| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Laurence Bell | ||
| Date of birth | (1992-09-01)1 September 1992 (age 33) | ||
| Place of birth | Poynton, England | ||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Forward Madison | ||
| Number | 20 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2000–2004 | Stockport County | ||
| 2004–2009 | Manchester City | ||
| 2009–2011 | Rochdale | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2011–2014 | Milwaukee Panthers | 70 | (26) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2014 | Ventura County Fusion | 10 | (2) |
| 2015 | Tulsa Roughnecks | 23 | (1) |
| 2016 | Hyde United | 14 | (1) |
| 2016 | Karlslund | 24 | (11) |
| 2016 | Macclesfield Town | 2 | (0) |
| 2016 | →Hyde United (loan) | 10 | (1) |
| 2017–2018 | Karlslund | 52 | (11) |
| 2019 | BK Forward | 29 | (7) |
| 2020–2021 | Örebro Syrianska | 55 | (10) |
| 2022–2023 | Caernarfon Town | 29 | (3) |
| 2025– | Forward Madison | 0 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 20:15, 11 March 2025 (UTC) | |||
Laurence "Laurie" Bell (born 1 September 1992) is an English professionalfootballer who plays as adefender andmidfielder forUSL League One clubForward Madison. During his career, Bell has played in his home nation as well as in the USA, Sweden and Wales.
Bell joinedStockport County's School of Excellence at the age of eight, before moving toManchester City's academy four years later. However, City let him go at the age of 16. After which he spent two years on a youth team apprenticeship atRochdale, where he was part of aFootball League Youth Alliance-title winning squad. However the club released him in May 2011.[1]
Bell playedcollege soccer at theUniversity of Wisconsin–Milwaukee between 2011 and 2014.[2] In 2013, he captained theMilwaukee Panthers to their victory in theHorizon League conference and qualification to the2013 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship, scoring 13 goals along the way, and being named as the Horizon League's player of the year[3] and anNCAA First-Team All-American.[1] While at college, Bell also appeared forUSL PDL clubVentura County Fusion in 2014.[4]
Bell was invited to theMLS 2015 Combine, but, hampered by a recurrence ofpatellar tendinitis which he had suffered during his teenage years,[1] went undrafted in the2015 MLS SuperDraft.[5]
Bell signed withUnited Soccer League clubTulsa Roughnecks in March 2015.[6] After one season with the Roughnecks, and a spell with semi-professional sideHyde United in his native England, Bell joined Swedish second division clubKarlslunds IF HFK on a one-year contract in April 2016.[3] He was named Player of the Year at Karlsunds IF HFK, after recording 11 goals and 10 assists in 24 matches and firing Karlslunds to 5th position in Division 2 - the club's highest finish for 7 years.
In December 2016, The Guardian published a blog by Bell about the challenges of pursuing a relatively low paying football career.[7] In January 2017 Bell joined English Conference sideMacclesfield Town[8] before being sent out on loan toHyde United.[9] In March 2017, Bell re-joined Swedish sideKarlslunds IF HFK.[10] In January 2019, Bell leftKarlslunds to join fellowDivision 1 sideBK Forward.[11] After a year with Forward, Bell joined newly promoted Division 1 sideÖrebro Syrianska on a one-year deal.[12]
Bell was signed to a 25-day contract byForward Madison ofUSL League One prior to their2025 season.[13]