Nyasa Big Bullets FC

Nyasa Big Bullets FC

Nickname(s)	The People’s Team Maule Mapale
Short name	NBB
Founded	1966;59 years ago (1966)
Ground	Kamuzu Stadium
Capacity	65,000
Coach	Peter Mponda
League	TNM Super League
2024	TNM Super League, 3rd of 16
Website	nyasabigbullets.com
Home colours Away colours

Nyasa Big Bullets or FCB Nyasa Big Bullets for sponsorship reasons 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. The 2023 football season is one of the most successful for Bullets, they won all four domestic trophies on offer; The TNM SUPER LEAGUE, The Airtel Top 8, The FDH Bank Cup, and The Castel Challenge Cup.

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 CupWinners (3) 2021, 2023, 2024. ^[6]

• 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 January 2025Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK   MWI Innocent Nyasulu 2 MF   MWI Erick Kaonga 3 MF   MWI Lloyd Banega Aaron 4 DF   MWI Nickson Nyasulu 5 MF   MWI Blessing Mpokera 6 DF   MWI John Lanjesi 7 MF   MWI Frank Willard 8 DF   MWI Precious Sambani 9 MF   MWI Mike Mkwate 10 FW   MWI Hassan Kajoke 11 MF   MWI Ernest Petro 12 MF   MWI Righteous Banda 13 MF   MWI Alick Lungu 14 DF   MWI Yamikani Fodya 15 DF   KEN Clyde Seneji 16 DF   MWI Gomezgan Chirwa

No. Pos. Nation Player 17 GK   MWI Clever Mkungula 18 MF   MWI Henry Kabichi 19 FW   MWI Mphatso Magombo 20 FW   MWI Lanjesi Nkhoma 21 MF   MWI Precious Phiri 22 FW   MWI Anthony Mfune 23 MF   MWI Stanley Billiat 24 GK   MWI Richard Chimbamba 25 MF   MWI McFallen Mgwira 26 DF   MWI Kesten Simbi 27 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. Archived from the original on 29 April 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
2. "CAF – CAF Error Page". cafonline.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. 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. Archived from the original on 25 June 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
5. Kadewere, Jeromy (9 October 2018). "Malawi: Bullets Sack Coaches After Masters Defeat". Nyasa Times (Leeds). Archived from the original on 7 November 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
6. https://times.mw/airtel-top-8-final-grosses-k116-4-million/#:~:text=Bullets%20won%20a%20record%20third,thanks%20to%20Ernest%20Petro's%20goal.

External links

• Website
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• Twitter
• Instagram