Background
Some sources report him as being born in Dumfries in Scotland, although RSSSF states that he was born in Cambridge in England.
Some sources report him as being born in Dumfries in Scotland, although RSSSF states that he was born in Cambridge in England.
There is some uncertainty over the details of Charlie Bell"s birth. He started his footballing career as a junior with Dumfries Wanderers, and after a short spell at Castle Douglas side, Douglas Wanderers, he decided to move down south, signing for Carlisle City. He then played for other clubs south of the border, namely Woolwich Arsenal, Chesterfield, Barrow and Queens Park Rangers in a career impacted by World War I.
After coaching jobs at Sporting Clube de Portugal, Reading and N ottinghamshire County, he became a full-time manager at Wigan Borough.
He left England for Italy, where he coached Padova from 1927 to 1928.
He came back to Lisbon with Sporting Clube de Portugal in 1928. In 1932, he was the first Marseille manager in the newly founded French professional football championship.
In France, he had also a stint at Nice. He came back to England in 1935, with Mansfield Town and then managed Bournemouth for three years.
He died soon after, aged 45.
As with his birth, again there is some uncertainly around location. Some sources report that he died in Bournemouth but the RSSSF reports that he died in the town of his boyhood, Dumfries.