- Norman Bell
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Norman Bell Personal information Date of birth 16 November 1955 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
- ^ a b "Norman Bell". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player2/normanbell.htm. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
- ^ a b "Players. A–Z". Wolves-Stats. http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/A-Z.html. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
- ^ "Team Details: 1975–1976". Wolves-Stats. http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/1975-1976_Team_Details.html. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Team Details: 1978–1979". Wolves-Stats. http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/1978-1979_Team_Details.html. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
- ^ "Team Details: 1979–1980". Wolves-Stats. http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/1979-1980_Team_Details.html. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
- ^ Fox, Norman (11 March 1980). "Villa's plans upset by Wolves' reserves". The Times (London): p. 10.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "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
- League stats at Neil Brown's site
- Stats and photo at Sporting Heroes
Categories:- 1955 births
- Living people
- People from Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
- English footballers
- Association football forwards
- Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. players
- Blackburn Rovers F.C. players
- Darwen F.C. players
- The Football League players
- English football managers
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