.jpg) | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alexander Bell | ||
| Date of birth | 20 October 1882[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Cape Town,Cape Colony | ||
| Date of death | 30 November 1934(1934-11-30) (aged 52) | ||
| Place of death | Chorlton-cum-Hardy, England | ||
| Position | Wing half | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1900–1903 | Ayr Parkhouse | ||
| 1903–1913 | Manchester United | 278 | (10) |
| 1913–1920 | Blackburn Rovers | 11 | (0) |
| 1920–1922 | Clackmannan | 18 | (1) |
| 1922–1923 | Royal Albert | ||
| International career | |||
| 1912 | Scotland | 1 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Alexander Bell (20 October 1882 – 30 November 1934) was afootballer who played as awing half. His professional career was mostly spent in England, where he won trophies withManchester United andBlackburn Rovers. Born in South Africa, he was largely raised in Scotland and made one appearance for theScotland national team.
Born inCape Town,Cape Colony, to Scottish parents,[2] Bell began his professional football career as a centre-forward with various clubs inAyr, includingAyr Spring Vale,Ayr Westerlea andAyr Parkhouse. While with Ayr Parkhouse (then still to join theScottish Football League), Bell was spotted by former Newton Heath half-backWill Davidson, who reported his findings back toManchester United.[3]
United paid Ayr Parkhouse £700 for Bell in January 1903. At this stage, it was less than a year since United's formation in place of the bankrupt Newton Heath club, and they were still in theFootball League Second Division, from which they won promotion in 1906.
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 withCharlie Roberts andDick Duckworth.[3]
After scoring 10 goals in 309 appearances,[4] and winning twoFirst Division titles (1907–08 and1910–11) and oneFA Cup (1909), Bell was sold toBlackburn Rovers for a fee of £1,000 in July 1913. He played only a few matches for Blackburn before the outbreak of theFirst World War, and signed forClackmannan in 1921. He played there for two seasons and spent one withRoyal Albert,[5] before retiring as a player and joining the coaching staff atCoventry City. His last job in football was atManchester City, where he was employed as coach and trainer from 1925 until his death in November 1934 at the age of 52.[3]
Bell's name was immortalised by former Manchester United teammate 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.[3]
On 16 March 1912, Bell played forScotland in a 4–1 win againstIreland.[6] It was his only international cap[6] and he was the firstManchester United player to represent Scotland.[7]
Manchester United
Blackburn Rovers
