Norman Bell

Norman Bell (born 16 November 1955) is an English former footballer, born in Hylton Castle, Sunderland, who played in the Football League for Wolverhampton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers. He also played in the NASL for New England Tea Men.

Career
Bell began his career at Wolverhampton Wanderers as an apprentice in 1971, and turned professional in 1973. He made his senior debut for the club on 23 September 1975 in a goalless draw with Aston Villa, but appeared only a handful of times in that season, which ended in relegation from the First Division.

Overlooked for the club's 1976–77 promotion campaign, he returned to the fold in the following season. With John Richards sidelined, Bell played regularly in the 1978–79 season, until breaking his leg in an FA Cup tie at Crystal Palace in February 1979. As a result of the injury and the addition of Andy Gray to the Molineux attack, Bell next featured in the first team more than a year later, in March 1980, when Wolves fielded a weakened side a few days before the League Cup Final. He found it hard to gain regular football and eventually left to join Blackburn Rovers in November 1981. In total, he scored 24 goals in 100 games for Wolves.

He stayed with Rovers for two-and-a-half seasons in the Second Division before moving into non-league football as player-manager of Darwen.

Since retiring from football Bell had various sales-related jobs before working with young offenders for Blackburn with Darwen Council. Bell's son Andy also became a professional footballer, and his uncle Harry Bell played in the Football League in the 1940s and 1950s.

References

External links
 
 Stats and photo at Sporting Heroes

Category:1955 births
Category:Living people
Category:Sportspeople from Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
Category:English footballers
Category:Association football forwards
Category:Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. players
Category:Blackburn Rovers F.C. players
Category:Darwen F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:English football managers
Category:English expatriate footballers
Category:New England Tea Men players
Category:North American Soccer League (1968–1984) players
Category:Expatriate soccer players in the United States
Category:Footballers from Tyne and Wear
Category:English expatriate sportspeople in the United States