Colin Bell (footballer, born 1946)
A Manchester City midfield dynamo whose relentless engine and graceful power made him the beating heart of a golden era for the club.
1946–2021 (age 75)·English professional footballer·Birthday: February 26·Baby Boomers
Biography
Colin Bell, born in the mining town of Hesleden, County Durham, brought a rare combination of grit and elegance to the football pitch. Signed by Manchester City from Bury in 1966, he quickly became the cornerstone of the team's most successful period. Nicknamed 'The King of the Kippax' by adoring fans, and 'Nijinsky' by his manager for his seemingly endless stamina, Bell was a complete midfielder before the term was fashionable. He could tackle, pass with precision, arrive late in the box to score crucial goals, and cover every blade of grass for 90 minutes. He was instrumental in City's 1968 First Division title win, their FA Cup victory in 1969, and their European Cup Winners' Cup and League Cup triumphs in 1970. His career was tragically curtailed at 29 by a severe knee injury from a reckless tackle, a loss felt deeply by both club and country. For years after, the chant 'Colin Bell, Colin Bell, running round the ground with his shirt in his hand' echoed at Maine Road, a tribute to a player who embodied the soul of the team.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Colin was born in 1946, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Colin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1946
#1 Movie
The Best Years of Our Lives
Best Picture
The Best Years of Our Lives
Colin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1946Born
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1951Started school
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1959Became a teenager
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Could drive
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1964Could vote
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Turned 21
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1976Turned 30
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 40
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 50
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 60
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 70
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2021Died at 75
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
Key Achievements
- Won the First Division title, the FA Cup, the European Cup Winners' Cup, and the League Cup with Manchester City between 1968 and 1970.
- Earned 48 caps for England and played in three matches at the 1970 FIFA World Cup in Mexico.
- Scored 152 goals in 501 appearances for Manchester City, a remarkable tally for a midfielder.
- Had a stand at Manchester City's Etihad Stadium named in his honour in 2004.
Did You Know?
His nickname 'Nijinsky' was given by manager Malcolm Allison after the famous racehorse, due to his incredible stamina.
He worked in a coal mine as a teenager before becoming a professional footballer.
His son, Jon Bell, also became a professional footballer.
He made a brief, emotional comeback from his career-threatening knee injury in 1977, playing a few more games before retiring.
“I was never a showman, just a player who did his job for the team.”
