Alex Bell

Infobox Football biography
playername = Alex Bell


fullname = Alexander Bell
dateofbirth = 1882
cityofbirth = Cape Town
countryofbirth = Cape Colony
dateofdeath = 30 November 1934
cityofdeath = Chorlton-cum-Hardy
countryofdeath = England
position = half back
years = ????–1903
1903–1913
1913–19??
clubs = Ayr Parkhouse
Manchester United
Blackburn Rovers
caps(goals) = 00? 0(?)
278 (10)
011 0(0)
nationalyears = 1912
nationalteam = Scotland
nationalcaps(goals) = 001 0(0)

Alexander "Alex" Bell (1882 – 30 November 1934), also known as Sandy Bell, was a South African-born Scottish footballer who played at half-back.

Club career

Born in Cape Town, Cape Colony, to Scottish parents, Bell began his professional football career as a centre-forward with various clubs in Ayr, including Ayr Spring Vale, Ayr Westerlea and Ayr Parkhouse. While with Ayr Parkhouse, Bell was spotted by former Newton Heath half-back Will Davidson, who reported his findings back to Manchester United.cite book |last=Barnes |first=Justyn |coauthors=Adam Bostock, Cliff Butler, Jim Ferguson, David Meek, Andy Mitten, Sam Pilger, Frank Taylor OBE & Tom Tyrell |title=The Official Manchester United Illustrated Encyclopedia |publisher=Manchester United Books |year=2001 |location=London |id=ISBN 0-233-99964-7 ]

United paid Ayr Parkhouse £700 for Bell in January 1903. He struggled to make an impact in the Manchester United first team as a centre-forward, making just 11 appearances in his first two years at the club. However, United suffered an injury crisis at half-back in 1904, and Bell was called upon to step in. As it happened, Bell excelled in his new position, and became the club's regular left-half, forming an unbreakable trio with Charlie Roberts and Dick Duckworth.

After scoring 10 goals in 306 appearances, [ [http://www.mufcinfo.com/manupag/a-z_player_archive/a-z_player_archive_pages/bell_alexander.html Alexander Bell] ] and winning two First Division titles (1907–08 and 1910–11) and one FA Cup (1909), Bell was sold to Blackburn Rovers for a fee of £1,000 in July 1913. He played only a few matches for Blackburn before the outbreak of the First World War, and signed for Clackmannan in 1921. He played for Clackmannan for one season before retiring as a player and joining the coaching staff at Coventry City. His last job in football was at Manchester City, whom he coached from 1925 until his death in 1934.

Bell's name was immortalised by former Manchester United team-mate Charlie Roberts, who became a tobacconist after retiring from football, naming a brand of cigarette "Ducrobel" after United's famous half-back trio of Duckworth, Roberts and Bell.

International career

In March 1912, Bell made his only appearance for the Scottish national team, playing in a 4–1 win over Ireland.

Honours

;Manchester United
*First Division
**Winner (2): 1907–08, 1910–11
*FA Cup
**Winner (1): 1909

;Blackburn Rovers
*First Division
**Winner (1): 1913–14

References

External links

*SFA Profile|id=112905
* [http://www.londonhearts.com/scotland/players/alexanderbell.html Scotland profile] at LondonHearts.com