so.

[oakiecokie]

Again I will state that I never had the pleasure of watching the king, but it is evident that he wasn't the best tackler (cheers oakie...he put his left leg in and all that). Who did he line up with? Was there a Grealish type of player in the middle with him (possibly not the best example, but you get me, yeah?), or did we just rely on the guile of Bell? I'd love to see a full match where he played just to see what all the (deserved) fuss is about. Even though we were shit for years and years, we have been blessed with a lot of decent players but my old man's generation still rave about Bell and I feel kind of deprived that my generation can't appreciate it. Can TCIB not sort this out???? Sack him!

He truly was an exceptional player,the likes of which I doubt I will ever see again.Due to his phenomenal stamina,at times it was like having a 12th man,he would cover every position and then end up on the receiving end of a ball in the opponents penalty area,without blowing or puffing gasps of air.His lung capacity was not normal and nickname "Nijinski" was very apt.
A true gentleman,seldom booked,a players player,a managers dream,but an opponents nightmare.Just impossible to man mark.

 

[bluebreeze]

I remember Allison wanting to find out why Bell had such incredible stamina. He sent him for tests at Salford University and they found he had a much larger heart and lungs than normal. If you look at his body in pictures of him, you will notice he was very long between his shoulders and hips, which is why he had the room for his huge lungs.

I remember more than once seeing City use Bell's stamina in a play where Corrigan would collect the ball and throw out to Oakes or Coleman on the left. In the meantime, Bell, who would have been back on defence would start a sprint on the right to the opponents half and Oakes/Coleman would play a long diagonal ball for Bell to run onto. He could do this all match.

He was impossible to mark as no defender could live with his stamina. Once when playing Spurs, who had a very good team at the time, Bell destroyed Dave Mckay who was widely regarded as the best left half in the country at the time.

Simply the best.

 

[cibaman]

How would you compare Scholes to Bell and Charlton?

Bell was better than both and Scholes was better than Charlton. Watch the WC final in 66, it's Alan Ball and Styles who win the midfield battle, Charlton was a virtual passenger.

I would love to watch the full 90 of the WC in 66. Do you have a copy? I would also watch any 90 of any game that Colin played. If anyone has any, please donate.

60's telly didn't do Bell any favours. Because there were so few cameras they just didn't capture his movement off the ball. Often saw him play brilliantly and dominate a game live then watched Motd and he wasn't anything like as noticeable

 

[dennishasdoneit]

Never saw him play but when I was a lad my old man got "200 City Goals" on VHS. I must have worn the tape out watching the goal he scored here. Over and over and over and over again. I don't think there's footage of a whole game out where he played or else I would have watched it over and over and... just to see him take up positions and runs, etc.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mv3Vb2q7ldg[/youtube]

Keeper don't move.

Yep, my fav city goal ever..bar none.

 

[Blue Til Death]

I am so sorry to have to cause a bit of a rumpus ref the greatest player I have ever seen in a Sky Blue Shirt,but I dispute those people who claim to have seen King Colin "live" but once and for all he was VERY VERY weak as a tackler !!!!!!!!!!!!
He truly was awful in his only weak department.

You say, claim to have seen him live as if he played in the 1920's you claim he was a crap tackler, you are wrong on both counts mate of course the older lads on here such as myself saw him play live, week in week out barring his Injuries, your entitled to your opinion obviously and if you feel the need to go against the flow thats fine too. We however are not just saying he was the best City player ever but arguably the best England player too, without his injuries there would be zero argument about it..

Having attended virtually every game from 1967 - 1971 (home,away,cup games including European away games) I think my viewing of the greatest player ever to put a sky blue shirt on,holds a little better than most.
I will re-iterate once again,that King Colin was not a strong tackler in any way shape or form and without doubt that was his weak point of all parts of his game.
Go against the flow ?? I sometimes wonder if some of these people making the remarks about his tackling actually saw him live or are "just going with the flow" of one or two on here.
Don`t recollect the use of the word "crap" but certainly "weak tackler" is spot on and I stand by that wording.Fail to see what the 1920`s has anything to do in the context of this debate. Mackay,Brennan,Giles,Stiles,Haines,Smith,etc he was not,but by the same token they were not in the same league as Belly when it came to shooting,regular goalscorer,heading,awareness,lung ripping runs from box to box,passing,virtually the complete mid fielder you could wish for.
I guess we`ll just have to agree to disagree on this one aspect of his game which he was not blessed with.

Well in fairness I cannot compete with your City attendance during that period and I salute you for it, I guess because he is my all time hero in football terms and generally, maybe I couldnt see what you did and that weak part of his game. Sounds like we both agree though that he was an absolutely awesome talent and a true City and England great.

 

[Deleted member 52846]

Never saw him play but when I was a lad my old man got "200 City Goals" on VHS. I must have worn the tape out watching the goal he scored here. Over and over and over and over again. I don't think there's footage of a whole game out where he played or else I would have watched it over and over and... just to see him take up positions and runs, etc.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mv3Vb2q7ldg[/youtube]

Keeper don't move.

Yep, my fav city goal ever..bar none.

This is a good one too, cleaner volley.
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.mcfc.co.uk/citytv/golden-goal/2012/september/golden-goal-8-jensen-2003" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.mcfc.co.uk/citytv/golden-goa ... ensen-2003</a>

 

[oakiecokie]

You say, claim to have seen him live as if he played in the 1920's you claim he was a crap tackler, you are wrong on both counts mate of course the older lads on here such as myself saw him play live, week in week out barring his Injuries, your entitled to your opinion obviously and if you feel the need to go against the flow thats fine too. We however are not just saying he was the best City player ever but arguably the best England player too, without his injuries there would be zero argument about it..

Having attended virtually every game from 1967 - 1971 (home,away,cup games including European away games) I think my viewing of the greatest player ever to put a sky blue shirt on,holds a little better than most.
I will re-iterate once again,that King Colin was not a strong tackler in any way shape or form and without doubt that was his weak point of all parts of his game.
Go against the flow ?? I sometimes wonder if some of these people making the remarks about his tackling actually saw him live or are "just going with the flow" of one or two on here.
Don`t recollect the use of the word "crap" but certainly "weak tackler" is spot on and I stand by that wording.Fail to see what the 1920`s has anything to do in the context of this debate. Mackay,Brennan,Giles,Stiles,Haines,Smith,etc he was not,but by the same token they were not in the same league as Belly when it came to shooting,regular goalscorer,heading,awareness,lung ripping runs from box to box,passing,virtually the complete mid fielder you could wish for.
I guess we`ll just have to agree to disagree on this one aspect of his game which he was not blessed with.

Well in fairness I cannot compete with your City attendance during that period and I salute you for it, I guess because he is my all time hero in football terms and generally, maybe I couldnt see what you did and that weak part of his game. Sounds like we both agree though that he was an absolutely awesome talent and a true City and England great.

He was also my idol and when you think about the £45K was it,that Big Mal payed Bury,it was a steal.
Never been an emotional person at football games (well apart from THAT QPR Game) but I had to keep wiping something that kept getting in my eyes, at that Boxing Day home game v Newcastle,when King Colin made his comeback.
Fair plays also to the Newcastle fans,who also helped make his return,one of those special days,when you had to be there to witness the return of a very special player,who was admired by football fans everywhere,due to his modesty and being a special kind of person that is very rare in football nowadays.
The word legend is used far too often IMO,but likewise with Big Bert T.,Colin certainly and deservedly belongs in that category of folklore players.

 

[phil58]

Bell was undoubtably citys best player. His stamina was incredible combined with great control and balance. To compare him with Best is unfair, they were two totally different players. Skill wise Best is the greatest player I ever watched live, he could do increidible things coulped with unbelieveable balance and was virtually impossible to dispossess. In those days with the heavy pitches and rough tackling it makes his ability all the more outstanding.
Like I said Bell was my favourite player and a great ambassador for the club. If he had played today he would be regarded as one of the best players in the world. Gerrard and Rooney could not lace his boots.

 

[Joycee Banercheck]

Never saw him play but when I was a lad my old man got "200 City Goals" on VHS. I must have worn the tape out watching the goal he scored here. Over and over and over and over again. I don't think there's footage of a whole game out where he played or else I would have watched it over and over and... just to see him take up positions and runs, etc.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mv3Vb2q7ldg[/youtube]

Keeper don't move.

Yep, my fav city goal ever..bar none.

Its amazing. Is it Bonnetti? Makes it better if it is. C-c-c-c-c-what a goal!!!!!!!!!!!