Willie Bell

William John Bell (3 September 1937 – 21 March 2023) was a Scottish football player and manager. He played as a left back for Queen's Park, Leeds United, Leicester City, Brighton & Hove Albion and represented Scotland.

For other people with the same name, see William Bell (disambiguation).

Willie Bell
Personal information
Full name William John Bell[1]
Date of birth (1937-09-03)3 September 1937
Place of birth Johnstone, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Date of death 21 March 2023(2023-03-21) (aged 85)
Position(s) Left back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1958–1960 Queen's Park 54 (2)
1960–1967 Leeds United 204 (15)
1967–1969 Leicester City 49 (0)
1969–1970 Brighton & Hove Albion 44 (1)
Total 351 (18)
International career
1966 Scotland 2 (0)
Managerial career
1975–1977 Birmingham City
1977–1978 Lincoln City
1979–2001 Liberty Flames
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

Bell was born in Johnstone, Renfrewshire. After starting his career with Queen's Park, he played more than 200 league games for Leeds United in the 1960s. Leeds had many hard men but Bell was only cautioned once with a booking in over 200 games for Leeds. Norman Hunter said of him "Willie Bell was one of the bravest men I have seen in my life. He never blinked, he never flinched, he just went for it." The Definitive History of Leeds United published a small biography of Bell titled Willie Bell – Hewn of Scottish granite saying he was "a consistent force at left back for Leeds between 1962 and 1967"[2] as well as being "one of a clutch of old hands amongst a squad of novices as United sprinted to the top of the English game".[3] Bell played in the 1965 FA Cup final and multiple European club competitions for Leeds.

At international level, Bell represented Scotland multiple times at various levels including being called up twice for full-international duty. His International career included a 1–1 draw with Brazil in 1966 at Hampden Park. Bell had one of the stronger outings that day, effectively shutting Jairzinho out of the match.

Coaching career

After retiring from playing, Bell managed Birmingham City and Lincoln City, and then moved to the United States, where he coached the Liberty University Flames in Lynchburg, Virginia. Bell spent 21 seasons coaching at Liberty, compiling a 198-149-40 record overseeing the Flames transition from the NAIA to NCAA Division II and eventually NCAA Division I status in 1987.[4] Bell received a Doctorate Degree from Liberty University upon his retirement and was later inducted into the Liberty University Flames Hall of Fame.

Personal life and death

Bell was a devout Christian and an ordained minister, who together with wife Mary founded a ministry which visits prisons in England and the United States.[5] He wrote an autobiography of his life in 2014 called "The Light at the End of the Tunnel".[6]

Bell died following a stroke on 21 March 2023, at the age of 85.[7][8]

Honours

References
  1. "Willie Bell". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
  2. "Willie Bell – Hewn of Scottish granite". The Might Might Whites. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  3. "Willie Bell – Hewn of Scottish granite". The Might Might Whites. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  4. "FORMER FLAMES SOCCER COACH BILL BELL REACHED BEYOND BORDERS TO IMPACT PLAYERS' LIVES". Liberty Journal. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  5. Brown, Eric (1 February 2009). "Freeing the captive: Former LU soccer coach finds purpose in prison ministry". Liberty Journal. Liberty University. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
  6. "Leeds United Bibliography". LUFCtalk Fans Forum. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  7. "RIP Willie Bell (1937-2023)". Leeds United. 22 March 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  8. "Willie Bell obituary". The Times. 27 March 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
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