30 seconds with Alan Robinson

We’ve reached the finale of our series of short films about the Bears family and we’ve saved the most important until last - it’s Bears founder, owner and CEO Alan Robinson.

What else can be said about Alan Robinson that hasn’t already been put out there?

He is the man from Northern Ireland who came to Coventry to get a degree, but also fell in love with rugby league, formed our club and is still here today guiding the ship.

And, 20 years on, he’s just as excited and passionate about it as he ever was.

Alan said: “We came from humble beginnings, back while I was at University in Coventry.

“We founded the club back in 1998 and have been a successful amateur club all these years. We’ve a great set of staff and volunteers, and we’re doing a lot of work in the community now, and that’s something that will ensure the future of the club and the next generation on the club.

“We want to keep developing our business, we want to keep bringing new fans into the game and new players into the game, and being more and more competitive every week against the established clubs in rugby league.”

Buy your season ticket now and find out full details of our sponsorship packages here.

Your favourite memories from 2018

2018 was a pretty great season, wasn’t it? Our 20th birthday, a history-making Challenge Cup run and some notable wins.

A couple of weeks ago, as part of our social media advent calendar, we asked for YOUR favourite memories from last season.

Well, here’s what you came up with…

Make sure you’re around to make new memories with us in 2019 - snap up your season ticket now!

30 seconds with Dante Morley-Samuels

We’re almost at the end of our series of short films with different members of the Bears family. Today’s star has quickly become a club icon on and off the field - it’s Dante Morley-Samuels.

There can be few players in British rugby league as instantly recognisable as Dante Morley-Samuels - after all, you don’t see that many ginger afros on a rugby pitch!

But, Dante proved in his first season with us that he is far more than just a hair do - comfortable at centre, fullback or on the wing, he regularly got the team on the front foot in 2018 and was a worthy winner of our young player of the season.

In 2019, he’s back and ready for more!.

Dante said: “It was an honour winning the young player of the year award - I’m looking forward to playing another season with the Coventry Bears in front of all the good fans we’ve got.

“In 2019 I’m hoping for a better season and for the team to show show everyone that Coventry is more than just a development team.”

Head coach Tom Tsang was also delighted to secure Dante’s services for 2019.

He said: “Dante signs up for his second season with the Bears after turning heads in 2018. He is a strong and athletic outside back with good feet and a nice turn of speed. 

“He needs to work on some areas of his game - such as his passing if playing in the centre or at fullback - but being just 19 years old and possessing a great attitude to learning, he will no doubt make the leap in 2019.”  

Oh, and let’s not finish this without some hairstyle chat.

Dante added: “About my hair - I get quite a few comments calling me Sideshow Bob but I don’t mind really - I like it!”

To see if Dante has another hair-raising season in Betfred League 1, sign up for your season ticket now!

30 seconds with Cameron Stewart

Over the next few weeks, we’re getting to know a few of the stars of our recent season launch video a little better. Today, we meet a player who is a born-and-bred Midlander - Cameron Stewart.

One detail that sometimes get lost from our historic victory against Keighley Cougars last summer was that it wasn’t just our first win against a traditional northern club.

It also marked the Bears debut of young Midlander Cameron Stewart, who made an immediate impact in his first taste of League 1 action.

From that point on, Cameron was a regular in our first team for the remainder of the 2019 season, and he’s heading into 2019 looking to improve further.

Cameron said: “I’m proud to be a Midlands player, coming through the rankings and now playing for a Midlands side.

“It was really good to get a shot to play in the first team amongst a good set of lads and make my debut against Keighley, especially getting a win against a strong side.

“In 2019, I’m hopefully looking forward to starting more games, getting more game time and improving my game for the future.”

Bears head coach Tom Tsang added: “Cam, who hails from Leicester, was a real success story of 2018. I watched him playing for the Midlands Hurricanes Academy and invited him to attend pre-season, where he then got his head down and worked incredibly hard, asking the right questions and making improvements week on week. 

“Eventually Cam got his opportunity and went on to make half a dozen appearances for the club, including the memorable win versus Keighley. I am really looking forward to another year working with Cam and helping him develop further. Like all our players, his attitude is first class and I am sure he will go from strength to strength now he has a year under his belt at this level.”

To see how Cameron progresses in 2019, make sure you snap up your season ticket!

30 seconds with Tim Poulter

Over the next few weeks, we’re getting to know a few of the stars of our recent season launch video a little better. Today, we meet one of our season ticket holders - Tim Poulter.

Away days for a rugby league team based outside of the sports heartlands have the potential to be a bit of a lonely affair, which is why our travelling supporters are such an important part of our story.

One face the Bears players are used to seeing home and away is Tim Poulter, season ticket holder and likely to be there in person whatever the city - or continent!

Tim said: “I’ve been supporting the Bears since they first started 20 years ago. I like to go home and away - all games if possible.

“My favourite away trip has to be the one to Toronto, just because it was such a mad place to go to!”

Tim also made a return to North America in 2018 to watch the England v New Zealand test in Denver, so if you ever decide to follow us on the road next season you can almost guarantee that Tim will be there too.

Tim added: “My hopes for 2019 are to see the bears develop on the great season we had in 2018 and progress, and see the players fulfilled their true potential.”

Snap up your 2019 season ticket now!

30 seconds with Kam Pearce-Paul

Over the next few weeks, we’re getting to know a few of the stars of our recent season launch video a little better. Today, spend 30 seconds with our master of sleight of hand…Kam Pearce-Paul.

The first time you see it, it’s hard to comprehend exactly what happened. Very much a ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ moment.

We’re talking about Kam Pearce-Paul’s on-field wizardry in our final away game of the 2018 season, away to Whitehaven.

We see him take the ball - that much is clear - and we see it end up in the hands of winger Reece Rance, who dives over to score in the corner. But, what happened in between?

That’s the tricky part.

By some majestic piece of sleight of hand, Kam somehow threw a stupendous pass that bamboozled the defence and laid the try on a plate for his winger.

Even the magician himself doesn’t quite know how he did it.

“Yeah, that pass,” he started, “I don’t know how I did it - it was in the moment.

“I don’t really know what I was doing but I’m just glad it pulled off!”

Kam joined us last season on a season-long loan from the London Broncos and instantly showed his class in our backline. As such, we’re delighted that he’s signed on a permanent basis for the 2019 season.

Kam continued: “The Bears took me in on loan last season, and I saw first hand the improvement we made through the year. I saw a club with an exciting future and it was something I wanted to be part of. I'm looking forward to next season and the team picking up where we left off this year.”

Bears head coach Tom Tsang added: “I am very excited to confirm KP will be joining the Bears officially, having been on a season long loan from the London Broncos in 2018. 

“Kam quickly earned a great reputation as an attacking centre during his time with us this year, but also improved the defensive side of his game as the season progressed. KP built a fantastic relationship on the right edge with fellow returners Chris Barratt and Reece Rance and I expect these combination to pick straight up where it left off.”

To see how Kam gets on in 2019 - and what new tricks he might have up his sleeve - snap up your season ticket now. They include entry to all our Betfred League 1 home matches in 2019, any home Cup matches and our pre-season friendly against Super League’s Leeds Rhinos on Friday 18 January.

30 seconds with Coventry University RL

Over the next few weeks, we’re getting to know a few of the stars of our recent season launch video a little better. Today, we delve deeper into our relationship with Coventry University.

Coventry University and the Coventry Bears are far from strangers; let’s not forget, the Bears founder and CEO - Alan Robinson - first played the sport when he came to Coventry as a wide-eyed 18-year-old.

The rest, as they say, is history.

But, as the Bears have grown and joined the professional ranks, their link with their home city’s University hasn’t deviated - if anything, it’s grown.

Players such as Kieran Sherratt, Dan Gover, Chris Barratt and Peter Ryan have all made the progression from the University to the Bears’ first team and 2019 will see yet more players graduate from BUCS to Betfred League 1.

As we’ve already confirmed, loose forward Leon Harber, second row/centre John Sipawa and prop Euan Tiernan have all signed for the Bears in 2019, and will combine playing for us with their studies.

Another strengthened link between Bears and University is Tom Tsang, who is now head coach of both sides.

Tom said: “The relationship between the Bears and the University is a scholarship partnership where some of our players will combine their studies and their higher education degrees with playing for the Bears.

“I can’t wait to see some of the players that have made their first steps playing for the University transition in to the Bears, and follow the pathway that others guys have done.”

If you’re reading this and fancy combining studying at a world-class University with playing semi-professional rugby league, visit the Coventry University website to find out more about their sports scholarships.

Don’t forget to snap up your season tickets to see how our hard-running and hard-tackling scholars get on in 2019. Included with season tickets is entry to our pre-season friendly at home to the Leeds Rhinos on Friday 18 January.

30 seconds with Hayden Freeman

Over the next few weeks, we’re getting to know a few of the stars of our recent season launch video a little better. Today, we meet our record try scorer - Hayden Freeman.

When it comes down to it, rugby league matches are settled by points - the team with the most points, wins the match.

The easiest way to get the biggest number of points? Score tries of course! Which is why Hayden Freeman is such an important part of our story.

Midlands born and raised, graduate of our our academy system, in 2018 Hayden became our all-time record try scorer. That’s pretty impressive.

“It means a lot for me being a Midlands player and getting to play for Midlands club,” Hayden said.

“It was a real achievement for me breaking the try scoring record and I’ll hopefully add to it next year.”

He added: “I'm really excited to sign for my fourth season at the Bears. I've seen myself improve year on year and felt I had a strong contribution in 2018. 

“Credit to all the fans who have stuck by the players and staff throughout the years, plus thank you to my personal sponsor Midland Fuel Oil for their support the last two seasons. I look forward to seeing everyone at our matches in 2019.”

Hayden recently re-signed for the Bears for the 2019 season, meaning fans can expect to see him improve his tally of tries for the club.

Bears head coach Tom Tsang said: “Hayden has been our top try scorer over the last 2 seasons and has really developed into a fantastic League 1 winger with 32 try’s in 55 games. He has good top line speed and carries very well into contact. 

“Towards the end of the 2018 season, Hayden even spent some time in the centre position, adding another string to his bow. We still see him as a great winger first and foremost, but will work with him to develop other areas of his game to make him more versatile and increase his attacking threat further.” 

If you want to join us for the next year of rugby league in Coventry, then snap up your season ticket now. They include access to all of our Betfred League 1 home matches, any home pre-season games, access to a members’ bar and free parking at all home games.

30 seconds with Ron Banks

Over the next few weeks, we’re getting to know a few of the stars of our recent season launch video a little better. Today we meet our President, Ron Banks.

The story of how Ron Banks got involved with the Coventry Bears has become something of a local legend…it was all down to an advert placed in the local paper 20 years ago.

Club founder Alan Robinson had taken out the ad, looking for people who wanted to be involved with a new rugby league side he was forming in the city.

Ron’s window of opportunity as a player might have closed, but for the rugby league-loving Barrow native now residing in the Midlands, it was a chance to get involved with his favourite sport, on his doorstep.

In the 20 years since Ron has helped the club with just about everything going.

That means selling raffle tickets, printing programmes, marking out the pitch and a whole host of other jobs too.

Now, he has the grand title of President and is someone you will definitely see on your next visit to a Bears match.

Ron said: “I’ve had some great memories from the last 20 years, but top of the list must be when we won National 3.

“I’m a lifelong Barrow Raiders supporter - originally. Now, I’m Bears through and through.”

Ron is also excited about where the club might go next, particularly after such a successful season in 2018.

He added: “I feel that we’re on a journey and that we could go right to the top in this game.”

If you’d like to follow in Ron’s footsteps and volunteer with us, then please get in touch!

If you want to join us for the next year of rugby league in Coventry, then snap up your season ticket now. They include access to all of our Betfred League 1 home matches, any home pre-season games, access to a members’ bar and free parking at all home games.

30 seconds with...Kieran Sherratt

Over the next few weeks, we’re getting to know a few of the stars of our recent season launch video a little better. Today, our subject is Kieran Sherratt.

As the song goes, sometimes ‘you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone’ - and it’s a lyric you can definitely attribute to Kieran Sherratt.

That’s not to say his stellar contributions on the pitch in 2018 weren’t noticed, but his three-month absence through injury midway through the year certainly hit the Bears hard.

It was no coincidence that his return to the fold saw results on the field take a swing in a positive direction as he added steel and nous to the Bears’ offering.

The Wigan Warriors academy product has played for Coventry University, England students and is now ready for his third season with the Bears having firmly established himself as a fans’ favourite.

Kieran said: “Since I’ve joined the Bears, the team has really grown and rugby league in the city has really developed.

“My hope for 2019 is that we go on, win more and cause more upsets in the future.”

Kieran is part of a host of 2018’s forwards to recommit to the Bears cause for 2019, and head coach Tom Tsang is delighted to have him back for another year.

Tom said: “Kieran is now a familiar face at the Bears, as he enters his third season with the club, and has established himself as one of our best players. A threat in attack, with good footwork, strength and awareness - Kieran has made the left second-row position his own, while also having the versatility and toughness to play other positions such as loose-forward and when needed, hooker. 

“He has really improved since he first joined us, not just technically, but also in terms of leadership qualities and his positive influence on the team. I think Kieran has a lot more improvement in his game and I am looking forward to seeing him kick on and have his best season to date in 2019.”

Kieran already has a sponsor in place for 2019, but if you’d to help one of his teammates then check out our excellent sponsorship packages.

If you want to join us for the next year of rugby league in Coventry, then snap up your season ticket now. They include access to all of our Betfred League 1 home matches, any home pre-season games, access to a members’ bar and free parking at all home games.