Bellamy Jim Image 2 Arsenal 1906

Description

Bethnal Green, London born outside right or right half Jim Bellamy played for Barking in 1901 and had a spell with Southern League Division Two club Grays United in 1903 before joining Southern League Reading later the same year, from where he joined First Division Arsenal in May 1903, making his Football League debut against Everton in April 1905. Bellamy was a regular at the start of the following season, playing 15 of the first 17 fixtures and scoring against Sunderland and Middlesbrough.

The arrival of William Garbutt forced Bellamy back to the fringes of the Arsenal first team in December and it was a similar story in 1906-07 – he started the campaign on the right flank but was replaced when Garbutt recovered from injury. Bellamy played his final first team game for Arsenal against Blackburn in March 1907 and was then transferred to Portsmouth after 4 goals in 29 appearances.

He joined Norwich City in 1908 having scored three times in 8 appearances for Pompey, before moving to Dundee later the same year. Bellamy wrote himself into Dark Blue folklore by virtue of being a member of the 1910 Scottish Cup winning side and he proved integral, scoring the equaliser in the second replay with Sailor Hunter later obliging with a winner to bring the trophy to Dens for the first and only time. The Cup win was possibly Bellamy’s finest hour as a player, and after 44 goals in 118 appearances he joined Motherwell in May 1912, scoring once in 8 appearances for The Steelmen.

A move back to England with Burnley followed in October 1912, and he was in the Burnley team that lost to Sunderland in the FA Cup semi final replay of 1913 beaten 3-2 at St Andrew’s. After 3 goals in 18 appearances for The Clarets he joined Fulham scoring once in 17 matches during 1914-15, and after the First World War, during which he served in the Armed Forces. Bellamy later played for Dundee Hibernian during the 1917-18 season played for Southern League club Southend United in 1919, making 6 appearances before joining Ebbw Vale in 1920 and London League club Barking Town in 1921.

After hanging up his boots Bellamy began a coaching career in Europe. He had jobs in Germany and managed Brescia in the Italian Football Championship from 1926 to 1928 before going to Spain. On 26th March 1929, Bellamy was appointed as the manager of Barcelona, succeeding Romà Forns. At the time he took up the helm of the side, Barcelona were placed eight at five points off the top. Bellamy eventually took the club to their first ever La Liga title as they finished three points ahead of second placed Athletic Bilbao.

Bellamy’s stay at the Nou Camp saw them also win the Campeonato de Catalunya in the 1929-30 and 1930-31 seasons. As so he was at the helm during Barcelona’s record 1-12 defeat to Athletic Bilbao in February 1931. Returning to England, Bellamy was appointed coach of Barking Town in February 1933, but was dismissed three months later, his final job in football.