Colin Bell is regarded as one of the greatest players to have played for Manchester City and one of the finest English midfielders of his generation.

Known as ‘The King of the Kippax’ by fans and compared to a Derby winner because of his extraordinary stamina by colourful coach Malcolm Allison, Bell was at the heart of City’s successful side of the late 1960s and 70s.

He made 492 appearances for the club over 13 seasons, scoring 152 goals, and also won 48 caps for England, netting nine times. Those statistics may have been greater had injury not curtailed his career.

He briefly tried to revive his career with San Jose Earthquakes in 1980 but it lasted just five games. After football he held coaching roles with City’s youth and reserve teams and later became a club ambassador.

He was uncomfortable in the limelight and guarded his privacy, as the title of his 2005 autobiography, ‘Reluctant Hero’, suggested.

It took a lot of cajoling by family and friends for him to write that book, but it saved his life. It was read by football-loving surgeon, Jim Hill, who, noting how Bell’s mother had died of bowel cancer, contacted him suggesting he be checked out. Bowel cancer was also diagnosed and within three weeks he was operated on.

Bell, whose name lives on in the ‘Colin Bell Stand’ named after him at the Etihad Stadium, died on Tuesday aged 74 after a short illness.

He is survived by wife Marie, children Jon and Dawn and grandchildren Luke, Mark, Isla and Jack.