Norman Bell

Norman Bell
Personal information
Date of birth 16 November 1955 (1955-11-16) (age 56)
Place of birth Sunderland, England
Playing position Striker
Youth career
1971–1975 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1975–1981 Wolverhampton Wanderers 80 (17)
1981–1984 Blackburn Rovers 61 (10)
– Darwen
Teams managed
– Darwen
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Norman Bell (born 16 November 1955) is an English former footballer, born in Hylton Castle, Sunderland, who played in the Football League for Wolverhampton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers.[1]

Career

Bell began his career at Wolverhampton Wanderers as an apprentice in 1971, and turned professional in 1973.[2] He made his senior debut for the club on 23 September 1975 in a goalless draw with Aston Villa,[3] but appeared only a handful of times in that season, which ended in relegation from the First Division.[4]

Overlooked for the club's 1976–77 promotion campaign, he returned to the fold in the following season.[4] With John Richards sidelined, Bell played regularly in the 1978–79 season,[5] until breaking his leg in an FA Cup tie at Crystal Palace in February 1979. As a result of the injury and the addition of Andy Gray to the Molineux attack, Bell next featured in the first team more than a year later, in March 1980, when Wolves fielded a weakened side a few days before the League Cup Final.[6][7] He found it hard to gain regular football and eventually left to join Blackburn Rovers in November 1981.[4] In total, he scored 24 goals in 100 games for Wolves.[2]

He stayed with Rovers for two-and-a-half seasons in the Second Division[1] before moving into non-league football as player-manager of Darwen.[8]

Since retiring from football Bell had various sales-related jobs before working with young offenders for Blackburn with Darwen Council.[8] Bell's son Andy also became a professional footballer,[9] and his uncle Harry Bell played in the Football League in the 1940s and 1950s.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b "Norman Bell". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player2/normanbell.htm. Retrieved 10 January 2010. 
  2. ^ a b "Players. A–Z". Wolves-Stats. http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/A-Z.html. Retrieved 10 January 2010. 
  3. ^ "Team Details: 1975–1976". Wolves-Stats. http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/1975-1976_Team_Details.html. Retrieved 10 January 2010. 
  4. ^ a b c "Norman Bell Wolverhampton Wanderers FC". Football Heroes. Sporting Heroes Collections. http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=38303. Retrieved 10 January 2010. 
  5. ^ "Team Details: 1978–1979". Wolves-Stats. http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/1978-1979_Team_Details.html. Retrieved 10 January 2010. 
  6. ^ "Team Details: 1979–1980". Wolves-Stats. http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/1979-1980_Team_Details.html. Retrieved 10 January 2010. 
  7. ^ Fox, Norman (11 March 1980). "Villa's plans upset by Wolves' reserves". The Times (London): p. 10. 
  8. ^ a b c "The Many Moves Of Norman Bell". Wolves Heroes. 14 May 2009. http://www.wolvesheroes.com/2009/05/14/the-many-moves-of-norman-bell/. Retrieved 10 January 2010. 
  9. ^ "Bell joins Cumbrians". NonLeague Daily. 16 November 2009. http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=62342. Retrieved 10 January 2010. 

External links