Colin Bell RIP - Ian Cheeseman interview with Jon Bell (P142)

A true City and England legend. First City game was 73 so had the pleasure of seeing him live a few times (though not enough!)
Had the pleasure of meeting him when my dad arranged an impromptu tour of Maine Road.. Ken Barnes(bizarrely) showed us round.. King Colin, Joe Corrigan and Willie Donachie were being put through their paces on the pitch by the Physio (Freddie Griffiths??) kicking a Rugby Ball around.
Afterwards had a great picture taken of him with Joe Corrigan in the players tunnel, seemed (even to a star struck 9 year old) a very humble man.
A short while later actually 'spied' on him playing football in his garden with his kids when I found out he lived near some relatives in Hale Barns (think they call that stalking now!)
Part of a great City team and( as has been said many times )if he had not had that awful injury would have very probably made a very good City team of the mid/late 70s great also!
 
Started supporting the Blues around the time of The King signing from Bury. It was a great team with some outstanding players. Colin Bell wasn't outstanding! He was far better. What an engine!
What would they pay for him these days? Fabulous player. I'm writing this through misty eyes. RIP Nijinsky
 
So, so sad to hear this news. The best player when I became a City fan & will always be the first name I think of when I think of City. I'm so pleased to hear what a kind & humble man he was. On the pitch he was simply the best. RIP Colin & sincere condolences to his family.
 
The way the older guys feel now is how us 20 and 30 somethings will feel when our favourite players of today get old and pass away.

I remember davie Cooper dying of an aneurysm when he was only 39 in 1995. He was a rangers legend and it affected me even tho I was too young to have watched him for us. We don't know these guys personally but we have grown up idolising them in our formative years. That's a powerful connection and as this thread shows it lasts for many decades. So many guys and girls here old enough to have watched Colin play paying their respects.
 
Lucky enough to see the great man play many times, met him in person at the Cheadle Training ground when I used to go with some mates at half term holidays. He was very quiet compared to some of the others but always very kind when it came to complying with our interminable autograph requests, I have his to this day, "Best Wishes Colin Bell" it says.
Met him at the 1999 Gillingham match when thanks to a pal we ended up in hospitality. Chatted to Colin and his wife for some time, he hadn't changed from my childhood memories, unassuming and a real City fan. His wife was lovely and Colin talked proudly about his family and their educational attainments.
I asked him about his injured knee and his told me he was a regular squash player and that he only suffered from real stiffness in the joint but not much pain which was good to hear. I have a great photo of Colin, Neil Young and the 4 of us taken on the day.
My dad, who passed away a few years ago aged 90, always said Colin was the greatest player he had ever seen at City and said that what he loved about Colin was even when they tried to hoof him out of games he used to come back even stronger, scoring great goals even if he was limping.
Just phoned my mum, who is 91 at the weekend, to tell her the bad news, she used to go to games with my dad, me and my brother. She just came straight out with "The King" as his nickname and what sad news, "he's only a few years older than you," mothers eh.
I'll never forget him or the joy watching him play brought to me. Along with the other members of that great team he made our pride in City something fantastic.
RIP The King
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top