- Hardcover: 208 pages
- Publisher: Mainstream Publishing; illustrated edition edition (6 Oct 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1840187719
- ISBN-13: 978-1840187717
- Product Dimensions: 23.2 x 15.2 x 2.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
51,241 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2 in Books > Sports, Hobbies & Games > Football > British > Football Clubs > Manchester City
- #15 in Books > Sports, Hobbies & Games > Football > Organisations > English Football Association
- #66 in Books > Sports, Hobbies & Games > Football > Clubs
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
If Manchester City legend Colin Bell were playing today, he'd be one of the most sought-after midfielders in the world and would command the wages of, and comparison to, the likes of Zidane, Ronaldinho or Ballack. Most Manchester City fans regard Bell as the club's best ever player. He graced the midfield during their greatest years, as they won the League Championship, FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup-Winners' Cup. The man they nicknamed 'Nijinsky', due to his supreme athleticism, captained Bury at the age of 17 and represented England 48 times before a serious knee injury effectively ended his career when he was just 29.
Now, for the first time, 'King Colin' has opened up. He talks about his childhood; about never knowing his mother, who died while he was a baby; and of being brought up by his aunt and then his father and older sister. He then leads us through the glory years, singles out his greatest opponents and compares the modern game with the era he dominated.
In Colin Bell - Reluctant Hero, Bell covers the many highs and lows of his career, including his views on the tackle in a Manchester derby that ended his footballing dreams and could even have cost him his life. There's humour, too, as he recalls a teammate who couldn't swim being carried shoulder high through the incoming tide on Blackpool beach, and the time he sent a fellow player to a hotel reception in his birthday suit.
This candid and entertaining autobiography offers a unique insight into the world of a true legend who never actively sought fame. With tributes from the likes of Malcolm Allison, Sir Geoff Hurst and Sir Bobby Charlton, Colin Bell - Reluctant Hero is the life story of a footballer whose brilliance on the field demanded adulation but who was never comfortable in the spotlight, a player who truly preferred to let his feet do the talking.
From the Publisher
If Manchester City legend Colin Bell were playing today, he'd be one of the most sought-after midfielders in the world and would command the wages of, and comparison to, the likes of Zidane, Ronaldinho or Ballack. Most Manchester City fans regard Bell as the club's best ever player. He graced the midfield during their greatest years, as they won the League Championship, FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup-Winners' Cup. The man they nicknamed 'Nijinsky', due to his supreme athleticism, captained Bury at the age of 17 and represented England 48 times before a serious knee injury effectively ended his career when he was just 29.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A footballer never forgotten.,
By Chulsk "chulsk" (Sale, Cheshire) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Colin Bell - Reluctant Hero: The Autobiography of a Manchester City and England Legend (Hardcover)
Colin Bell was one of the few footballers I've seen in the flesh who I'd describe as a genius. He deserves a greater testament to his time as a player than this book provides.
I appreciate that this is an autobiography of a footballer and not a work of high literature, but it fails for me because it is written in a very simplistic, almost schoolboy narrative. I understand that Colin Bell was not a gifted writer and I also appreciate that Ian Cheeseman is a worthy broadcaster but the book lacks depth. I wanted to know more detail about his on pitch tussles against some of the best players of his time. I wanted a bit more of the banter that went on behind the scenes. I wanted more opinion as to why the Mercer/Allison management team was one of the most successful of it's day. That's essentially my problem with the book...I was just left wanting so much more. Colin Bell remains one of my favourite players of all time. I was in the crowd when he sufferred the injury that cost him his playing career and deprived the England team of midfielder of the highest order as he approached his peak. This book gives what I feel is a mere taste of the Colin Bell story, and whilst it is a quick & easy read, I won't return to it again but satisfy myself with the glorious recollections of Colin Bell and the memories I have of the late sixties to early seventies Manchester City team that provided so much entertainment to the Blue half of Manchester for all too brief a period.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
This is Colin Bell,
By
This review is from: Colin Bell - Reluctant Hero: The Autobiography of a Manchester City and England Legend (Hardcover)
A good book about a quiet man. A quiet man who was lord of the field. He didn't need words to show who was the best, his feet and his brain proved that.
I pride myself in being a fan of City for 40 years and priveleged to have seen that golden era of the magnificent team the late 60's and early 70's. This book is not full of "let me tell you what I did son" stories. It is about a quiet, modest North East lad who went to the top of his game, only to have his career ended by injury far too early. He showed strength and determination to get back on the field, at the same time, trying to maintain his dignity and raise a family. The book tells it all, home and pitch life, up to the present day. The author has done loyal fans a service by letting us know the real Colin Bell. Sit back, open it up and enjoy.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good easy read.,
By
This review is from: Colin Bell - Reluctant Hero: The Autobiography of a Manchester City and England Legend (Paperback)
Good easy read about a true legend,typical of the rags to have ended his career.Wish him good health for many many years to come.
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