Lawrence Bell (footballer)

Lawrence Bell (31 December 1872 – 7 April 1945), sometimes known as Laurie Bell or Lawrie Bell, was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a centre forward and outside right. He is most notable for his time in the Football League with The Wednesday and Bolton Wanderers. He represented the Scottish League XI.

Lawrence Bell
Bell while with West Bromwich Albion in 1904.
Personal information
Full name Lawrence Bell[1]
Date of birth 31 December 1872
Place of birth Dumbarton, Scotland
Date of death 7 April 1945(1945-04-07) (aged 72)[2]
Place of death Dumfries, Scotland
Position(s) Centre forward, outside right
Youth career
Langbank
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1892–1894 Dumbarton 29 (12)
1894–1895 Third Lanark 13 (7)
1895–1897 The Wednesday 46 (13)
1897–1899 Everton 41 (16)
1899–1903 Bolton Wanderers 99 (43)
1903–1904 Brentford 25 (4)
1904–1905 West Bromwich Albion 16 (6)
1905 Hibernian
Total 269 (100)
International career
1895 Scottish League XI 1 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

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Bell began his playing career with hometown Scottish League club Dumbarton in 1892, before transferring to Third Lanark in 1894.[3][4][5] After joining First Division club The Wednesday in 1895, he played the remainder of his career in England.[1] In his first season with The Wednesday, Bell was a member of the club's FA Cup-winning team.[6] After departing Olive Grove in 1897 and then spending two seasons with Everton (one playing alongside his elder brother Jack, previously also a Dumbarton teammate),[7][8] Bell's most successful goalscoring period came with First Division club Bolton Wanderers, for whom he scored 45 goals in 103 appearances between 1899 and 1903.[9] After leaving Burnden Park, he ended his career with spells at Brentford and West Bromwich Albion.[10][11]

Representative career

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Bell scored on his only appearance for the Scottish League XI, in a 4–1 victory over their Irish counterparts on 2 February 1895.[12]

Personal life

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Bell was the younger brother of Scottish international Jack Bell.[2]

Honours

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Dumbarton
The Wednesday

Career statistics

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Dumbarton 1892–93[3] Scottish League 11 9 2 2 0 0 13 11
1893–94[3] Scottish League Division One 18 3 2 1 0 0 20 4
Total 29 12 4 3 0 0 33 15
Third Lanark 1894–95[5] Scottish League Division One 12 7 0 0 2[a] 2 14 9
The Wednesday 1895–96[7] First Division 24 7 6 3 30 10
1896–97[7] 23 3 1 0 24 3
Total 47 10 7 3 54 13
Everton 1897–98[8] First Division 23 12 5 3 28 15
1898–99[8] 18 5 2 0 20 5
Total 41 17 7 3 48 20
Bolton Wanderers Total 99 44 4 1 103 45
Brentford 1903–04[10] Southern League First Division 25 4 3 0 28 4
West Bromwich Albion 1904–05[11] Second Division 16 6 1 0 17 6
Career total 269 100 26 10 2 2 297 112
  1. ^ Appearances in Glasgow Cup

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 23. ISBN 978-1905891610.
  2. ^ a b "Union Jack". Everton FC Heritage Society. 8 May 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  3. ^ a b c "Lawrence Bell – Player Statistics". The Sons Archive – Dumbarton Football Club History. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  4. ^ Emms, Steve; Wells, Richard (2007). Scottish League Players' Records Division One 1890/91 to 1938/39. Beeston, Nottingham: Tony Brown. ISBN 978-1-899468-66-9.
  5. ^ a b "Third Lanark Player L Bell Details". www.fitbastats.com. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
  6. ^ a b "FA Cup Final 1896". 11 March 2007. Archived from the original on 11 March 2007. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  7. ^ a b c "Lawrence Bell". www.adrianbullock.com. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  8. ^ a b c "Laurie Bell". Everton Football Club. Archived from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  9. ^ "Page Title". Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  10. ^ a b White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 357. ISBN 0951526200.
  11. ^ a b "Season Archive : Player Stats – 1904/05". Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  12. ^ "Laurie Bell – Scotland Football League Record from 02 Feb 1895 to 02 Feb 1895 clubs – Third Lanark". www.londonhearts.com. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  13. ^ McAllister, Jim (2002). The Sons of the Rock – The Official History of Dumbarton Football Club. Dumbarton: J&J Robertson Printers.
  14. ^ Litster, John. Record of Pre-War Scottish League Players. Norwich: PM Publications.