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

[Metalartin]

Great video, loved his accuracy at the start shooting into the rings, but the state of those pitches. As I always say, imagine the likes of Colin, Pele, Maradona, Best and Garrincha on today's carpets with today's boots and equioment.

Yep even the ball itself looks like it has lead in it in some clips, probably to help with the bobbly pitches.

 

[Josh_D]

May the legend himself rest in peace. Sad day for football but he will never be forgotten.

 

[Messi38]

Yep even the ball itself looks like it has lead in it in some clips, probably to help with the bobbly pitches.

Yeah true, and of course there's the darker dimension of what we know now about heading the balls from the 60s and 70s. Plus the fact that there was a larger spread of talent back then so teams couldn't to the same extent do a Bayern or PSG or RM or Barca and rack scores up against lesser teams with infinitely fewer resources. Modern footballers are pampered.

I don't like kids today who put down football from the past. It's extremely ignorant and disrespectful. You just know there are kids out there who think fucking Bruno Fernandes is better than Colin Bell because he 'played in a harder era of football'. Where to start with these people.

 

[jollylescott]

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.
Thouhts and prayers to his family and friends.

Lovely words. Thank you.

 

[tonea2003]

RIP the king

always remember colin in the 74 derby driving through the middle laying the ball off to frannie who then squared it to dennis to sink the rags. colin was the first to dennis and gave him a couple of slaps on the chops as if to say "you've done it come on"

 

[Ancient Citizen]

What a fucking start to the year, dreadful news, this was a player that mesmerised me, one of the best.
RIP Col.

 

[KS55]

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.

The press did blame the substitution to an extent, but the criticism was aimed at Ramsey rather than Colin. It was nonsense, you put your finger on the main reason for the loss. Also, iirc, Labone at centre half got some stick. Why was he playing, I forget?.

 

[petrusha]

Thanks for the information mate. I think I read earlier in the thread a few people mentioning his injury. Was it Martin Buchan at United who done it? I am sure I read someone say that in another thread. That coupled with those clearly great players who were established before him means it makes much more sense now as to why he got fewer caps than expected. Like you say he would have got 80 caps or maybe even hit the 100, who knows.

Yeah that Liverpool team was superb, I didn't actually know that City sans Colin Bell had finished second. Like you say he would have been a difference maker and who knows, you might have won the title? I see you only finished a point behind so you'd only have had to turn a defeat into a win (2 points for a win back them obviously). With Bell in the team you could have definitely amassed more points. I know football and life works on far more variables than that but it's far from inconceivable to think you may well have won the title if he'd been fit.

It's a real shame that he declined after 29 because of the injury. That is a player's prime and most players can play until 33 or 34 to a high level, certainly now, and with him being fitter than most players then as you allude to, he could have played at a very high level til 35 or so.

Yes, the injury was caused by a bad tackle from Martin Buchan. We had a discussion of it recently and my take is here: DRINK A DRINK FOR COLIN THE KING THIS BOXING DAY | Page 6 | Bluemoon - the leading Manchester City forum (bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk)

Agree with everything else you say there.

 

[Messi38]

The press did blame the substitution to an extent, but the criticism was aimed at Ramsey rather than Colin. It was nonsense, you put your finger on the main reason for the loss. Also, iirc, Labone at centre half got some stick. Why was he playing, I forget?.

Do u think England could have won that tournament if not for the West German comeback? I heard England were even stronger in 1970 than 1966, no doubt due to the emergence of players like Colin, but that Brazil team with Pele, Tostao, Gerson, Jairzinho, Carlos Alberto and Clodoaldo is probably the best international team of all time. I know they played in the group stage and it was a very narrow win for Brazil with THAT Banks save from Pele, but knockout football is a different beast.

If this is going off topic and being disrespectful please let me know.

 

[City_Sean]

RIP the King. Speaks volumes the warmth with which everyone speaks of him.