Colin Bell (footballer, Born 1946)
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Colin Bell (26 February 1946 – 5 January 2021) was an English professional
footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...
who played as a
midfielder In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in t ...
. Bell, known for his thirteen-year spell at
Manchester City Manchester City Football Club is a professional association football, football club based in Manchester, England, that competes in the Premier League, the English football league system, top flight of Football in England, English footbal ...
, is regarded as one of the club's greatest-ever players, and was part of the Bell–
Lee Lee may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Lee'' (2007 film), Tamil-language sports action film * ''Lee'' (2017 film), Kannada-language action film * ''Lee'' (2023 film), biographical drama about Lee Miller, American photojournalist * ''L ...
Summerbee trio in the late 1960s and 1970s. Bell made 48 appearances for the
England national football team The England national football team have represented England in international Association football, football since the first international match in 1872. It is controlled by the Football Association (FA), the governing body for football in Eng ...
; he was an unused squad member at
UEFA Euro 1968 The 1968 UEFA European Football Championship final tournament was held in Italy. This was the third UEFA European Championship, an event held every four years and organised by UEFA. The final tournament took place between 5 and 10 June 1968. It ...
and played in three matches at the
1970 FIFA World Cup The 1970 FIFA World Cup was the 9th edition of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international Association football, football championship for List of men's national association football teams, men's senior national teams. Held from 31 May to ...
. During his playing career, he was nicknamed "The King of the Kippax" (after
Maine Road Maine Road was a football stadium in Moss Side, Manchester, England, that was home to Manchester City from 1923 to 2003. It hosted FA Cup semi-finals, the Charity Shield, a League Cup final and England matches. Maine Road's highest attenda ...
's Kippax Street terraced stand renowned for its singing) and Nijinsky (after the famous racehorse, due to his renowned stamina). In 2004, the West Stand of
City of Manchester Stadium The City of Manchester Stadium, currently known as Etihad Stadium for sponsorship reasons, and commonly shortened as The Etihad, is the home of Premier League club Manchester City F.C., Manchester City, with a domestic football capacity of 53, ...
was later named in his honour.


Club career

Bell began his career at Bury where he was swiftly made club captain. In total, Bell made 82 league appearances for Bury (in three seasons) and scored 25 goals. In 1966, he moved to
Manchester City Manchester City Football Club is a professional association football, football club based in Manchester, England, that competes in the Premier League, the English football league system, top flight of Football in England, English footbal ...
(who were managed by
Joe Mercer Joseph Mercer (9 August 1914 – 9 August 1990) was an English footballer and manager. Mercer, who played as a defender for Everton and Arsenal in his footballing career, also went on to manage Aston Villa and Manchester City, and was the ...
) for £45,000. When trying to sign him for Manchester City, assistant manager
Malcolm Allison Malcolm Alexander Allison (5 September 1927 – 14 October 2010) was an English football player and manager. Nicknamed "Big Mal", he was one of English football's most flamboyant and intriguing characters because of his panache, fedora a ...
misled other clubs interested in Bell (including
Leicester City Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area, and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest city in the East Midlands with a popula ...
) by claiming that the player was "hopeless". Allison's stratagem succeeded as Bell ultimately signed for City. In the 1965–66 season, Bell helped City finish first in the Second Division, earning the team promotion to the First Division. Bell scored the only goal (via a header) in a 1–0 victory against
Rotherham Rotherham ( ) is a market town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies at the confluence of the River Rother, South Yorkshire, River Rother, from which the town gets its name, and the River Don, Yorkshire, River Don. It is the largest settlement ...
which ensured promotion. In the 1966–67 season, Bell was City's top scorer with 14 league goals, and the team finished in 15th place in the First Division. Bell scored a hat trick in a 3–1 victory against
Stoke City Stoke City Football Club is a professional association football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England. The team competes in the , the second level of the English football league system. Founded as Stoke Ramblers in 1863, the cl ...
in April that season. In the 1967–68 season, Bell helped City win their second League Championship (they had won their first in
1937 Events January * January 1 – Anastasio Somoza García becomes President of Nicaragua. * January 5 – Water levels begin to rise in the Ohio River in the United States, leading to the Ohio River flood of 1937, which continues into Feb ...
). Bell scored 14 league goals that season. One of his goals came in the famous 4–1 victory against
Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, commonly referred to as simply Tottenham (, , , ) or Spurs, is a professional Association football, football club based in Tottenham, North London, England. The club itself has stated that it should always ...
, at
Maine Road Maine Road was a football stadium in Moss Side, Manchester, England, that was home to Manchester City from 1923 to 2003. It hosted FA Cup semi-finals, the Charity Shield, a League Cup final and England matches. Maine Road's highest attenda ...
, which was dubbed the "Ballet on Ice" due to the snowy conditions in which the game was played.
Mike Summerbee Michael George Summerbee (born 15 December 1942) is an English former association football, footballer, who played as a Forward (association football), forward in the successful Manchester City F.C., Manchester City side of the late 1960s and ...
, Tony Coleman and
Neil Young Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian and American singer-songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, forming the folk rock group Buffalo Springfield. Since the begi ...
scored City's other goals while
Jimmy Greaves James Peter Greaves (20 February 1940 – 19 September 2021) was an English professional footballer who played as a forward. Regarded as one of the greatest strikers of all time and one of England's best ever players, he is England's fifth- ...
scored the goal for Spurs. After the game, legendary centre forward Dixie Dean informed Allison that the City team which had beaten Spurs was "the most brilliant side I have ever seen". In the penultimate game of the season, Bell scored twice in a 3–1 victory against
Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, commonly referred to as simply Tottenham (, , , ) or Spurs, is a professional Association football, football club based in Tottenham, North London, England. The club itself has stated that it should always ...
at
White Hart Lane White Hart Lane was a Association football, football stadium in Tottenham, North London and the home of Tottenham Hotspur F.C., Tottenham Hotspur Football Club from 1899 to 2017. Its capacity varied over the years; when changed to all-seater i ...
. In the game, Lee and Summerbee stretched the Spurs defence allowing Bell a clear run at a slowing
Dave Mackay David Craig Mackay (14 November 1934 – 2 March 2015) was a Scottish football player and manager. Mackay was best known for a highly successful playing career with Heart of Midlothian, the double-winning Tottenham Hotspur side of 1961 an ...
which overwhelmed the Scotsman. In the final game of the season, City defeated
Newcastle United Newcastle United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English football. Since th ...
4–3, to clinch the title. Bell assisted Lee with the "best pass of the afternoon" to score City's fourth goal. In the 1968–69 season, Bell again scored 14 league goals as City finished 13th in the First Division. Manchester City won the
FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual Single-elimination tournament, knockout association football, football competition in domestic Football in England, English football. First played during ...
that season with a 1–0 victory over
Leicester City Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area, and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest city in the East Midlands with a popula ...
in the
final Final, Finals or The Final may refer to: *Final examination or finals, a test given at the end of a course of study or training *Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which d ...
thanks to a goal by Neil Young. In the 1969–70 season, Bell scored eleven league goals for City, who finished tenth in the league. Manchester City and Bell won two trophies, in 1970, the League Cup and the European
Cup Winners' Cup The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a European football club competition contested annually by the winners of domestic cup competitions. The competition's official name was originally the European Cup Winners' Cup; it was renamed the UEFA Cup Winne ...
. City defeated
West Bromwich Albion West Bromwich Albion Football Club (), commonly known as West Brom or The Albion, is a professional association football club based in West Bromwich, West Midlands, England. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second level of the Englis ...
2–1 in the 1970 Football League Cup Final, in which Mike Doyle and Glyn Pardoe scored City's goals. City defeated
Górnik Zabrze Górnik Zabrze Spółka Akcyjna, commonly referred to as Górnik Zabrze S.A. or simply Górnik Zabrze (), is a Polish association football, football club from Zabrze. Górnik is one of the most successful Polish football clubs in history, winning ...
2–1 in the 1970 European Cup Winners' Cup Final with goals from Young and Francis Lee. In the 1970–71 season, Bell scored 13 goals for City, who finished eleventh in the First Division. In the following season, City challenged for the title but ultimately lost out to
Derby County Derby County Football Club () is a professional association football club in Derby, England. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second level of the English football league system. One of the 12 founder members of the English Football ...
and finished fourth in the league. Bell scored 13 goals that season. In the 1972–73 season, City finished eleventh in the league. In the 1973–74 season, Bell helped City reach the 1974 Football League Cup Final, in which he scored in a 2–1 defeat to
Wolverhampton Wanderers Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club ( ), commonly referred to as Wolves, is a professional association football, football club based in Wolverhampton, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league s ...
. Bell played for City in a 1–0 victory against
Manchester United Manchester United Football Club, commonly referred to as Man United (often stylised as Man Utd) or simply United, is a professional association football, football club based in Old Trafford (area), Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, Engl ...
in the final game of the season.
Denis Law Denis Law (24 February 1940 – 17 January 2025) was a Scottish footballer who played as a forward. His career as a football player began at Second Division Huddersfield Town in 1956. After four years at Huddersfield, he was signed by Manchest ...
scored the only goal in the game which confirmed United's relegation from the First Division. In the 1974–75 season, Bell scored 15 league goals. He was named in the 1974–75 Football League First Division PFA Team of the Year. In November 1975, at the age of 29, Bell severely injured his right knee against Manchester United in a challenge with Martin Buchan during a League Cup match at
Maine Road Maine Road was a football stadium in Moss Side, Manchester, England, that was home to Manchester City from 1923 to 2003. It hosted FA Cup semi-finals, the Charity Shield, a League Cup final and England matches. Maine Road's highest attenda ...
. City went on to win the League Cup that season, defeating Newcastle 2–1 in the 1976 Football League Cup Final. Bell's prolonged absence due to his injury was a blow to
Don Revie Donald George Revie (10 July 1927 – 26 May 1989) was an English footballer and manager. He is best known for managing Leeds United from 1961 until 1974, winning the Football League First Division twice and the FA Cup once, before being the Eng ...
, who quit as manager of England in 1977. Bell returned to action in a 4–0 victory against Newcastle on Boxing Day in 1977. His introduction to the game, at half time, was greeted with rapturous applause. However, Bell's return to City was fleeting as he left City in the 1978–79 season. Malcolm Allison, who returned to City for a second spell as manager in 1979, convinced Bell that it was time to go. The then-chairman Peter Swales described Bell as the "finest tuned athlete" and "irreplaceable". This latter sentiment turned out to be true as Allison was not able to find a trio of talented players of the calibre of Bell, Summerbee and Lee as he had done in the past with Joe Mercer. Bell's testimonial took place in December 1978 and involved a Manchester team combining players from both Manchester City (such as
Joe Corrigan Joseph Thomas Corrigan (born 18 November 1948) is an English former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper in the Football League for Manchester City, Brighton & Hove Albion, Norwich City and Stoke City as well as the England nati ...
, Willie Donachie, David Watson, Gary Owen, Asa Hartford and Peter Barnes) and Manchester United (such as Brian Greenhoff, Martin Buchan,
Steve Coppell Stephen James Coppell (born 9 July 1955) is an English professional football manager and former player. As a player, Coppell was a highly regarded right winger known for his speed, technical ability and work rate. He won domestic honours with ...
and Joe Jordan) and a Merseyside team combining players from both Liverpool (such as
Ray Clemence Raymond Neal Clemence (5 August 1948 – 15 November 2020) was an English professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, he is one of the few players to have made over 1,000 career ...
,
Kenny Dalglish Sir Kenneth Mathieson Dalglish (born 4 March 1951) is a Scottish former association football, football player and manager (association football), manager. He is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time as well as one of Celtic's, Liv ...
and
Graeme Souness Graeme James Souness (; born 6 May 1953) is a Scottish former professional football player, manager and television pundit. A midfielder, Souness achieved his greatest period of success as an integral part of the Liverpool team of the late 19 ...
) and Everton (such as Mick Lyons and Bob Latchford). A crowd of 23,936 watched the game. The Manchester team won 2–1. Bell tried to resurrect his career in 1980 with NASL side
San Jose Earthquakes The San Jose Earthquakes are an American professional association football, soccer club based in San Jose, California. The Earthquakes compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. Origin ...
, where he joined former Manchester United player
George Best George Best (22 May 1946 – 25 November 2005) was a Northern Irish professional association football, footballer who played as a winger (association football), winger, spending most of his club career at Manchester United F.C., Manchester Un ...
. However, Bell ended up playing only five games for the club before retiring from football altogether.


International career

Bell played twice for the England Under 23 team in 1968. He played in a 2–1 victory against Scotland Under 23 team in which
Martin Chivers Martin Harcourt Chivers (born 27 April 1945) is an English retired professional association football, footballer who played as a Forward (association football), forward. He began his career with his hometown club Southampton F.C., Southampton, be ...
and
Rodney Marsh Rodney William Marsh (born 11 October 1944) is an English former footballer and football coach; he later worked as a broadcaster. A forward, he won nine caps for England between 1971 and 1973, scoring one international goal. Brought up in the ...
scored for the England Under 23 team. He also played in a 4–0 victory against the Hungary Under 23 team. Bell scored one of the four goals. The other scorers were Chivers, Marsh and
Joe Royle Joseph Royle (born 8 April 1949) is an English football manager and former footballer. In his playing career as a striker, he debuted for Everton at the age of 16 and went on to play for Manchester City, Bristol City, Norwich City, and the E ...
. In the same year, Bell was selected for the senior England squad for a match against
Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
, in May, but was forced to withdraw from the squad due to injury. Bell was replaced by Peter Thompson. Later in the same month, Bell won his first cap for the senior England team against
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
, where he helped inspire goals from
Martin Peters Martin Stanford Peters (8 November 1943 – 21 December 2019) was an English Association football, footballer and manager. As a member of the England national football team, England team which won the 1966 FIFA World Cup, he scored the second o ...
,
Bobby Charlton Sir Robert Charlton (11 October 1937 – 21 October 2023) was an English professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder, left winger or centre-forward. Widely considered one of the greatest players of all time, he was a member ...
and
Roger Hunt Roger Hunt (20 July 1938 – 27 September 2021) was an English professional footballer who played as a forward. Eleven years with Liverpool, he was the club's record goalscorer with 285 goals until being overtaken by Ian Rush. Nonetheless, H ...
in a 3–1 victory. One journalist stated that Bell 'revealed high promise and fitted in splendidly'. Bell won his second cap in a 1–0 defeat to West Germany in which Brian Labone scored an own goal. Bell was part of the England squad for
UEFA Euro 1968 The 1968 UEFA European Football Championship final tournament was held in Italy. This was the third UEFA European Championship, an event held every four years and organised by UEFA. The final tournament took place between 5 and 10 June 1968. It ...
, which was ultimately won by
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
. England finished third in the tournament after defeating the
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
in the third-place match. In 1969, Bell distinguished himself in the national team, scoring England's only goal in a 1–0 victory over the
Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
in an "all-action display". Bell was part of the England squad which toured South America in 1969. Brian Glanville contended that both Bell and
Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, commonly referred to as simply Tottenham (, , , ) or Spurs, is a professional Association football, football club based in Tottenham, North London, England. The club itself has stated that it should always ...
midfielder
Alan Mullery Alan Patrick Mullery (born 23 November 1941) is an English former footballer and manager. After enjoying a successful career with Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, and the England national team in the 1960s and 1970s, he became a manager working wit ...
excelled on the tour. Bell gave England an early lead in a game against
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
, but late goals from Tostão and Jairzinho gave Brazil a 2–1 victory. Bell also played in a 2–1 victory against
Uruguay Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast, while bordering the Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...
on the tour. He also helped England to win the 1968–69 British Home Championship. He played in a 2–1 victory against
Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
in which Bobby Charlton and Francis Lee scored England's goals.


1970 FIFA World Cup

Bell played in the 1969–70 British Home Championship, which was shared between England, Wales and Scotland. He replaced Keith Newton in a 3–1 victory against
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...
. He was subsequently included in the England squad for the
World Cup A world cup is a global sporting competition in which the participant entities – usually international teams or individuals representing their countries – compete for the title of world champion. The event most associated with the name is ...
in
Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
. Glanville contends that Bell's excellence was threatening
Bobby Charlton Sir Robert Charlton (11 October 1937 – 21 October 2023) was an English professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder, left winger or centre-forward. Widely considered one of the greatest players of all time, he was a member ...
's place in the England team. England were seeking to replicate their performance in the
1966 FIFA World Cup The 1966 FIFA World Cup was the eighth FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial Association football, football tournament for men's senior national teams. It was played in England from 11 to 30 July 1966. England defeated West Germany 4–2 in the 1966 FI ...
, which they had won. Bell's City teammate Francis Lee was also included in the squad. In order to help the players acclimatise to the heat of Mexico, the team staged an intra-squad mini-olympics which saw Bell win every event. In the group stage, Bell came on as a substitute in a 1–0 defeat to
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
, in which Jairzinho scored the only goal. Bell "added spark to the England offence in the latter stages" of the game. Bell started in the next game, a 1–0 victory against
Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...
, in which Allan Clarke scored the only goal. In the quarter-final, Bell replaced Bobby Charlton in a 2–3 defeat to West Germany. England had taken a 2–0 lead in the game through goals from
Alan Mullery Alan Patrick Mullery (born 23 November 1941) is an English former footballer and manager. After enjoying a successful career with Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, and the England national team in the 1960s and 1970s, he became a manager working wit ...
and
Martin Peters Martin Stanford Peters (8 November 1943 – 21 December 2019) was an English Association football, footballer and manager. As a member of the England national football team, England team which won the 1966 FIFA World Cup, he scored the second o ...
.
Franz Beckenbauer Franz Anton Beckenbauer (; 11 September 1945 – 7 January 2024) was a German professional football player, manager, and official. Nicknamed ("the Emperor"), he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, and is one of nine p ...
had pulled a goal back for West Germany before the substitution. Following the substitution of Charlton and another substitution (Peters was replaced by Norman Hunter), the Germans scored twice (
Uwe Seeler Uwe Seeler (; 5 November 1936 – 21 July 2022) was a German Association football, footballer and football official. As a Striker (association football), striker, he was a prolific scorer for Hamburger SV and also made 72 appearances for the Ger ...
and
Gerd Müller Gerhard "Gerd" Müller (; 3 November 1945 – 15 August 2021) was a German professional association football, footballer. A prolific Forward (association football)#Striker, striker, especially in and around the six-yard box, he is widely regarde ...
were the scorers). Bell was involved in creating chances for England following his introduction. At one point in the game, Bell sent in a low cross to the near post, but Hurst headed the ball just wide of the far one. At another point in the game, Bell beat Beckenbauer in the German penalty area and was then knocked down by the German player, but England were not awarded a penalty. The substitution was deemed by some to be the negative (for England) turning point of the game. However, West Germany scored their first goal before Charlton was substituted, and the fact that the German team at the time had a habit of coming back in games indicates that it was questionable to blame the substitutions for England's defeat. West Germany were subsequently defeated by
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
4–3 in the semi-final. Italy were eventually defeated 4–1 by
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
in the
final Final, Finals or The Final may refer to: *Final examination or finals, a test given at the end of a course of study or training *Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which d ...
. Charlton asserted that the absence of
Gordon Banks Gordon Banks (30 December 1937 – 12 February 2019) was an English professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, he made 679 appearances during a 20-year professional care ...
(he was replaced in goal by
Peter Bonetti Peter Philip Bonetti (27 September 1941 – 12 April 2020) was an English professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Chelsea, the St. Louis Stars, Dundee United and England. He was known for his safe handling, lightning reflexes a ...
) through sickness was the most important factor in England's defeat to the West Germans. Similarly, Glanville argued that "had Banks played, England would surely have won". Geoff Hurst stated that "to suggest that Colin Bell's inclusion weakened the team is patently unfair". Alan Ball described the substitutions as wise given the need to rest players for the prospective semi-final.


Failure to qualify after 1970

Bell also played for England in the 1971–72 British Home Championship which was shared with Scotland. Bell scored in a 3–0 victory against Wales (with
Rodney Marsh Rodney William Marsh (born 11 October 1944) is an English former footballer and football coach; he later worked as a broadcaster. A forward, he won nine caps for England between 1971 and 1973, scoring one international goal. Brought up in the ...
and
Emlyn Hughes Emlyn Walter Hughes (28 August 1947 – 9 November 2004) was an English footballer. He started his career at Blackpool in 1964 before moving to Liverpool in 1967. He made 665 appearances for Liverpool and captained the side to three league ti ...
scoring England's other goals). Bell also captained England (in
Bobby Moore Robert Frederick Chelsea Moore (12 April 1941 – 24 February 1993) was an English professional footballer. He captained West Ham United for more than ten years, and was the captain of the England national team that won the 1966 FIFA ...
's absence) in a 1–0 defeat to Northern Ireland. In addition, Bell played in a 1–0 victory over Scotland (in which Alan Ball scored the winner). Bell also played in a 3–1 defeat and a 0–0 draw with West Germany in 1972, which meant that England failed to qualify for
UEFA Euro 1972 The 1972 UEFA European Football Championship final tournament was held in Belgium. This was the fourth UEFA European Championship, held every four years and endorsed by UEFA. The final tournament took place between 14 and 18 June 1972. Only four ...
. In the first game,
Sepp Maier Josef Dieter "Sepp" Maier (; born 28 February 1944) is a German former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Bayern Munich and the West Germany national team. Regarded as one of football's greatest goalkeepers, he was nickn ...
had spilled a shot from Bell which Lee tapped in to equalise
Uli Hoeneß Ulrich "Uli" Hoeneß (; born 5 January 1952) is a German football executive and former professional player who played as a forward. He played for the West Germany at one World Cup and two European Championships, winning one tournament of each ...
' first half goal. However, late goals from
Günter Netzer Günter Theodor Netzer (born 14 September 1944) is a German former professional association football, football player, executive and pundit. He achieved great success in Germany with Borussia Mönchengladbach in the early 1970s and, after moving ...
and
Gerd Müller Gerhard "Gerd" Müller (; 3 November 1945 – 15 August 2021) was a German professional association football, footballer. A prolific Forward (association football)#Striker, striker, especially in and around the six-yard box, he is widely regarde ...
secured victory for the West Germans. In November 1972, Bell "cashed in on clever approach work by Alan Ball to score the decisive winning goal" in a 1–0 victory over Wales in a World Cup qualification game at
Ninian Park Ninian Park was a association football, football stadium in the Leckwith, Cardiff, Leckwith area of Cardiff, Wales, that was the home of Cardiff City F.C. for 99 years. Opened in 1910 with a single wooden stand, it underwent numerous renovatio ...
. Bell played in the other qualification game against Wales at Wembley, which ended 1–1. Bell was described as having 'excellent technique' and rated as the 'best England player' in the game as he 'was always trying to find a way through the packed Welsh defence'. In 1973, Bell scored in the 7–0 demolition of
Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...
. In the game Bell, along with
Martin Peters Martin Stanford Peters (8 November 1943 – 21 December 2019) was an English Association football, footballer and manager. As a member of the England national football team, England team which won the 1966 FIFA World Cup, he scored the second o ...
and Tony Currie "dictated the pace and pattern of the match from midfield". Bell also helped England to win the 1972–73 British Home Championship. He played in a 2–1 victory against Northern Ireland, a 3–0 victory against Wales and a 1–0 victory against Scotland. Despite these successes, Bell was upset that he was unable to better make his name on the world stage when England failed to qualify for the
1974 FIFA World Cup The 1974 FIFA World Cup was the 10th FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial Association football, football tournament for men's senior national teams, and was played in West Germany (and West Berlin) between 13 June and 7 July. The tournament marked the ...
. England had needed to defeat
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
to qualify. Poland's goalkeeper Jan Tomaszewski had been labelled "a clown" by
Brian Clough Brian Howard Clough ( ; 21 March 1935 – 20 September 2004) was an English football player and manager, primarily known for his successes as a manager with Derby County and Nottingham Forest. He is one of four managers to have won the Englis ...
before the match but turned in a man-of-the-match performance in which he repeatedly denied England's attackers (including Bell). The only goal that Tomaszewski conceded was an equalizing penalty from Allan Clarke. In drawing the game, Poland qualified for the finals in
West Germany West Germany was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) from its formation on 23 May 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with East Germany on 3 October 1990. It is sometimes known as the Bonn Republi ...
at the expense of England. England's failure led to manager
Alf Ramsey Sir Alfred Ernest Ramsey (22 January 1920 – 28 April 1999) was an English association football, football player and Manager (association football), manager. As a player, he represented England national football team, the England national ...
's departure. Bell's former manager at
Manchester City Manchester City Football Club is a professional association football, football club based in Manchester, England, that competes in the Premier League, the English football league system, top flight of Football in England, English footbal ...
,
Joe Mercer Joseph Mercer (9 August 1914 – 9 August 1990) was an English footballer and manager. Mercer, who played as a defender for Everton and Arsenal in his footballing career, also went on to manage Aston Villa and Manchester City, and was the ...
(who had left City in 1971), took over as caretaker of the national side and chose Bell to play in every game that he was in charge. Bell also played for England in the 1973–74 British Home Championship which was shared with Scotland. Bell played in a 2–0 victory against Wales (in which
Stan Bowles Stanley Bowles (24 December 1948 – 24 February 2024) was an English professional footballer who played as a forward. Known for his skills as a player in the 1970s and 1980s, he also gained a reputation as one of the game's great non-conformi ...
and
Kevin Keegan Joseph Kevin Keegan (born 14 February 1951) is an English former footballer and manager. Nicknamed "King Kev" or "Mighty Mouse", Keegan was recognised for his dribbling ability, as well as his finishing and presence in the air, and is regard ...
were the scorers), a 1–0 victory against Northern Ireland and a 2–0 defeat to Scotland. Bell played for England in a 2–2 draw against
Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
in which
Mick Channon Michael Roger Channon (born 28 November 1948) is an English former professional footballer who played as a forward and represented the England national team in the 1970s. Scoring over 250 goals in his career, mainly for Southampton, he becam ...
and Frank Worthington scored for England and
Mario Kempes Mario Alberto Kempes Chiodi (, ; born 15 July 1954) is an Argentine former professional Association football, footballer who played as a Forward (association football)#Striker, striker or Attacking Midfielder, attacking midfielder. A prolific g ...
scored twice for Argentina. He was also part of the England squad that toured Eastern Europe in the summer of 1974. This included a 1–1 draw with
East Germany East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from Foundation of East Germany, its formation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on ...
, in "which
Martin Dobson Martin Dobson (born 14 February 1948) is an English former professional football player and coach. A midfielder who was an England national football team, England international, he was the first player to be transferred for £300,000, when Evert ...
, (Colin) Bell and
Trevor Brooking Sir Trevor David Brooking (born 2 October 1948) is a former England national football team, England international Association football, footballer, manager, pundit and football administrator; he now works as director of football development in En ...
dominated the match in midfield". In the second game of the tour, England defeated
Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...
1–0. The performance of England's midfield trio (Bell, Brooking and Dobson) in the game was described as "tremendous". In the last game of the tour (which was Mercer's last game as England manager), England drew 2–2 with
Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...
. Bell scored a brace in
Don Revie Donald George Revie (10 July 1927 – 26 May 1989) was an English footballer and manager. He is best known for managing Leeds United from 1961 until 1974, winning the Football League First Division twice and the FA Cup once, before being the Eng ...
's first game in charge of England, a 3–0 victory over
Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...
. Bell was described as 'one of the outstanding successes for England in their European Championship game with Czechoslovakia at Wembley'. A ''
Daily Mirror The ''Daily Mirror'' is a British national daily Tabloid journalism, tabloid newspaper. Founded in 1903, it is part of Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), which is owned by parent company Reach plc. From 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the tit ...
'' journalist described Bell as the 'man of the match'. One journalist described 'Bell's first goal as one of the best I've seen at Wembley. It began with a superb 30-yard pass through the Czech defence by Channon and Bell, running like an antelope, slid the ball past the goalkeeper'. In Revie's third game in charge, Bell helped England defeat the then World Champions,
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
, 2–0, in 1975, at the one hundredth international game played at Wembley Stadium. The team that beat the Germans in that game consisted of a forward line-up of Channon, Keegan,
Malcolm Macdonald Malcolm John MacDonald (17 August 1901 – 11 January 1981) was a British politician and diplomat. He was initially a Labour Party (UK), Labour Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP), but in 1931 followed his father ...
, Alan Hudson and Alan Ball, as well as Bell. Channon commented that he did not understand why Revie did not continue with this line-up which he considered was as good as any forward line England had had since 1970. In the game against the West Germans, the energy and tackling of Bell and Ball had freed Hudson to show his full range of playmaking skills. Bell also helped England to win the 1974–75 British Home Championship. Bell played in a 0–0 draw with Northern Ireland, and a 5–1 victory against Scotland (in which he also scored). Bell was rested for the game with Wales, which ended in a 2–2 draw. One journalist commenting about Bell's absence before that game stated that 'England will undoubtedly miss the non-stop running and 100 per cent effort of the consistent Colin Bell'. Bell won his last cap in a 2–1 defeat to
Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...
in October 1975. Bell was named in the provisional squad for the 1975–76 British Home Championship but was unable to feature due to injury.


Other international appearances

In January 1973, Bell played for the New European Common Market (NECM), alongside Peter Storey,
Emlyn Hughes Emlyn Walter Hughes (28 August 1947 – 9 November 2004) was an English footballer. He started his career at Blackpool in 1964 before moving to Liverpool in 1967. He made 665 appearances for Liverpool and captained the side to three league ti ...
,
Bobby Moore Robert Frederick Chelsea Moore (12 April 1941 – 24 February 1993) was an English professional footballer. He captained West Ham United for more than ten years, and was the captain of the England national team that won the 1966 FIFA ...
,
Bobby Charlton Sir Robert Charlton (11 October 1937 – 21 October 2023) was an English professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder, left winger or centre-forward. Widely considered one of the greatest players of all time, he was a member ...
and Alan Ball, in the match celebrating the admission to the European Common Market of the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark. NECM defeated the Old European Common Market (OECM) 2–0. In addition, in March 1974, Bell scored a goal in a 5–0 victory for
The Football League XI The English Football League XI was a representative side of the Football League. The team regularly played against the Scottish Football League XI and other national league select teams between 1891 and 1976. For a long period the annual fixture b ...
against the
Scottish Football League XI The Scottish League XI was a representative side of the Scottish Football League. The team regularly played against the (English) Football League and other national league select teams between 1892 and 1980. For a long period the annual fixture be ...
at
Maine Road Maine Road was a football stadium in Moss Side, Manchester, England, that was home to Manchester City from 1923 to 2003. It hosted FA Cup semi-finals, the Charity Shield, a League Cup final and England matches. Maine Road's highest attenda ...
.


Later life

Bell subsequently became a coach for the youth and reserve teams of Manchester City, as well as one of its club ambassadors. He was awarded an MBE in 2004 for services to the community. Bell was diagnosed with
bowel cancer Colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is the development of cancer from the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine). Signs and symptoms may include blood in the stool, a change in bowel ...
shortly after his autobiography, ''Reluctant Hero'', was released in 2005. He detailed how his mother died from that same disease and was encouraged to have it examined himself. He was operated on within three weeks of the diagnosis. He died on 5 January 2021 at the age of 74. He suffered from a short illness in the time leading up to his death. On 6 January 2021, Manchester City's players walked out in retro shirts bearing Bell's No 8 for a Carabao Cup semi-final against Manchester United. City won the game 2–0 with goals from
John Stones John Stones (born 28 May 1994) is an English professional Association football, footballer who plays as a centre-back or defensive midfielder for club Manchester City F.C., Manchester City and the England national football team, England nation ...
and Fernandinho. Manchester City manager
Pep Guardiola Josep "Pep" Guardiola Sala (; born 18 January 1971) is a Catalans, Catalan professional Manager (association football), football manager and former Football player, player from Spain who has been the manager of club Manchester City F.C., Ma ...
dedicated the victory to Bell, stating that 'it's an honour to dedicate this victory to Colin Bell and his family'. Guardiola also stated that 'when Colin Bell has a stand at the Etihad, when his name is the King f the Kippax it's because he was something special'. Stones also dedicated the victory to Bell stating that 'how we played in this match was a reflection of him'. On 9 January 2021, the actor
Timothy Dalton Timothy Leonard Dalton Leggett (; born 21 March 1946) is a British actor. He gained international prominence as the fourth actor to portray fictional secret agent James Bond in the Eon Productions film series, starring in '' The Living Dayli ...
narrated a tribute to Bell on the BBC programme ''
Football Focus ''Football Focus'' is a BBC television magazine programme launched in 1974, broadcast live on BBC One on Saturday lunchtimes during the football season. The programme, along with '' Final Score'', is a remnant from the former flagship sports show ...
''. In May 2022, Manchester City unveiled a new home kit inspired by Bell.


Legacy

Bell is regarded as one of England's finest-ever midfield players, being described by one commentator as "the most finished article in the modern game". Bell has been inducted into both the
English Football Hall of Fame The English Football Hall of Fame is housed at the National Football Museum in Manchester, England. The Hall aims to celebrate and highlight the achievements of the all-time top English footballing talents, as well as non-English players and man ...
and the Manchester City Hall of Fame. In 1998 he was selected as one of the
Football League 100 Legends The Football League 100 Legends is a list of 100 great association football players who played part or all of their professional career in English Football League and Premier League football. The players were selected in 1998 by a panel of journ ...
. In his foreword to Colin Bell's autobiography,
Bobby Charlton Sir Robert Charlton (11 October 1937 – 21 October 2023) was an English professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder, left winger or centre-forward. Widely considered one of the greatest players of all time, he was a member ...
has stated that "Colin Bell was unquestionably a great player".
Alan Mullery Alan Patrick Mullery (born 23 November 1941) is an English former footballer and manager. After enjoying a successful career with Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, and the England national team in the 1960s and 1970s, he became a manager working wit ...
, another of Bell's former England teammates stated that Bell would "still be a star in today's football" and "would fit into any team". Another England teammate of Bell's,
Kevin Keegan Joseph Kevin Keegan (born 14 February 1951) is an English former footballer and manager. Nicknamed "King Kev" or "Mighty Mouse", Keegan was recognised for his dribbling ability, as well as his finishing and presence in the air, and is regard ...
, has stated that Bell "had it all". England legend
Tom Finney Sir Thomas Finney (5 April 1922 – 14 February 2014) was an English international footballer who played from 1946 to 1960 as a winger or centre forward for Preston North End and England. He is widely acknowledged to have been one of England' ...
stated that "Colin Bell was as good as anything I've ever seen".
George Best George Best (22 May 1946 – 25 November 2005) was a Northern Irish professional association football, footballer who played as a winger (association football), winger, spending most of his club career at Manchester United F.C., Manchester Un ...
described Bell as a "brilliant player".
Joe Royle Joseph Royle (born 8 April 1949) is an English football manager and former footballer. In his playing career as a striker, he debuted for Everton at the age of 16 and went on to play for Manchester City, Bristol City, Norwich City, and the E ...
described Bell as a "phenomenal natural athlete" and "a wonderful footballer".
Steven Gerrard Steven George Gerrard MBE (born 30 May 1980) is an English professional football manager and a former player. Widely regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time and one of Liverpool's greatest ever players,City of Manchester Stadium The City of Manchester Stadium, currently known as Etihad Stadium for sponsorship reasons, and commonly shortened as The Etihad, is the home of Premier League club Manchester City F.C., Manchester City, with a domestic football capacity of 53, ...
, and in February 2004, one of the ends, the west stand, was named after Bell as a tribute. Only three players have scored more goals than Bell for Manchester City in all competitions:
Sergio Agüero Sergio Leonel Agüero del Castillo (born 2 June 1988), also known as Kun Agüero, is an Argentine former professional Association football, footballer who played as a Forward (association football)#Striker, striker. He is regarded as one of th ...
with 252 goals, Eric Brook with 177 goals and Tommy Johnson with 166 goals. Bell scored 152 goals for Manchester City in all competitions. He was deemed by Goal.com to be England's twenty-sixth best-ever footballer. He is listed as the greatest-ever City player on the ''Times'' website, in Ian Penney's book ''The Essential History of Manchester City'', and in the ''
Manchester Evening News The ''Manchester Evening News'' (''MEN'') is a regional daily newspaper covering Greater Manchester in North West England, founded in 1868. It is published Monday–Saturday; a Sunday edition, the ''MEN on Sunday'', was launched in February 20 ...
''.


Career statistics


Club


International

:''Scores and results list England's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Bell goal''.


Honours

Manchester City *
Football League First Division The Football League First Division was the top division of the Football League in England from 1888 until the end of the 1991–92 season, when its teams broke away to form the Premier League. From 1992 to 2004, the name First Division was g ...
: 1967–68 *
Football League Second Division The Football League Second Division was the second level division in the English football league system between 1892 and 1992. Following the foundation of the FA Premier League, the Football League divisions were renumbered and the third tier ...
: 1965–66 *
FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual Single-elimination tournament, knockout association football, football competition in domestic Football in England, English football. First played during ...
: 1968–69 *
FA Charity Shield The Football Association Community Shield (formerly the Charity Shield) is English football's annual match contested at Wembley Stadium between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup. If the Premier ...
:
1968 Events January–February * January 1968, January – The I'm Backing Britain, I'm Backing Britain campaign starts spontaneously. * January 5 – Prague Spring: Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Cze ...
,
1972 Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, ...
*
Football League Cup The English Football League Cup, often referred to as the League Cup and currently known as the Carabao Cup for sponsorship reasons, is an annual Single-elimination tournament, knockout competition in men's domestic football in England. Orga ...
: 1969–70, 1975–76 *
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a European association football, football club competition contested annually by the winners of domestic cup competitions. The competition's official name was originally the European Cup Winners' Cup; it was renam ...
: 1969–70 England *
British Home Championship The British Home Championship (historically known as the British International Championship or simply the International Championship) was an annual football competition contested between the United Kingdom's four national teams: England, Scotlan ...
: 1968–69, 1969–70 (shared), 1971–72 (shared), 1972–73, 1973–74 (shared), 1974–75 *
UEFA European Championship The UEFA European Football Championship, less formally the European Championship and informally the Euro or Euros, is the primary association football tournament organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). The competition ...
third place:
1968 Events January–February * January 1968, January – The I'm Backing Britain, I'm Backing Britain campaign starts spontaneously. * January 5 – Prague Spring: Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Cze ...
Individual *Manchester City Player of the Year: 1968 *
PFA Team of the Year The Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year (often called the PFA Team of the Year, or simply the Team of the Year) is an annual award given to a set of 55 footballers across the top four tiers of men's Football in England, En ...
: 1974–75 First Division *
Football League 100 Legends The Football League 100 Legends is a list of 100 great association football players who played part or all of their professional career in English Football League and Premier League football. The players were selected in 1998 by a panel of journ ...
: 1998 *Manchester City Hall of Fame: 2004 *
English Football Hall of Fame The English Football Hall of Fame is housed at the National Football Museum in Manchester, England. The Hall aims to celebrate and highlight the achievements of the all-time top English footballing talents, as well as non-English players and man ...
: 2005 *Manchester City Top Scorer:
1967 Events January * January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair. * January 6 – Vietnam War: United States Marine Corps and Army of ...
,
1970 Events January * January 1 – Unix time epoch reached at 00:00:00 UTC. * January 5 – The 7.1 1970 Tonghai earthquake, Tonghai earthquake shakes Tonghai County, Yunnan province, China, with a maximum Mercalli intensity scale, Mercalli ...
(shared),
1971 * The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses (Solar eclipse of February 25, 1971, February 25, Solar eclipse of July 22, 1971, July 22 and Solar eclipse of August 20, 1971, August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 1971 lunar eclip ...
(shared),
1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 – Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...
*
Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...


Publications

Bell, Colin; Cheeseman, Ian Colin Bell: Reluctant Hero, Mainstream Publishing


References

Specific Bibliography *


External links


English Football Hall of Fame
*
Colin Bell's Sweaty Jockstrap
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bell, Colin 1946 births 2021 deaths Bury F.C. players England men's international footballers England men's under-23 international footballers English men's footballers 1970 FIFA World Cup players Manchester City F.C. players Manchester City F.C. non-playing staff Members of the Order of the British Empire North American Soccer League (1968–1984) players San Jose Earthquakes (1974–1988) players UEFA Euro 1968 players English Football Hall of Fame inductees English Football League players English Football League representative players English expatriate men's footballers Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States Men's association football midfielders English expatriate sportspeople in the United States English autobiographers Footballers from County Durham