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

[DrBlueBob]

The least I could do. Very emotional night.
Lets do it for the King tomorrow
:-)

Perhaps it is just the emotion that I am feeling but I genuinely feel that we will give Utd, (I was going to say the rags but The King would never have lowered himself to my childish standards) a complete shoeing in honour of the greatest inside forward we have ever seen.
I have lost family members and not shed as many tears as I have tonight.
God bless you Colin and thankyou.
Thoughts and prayers to his family and friends.

 

[DrBlueBob]

Another legend to join Gods Team
RIP King Colin

Maybe God's team have just been keeping the armband warm for The King.

 

[DrBlueBob]

Wonder if there's any chance that this could be made into a temporary banner for the site to commemorate The King

Or perhaps a permanent banner or at least a permanent tribute? I'm certain @Ric has it covered.

 

[Rascal]

Crazy , because of the ‘Top 20 players’ nominations coming in his name was mentioned a lot, roughly heard of him a little so i watched a YouTube video on him this week, some his best goals including the hat trick v Man U. Seemed a legend for you blues. RIP

I think my answer to you was Colin Bell and 19 others.

Every club has hero's and legend's, Bell was the King of the Kippax, our greatest outfield player.

To put into a little context, at that time our Neighbours had George Best, Bobby Charlton and our Denis Law, but we could hold our heads up high because we had Francis Lee, Mike Summerbee and Colin the King. They were European Champions and we were English Champions and Manchester was the centre of the football world.

As good as United's triumvarate were (and they were fantastic), i have yet to find a Blue who saw that City side, the team of Mercer and Allison who would have swopped our three greats for Sir Matt's three greats.

The kids would be Bell or Best, Lee or Law, Summerbee or Charlton on the playground and we were equals.

It was heady times for us Blues, we would win at OT for fun, because as any Blue will tell you, our three greats were better than there three greats.

I grew up on tales from my Grandad of seeing King George at Hyde Road, of seeing Frank Swift and Bert Trautmann, of Dave Ewing and Roy Paul and my Grandads favourite Peter Doherty and a lad he adored a winger called Waggy. My Grandad loved football, he thought George Best was a wonderful player even though he hated United with a passion, not the hatred there is now, a friendly more benign hatred.

My Grandad loved Colin the King, his second favourite player, after Peter Doherty, George Best was third.

Colin the King was my hero, he was who I loved most, my grandad would take me as a small boy to watch them train at Cheadle Town FC , our training ground at the time, it ignited my love for City and it remains a love i will have to my dying days.

When my Uncle Vin was in hospital dying of cancer , we took him in City video's of Colin Bell and our greatest team so he could watch and be at peace. City are important to my family, my Grandad made sure of that.

A small part of me has gone with the King's passing, I loved him like no other.

 

[DrBlueBob]

I was born and raised in Bath and football daft, my uncle, who married a Manchester girl and lived in the area for a while used to tell us about this footballer he used to live near. He talked not only about him being a great player but also about what a kind and unassuming man he was. And so Colin Bell, Nijinsky, The King, came into my life. As luck would have it in May 1969 his team came to my city to play a testimonial. MCFC had just won the FA cup and so my Birthday treat was a trip to see the FA Cup, former Bath player Tony Book, former Bath Manager Malcolm Allison and of course the man my Aunt and Uncle always spoke so highly of. The match was a 5-5 draw. Youngsters were allowed onto the pitch at half and full time and I repeatedly kicked the ball I’d brought with me into the net just like my newly discovered heroes had been doing. To this day I still think this was the best birthday present I ever had and a large part of my life became a tale of two cities. Manchester City FC and Bath City FC. Colin Bell quickly became and remains my all-time hero.

When nearly all my contemporaries were Leeds supporters (later to a man to become Scouse Rag fans) Colin and his performances for England gave this lone loyal City fan some ammunition to fight back with at School. I swapped over 100 football trading cards (virtually all of the non MCFC ones I had) for one 3D picture (issued by the Sun) of King Colin. I remember him being hacked down when bursting from midfield in the infamous World cup qualifier vs Poland in 1973. I remember his performances for England in the Home Internationals (the only live TV footie we had in those day). I remember the joy of his equalising goal Vs Wolves in the 1974 league cup final and the subsequent despair at city losing. I remember balancing lying head first down our stairs to get a view into our open plan lounge to see “Sports Nights” coverage of the 4th round league cup 4-0 rout of the rags, desperately hoping not to be discovered if mum looked round, and trying to surpress my joy as we scored goal after goal and my outrage at Buchan’s challenge. I remember listening to radio coverage of Colin’s return as a half time substitute on Boxing Day, even on the radio it sounded like something extra special was happening. Of course that was the season when city were being followed by the BBC’s “Nationwide” cameras and I remember the moving episode they showed about his brave rehabilitation efforts. As with Paul Lake I feel cheated that City and England were robbed of many years exceptional service from a great great player.

I have Asperger’ and don’t normally feel much emotion or post online. Someone dies (even family) it’s normally yes very sad but Meh. Tonight I’m a blubbering mess.

King Colin you affected my life greatly, I had the honour to meet you once outside Maine Road and you shook my hand. It felt like I’d just met God. Thank you for all the joy you brought so many people, Thank you for providing the world with an NHS hero in these desperate times. Taken way too early you will long be remembered. RIP and THANK YOU.

Heartfelt and beautifully put.

 

[Messi38]

He was obviously sensational for City based on what everyone here says, his videos, and just generally how revered he is, but just been doing a little reading about his international career. I didn't realise it was he who came on for Charlton in 1970 vs the West Germans. I had heard the story of Chartlon being subbed off but didn't realise it was Bell who came on for him. Apparently he played well, created some chances and should have had a penalty, but the substitution was unfairly blamed for the comeback when in actual fact it was far more to do with Banks being ill in goal and being replaced by Bonetti. Did the cunts in the media really blame that substitution even though he did well when he came on and the West Germans had already started their comeback anyway?

Apparently he got 48 caps for England. That is a respectable amount, but a player of his quality should have got more. This was in the days before loads of dumb friendlies though. When you think that Beckham, a player with a third of Bell's talent but 100 times his fame and hype, has won like 125 it really does make a mockery of football. There is no justice. Bell seems to have been underhyped and much much better than lots of modern prima donnas who think they're superstars after one good game. He is a major loss to football.

 

[Metalartin]

RIP Colin Bell. Well before my time but I know what a big part you played in this clubs great history. Sorry to his family and his friends for the loss, City mourns with you.

 

[petrusha]

Several hundred posts here since I went to bed last night and I've only managed to read a fairly small proportion so far, but there are some really superb contributions. It's in response to desperately sad news, but shows this board at its best.

RIP Colin. Truly the greatest inside forward that the world has ever seen. Anyone who wants to see what you mean to us only has to read this thread.

 

[Messi38]

Several hundred posts here since I went to bed last night and I've only managed to read a fairly small proportion so far, but there are some really superb contributions. It's in response to desperately sad news, but shows this board at its best.

RIP Colin. Truly the greatest inside forward that the world has ever seen. Anyone who wants to see what you mean to us only has to read this thread.

Yeah, I knew who he was but obviously had never seen him play or knew that much about him compared to Silva, Aguero etc. The outpouring of love and caring posts in this thread really show how much he means to the City fanbase. I can empathise because many Rangers fans have felt that way when Rangers players have died. Sandy Jardine is a good example, another player before my time but hugely loved by our support.

When the chips are down like this many football fans do the right thing and pay their respects. Not all, but many. I am new here but the eloquence and affection in the posts in this thread has touched me, especially as I am currently going through a bereavement myself. It all hits close to home.

 

[BlueBas]

RIP Colin Bell. Your playing days were before my time, but you were a true gentleman, advocate and ambassador for our club! The fact that the stand was named after you is an indication of how City fans see you and revere you. RIP