Craig Bellamy - the Biography

Beginning his career at the age of just nine at Bristol Rovers, Bellamy then came through the youth system at Norwich City before breaking into the first team as an 18 year old and writing his name into club history by scoring the Canaries 5,000th competitive goal in 1998. But real fame was to come at Newcastle United, as Bellamy forged a partnership with former England superstar Alan Shearer. Controversy was never far away, however, and a series of alleged arguments and bust-ups tainted his time at the club and he was sent on loan to Celtic before signing for Blackburn Rovers in 2005. He was a key part of the team that finished 6th in the Premier League - a vast improvement on previous years' performances - and finally he began to appear on the radar of the biggest clubs in the country. In 2006, Liverpool swooped in with a GBP6.5million bid and Bellamy was off to Anfield. Yet again, he would make headlines both on and off the pitch, with a training-ground incident involving a golf club and John Arne Riise leading to both players being fined two weeks' wages. Bellamy then signed for West Ham in 2007 and Manchester City in 2009, where he marked his debut with a goal against former club Newcastle United. Fans immediately warmed to him as he contributed goal after goal - most notably notching up two against Manchester United, a feat that endeared him to everyone at Eastlands! But in 2010 Bellamy began to hint at retirement, and agreed to a season-long loan spell with his hometown club, Cardiff City. Loved by Wales fans for his unstinting loyalty to the cause, along with his famous goal against Italy in a Euro 2004 qualifier, Craig Bellamy is as fascinating a personality as he is a footballer. This is the amazing story of one of Wales' favourite sons.