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Players Index Page Last Updated
5 January 2021
 
 

Colin Bell

Manchester City FC

48 appearances, 9 goals

P 48 W 26 D 12 L 10 F 80: A 35
*(actual F 78: A 35)
67% successful

1967-75

disciplined: none
captain:
one
minutes played:
4105-4119

Timeline

  Colin Bell MBE (*Actual for and against are the goals scored
while the player was on the field.)
Birth 26 February 1946 in Hesleden, County Durham [registered in Durham Eastern, March 1946]. To John William and Elizabeth (née Malkin)
Attended Stockton Technical College
Death Tuesday, 5 January 2021 in Manchester, after a short illness, aged 74 years 314 days

Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] & FindMyPast.com

Biographies Colin Bell: Reluctant Hero - Colin Bell & Ian Cheeseman (Mainstream Publishing, 6 October 2005)
 

x. - A Football Compendium, Peter J. Seddon (1999).

Club Career

Club(s) Played schoolboy football in Horden and played with East Durham Schools. Turned out for local side, Horden Colliery Welfare FC. Bell had trials with local league clubs, Newcastle United FC and Sunderland AFC. He even had a trial with Billy Wright's Arsenal FC in the summer of 1962, after which Colin was told that he was not good enough to play for Arsenal. It was Bury AFC that signed Bell in July 1963, and after scoring 25 goals in 82 league outings, he joined Manchester City FC on transfer deadline day, 16 March 1966, for £47,500. He retired after making 394 league appearances, in which he amassed 117 goals. Injuries had taken its toll finally in August 1979. He had missed the 1976-77 season because of a serious knee injury. Yet, he signed for San José Eathquakes on 10 April 1980, where he played in five NASL fixtures.
Club honours Football League Division Two winners 1966-67; League Champions 1967-68, runners-up 1976-77 (injured); FA Cup winners 1968-69; FA Charity Shield winners 1969, 1973; Football League Cup winners 1969-70, 1975-76 (injured), runners-up 1973-74; European Cup Winners Cup winners 1969-70;
Individual honours Football Leaue (four appearances); PFA Division One Team of the Year 1974-75;
Distinctions English Football Hall of Fame 2005; Awarded MBE 2005; The West Stand at Manchester City's stadium, currently the Etihad Stadium, was renamed the Colin Bell Stand February 2004;
Height/Weight 5' 11½", 11st. 12lbs [1972].

Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990].

England Career

Player number One of two who became the 851st players (852) to appear for England.
Position(s) Outside/inside-forward, half-back;
First match No. 422, 22 May 1968, England 3 Sweden 1, a friendly match at Empire Stadium, Wembley, London, aged 22 years 86 days.
Last match No. 495, 30 October 1975, Czechoslovakia 2 England 1, a European Championship qualification match at Tehelné pole, Bratislava, aged 29 years 246 days.
Major tournaments World Cup Finals 1970; European Championship Finals 1968;
British Championship 1968-69, 1969-70, 1971-72, 1972-73, 1973-74, 1974-75;
Team honours British Championship winners 1968-69, 1972-73, 1974-75, shared 1969-70, 1971-72, 1973-74;
Individual honours England U23 (two appearances, one goal)
Distinctions None

Beyond England

Became a restaurateur in partnership with Colin Waldron (Burnley FC 1967-76). Remained in various roles with Manchester City FC, from Youth coach to Club Ambassador. Underwent bowel surgery to remove a tumour in 2005. The same condition that tragically took his mother when she was just 39 years of age. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.31./Media

 

Colin Bell - Career Statistics
Squads Apps comp. apps Starts Sub on Sub off Mins. Goals goals ave.min comp. goals Capt. Disc.
65+ 48 28 45 3 1 4105-
4116
9 457/456 min 5 One none
minutes are an approximation, due to the fact that many matches rarely stick to exactly ninety minutes long, allowing time for injuries and errors.

 

Colin Bell - Match Record - All Matches
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Home 23 14 6 3 48 14 +34 4 12 2.087 0.609 73.9 +11
Away 22 11 6 5 29 17 +12 5 10 1.318 0.773 63.6 +6
Neutral 3 1 0 2 3 4 -1 1 1 1.00 1.33 33.3 -1
All 48 26 12 10 80 35 +45 10 23 1.667 0.729 66.7 +16

 

Colin Bell - Match Record - By Colour of Shirt
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
White (pre-74 umbro) 30 17 7 6 52 22 +30 5 14 1.733 0.733 68.3 +11
White (admiral) 9 6 2 1 19 4 +15 2 6 2.111 0.444 77.8 +5
Red 6 2 2 2 7 6 +1 2 2 1.167 1.00 50.0 =0
Yellow 2 0 1 1 1 3 -2 1 0 0.50 1.50 25.0 -1
Blue 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 0 1 1.00 0.00 100.0 +1
All 48 26 12 10 80 35 +45 10 23 1.667 0.729 66.7 +16

 

Colin Bell - Match Record - By Type of Match
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L

WCP

4 1 2 1 3 4 -1 1 1 0.75 1.00 50.0 =0
WCF 3 1 0 2 3 4 -1 1 1 1.00 1.33 33.3 -1
World Cup 7 2 2 3 6 8 -2 2 2 0.857 1.143 42.9 -1

ECP

8 4 2 2 13 5 +8 2 6 1.625 0.625 62.5 +2
ECF 0 0 0 0 0 0 =0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 =0
European Championship 8 4 2 2 13 5 +8 2 6 1.625 0.625 62.5 +2
British Championship 13 10 1 2 23 7 +16 3 7 1.769 0.538 80.8 +8
Friendly 20 10 7 3 38 15 +23 3 8 1.90 0.75 67.5 +7
All 48 26 12 10 80 35 +45 10 23 1.667 0.729 66.7 +16

 

Colin Bell - Match Record - Tournament Matches
World Cup Preliminary Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
WCP 1972-74 4 1 2 1 3 4 -1 1 1 0.75 1.00 50.0 =0
WCP All 4 1 2 1 3 4 -1 1 1 0.75 1.00 50.0 =0
World Cup Final Tournaments
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
WCF 1970 3 1 0 2 3 4 -1 1 1 1.00 1.33 33.3 -1
WCF All 3 1 0 2 3 4 -1 1 1 1.00 1.33 33.3 -1
World Cup
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
WC 1968-70 3 1 0 2 3 4 -1 1 1 1.00 1.33 33.3 -1
WC 1972-74 4 1 2 1 3 4 -1 1 1 0.75 1.00 50.0 =0
WC All 7 2 2 3 6 8 -2 2 2 0.857 1.143 42.9 -1
European Championship Preliminary Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
ECP 1970-72 3 1 1 1 3 3 =0 1 2 1.00 1.00 50.0 =0
ECP 1974-76 5 3 1 1 10 2 +8 1 4 2.00 0.40 70.0 +2
ECP All 8 4 2 2 13 5 +8 2 6 1.625 0.625 62.5 +2
European Championship Final Tournaments
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
ECF 1968 0 0 0 0 0 0 =0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 =0
ECF All 0 0 0 0 0 0 =0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 =0
British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1968-69 1 1 0 0 2 1 +1 0 0 2.00 1.00 100.0 +1
BC 1969-70 1 1 0 0 3 1 +2 0 0 3.00 1.00 100.0 +1
BC 1971-72 3 2 0 1 4 1 +3 1 2 1.333 0.333 66.7 +1
BC 1972-73 3 3 0 0 6 1 +5 0 2 2.00 0.333 100.0 +3
BC 1973-74 3 2 0 1 3 2 +1 1 2 1.00 0.667 66.7 +1
BC 1974-75 2 1 1 0 5 1 +4 1 1 2.50 0.50 75.0 +1
BC All 13 10 1 2 23 7 +16 3 7 1.769 0.538 80.8 +8
All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
WC 7 2 2 3 6 8 -2 2 2 0.857 1.143 42.9 -1
EC 8 4 2 2 13 5 +8 2 6 1.625 0.625 62.5 +2
BC 13 10 1 2 23 7 +16 3 7 1.769 0.538 80.8 +8
All 28 16 5 7 42 20 +22 7 15 1.50 0.714 66.1 +9

 

Colin Bell - Match History
 Club: Manchester City F.C. - 48 full appearances

manager: Alf Ramsey - 32 full capsx

Age 21
u23 1 March 1967 - England 1 Scotland 3, St. James' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne Fr HW replacement, then withdrawn reserve
418 6 December 1967 - England 2 USSR 2, Empire Stadium, Wembley Fr HD withdrawn squad member
1 u23 7 February 1968 - Scotland 1 England 2, Hampden Park, Glasgow Fr AW Start ?
419 24 February 1968 - Scotland 1 England 1, Hampden Park, Glasgow BC/ ECP AD training squad member
Age 22
2 u23 1 May 1968 - England 4 Hungary 0, Goodison Park, Liverpool Fr HW Start ?
1 422 22 May 1968 - England 3 Sweden 1, Empire Stadium, Wembley Fr HW Start 7
2 423 1 June 1968 - West Germany 1 England 0, Niedersachsenstadion, Hannover Fr AL Start 8
424 5 June 1968 - Yugoslavia 1 England 0, Stadio Comunale di Firenze, Firenze ECF AL squad member 20
425 8 June 1968 - USSR 0 England 2, Stadio Olimpico, Roma AW
3 427 11 December 1968 - England 1 Bulgaria 1, Empire Stadium, Wembley Fr HD Start 8
Age 23
4 429 12 March 1969 - England 5 France 0, Empire Stadium, Wembley Fr HW Start 8
430 3 May 1969 - Northern Ireland 1 England 3, Windsor Park, Belfast BC AW squad/sub ?
5 431 7 May 1969 - England 2 Wales 1, Empire Stadium, Wembley HW Start 8
432 10 May 1969 - England 4 Scotland 1, Empire Stadium, Wembley HW squad/sub ?
433 1 June 1969 - Mexico 0 England 0, Estadio Azteca, Ciudad de México tour AD squad/sub ?
6 434 8 June 1969 - Uruguay 1 England 2, Estadio Centenario, Montevideo AW Start 8
7 435 12 June 1969 - Brazil 2 England 1, Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho, Rio de Janeiro AL Start 14 8
8 436 5 November 1969 - Netherlands 0 England 1, Olympisch Stadion, Amsterdam Fr AW Start 85 8
9 437 10 December 1969 - England 1 Portugal 0, Empire Stadium, Wembley Fr HW Start off 70 8
1-0 when substituted
10 438 14 January 1970 - England 0 Netherlands 0, Empire Stadium, Wembley Fr HD Start 8
Age 24
- 440 18 April 1970 - Wales 1 England 1, Ninian Park, Cardiff BC AD squad/sub ?
11 441 21 April 1970 - England 3 Northern Ireland 1, Empire Stadium, Wembley HW sub after 81 ?
3-1 when subbing
- 442 25 April 1970 - Scotland 0 England 0, Hampden Park, Glasgow AD none-inclusive squad member
- 443 20 May 1970 - Colombia 0 England 4, Estadio Nemesio Camacho, Olímpico Fr AW squad/sub ?
- 444 24 May 1970 - Ecuador 0 England 2, Estádio Olimpico Atahualpa, Quito Fr AW squad/sub ?
- 445 2 June 1970 - Romania 0 England 1, Estádio Jalisco, Guadalajara WCF NW squad/sub 19
12 446 7 June 1970 - Brazil 1 England 0, Estádio Jalisco, Guadalajara NL sub 64
0-0 when subbing
13 447 11 June 1970 - Czechoslovakia 0 England 1, Estádio Jalisco, Guadalajara NW Start
14 448 14 June 1970 - West Germany 3 England 2, Estádio Guanajuato, León NL sub 70
1-2 when subbing
Age 25
- 450 3 February 1971 - Malta 0 England 1, The Stadium, Gzira ECP AW withdrawn squad member
- 451 21 April 1971 - England 3 Greece 0, Empire Stadium, Wembley ECP HW withdrawn squad member
15 458 1 December 1971 - Greece 0 England 2, Karaiskaki Stadio, Piraes ECP AW Start 4
Age 26
16 459 29 April 1972 - England 1 West Germany 3, Empire Stadium, Wembley ECP HL Start 4
17 460 13 May 1972 - West Germany 0 England 0, Olympiastadion, Berlin ECP AD Start 8
18 461 20 May 1972 - Wales 0 England 3, Ninian Park, Cardiff BC AW Start 70 8
19 462 23 May 1972 - England 0 Northern Ireland 1, Empire Stadium, Wembley HL captain 8
20 463 27 May 1972 - Scotland 0 England 1, Hampden Park, Glasgow AW Start 8
21 464 11 October 1972 - England 1 Yugoslavia 1, Empire Stadium, Wembley Fr HD Start 8
22 465 15 November 1972 - Wales 0 England 1, Ninian Park, Cardiff WCP AW Start 35 8
23 466 24 January 1973 - England 1 Wales 1, Empire Stadium, Wembley WCP HD Start 8
24 467 14 February 1973 - Scotland 0 England 5, Hampden Park, Glasgow Fr AW Start 4
Age 27
25 468 12 May 1973 - Northern Ireland 1 England 2, Goodison Park, Liverpool BC AW Start 4
26 469 15 May 1973 - England 3 Wales 0, Empire Stadium, Wembley HW Start 4
27 470 19 May 1973 - England 1 Scotland 0, Empire Stadium, Wembley HW Start 4
28 471 27 May 1973 - Czechoslovakia 1 England 1, Stadión Letná, Praha tour AD Start 4
29 472 6 June 1973 - Poland 2 England 0, Stadion Śląski, Chorzów WCP AL Start 8
- 473 10 June 1973 - USSR 1 England 2, Lenin Stadion, Moskva tour AW withdrawn squad member (wife poorly)
- 474 14 June 1973 - Italy 2 England 0, Stadio Comunale di Torino, Torino AL
30 475 26 September 1973 - England 7 Austria 0, Empire Stadium, Wembley Fr HW Start 87 4
31 476 17 October 1973 - England 1 Poland 1, Empire Stadium, Wembley WCP HD Start 4
32 477 14 November 1973 - England 0 Italy 1, Empire Stadium, Wembley Fr HL Start 4
Age 28
 

manager: Joe Mercer - 7 full capsx

33 479 11 May 1974 - Wales 0 England 2, Ninian Park, Cardiff BC AW Start 8
34 480 15 May 1974 - England 1 Northern Ireland 0, Empire Stadium, Wembley HW Start 8
35 481 18 May 1974 - Scotland 2 England 0, Hampden Park, Glasgow AL Start 8
36 482 22 May 1974 - England 2 Argentina 2, Empire Stadium, Wembley Fr HD Start 6
37 483 29 May 1974 - GDR 1 England 1, Zentralstadion, Leipzig tour AD Start 10
38 484 1 June 1974 - Bulgaria 0 England 1, Natsionalen Stadion Vasil Levski, Sofija AW Start 10
39 485 5 June 1974 - Yugoslavia 2 England 2, Stadion Crvena zvezda, Beograd AD Start 10
 

manager: Don Revie - 9 full capsx

40 486 30 October 1974 - England 3 Czechoslovakia 0, Wembley Stadium, Wembley ECP HW Start 81, 84 7
41 487 20 November 1974 - England 0 Portugal 0, Wembley Stadium, Wembley ECP HD Start 7
Age 29
42 488 12 March 1975 - England 2 West Germany 0, Wembley Stadium, Wembley Fr HW Start 25 4
43 489 16 April 1975 - England 5 Cyprus 0, Wembley Stadium, Wembley ECP HW Start 4
44 490 11 May 1975 - Cyprus 0 England 1, Tsirion Athletic Centre, Limassol ECP AW Start 4
45 491 17 May 1975 - Northern Ireland 0 England 0, Windsor Park, Belfast BC AD Start 4
- 492 21 May 1975 - England 2 Wales 2, Wembley Stadium, Wembley HD squad/sub ?
46 493 24 May 1975 - England 5 Scotland 1, Wembley Stadium, Wembley HW Start 40 4
47 494 3 September 1975 - Switzerland 1 England 2, Sankt Jakob Stadium, Basel Fr AW Start 9
48 495 30 October 1975 - Czechoslovakia 2 England 1, Tehelné pole, Bratislava ECP AL Start 11
- 496 19 November 1975 - Portugal 1 England 1, Estadio José Alvalade, Lisboa ECP AD injured squad member

Notes

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CG