Reds will always mean so much to Bell (From This Is Lancashire)

Reds will always mean so much to Bell

8:52am Thursday 26th January 2012 in Football By Suzanne Geldard, Burnley FC reporter

JIMMY Bell hopes Accrington Stanley’s next boss can go one better than him and John Coleman and get the Reds promoted to League One.

The 47-year-old admitted emotions ran high after leaving the club he has served as assistant manager for the last 12-and-a-half years to join Rochdale.

But with the club well placed for a second consecutive play-off bid, just two points outside the top seven, he is holding out for a reunion next season.

“We thought there wasn’t another promotion in Accrington, but we were very close to doing that last season,” said Bell, who joined Stanley as player/ assistant manager in May 1999.

“I would be made up if they went up again. They’re in a great position to do so. We’ve left the club in a great position. Everyone knows our record of building on success every season and I just hope they can finish higher than fifth like we did last year.”

The Reds have now begun the search for a new boss for the first time since Coleman and Bell arrived from Ashton United, after the duo took up the challenge of keeping Dale in League One Bell was not too proud to admit he shed tears when he left Crown Ground on Monday.

“It’s meant absolutely every-thing. It was the biggest decision of my life. It’s 12 years of my life!” said the Scouser, who has been by Coleman’s side since 1996.

“There’s a part of my that’s been cut away. I got really emotional on Monday night to the point that when I went home I couldn’t even speak to my wife and went straight to bed.

“I didn’t sleep much. I was nervous coming in, but really looking forward to the challenge.”

A change in scenery has prompted a change in preference to results he will now look for when the final scores come in. A lifelong Liverpool fan, his Anfield heroes have been usurped in his affections by a different brand of Reds.

“It’ll be Accrington Stanley then Liverpool,” said the 47-year-old.

“Elliott, my youngest, was born just before we went there, and that’s all he’s ever known. For him it was really emotional.

“He’s an Accrington fan. He’s got all the shirts, collects all the programmes, has all the players’ autographs.

“It’s been hard for him.”

The father-of-three insists it won’t be hard to keep them away.

“Every occasion I can I’ll be there watching them, and it will be the first result I look for,” he said.

“The fans, people behind the scenes, everyone connected with the town, it’s meant everything to me. I’ve made a lot of great friends and I’ve got a lot of great memories. I take a lot of pride from my time at Accrington.”