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

Manchester33 said:
I think for younger fans like myself, it's hard to comprehend how much Colin Bell meant to the club. I've never seen fans of other clubs eulogise about a City player like this though. So many people saying he was their favourite player outside of the club they supported.

RIP Colin Bell. Legend.
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I'm old enough to have seen him but yes it's quite heart warming to see supporters of other clubs joining bm to give their condolences.
 
Manchester33 said:
I think for younger fans like myself, it's hard to comprehend how much Colin Bell meant to the club. I've never seen fans of other clubs eulogise about a City player like this though. So many people saying he was their favourite player outside of the club they supported.

RIP Colin Bell. Legend.
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Fans from a different era. Appreciated the love of the game and a class player when they saw one, and an honest, humble family man. When a player like that passes like this it doesnt matter what colour you follow at a weekend. You appreciate what an amazing human being he was on and off that pitch.
 
Still gutted! I remember King Colin attending a Church Christmas market in Levy in December 1976 and seeing him moving around on crutches made us all wonder if he'd ever play again? The primal roars (from the gut up) all over the Kippax when he made his appearance versus Newcastle on Boxing Day 1977 was a brilliant occasion. It was all a major loss to City, England (he was a key player at the time) and to Colin's appearance ambitions. A sad loss. Commiserations to his family...
 
For me Colin was "the one", that one player that was loved above any other. We've had great players before and since Colin's era (Trautmann to Aguero and Silva) but Colin was special. He was the complete footballer on grass, mud or ice. He could do the lot, all with seemingly effortless grace.

Off the pitch, as others have said, he was a gentleman. I had the pleasure and honour of meeting him a few times, as a 9 year old open mouthed and wide eyed kid in the mid 1970's asking for an autograph up to more recent times some 5 or so years ago.

It feels like a piece of our club died with Colin's passing. There will never be another "King" and I for one wouldn't want there to be.

At this very sad time I hope Colin's family, friends and team mates can take some comfort and pride in how much Colin was loved and admired by all connected with MCFC.

RIP Colin and thanks for all those wonderful memories.
 
I was fortunate enough to see him play - a big part of my youth

Also seen him often in recent years in his new role with the club - I have a lovely picture of my daughter with him a few years ago

So sad

RIP the King - tonight I will drink a drink......
 
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Aba452 said:
thought he would be willowy in style using his skill to ride caveman challenges. He did but he was also tough as an ox and had pace!
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He was able to ride out a lot of hard tackles. He was that rare thing, a naturally gifted footballer in the body of a superbly toned athlete.

Not doing the big blue thing or anything,but for those of you who didn’t see him live and in full flow, it’s difficult to convey the air of authority and charisma he had on the pitch.

He didn’t know it. He just went about his business.

I had tears welling up last night when I read the news. And I’m not a man that cries at all easily.
 
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I was asked a couple of years back when I was back in the UK for a family visit if I could describe why Colin was so well liked, and what made him such a childhood hero to many fans.

The best way I could bring him up to date was, "Take KDB's fluidity, skill and double it, then take Bernado's stamina and triple it, plus heading ability, and speed and you've got Colin Bell.

Sincere condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues in that great team. Thanks for the lasting memories. RIP King.
 
The king is dead, long live the king.

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Been on Facebook posting a lovely pic of me and my friends in City scarves and bobble hats as kids reminiscing how we loved him. Said I was there the night the dirty red clogger put Colin out of action. Mate's older brother said my Dad was screaming at Buchan saying he had finished King Colin's career. Wow he had brilliant glasses to know that. Anyway Hartford was brilliant that night and we won 4 nil. Same tonight please.
 
Aba452 said:
Thank you to the guys who posted that Match of the 70s with Bell Lee and Summerbee. Absolutely magical. The way we stroked the balls around in literal quagmires just astonishing!

In the early to mid 70s I'd hang round my big brother as he played with the next door neighbour's son Robin. They were both City mad and the name they spoke most was Bell or King Col. Me I was too busy playing with my Action Man!

In the video Colin comes across as the most likeable humble self deprecating guy you'll ever meet.

I thought he would be willowy in style using his skill to ride caveman challenges. He did but he was also tough as an ox and had pace! And his thunderbolts especially that one against Chelsea. Buzzer talked about Colin being most like KdB but I think he was the best parts of Merlin Raz Dinho and Don Sergio with a touch of Phil!

Never be forgotten even after retiring over 40 years ago. I believe Tony Book was close to Colin and my sincere best wishes go out to him and the City family.
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I think it was a City Legends -Bell,Lee and Summerbee video from BBC.
I used to own it on VHS with classic highlights including ballet on ice, all the cup wins and grainy footage of Newcastle 68 and Gornik games.
 
harlech said:
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.
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What a beautiful heartfelt post. Sums up my feelings. RIP King
 
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