Laurie Bell

Laurence "Laurie" Bell (born 1 September 1992) is an English football coach and former professional footballer who played as a defender and midfielder. Bell is the head coach for the U19 MLS Next club for Forward Madison.

Playing career Early career Bell joined Stockport County's School of Excellence at the age of eight, before moving to Manchester City's academy four years later. However, City let him go at the age of 16. After which he spent two years on a youth team apprenticeship at Rochdale, where he was part of a Football League Youth Alliance-title winning squad. However the club released him in May 2011.

Bell played college soccer at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee between 2011 and 2014. In 2013, he captained the Milwaukee Panthers to their victory in the Horizon League conference and qualification to the 2013 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship, scoring 13 goals along the way, and being named as the Horizon League's player of the year

Bell was invited to the MLS 2015 Combine, but, hampered by a recurrence of patellar tendinitis which he had suffered during his teenage years,

Professional Bell signed with United Soccer League club Tulsa Roughnecks in March 2015. After one season with the Roughnecks, and a spell with semi-professional side Hyde United in his native England, Bell joined Swedish second division club Karlslunds IF HFK on a one-year contract in April 2016. He was named Player of the Year at Karlsunds IF HFK, after recording 11 goals and 10 assists in 24 matches and firing Karlslunds to 5th position in Division 2 - the club's highest finish for 7 years.

In December 2016, The Guardian published a blog by Bell about the challenges of pursuing a relatively low paying football career. In January 2017 Bell joined English Conference side Macclesfield Town before being sent out on loan to Hyde United. In March 2017, Bell re-joined Swedish side Karlslunds IF HFK. In January 2019, Bell left Karlslunds to join fellow Division 1 side BK Forward. After a year with Forward, Bell joined newly promoted Division 1 side Örebro Syrianska on a one-year deal.

Bell was signed to a 25-day contract by Forward Madison of USL League One prior to their 2025 season. Bell made one appearance for Madison, starting and playing the full match in their 5–1 victory over Duluth FC in the first round of the 2025 U.S. Open Cup.

Coaching career At the beginning of 2026, Bell returned to Forward Madison, this time joining their MLS Next coaching staff as the head coach of their U19 team.