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Long Live the “King of Kippax”
A Manchester City legend has died.
Colin Bell regarded as perhaps the greatest player to wear the blue shirt of City passed away Tuesday after a short illness at the age of 74.
The Midas touch
Known as the “King of Kippax” Bell moved to Main Road midway through the 1965-66 season for a fee of £47,500.
For a club in the second tier of English football at the time it was money well spent.
Joe Mercer’s side earned a promotion to the top-flight that season and two years later won the First Division.
A domestic league crown was just the beginning for Bell and Manchester City.
In his 13 years at Maine Road, the Sky Blues won an FA Cup, a League Cup, and the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1970.
He made 501 appearances for City between 1966 and 1979 scoring 153 goals.
Bell also earned 48 caps for England scoring nine times.
Gone but not forgotten
In 2004 Bell was inducted into the Manchester City Hall of Fame.
That same year fans voted to have a stand at the new Etihad Stadium named after him.
Tributes are pouring in from the footballing community following his death.
In a statement, Man City says: “Few players have left such an indelible mark on City.”
City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said “”Colin Bell will always be remembered as one of Manchester City’s greatest players and the very sad news today of his passing will affect everybody connected to our club,”
“I am fortunate to be able to speak regularly to his former manager and team-mates, and it’s clear to me that Colin was a player held in the highest regard by all those who had the privilege of playing alongside him or seeing him play.
“The passage of time does little to erase the memories of his genius.”
“The Greatest”
In the 1960s and 1970s, Bell along with Mike Summerbee and Francis Lee formed the “Holy Trinity” during some memorable years for the club.
Now 78 Summerbee said “Colin was a lovely, humble man. He was a huge star for Manchester City but you would never have known it,”
“He was quiet, unassuming and I always believe he never knew how good he actually was.”
Summerbee describes Bell as “just the greatest footballer” the club has had.”
The former City striker says current midfielder Kevin De Bruyne reminds him a lot of Bell.
Lee meanwhile says Bell is in his own class when it comes to City greats.
“He goes into the top five City players of all time – only in the last 10, 15 years has anyone else come along who can take that mantle,” says Lee. (JSL).
