Rebel Reds swoop for Colin Bell

Stuart Brennan

16/10/2007
FC UNITED'S new signing will face some good-natured stick if he makes his debut at Clitheroe tonight - he is called Colin Bell!

The newcomer is not the 61-year-old City legend, but a 24-year-old former Rochdale trainee who has also played for Bury and Chester reserves, and for TNS and Carmarthen Town in the League of Wales.

The utility player is likely to start on the bench in tonight's rearranged game at Clitheroe, a fixture abandoned last month when the floodlights failed with the score 1-1.

FC are awaiting international clearance for former Rochdale trainee Bell, and are also hanging on for the go-ahead from the Welsh FA to hand former Manchester United reserves top scorer Aaron Burns his debut.

"Colin a is a great communicator, something we have lacked a bit this season, and he can play right back, central defence or central midfield," said FC boss Karl Marginson.

"He did say to me: `I am going to get some stick for my name, aren't I?' And I told him he definitely will! But he's the type of lad who will thrive on it."

The new boy may be needed sooner than Marginson planned, as skipper Dave Chadwick needs a scan on possible knee ligament damage.