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Graham Bell (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Graham Thomas Bell is an English former professional
footballer who made more than 450 appearances in the Football League
representing Oldham Athletic
, Preston North End
, Huddersfield Town
, Carlisle United
, Bolton Wanderers
and Tranmere Rovers
, and played in the North American Soccer League
for the Denver Dynamos
.
had been a stalwart full back in the years after World War 2. Before he was spotted by the Oldham club at the age of 17, he had been working as an apprentice coach builder and playing for local club Chadderton F.C. Two years after signing amateur forms for Oldham, he made his entry into professional league football on 31 August 1974, in a 2-0 win over Bristol City. This was right at the beginning of Oldham's first season in the old 2nd Division for 40 years, and he was to play regularly from then on. During his first season in professional football Graham's performances caught the eye of England manager Don Revie, who placed him on standby for the full England squad. Never the biggest player around, his workrate and stamina couldn't be faulted, and his red hair also helped to make made him stand out in the Oldham midfield for the next five years, before he was transferred to Preston North End in March 1979 for what was then the considerable fee of £80,000.
After 143 games for Preston, which were interrupted by a brief loan spell at Huddersfield Town, he moved to Carlisle United in 1983, but was soon back in Lancashire with Bolton Wanderers. His two years at Bolton were followed by a season at Tranmere Rovers, before he moved into non-league football with Hyde United in 1987, having played in a total of 463 matches in the Football League.
Following a short stay at Hyde, in January 1988 he again followed his father's footsteps when he moved to Mossley as player-assistant manager - his father having played there before joining Oldham in 1946 then returning again for the 1958-9 season.
Graham went back to Hyde after the 1988-89 season for a two-season stint which would see him briefly serving as player-manager, returned to Mossley for the 1991-92 season and finished his playing career with a brief spell at Horwich RMI in 1992.
Graham features amongst both 'The Legends of Oldham Athletic' and 'The 100 Greatest PNE Post War Players'.
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
footballer who made more than 450 appearances in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
representing Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
, Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
, Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
, Carlisle United
Carlisle United F.C.
Carlisle United F.C. is an English football club based in Carlisle, Cumbria, where they play at Brunton Park. Formed in 1904, the club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system....
, Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
and Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
, and played in the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
for the Denver Dynamos
Denver Dynamos
The Denver Dynamos were a soccer team based out of Denver that played in the NASL from 1974 to 1975.Their home field was Mile High Stadium. After the 1975 season, they moved to Minnesota and became the Minnesota Kicks.-Year-by-year:...
.
Career
He started his professional career with Oldham Athletic, where his father TommyTommy Bell (footballer born 1923)
Thomas Bell was an English professional footballer. He played in 318 league games for three clubs, most notably for Oldham Athletic.Tommy features, along with his son Graham, amongst 'The Legends of Oldham Athletic'....
had been a stalwart full back in the years after World War 2. Before he was spotted by the Oldham club at the age of 17, he had been working as an apprentice coach builder and playing for local club Chadderton F.C. Two years after signing amateur forms for Oldham, he made his entry into professional league football on 31 August 1974, in a 2-0 win over Bristol City. This was right at the beginning of Oldham's first season in the old 2nd Division for 40 years, and he was to play regularly from then on. During his first season in professional football Graham's performances caught the eye of England manager Don Revie, who placed him on standby for the full England squad. Never the biggest player around, his workrate and stamina couldn't be faulted, and his red hair also helped to make made him stand out in the Oldham midfield for the next five years, before he was transferred to Preston North End in March 1979 for what was then the considerable fee of £80,000.
After 143 games for Preston, which were interrupted by a brief loan spell at Huddersfield Town, he moved to Carlisle United in 1983, but was soon back in Lancashire with Bolton Wanderers. His two years at Bolton were followed by a season at Tranmere Rovers, before he moved into non-league football with Hyde United in 1987, having played in a total of 463 matches in the Football League.
Following a short stay at Hyde, in January 1988 he again followed his father's footsteps when he moved to Mossley as player-assistant manager - his father having played there before joining Oldham in 1946 then returning again for the 1958-9 season.
Graham went back to Hyde after the 1988-89 season for a two-season stint which would see him briefly serving as player-manager, returned to Mossley for the 1991-92 season and finished his playing career with a brief spell at Horwich RMI in 1992.
Graham features amongst both 'The Legends of Oldham Athletic' and 'The 100 Greatest PNE Post War Players'.