Gary Bellamy

Gary Bellamy (born 4 July 1962) is an English former professional footballer. He began his career at Chesterfield, making over 150 appearances for the club before joining Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1987. He helped the club to back-to-back promotions from Division Four to Division Two, as well as winning the Football League Trophy in 1988. He had a brief spell on loan at Cardiff City in 1982 before moving to Leyton Orient.

Bellamy later joined Chelmsford City as player-manager and also managed Dover Athletic and Braintree Town.

Career

Chesterfield Bellamy had a spell at Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club as a teenager, but decided to pursue a career in football instead, joining Chesterfield as a trainee. He broke into the first team and played seven seasons at Saltergate. He won the (old) Fourth Division championship in 1984–85 with the club and made a total of 207 appearances in all competitions for the Spirites, despite missing 15 months through injury. Following his return from injury, Bellamy was set to move to Birmingham City but the transfer collapsed.

Later career The following season, Bellamy was sold to Third Division Leyton Orient for £30,000 in September 1992. Here, he played as a first choice player for four seasons, despite continued friction with then manager Peter Eustace, However, he was sacked only months later in November as the club struggled. He became manager of Braintree Town, where he had had a loan spell as a player, but was later fired in November 2003.

Honours Chesterfield

Football League Fourth Division Champions: 1984–85

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Football League Fourth Division Champions: 1987–88 Football League Third Division Champions: 1988–89 Football League Trophy Winners: 1988

In culture In 2008 the English classical composer Mark-Anthony Turnage wrote a short piece for counter tenor and harp inspired by Gary Bellamy. The text was a Leyton Orient terrace chant including the line "he looks so flash/ With his northern 'tache". It was released on The NMC Songbook, a 4-CD box set to mark the 20th anniversary of NMC Recordings.