Career
He was also awarded an All Star for his performances in 2003. Bellew usually plays as full back for both club and county. He is known as a hard-hitting and tough old-fashioned full back and these attributes along with his quiet demeanor and reluctance to talk to the media has resulted in him having a cult following among Armagh and Crossmaglen fans.
He features in 24 reasons "Why Gaelic Athletic Association is better than soccer" under #6: John Terry would run a mile if he came up against Francie Bellew.
Inter-county
Bellew made his Senior inter-county debut for Armagh against Louth in early 2002, and subsequently made his Championship debut against Tyrone later that year. In 2003 Armagh once again reached the All-Ireland final, but were defeated by neighbours Tyrone.
Armagh completed a three-in-a-row of Ulster Championships in 2006. Bellew retired from inter-county football in April 2009.
Club
This equals the national record for consecutive county football championships set by Ballina Stephenites of Mayo between 1904 and 1916.
Bellew, along with Paul Hearty, John McEntee, Tony McEntee, Oisín McConville and Cathal Short is one of six Cross players to have shared in all these successes since 1996. Francie had a 10 week match ban from mooing at Dromard"s centre back, Daniel Clarke.