Colin Bell 1946-2021 | Vital Football

Colin Bell 1946-2021

It is with the deepest sadness and heaviest of hearts we announce the passing of Manchester City legend Colin Bell.

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Long Live The King
Colin passed away peacefully this afternoon after a short, non-Covid related illness, aged 74. He leaves behind wife Marie, children Jon and Dawn and grandchildren, Luke, Mark, Isla and Jack.
He is widely regarded to be the finest City player of his generation, making 492 appearances and scoring 152 goals for the Club during a 13-year stay.
Few players have left such an indelible mark on City.
Known as Colin The King, in 2004 fans voted to name a stand inside the Etihad Stadium after him and his name is still sung regularly at matches.
Club Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak led the tributes, saying: “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.
“I am fortunate to be able to speak regularly to his former manager and teammates, 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. The fact that we have a stand at the Etihad Stadium named after Colin speaks volumes about the importance of his contribution to this club.
“Colin was incredibly humble and a modest and understated man with an obvious inner strength of character. He was clearly comfortable with who he was and what he had achieved in the game. For the rest of us, there is always the thought of what might have been if injury had not affected his career. Undoubtedly more trophies for City and far more than the 48 England caps to his name.
“Our Club has lost a true great. Everyone’s thoughts and best wishes are with Colin’s family.”
Further tributes from Colin’s teammates will be collated on ManCity.com in the coming hours along with highlights of Colin’s career.
And fans can add their messages to our online condolence book available via the link below.
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    Rob Pollard
    @RobPollardMCFC
Tue 05 Jan 2021, 19:00
 
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Former captain, manager and now Life President Tony Book

“He was a very special person, not only as a footballer but as a man – he was just tops and I can’t believe he’s gone.

“He is irreplaceable. We had some great times together and I’ll miss him terribly.

“It’s an awful shock and it has hit me very hard, I can promise you.”

Club Ambassador Mike Summerbee

“I am devastated to hear of Colin’s passing. He was more than just a team mate and an incredible footballer, he was wonderful human being and a true friend.

"Colin was a lovely, humble man. He was a huge star for Manchester City but you would never have known it.

“When I think about him, I simply think of quality - just sheer quality. We never singled out individuals in the team we played in, but there’s no doubt in my mind that he was the greatest.

“The complete player, the complete athlete, the complete person. My condolences to Marie, Jon, Dawn and his wonderful grandchildren. We have lost someone special today.

“He was quiet, unassuming and I always believe he never knew how good he actually was. He was just the greatest footballer we have ever had.

“Kevin De Bruyne reminds me a lot of Colin in the way he plays and the way he is as a person.

“Colin was very close to all of us and particularly Tony Book – they used to go to the games together and I only briefly spoke with Tony this evening because it has hit him very hard, as it has all of us.

“Even though I knew he’d been poorly for a while; I wasn’t expecting to lose him – it’s a complete shock.

“He was very nice man and when you are very close to someone, you don’t have to see them every day or week or even month – there is a friendship and a bond from playing, training, and working together for so many years that will always be there.

“He was adored by the City fans and for our supporters to say he is the best they gave ever seen, you don’t get a better compliment than that, do you?

“He was very special and he will be very sadly missed.”
 
Francis Lee

"The main thing is he was a fantastic player and a very important part of the successful team City had from the late 60s onwards.

"It was unfortunate he got injured because it curtailed his career by a good four or five years. You tend to think around 28, 29 if there is a chance you know it all, you know it then!

"He had tremendous stamina. He was a very good player technically and had the ability to score goals.

"He goes into the top five City players of all time – only in the last 10, 15 years has anyone else come along who can take that mantle."
 
Joe Corrigan

“At this moment I just feel devastated for his family.

“He was one of those unique players that comes along once in a generation.

“Word can’t really do Colin justice. Where do you start?

“He was such a great, great player and he was a phenomenal athlete alongside being a phenomenal footballer.

“He could have been an Olympic athlete had he put his mind to it. I remember struggling my way round Wythenshawe Park on our training sessions and Colin juts breezed past me as is it was stroll with not a bead of sweat it.

It made you realise what an athlete he was alongside being ne of the great players in Manchester City’s history.

“No tributes to him can’t be high enough.

“Col was also such a lovely man. Very quiet and unassuming and all the players all held him in the highest esteem both as a player and a person.

“He never bragged about his talent or ability – he just got on with his job and his job was to be a professional footballer and play for the Club that he loved.

“And it just shows you what kind of guy he was after that horrific injury and with all the hard work he put in alongside physios Freddie Griffith and Roy Bailey to get himself back for that comeback game against Newcastle.

“The response he got off the crowd was amazing, and it just showed what the fans thought of Belly.

“I spoke to Roy earlier and he just broke down – he worked so hard with Belly and spent hours and hours with him and he also thought the world of him.

“Let’s face it not many players have stand named after them – words are so hard to come by to sum the man up. He was just Belly to us – but he was a truly great person and player.

And speaking on behalf of the Former Players Association I can’t stress how much he will be missed and what Belly meant to everyone.

“And I know I will be speaking for all lads and former players when I say it’s such a truly tragic loss and that we all thinking of Maria and the family.

“But his contribution to City and England will never ever be forgotten.

“When he was injured both City and England were a poorer side for Belly’s absence – he was that good and that important.

He was irreplaceable – he was a once in a generation talent.

“He could score goals with either foot, with his head, he could defend, attack he could do everything… you don’t get players like that anymore.

“It was privilege to play alongside side and to call him my mate. He was an inspiration to me when I first got in the team in 1967 and I’ll never, ever forget him.”
 
Tommy Booth

“When I first got in the side as a 17 year-old, I was a City fan and there I was playing with Colin and lads like Mike Summerbee and Francis Lee - I had to pinch myself it was such a privilege.

“I was the youngest in the team and Belly along with Mike Doyle, Glyn Pardoe and Alan Oakes used to look after me and I started playing golf with them and it was just brilliant. What a time we had.

“What a player and what an athlete too. When we went training Colin was unbelievable – he sailed through everything.

“Whatever it was - 400m, 800, long distance, you name it Colin could do the lot.

“We used to do these 200 and 400m sessions with Derek Ibbotson a former Olympic athlete and I would breathing through my backside. Meanwhile Belly just sailed through it. I’d be struggling and Belly would come up and say ‘Are you alright Tommy?’

“Col was just a great lad too. And he was such a special person too

“He’s one of the greatest players we have ever had and for me it was a privilege to play alongside him and share in so many special moments.

“And but for that terrible injury in 1975 goodness knows what he would have gone on to achieve.

“He was simply the complete player and no-one will ever, ever forget what he did for our Club.
 
I'm feeling very miserable and very old right now, as I expect many people are.

Some wonderful tributes on the City website.

The world is definitely a poorer place after today.
 
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