Colin Bell
Colin Bell ( born February 26, 1946 in Hesleden ) is a former English footballer. The attacking midfielder graduated from 1968-1975 for the English national football team total of 48 games and scored nine goals. He made also, together with Francis Lee and Mike Summerbee a successful trio with his longtime club Manchester City.
Sports career
Born the son of a miner in Hesleden, County Durham, Colin Bell was already at the age of only 17 years, captain of the English second division side FC Bury. Within the 1965/66 season he moved for 45,000 British pounds for Premier League rivals Manchester City, who has been trained in this time of Joe Mercer. For this club Bell debuted on March 19, 1966 in the 2-1 win against Derby County and the end of the season, he managed to climb in the first English league.
In his first season in the elite class Bell succeeded next to the relegation and a place as a regular in the team in the game against Stoke City his first and only hat-trick. In the second Erstligasaison 1967/68 Manchester City won then surprisingly the English Championship and Bell had it relevant in the position of playmaker and because of its strengths in the passing game and the game overview proportion. Bells successful season was rounded off at last by his debut for the England national team on 22 May 1968 friendly match against Sweden.
The 1968/69 season was sobering and Bell was able to gamble only the thirteenth place in the championship together with Manchester City. In addition, the club was eliminated in the first round of the European Champions' Cup against Fenerbahce. At the end of the season, however, the association was able to rehabilitate and Bell won by a 1-0 final win against Leicester City FA Cup.
Only a year later, Bell extended his trophy collection, winning alongside his first League Cup ( against West Bromwich Albion in the final ) by defeating Athletic Bilbao and FC Schalke 04 the European Cup Winners' Cup, and in the Vienna final Gornik Zabrze 2-1 was defeated. Bell was also in the squad for the 1970 World Cup in Mexico and there also used sporadically. He was part of the team that 2:3 after extra time, the team from Germany was defeated in the quarter-finals, where he came on after 70 minutes for Bobby Charlton.
After a mediocre season Bell was again re-engage in the battle for the English championship with Manchester City in the 1971/72 season and closed at the end with only one point distance to the master from Derby County in fourth place from. At Euro 1972, he failed in England then after completing his return game again to the German team.
After three more years in which he could the club do not lead to additional titles despite continued good performance, Bell injured in the 1975/76 season hard at the age of only 29 years. The incident took place in the League Cup game against Manchester United, as the Scottish Martin Buchan Bell injured his knee. Bell had more than two years pause, trying on Boxing Day of 1977 a comeback. He was unable to repeat the earlier form, however, and constantly battled with health setbacks. He then finished at the end of the 1978/79 season his time at Manchester City and after five games in the American Professional Football League for the San Jose Earthquakes in 1980 finally his career as a football player.
Then Bell was active as a supervisor for the youth players ranging from Manchester City and, after completion of this activity to a representative of the association.
Because of his contribution to the English football Bell was awarded at the turn of 2004/ 05 with the Order of the British Empire as a MBE.
Achievements
- European Cup Winners' Cup: 1970
- English Champion: 1968
- FA Cup Winners: 1969
- League Cup winners: 1970, 1976
Others
- Due to its strength condition Bell was nicknamed Nijinsky (after a racehorse of the same name ). For the fans, he is known as King of the Kippax, Kippax being referred to a covered grandstand of the old Maine Road stadium.
- The West Stand of the newly built City of Manchester Stadium was named after Colin Bell.