Nyasa Big Bullets FC

Nyasa Big Bullets

Full name	Nyasa Big Bullets Football Club
Nickname(s)	The People’s Team Maule Mapale
Short name	NBB
Founded	1966;58 years ago (1966)
Ground	Kamuzu Stadium
Capacity	65,000
Coach	Callisto Pasuwa
League	TNM Super League
2022	TNM Super League, 1st of 16 (champions)
Website	Club website
Home colours Away colours

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

Main article: Kamuzu 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

Main article: 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:
  • Winners (17): 1986, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020–21, 2022, 2023
  • Runners-up (4): 2008, 2012–13, 2016, 2017
• 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

• Kagame Interclub Cup
  • Runners-up (1): 2021

Performance in CAF competitions

• CAF Champions League: 7 appearances

2000  – Preliminary round

2004  – Group stage

2015  – First Round

2018–19  – Preliminary round

2019–20 – Preliminary round

2020–21 – Withdrew

2021–22 – First Round

• African Cup of Champions Clubs: 3 appearances

1975: Second Round

1979: Withdrew in First Round

1993: Withdrew in preliminary round

• CAF Cup Winners' Cup: 5 appearances

1976  – First Round

1977  – Second Round

1997  – First Round

1998  – Preliminary round

1999  – First Round

Current squad

As of August 2023Note: 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   MWI Rabson Chiyenda 2 MF   MWI Erick Kaonga 3 DF   MWI Nickson Nyasulu 4 MF   MWI Blessing Mpokera 5 DF   MWI John Lanjesi 6 MF   MWI Frank Willard 7 DF   MWI Precious Sambani 8 MF   MWI Mike Mkwate 9 FW   MWI Hassan Kajoke 10 MF   MWI Ernest Petro 11 MF   MWI Righteous Banda 12 MF   MWI Alick Lungu 13 DF   MWI Yamikani Fodya 14 DF   KEN Clyde Seneji 15 DF   MWI Gomezgan Chirwa

No. Pos. Nation Player 16 GK   MWI Clever Mkungula 17 MF   MWI Henry Kabichi 18 FW   MWI Mphatso Magombo 19 FW   MWI Lanjesi Nkhoma 20 MF   MWI Precious Phiri 21 FW   MWI Anthony Mfune 22 MF   MWI Stanley Billiat 23 GK   MWI Richard Chimbamba 24 MF   MWI McFallen Mgwira 25 DF   MWI Kesten Simbi 26 DF   KEN Collins Okumu 28 DF   MWI Yankho Singo 29 MF   MWI Patrick Mwaungulu 30 FW   MWI Maxwell Gastin Phodo 31 MF   MWI Chawanangwa Gumbo 32 MF   ZIM Kenneth Pasuwa 33 FW   MWI Ephraim Kondowe

Club officials/technical team

• Chief Executive Officer: Suzgo Nyirenda
• Board President: Konrad Buckle
• Board Members: 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: Kalisto Pasuwa
• Assistant coach: Peter Mponda (1st), Heston Munthali (2nd)
• Team Manager: James Chilapondwa
• Goalkeeper Trainer: Swadick Sanudi
• Team Doctor: Felix Mwalule
• Kitmaster: Malumbo Chikoko
• Media Manager: Kimpho Loka

References

1. "Former Big Bullets most memorable mentor, Team Manager John Gilmore passes on in UK". maraviexpress.com. 12 November 2019. 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.

External links

• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram