Colin Bell
The King of the Kippax
| Full name: | Colin Bell |
|---|---|
| Date of birth: | February 26, 1946 |
| Clubs played for: | Bury, Manchester City, San Jose Earthquakes |
Club Career
Considered by many to the be the greatest ever Manchester City player, North Easterner Bell joined the club as a 20-year old from Bury for £45,000 in March, 1966. His lung-busting ability to get up and down the pitch seemingly without effort earned him the nickname 'Nijinsky', in homage to the famous Derby-winning horse.
Bell’s classy style, which seemed to give him immeasurable time on the ball, and his ability to weigh in with crucial goals, made him a firm favourite with the City fans until he suffered a serious knee injury in a tackle with Manchester United defender Martin Buchan during a 1975 League Cup tie. He was just 29. Bell would never properly recover and despite valiant attempts at a comeback he was forced to retire in 1979.
Club Stats
| Years | Clubs | App | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963-66 | Bury | 82 | 25 |
| 1966-79 | Manchester City | 394 | 117 |
| 1980 | San Jose Earthquakes | 5 | 0 |
International Career
Bell is City’s most capped England international and was a member of the 1970 Mexico World Cup squad, alongside his City team-mate Francis Lee. He captained the national side against Northern Ireland in 1972, but was unlucky not to be able to make his name on the world stage when England failed to qualify for the 1974 World Cup in Germany.
International Career Stats
| Years | Clubs | App | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968-75 | England | 48 | 9 |
Key Games
Rotherham 0-1 Manchester City (Second Division, May 4, 1966)
City clinched the Second Division title with a gritty 1-0 win at Rotherham. Bell scored the crucial goal with a header from a Neil Young cross, prompting coach Malcolm Allison to pop the corks. “I didn’t know what champagne was,” says Bell.
England 5-1 Scotland (Home International, May 24, 1975)
Bell majestically pulled the strings from midfield in the famous 5-1 Home International Wembley victory against Scotland. He chipped in with the third English goal and turned in an all-round performance that confirmed him as the best international midfielder of the day.
Manchester City 4-0 Newcastle (First Division, December 26, 1977)
It had been more than two years since Bell had appeared for the first-team after his terrible knee injury. But he returned to the fray when he came on as a second half substitute in a Christmas league match against Newcastle to an emotional standing ovation from the entire crowd. The score was 0-0. City went on to win the game 4-0. “I didn’t do a thing,” said Bell with typical modesty.
Honours
| Club | Competition | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Manchester City | League Championship | 1967-68 |
| FA Cup | 1969 | |
| League Cup | 1970 | |
| European Cup-Winners' Cup | 1970 | |
| Second Division Championship | 1965-66 |
Did You Know...?
Bell scored a goal in his first ever league game for Bury on February 8, 1964. The opponents that day? Manchester City!
In February 2004, one of the stands at Manchester City’s new Eastlands Stadium was named after Bell as a tribute to the player.
Bell was inducted into the English Football Hall Of Fame in 2005 to recognise his talent and the impact he had on the game in this country.
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