[Sport] BREAKING: Manchester City legend Colin Bell has died - latest tributes

[BLaCK.DeVIl]

The midfielder was an inexhaustible box-to-box midfielder whose extraordinary athleticism earned him the nickname 'Nijinsky'

Manchester City legend Colin Bell has died, the club confirmed tonight.

He was 74.

Bell is hailed by many as being the greatest Manchester City player of all time, regardless of the club's recent success.

The midfielder was an inexhaustible box-to-box midfielder whose extraordinary athleticism earned him the nickname 'Nijinsky' after a thoroughbred racehorse of the time.

Bell was signed from Bury in 1966 and over the next 13 years he racked up 394 appearances for the Blues, scoring 117 goals as well as picking up 48 England caps.

He was a key man in Joe Mercer's team which won the league in 1968, FA Cup in 1969 and both European Cup Winners' Cup and League Cup in 1970.

Tonight Manchester City confirmed Colin Bell had died this afternoon following a short non-Covid-related illness.

He leaves behind wife Marie, children Jon and Dawn and grandchildren, Luke, Mark, Isla and Jack.

He is widely regarded to be the finest City player of his generation, making 492 appearances and scoring 152 goals for the club during a 13-year stay.

Known as Colin The King, in 2004 fans voted to name a stand inside the Etihad Stadium after him and his name is still sung regularly at matches.

Club Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak led the tributes, saying: “Colin Bell will always be remembered as one of Manchester City’s greatest players and the very sad news today of his passing will affect everybody connected to our club.

“I am fortunate to be able to speak regularly to his former manager and teammates, and it’s clear to me that Colin was a player held in the highest regard by all those who had the privilege of playing alongside him or seeing him play.

"The passage of time does little to erase the memories of his genius. The fact that we have a stand at the Etihad Stadium named after Colin speaks volumes about the importance of his contribution to this club.

“Colin was incredibly humble and a modest and understated man with an obvious inner strength of character. He was clearly comfortable with who he was and what he had achieved in the game. For the rest of us, there is always the thought of what might have been if injury had not affected his career. Undoubtedly more trophies for City and far more than the 49 England caps to his name.

“Our Club has lost a true great. Everyone’s thoughts and best wishes are with Colin’s family.”