born 1953)|Peter Taylor]], 4 caps while playing for [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]] in 1975-76.</ref>

In total, he scored nine goals in 23 appearances for his country at full, U-21 and "B" team levels.

==Management career==
On 21 February 2008, Bull entered management with [[Conference National]] side [[Stafford Rangers F.C.|Stafford Rangers]]. He had previously worked as a coach at this level with [[Hereford United F.C.|Hereford United]] in the 2000–01 season and had completed his [[UEFA]] Pro B coaching licence in the years in between. The team was in the relegation zone at the time of his appointment and he was unable to prevent relegation. He parted company with the club on 12 December 2008.<ref>{{cite news|title = Bully out as Stafford Rangers boss|url = https://www.expressandstar.com/2008/12/12/bully-out-as-stafford-rangers-boss/|publisher = Express & Star|date = 12 December 2008|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081215121953/http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/12/12/bully-out-as-stafford-rangers-boss/|archive-date = 15 December 2008}}</ref>

==Personal life==
He is the cousin of [[West Bromwich]] born former footballer [[Gary Bull]], who played for clubs including [[Barnet F.C.|Barnet]], [[Nottingham Forest F.C.|Nottingham Forest]] and [[Birmingham City F.C.|Birmingham City]].<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-gary-bull-the-nottingham-forest-striker-has-joined-second-division-brighton-1596809.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-gary-bull-the-nottingham-forest-striker-has-joined-second-division-brighton-1596809.html |archive-date=25 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live | location=London | work=The Independent | title=Football Gary Bull, the Nottingham Forest striker, has joined Second Division Brighton | date=18 August 1995}}</ref> In November 2022, Bull launched his own clothing line entitled 'SB9' using the famous gold and black; it comprises t-shirts, hoodies, caps, beanies, polos, gilets, track suit trousers and shorts.

==Honours==
'''Wolverhampton Wanderers'''
*[[Football League Third Division|Third Division]]: [[1988–89 Football League#Third Division|1988–89]]
*[[Football League Fourth Division|Fourth Division]]: [[1987–88 Football League#Fourth Division|1987–88]]
*[[Football League Trophy]]: [[1988 Football League Trophy Final|1987–88]]

'''Individual'''
*[[PFA Team of the Year]]: [[1987–88 Football League#Fourth Division|1987–88 Fourth Division]],<ref>{{cite book |last=Lynch |title=The Official P.F.A. Footballers Heroes |page=147}}</ref> [[1988–89 Football League#Third Division|1988–89 Third Division]],<ref>{{cite book |last=Lynch |title=The Official P.F.A. Footballers Heroes |page=147}}</ref> [[1989–90 Football League#Second Division|1989–90 Second Division]],<ref>{{cite book |last=Lynch |title=The Official P.F.A. Footballers Heroes |page=148}}</ref> [[1990–91 Football League#Second Division|1990–91 Second Division]]<ref>{{cite book |last=Lynch |title=The Official P.F.A. Footballers Heroes |page=148}}</ref>
*[[Order of the British Empire|Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)]]: December 1999
*Freeman of the [[Wolverhampton#List of Freemen of the City of Wolverhampton|City of Wolverhampton]]: September 2018

==Career statistics==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
!rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season
!colspan="3"|League
!colspan="2"|FA Cup
!colspan="2"|League Cup
!colspan="2"|Other<ref>Includes other competitive competitions, including the [[Football League play-offs]], [[EFL Trophy]], [[Full Members Cup]], [[Anglo-Italian Cup]], [[FA Trophy]]</ref>
!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]]
|[[1985–86 Football League#First Division|1985–86]]
|[[Football League First Division|First Division]]
|1||0||0||0||0||0||2||0||3||0
|-
|[[1986–87 Football League#Second Division 2|1986–87]]
|[[Football League Second Division|Second Division]]
|3||2||0||0||2||1||1||0||6||3
|-
!colspan=2|Total
!4!!2!!0!!0!!2!!1!!3!!0!!9!!3
|-
|rowspan="14"|[[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]]
|[[1986–87 Football League#Fourth Division 2|1986–87]]
|[[Football League Fourth Division|Fourth Division]]
|30||15||0||0||0||0||7||4||37||19
|-
|[[1987–88 Football League#Fourth Division 2|1987–88]]
|Fourth Division
|44||34||2||3||4||3||8||12||58||52
|-
|[[1988–89 Football League#Third Division|1988–89]]
|[[Football League Third Division|Third Division]]
|45||37||1||0||2||2||7||11||55||50
|-
|[[1989–90 Football League#Second Division 2|1989–90]]
|Second Division
|42||24||1||1||4||2||1||0||48||27
|-
|[[1990–91 Football League#Second Division 2|1990–91]]
|Second Division
|43||26||1||0||2||0||2||1||48||27
|-
|[[1991–92 Football League Second Division|1991–92]]
|Second Division
|43||20||1||0||2||3||1||0||47||23
|-
|[[1992–93 Football League#First Division 2|1992–93]]
|[[Football League First Division|First Division]]
|36||16||2||1||2||1||2||1||42||19
|-
|[[1993–94 Football League#First Division 2|1993–94]]
||First Division
|27||14||2||0||0||0||1||1||30||15
|-
|[[1994–95 Football League#First Division 2|1994–95]]
|First Division
|31||16||2||0||3||2||3||1||39||19
|-
|[[1995–96 Football League#First Division 2|1995–96]]
|First Division
|44||15||4||2||5||0||0||0||53||17
|-
|[[1996–97 Football League First Division|1996–97]]
|First Division
|43||23||1||0||2||0||2||0||48||23
|-
|[[1997–98 Football League#First Division 2|1997–98]]
|First Division
|31||7||3||0||5||2||0||0||39||9
|-
|[[1998–99 Football League#First Division 2|1998–99]]
|First Division
|15||3||0||0||2||3||0||0||17||6
|-
!colspan=2|Total
!474!!250!!20!!7!!33!!18!!34!!31!!561!!306
|-
|[[Hereford United F.C.|Hereford United]]
|[[2000–01 in English football|2000–01]]
|[[National League (division)|Conference]]
|6||2||0||0||0||0||1||0||7||2
|-
!colspan="3"|Career total
!484!!254!!20!!7!!35!!19!!38!!31!!577!!311
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.bullybully.net/}} bullybully.net
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080513110117/http://www.wolves.premiumtv.co.uk/page/GoldenOldies/0%2C%2C10307~65346%2C00.html Profile] at the Official Wolves site
* {{Soccerbase}}
* {{England Football Online}}

{{Navboxes
| title = Awards
| bg = gold
| fg = navy
| list1 = 
{{1989–90 Football League Second Division PFA Team of the Year}}
{{1990–91 Football League Second Division PFA Team of the Year}}
{{1988–89 Football League Third Division PFA Team of the Year}}
{{1987–88 Football League Fourth Division PFA Team of the Year}}
{{English Third Division top scorers}}
{{English Fourth Division top scorers}}
{{Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. Player of the Year}}
{{Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. Hall of Fame}}
}}{{England squad 1990 FIFA World Cup}}
{{Stafford Rangers F.C. managers}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bull, Steve}}
[[Category:1965 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1990 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:England men's B international footballers]]
[[Category:English football managers]]
[[Category:English men's footballers]]
[[Category:England men's international footballers]]
[[Category:England men's under-21 international footballers]]
[[Category:Men's association football forwards]]
[[Category:Tipton Town F.C. players]]
[[Category:Hereford United F.C. players]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Footballers from Tipton]]
[[Category:Stafford Rangers F.C. managers]]
[[Category:English Football League players]]
[[Category:West Bromwich Albion F.C. players]]
[[Category:Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. players]]
[[Category:English football coaches]]