Colin Bell MCFC RIP

wanderer · Post by **wanderer** » Tue 05 Jan 2021 9:04 pm

Manchester City legend Colin Bell has died aged 74 after a short illness, the Premier League club have announced.

The former England midfielder made 492 appearances for City between 1966 and 1979, scoring 152 goals. He won 48 caps for his country.

"Few players have left such an indelible mark on City," said a club statement on Tuesday.

In 2004, Manchester City fans voted to name one of the stands at Etihad Stadium in Bell's honour.

"Colin Bell will always be remembered as one of Manchester City's greatest players and the very sad news today of his passing will affect everybody connected to our club," said City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.

"I am fortunate to be able to speak regularly to his former manager and team-mates, and it's clear to me that Colin was a player held in the highest regard by all those who had the privilege of playing alongside him or seeing him play.

"The passage of time does little to erase the memories of his genius."

After starting his career at Bury, Bell moved to Manchester City - then in the second tier - midway through the 1965-66 season in a £45,000 deal.

He helped Joe Mercer's team win promotion that season and was instrumental in the Blues winning the First Division title two years later.

During his 13 years as a player at Maine Road, he also won the FA Cup, League Cup and Cup Winners' Cup.

EnjoyingTheSun · Post by **EnjoyingTheSun** » Wed 06 Jan 2021 11:33 am

Great player, though I hated him back in the day, as he always played a blinder against Spurs

eastendjoker · Post by **eastendjoker** » Wed 06 Jan 2021 1:07 pm

What a player ,as a kid growing up in the late 60's early 70's watched him come to Upton Park in that great City side under Mercer and Allison ,we never got much out of them , proper player R.I.P.

EnjoyingTheSun · Post by **EnjoyingTheSun** » Wed 06 Jan 2021 4:05 pm

eastendjoker wrote: ↑
Wed 06 Jan 2021 1:07 pm
What a player ,as a kid growing up in the late 60's early 70's watched him come to Upton Park in that great City side under Mercer and Allison ,we never got much out of them , proper player R.I.P.

TBF the West Ham side of the late 60s and 70s didn't get much out of any team

That City side was based on a trio of players, Lee, Summerbee and Bell, like a lot of teams of the era but I think Bell was the one that they really revolved around.