Wally Bellett

Wally Bellett

Personal information
Full name	Walter Ronald Bellett
Date of birth	(1933-11-14) 14 November 1933
Place of birth	Stratford, London, England
Height
Position(s)	Full back
Team information
Current team	Retired
Youth career
	Canvey Island
	Grays Athletic
	Arsenal
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1954	Chelmsford City
1954	Barking Town
1954–1958	Chelsea	35	(1)
1958–1960	Plymouth Argyle	41	(1)
1960–1961	Chelmsford City
1961	Leyton Orient	0	(0)
1961–1962	Chester	12	(1)
1962–1963	Wrexham	2	(0)
1963–1964	Tranmere Rovers	0	(0)
1964–1966	Gravesend & Northfleet
1966–1974	Canvey Island
International career
	England Youth
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Walter "Wally" Bellett (born 14 November 1933, Stratford, London) is a former English footballer who played as a full back.

Playing career

Bellett spent time as a youngster with Grays Athletic, Arsenal, Chelmsford City and Barking Town and was called up for the England Youth side. In his early football career he was also based in Malaysia with the Royal Air Force.

He signed professional forms with Chelsea in September 1954 after impressing on trial, making his Football League First Division debut in February 1956 in a 2–2 draw with Manchester City. He will also be remembered as being in the iconic Tom Finney splash photograph with his appearance in it almost being completely obscured. After 35 league appearances for Chelsea he moved to Plymouth Argyle in December 1958, with the season ending with Bellett having helped the Pilgrims finishing as champions of the Football League Third Division. Although Bellett briefly dropped out of professional football when he returned to Chelmsford, he was to quickly be back in the Football League with fairly short spells at Leyton Orient, Chester, Wrexham and Tranmere Rovers.

In 1964 Bellett dropped back into Non-League football with Gravesend & Northfleet, later going on to enjoy a long playing and coaching stint with Canvey Island. Away from football he worked as a car mechanic and lorry driver.