Colin Bell MBE was born in Hesleden, County Durham on 26th February 1946. Skilled, enthusiastic, quite tireless and always chock full of running
Colin Bell MBE was born in Hesleden, County Durham on 26th February 1946. Skilled, enthusiastic, quite tireless and always chock full of running, (they nicknamed him 'Nijinsky', due to his supreme athleticism) Colin was regarded as one of England's finest-ever midfield players, being described by one commentator as 'the most finished article in the modern game'.
He began his career at Bury before moving to Manchester City in 1966, helping the team earn promotion to the First Division that same year. In 1968 he helped City win their second League Championship and, in 1969, the FA Cup with a 1-0 victory over Leicester City. In 1970 Manchester City and Colin won two trophies, the League Cup and the European Cup Winners' Cup which meant City had become the first team to win both a domestic and European trophy in the same season. For England, he won 48 caps and scored nine goals. He also captained the national team for a game in 1972, a defeat to Northern Ireland.
His finest performances for his country included scoring twice in the 7-0 demolition of Austria, and also helping England defeat World Champions West Germany 2-0 in 1975 during the 100th international game played at Wembley. He retired through injury in 1976, though in 1980 he tried to resurrect his career with NASL side San Jose Earthquakes. He was awarded the MBE in 2004 for services to the community.
