Paul Burnham
{{Short description|Cricket Lover/Business Owner/Investor from Sunbury-On-Thames, England}}
Paul Lawrence Burnham{{cite web|url=http://www.trademarkify.com.au/trademark/1114806?i=BARMY_ARMY-BACSC_Ltd_and_Peacock_David_John#.UT3AC9pFDIU |title=BARMY ARMY by BACSC Ltd and Peacock, David John - Australian Trademark No.1114806 |publisher=Trade Marks Australia |date= |accessdate=2020-03-23}} (born {{birth based on age as of date |40|2005|09|14|noage=1}}) is a cricket supporter from Twickenham, London, England. He is one of the founding members and the current Chairman of the Barmy Army of supporters of the England cricket team.
Personal life
Burnham was educated at Hampton School.{{cite web|url=http://www.thetrevortrophy.com/player-profile.html |title=Player Profile |publisher=The Trevor Trophy |date=1985-09-05 |accessdate=2013-03-23}} Burnham gained a sports and business degree in 1984 whilst working for British Airways in their cargo division. He also captained the British Airways 1st XI cricket team in winning the Bertie Joel Cup, a prestigious cricket tournament at club level, where he was man of the match. He has represented various cricket teams and played in cricket tournaments of varying formats globally{{cite magazine|last=Carter |first=Ben |url=http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/news/516748/ |title=Profile: Choir master - Paul Burnham, Chief organiser, Barmy Army - Marketing news |magazine=Marketing Magazine |date=2005-09-14 |accessdate=2013-03-23}} He has played cricket for Old Hamptonians.{{cite web|last= |first= |url=http://www.harrowtimes.co.uk/news/97226.print/ |title=Old Hamps knock spots off Richmond|publisher=Harrow Times |date=2000-05-26|accessdate=2013-03-23}}
Barmy Army
In 1994, Burnham travelled to Australia to watch The Ashes. There he met a number of other English supporters who were noted for singing songs, despite England losing. They received press attention which was positive in Australia but negative in the British press. Burnham then trademarked the name "Barmy Army" in the United Kingdom and Australia{{cite web |url=http://www.inthenews.co.uk/news/not-barmy-just-lucky-$458673.htm |title=Not barmy, just lucky |publisher=In the News |accessdate=2013-03-23 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140107193155/http://www.inthenews.co.uk/news/not-barmy-just-lucky-%24458673.htm |archivedate=2014-01-07 }} and created a number of replica shirts with it on them which sold out.{{cite web|url=http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/news/516748/ |title=Profile: Choir master - Paul Burnham, Chief organiser, Barmy Army |publisher=Campaign |date=2005-09-14 |accessdate=2013-03-23}}
After the Ashes, Burnham started running the Barmy Army on a part-time basis while supplementing his income by working as a bookmaker and writing for various cricket magazines. In 1997, he negotiated the Barmy Army's first sponsorship deal with Vodafone to support the Barmy Army's tour of the West Indies. He started working for the Barmy Army full-time in 2002 as the organizer after creating a website and travel agency for them. Burnham also set up the Barmy Army's operations office in Sunbury-on-Thames.{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10872577 |title=Special report: From fan club to Barmy Army Ltd |newspaper=New Zealand Herald |date=2013-03-20 |accessdate=2013-03-23}} Burnham has also been involved in charity fundraisers.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/image/162283.html |title=Paul 'leafy' Burnham and members of the Barmy Army present a cheque |publisher=ESPN |date= |accessdate=2013-03-23}}