Norman Bell

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.[2] He also played in the NASL for New England Tea Men.

Norman Bell
Personal information
Date of birth (1955-11-16) 16 November 1955
Place of birth Sunderland, England
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
1971–1975 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1975–1981 Wolverhampton Wanderers 80 (17)
1980 → New England Tea Men (loan)[1] 18 (3)
1981–1984 Blackburn Rovers 61 (10)
– Darwen
Teams managed
– Darwen
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Bell began his career at Wolverhampton Wanderers as an apprentice in 1971, and turned professional in 1973.[3] He made his senior debut for the club on 23 September 1975 in a goalless draw with Aston Villa,[4] but appeared only a handful of times in that season, which ended in relegation from the First Division.[5]

Overlooked for the club's 1976–77 promotion campaign, he returned to the fold in the following season.[5] With John Richards sidelined, Bell played regularly in the 1978–79 season,[6] 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.[7][8] He found it hard to gain regular football and eventually left to join Blackburn Rovers in November 1981.[5] In total, he scored 24 goals in 100 games for Wolves.[3]

He stayed with Rovers for two-and-a-half seasons in the Second Division[2] before moving into non-league football as player-manager of Darwen.[9]

Since retiring from football Bell had various sales-related jobs before working with young offenders for Blackburn with Darwen Council.[9] Bell's son Andy also became a professional footballer,[10] and his uncle Harry Bell played in the Football League in the 1940s and 1950s.[9]

References
  1. "NASL bio". NASL Jerseys. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  2. "Norman Bell". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
  3. "Players. A–Z". Wolves-Stats. Archived from the original on 27 February 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
  4. "Team Details: 1975–1976". Wolves-Stats. Archived from the original on 27 February 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
  5. "Norman Bell Wolverhampton Wanderers FC". Football Heroes. Sporting Heroes Collections. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
  6. "Team Details: 1978–1979". Wolves-Stats. Archived from the original on 9 October 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
  7. "Team Details: 1979–1980". Wolves-Stats. Archived from the original on 27 February 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
  8. Fox, Norman (11 March 1980). "Villa's plans upset by Wolves' reserves". The Times. London. p. 10.
  9. "The Many Moves Of Norman Bell". Wolves Heroes. 14 May 2009. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
  10. "Bell joins Cumbrians". NonLeague Daily. 16 November 2009. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
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