A THREAD: The legend of Colin Bell at Manchester City Football Club

In the mid 60s, Manchester City were struggling. It'd been 10 years since their last trophy, and they sat in the Second Division whilst their city rivals were challenging for the First Division title

To help City gain promotion, they needed January signings in 1966

One of those January signings was 19 year old Colin Bell, who joined for £47,500 from Bury

The young player impressed in his first half a season, scoring a goal against Rotherham to confirm their promotion to the First Division after finishing 1st in the Second Division

Manchester City finished 15th in their first season up, with Bell scoring 14 goals (more than any other City player)

He quickly established himself as one of the most promising players in English football

The next season (1967/68), City began to challenge for the title against their city rivals Manchester United

Bell scored 14 goals again, and recorded an assist in the final day 4-3 title decider against Newcastle United, which won City their first league title in 31 years

Bell's performances earned him a place in the England squad for Euro 1968, a squad which at the time were World Champions

His first England goal was against a star-studded Brazil, one of the 9 goals he scored in an England career spanning 48 games

City won the 1968 Community Shield, but the 1968/69 season was a disappointing year for City in the league, yet them and Bell shone in the FA Cup, beating Leicester City in the final

Bell also won the 1968/69 Home Championship with England alongside City teammate Francis Lee

The next season was a brilliant one for Bell. City won silverware for the third consecutive year, beating West Brom in the League Cup Final to win City's first ever League Cup

European success came that season too with victory in the European Cup Winner's Cup Final

City battled for the league title yet again, but unfortunately fell short after losing 4 in 9 when Bell was injured

Bell won his 2nd Community Shield in 1972, but his goal wasn't enough to win his side the 1973/74 League Cup Final where they lost 2-1 to Wolverhampton Wanderers

However in that same season, Bell played in the final game of the season, where Manchester United legend Denis Law scored for City to relegate United from the First Division

Not the trophy Bell wanted, but an iconic moment nonetheless

Bell didn't win the league title the next season, but he made the PFA Team of the Year

He won his final trophy in 1975/76, the League Cup, but picked up an injury against Manchester United in that tournament which effectively ended his career at 29 years old

Bell played 498 games for Manchester City, and scored a total of 153 goals, making him the 4th highest scorer ever for Manchester City

He was inducted to the Manchester City Hall of Fame in 2004, and then to the English Football Hall of Fame in 2005

The West Stand of the Etihad Stadium was named 'The Colin Bell Stand' in 2004, the only stand at Manchester City's stadium to be named after a player

"A brilliant player" - George Best

"Bell had it all" - Kevin Keegan

"Colin Bell was unquestionably a great player" - Bobby Charlton

"A true Manchester City legend" - Vincent Kompany

"This club is what it is because of the old players like Colin Bell" - Pep Guardiola

King of the Kippax, Nijinsky, whatever you want to call him, Colin Bell will forever be remembered as one of Manchester City's greatest ever players

Undoubtedly the posterboy of one of our most successful eras, his legacy will be eternal