Ben Bull

Benjamin Henry Bull was a right winger who joined Liverpool from Loughborough Town during the 1895/96 season. Born in Leicester in 1873, Bull had already gained Football League experience with Loughborough, making seven Second Division appearances during the first half of the campaign before moving to Liverpool. He joined Liverpool in December 1895, although he had to wait until the following month for his first-team opportunity. Bull's only competitive appearance for Liverpool came on 25 January 1896, when he replaced regular Malcolm McVean for the Second Division match against Lincoln City at Anfield. Liverpool were already challenging strongly for promotion and went into the match top of the table, while Lincoln were near the bottom. In front of around 4,000 spectators, Liverpool produced one of their biggest victories of the season, winning 6-1. Bull played on the right wing and made an immediate impact by scoring Liverpool's second goal. The Liverpool Mercury's account gives an unusually detailed description of the goal. Fred Geary made a rapid run down the wing before delivering a cross. Bull's first effort struck the post, but he reacted quickly and neatly turned the rebound into the net. 

Despite making an impressive debut and scoring, Bull did not retain his place. McVean returned to the side for the remaining league fixtures and Bull's appearance against Lincoln remained his only official first-team outing for Liverpool. The club finished the 1895/96 campaign as Second Division champions, but Bull was unable to break back into the competitive side. Bull subsequently continued his career outside Liverpool. He was associated with Gravesend before moving on to Oldham County, where he spent time on loan, and later joined Reading. He had therefore accumulated experience with several Football League and Southern League clubs by the end of the 1890s. Bull's playing career was relatively short, but his brief Liverpool spell left him with the unusual distinction of scoring in his only competitive appearance for the club.