For those that saw both live who was better?

[Chappie]

I’ve been privileged to see them both at their peak.

Colin The King was awesome - a supreme athlete, good on the ground and in the air, great range of passing and a real eye for a goal. He was, and still is, my all time City hero.

I still get shivers down my spine recalling the day he came back from injury (Boxing Day). He came on at half time when the score was nil nil, and despite the fact he could barely run the emotion generated by his return in all the fans and presumably both teams meant that we won 4-0.

Of current players then he had the grace and energy of Fernandinho, the force of Yaya, the “make it happen” gifts of KdB plus more besides.

That being said I think Silva is the most sublime player I have ever seen wearing our colours. He’s crazily brilliant. And, like Colin Bell, he seems to be a really humble, team centred guy and no doubt a manager’s dream player.

If I’m rhapsodising about Colin nearly 50 years on then I hope we have a whole generation of fans younger than me who will tell their own kids and grandkids about how brilliant Dave was.

This post has saved me having to think what too say about 2 fabulous players.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

I think Yaya at his prime best is the best City player I’ve seen. Better than Kun Silva Tevez and De Bruyne(so far).

I never did see Bell play though so whether Yaya is better than Bell, I don’t know.

 

[blue b4 the moon]

Saw Colin from towards the end of the 70/71 season and cried when he came back against Newcastle never heard the Kippax so loud.

Slightly different player and certainly a different era so very hard to compare. Think the best way of looking at it is would with todays style/training/tactics Colin have been a regular in our team now and it's a big fat yes he would,

 

[i went to rotherham]

It’s Bell for me. He was years ahead of his time and would fit into today’s team easily. Love Spanish Dave but he is blessed by being surrounded by players who are all the best at what they do, Bell did it in a team that was good, but nowhere near as good as today. Closest comparison today would be KDB and he has the potential to be the best of the lot !

 

[Blue Til Death]

Silva is awesome and guaranteed a spot in our Hall of Fame, he has many of the attributes of Colin Bell and some unique to him. What distinguishes the King from him and any other City midfield player, past or present for that matter is his engine and his goal scoring ability, second to none. Take Into account the standard of pitch played on in their eras there can only be one winner for me, Colin Bell isn't called the King for nothing, some 40 odd years after he retired.. Silva is second only to the King but second nonetheless...!

 

[Willie Wontie]

When comparing old and current remember the state of the pitches they used to have to show their skills on

 

[Dribble]

Silva.

I was very young when I saw Bell, & don't think I could have properly appreciated just how good he was. However, about a year ago, BT ran a series of matches from the 70's by each major club, so I was really interested to draw the best comparison I could.

Bell was a complete powerhouse & lethal in front if goal, but aside from that, Silva is by far the better technician & the more effective of the two. To be fair, they're different types of players, but based on what I saw on those BT programmes, it had to be Silva by a mile.

I'd even go as far as to say Toure would come second as the best City player of all time, albeit he's pissed everyone off with his antics over the last 3 years.

 

[scousemanc]

I would have to go for Bell for the simple reason that I don't have a football rattle with Silva's name meticulously painted on it

 

[Big Swifty]

Great to see the Ballet om Ice again, and - slightly off topic - it reminds me what an underrated talent Neil Young was.

 

[mancityvstoke]

Totally different eras so can't compare for me.......pretty much everything is different now

Wages, Pitches, training , facilities etc

Still Bell for me though