Abdulai Bell-Baggie
Bell-Baggie playing for Tranmere Rovers in 2012.
Personal information
Full name Abdulai Hindolo Bell-Baggie[1]
Date of birth (1992-04-28) 28 April 1992
Place of birth Sierra Leone[2]
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[3]
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
 Gosport Borough
Youth career
Reading
Southampton
2007–2009 Reading
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2011 Reading 0 (0)
2010 → Rotherham United (loan) 11 (0)
2010 → Port Vale (loan) 3 (0)
2010–2011 → Crawley Town (loan) 0 (0)
2011–2012 Yeovil Town 0 (0)
2012 Hayes & Yeading United 1 (0)
2012 Salisbury City 5 (1)
2012–2015 Tranmere Rovers 55 (4)
2015 Bristol Rovers 0 (0)
2015–2016 Stockport County 12 (1)
2016–2017 Poole Town 48 (3)
2017–2020 Weymouth 102 (18)
2020–2021 Eastleigh 20 (1)
2021–2022 Havant & Waterlooville 14 (2)
2022 Salisbury 18 (1)
2022– Gosport Borough 34 (7)
International career
2007 England U16 2 (0)
2008 England U17 2 (0)
2013– Sierra Leone 5 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:13, 1 May 2023 (UTC)

Abdulai Hindolo Bell-Baggie (born 28 April 1992) is a Sierra Leonean footballer who plays as a winger for Southern League Premier Division South club Gosport Borough.

Born in Sierra Leone, Bell-Baggie represented both the England under-16 and England under-17 national teams before winning his first cap for Sierra Leone in 2013. A former Reading player, he has played on loan for Rotherham United, Port Vale, and Crawley Town and was briefly contracted to Yeovil Town and Hayes & Yeading United. He joined Salisbury City in January 2012, before switching to Tranmere Rovers seven months later. After spending three years at Tranmere, he was released before joining Bristol Rovers in March 2015 but failed to make an appearance for the club. He joined Stockport County in June 2015, and moved on to Poole Town in March 2016. He joined Weymouth in October 2017 and helped the club to win the Southern League Premier Division title in 2018–19. He signed with Eastleigh in June 2020 and moved on to Havant & Waterlooville 12 months later. He signed with Salisbury in January 2022 and moved on to Gosport Borough five months later.

Club career

Early career

Bell-Baggie was born in Sierra Leone, and moved to England with his family in 1999, remaining in England with a foster family when his parents returned to Sierra Leone in 2005.[4] He attended Hillside and Bulmershe College in Berkshire as a youth,[5] and became a part of the set-up at Reading at age nine.[6] Though he spent some time at Southampton's youth team, he returned to Reading in 2007. He was awarded a club number in December 2009.

He joined League Two side Rotherham United on a one-month loan in March 2010,[7] making his professional debut as a substitute on 16 March 2010 in a 2–1 defeat at Accrington Stanley, replacing Marcus Marshall a few minutes before full-time.[8] His first start came in a 3–0 defeat at Aldershot on 5 April, after this game the loan spell was extended until the end of the season.[9] However, his twelfth and final match for the club was the most significant game of his season, as he replaced Kevin Ellison late into the play-off final defeat to Dagenham and Redbridge at Wembley on 30 May 2010.[5]

In August 2010 he was brought in by Port Vale's Micky Adams on a one-month loan to cover for Lewis Haldane, who was recovering from illness.[10] This move came despite an offer of another loan spell from Rotherham United, and talk of Aldershot expecting the winger to join them on loan.[11] After one substitute appearances he stated his aim to win a place in the starting eleven,[12] however, he finished his loan spell with only one start – in the Football League Trophy, and four substitute appearances to his name. At the end of November he joined Conference National high-flyers Crawley Town on loan,[13] but only made one FA Cup appearance. At the end of the 2010–11 season Bell-Baggie was released by Reading.[14]

Abdulai Bell-Baggie playing at Prenton Park in March 2013.

In August 2011, Bell-Baggie signed a contract with Yeovil Town to keep him at the League One club until January 2012.[15] In December 2011, Bell-Baggie was informed his short-term contract would not be extended and he was released without making a single appearance.[16] He signed with Conference club Hayes & Yeading United on 6 January,[17] and played in the club's 3–1 defeat at Kidderminster Harriers the next day.[18] On 16 January his ten-day spell at the club came to an end when he was signed by Salisbury City manager Darrell Clarke.[19]

Tranmere Rovers

In July 2012, he joined Tranmere Rovers on trial.[20] Manager Ronnie Moore, who was also manager during the winger's time at Rotherham, was impressed enough to offer Bell-Baggie a one-year contract, which was duly signed.[21] Having featured regularly for the club since his arrival, he signed a new contract on 7 March 2013, keeping him at Tranmere until 2015.[22] He scored two goals in 34 appearances across the 2012–13 campaign. Bell-Baggie played 15 games at the start of the 2013–14 season, but did not make an appearance for Rovers after November as the club suffered relegation out of League One. He was named in the Football League team of the week for his performance in a 3–2 defeat at Accrington Stanley on 6 September 2014, having a bagged a brace in the second half.[23] He was placed on the transfer list in January 2015 by new manager Micky Adams, who had previously coached him at Port Vale,[24] before having his contract cancelled by mutual consent a month later.[25]

Non-League

In March 2015, Bell-Baggie joined Conference Premier club Bristol Rovers on a deal until the end of the 2014–15 season.[26] Rovers won promotion out of the play-offs, though Bell-Baggie never made an appearance for the club. He was released at the end of the season.[27] In June 2015, Bell-Baggie signed for National League North side Stockport County, and was described by manager Neil Young as "an exciting and excellent" player.[28] He was released by new "Hatters" manager Jim Gannon in February after struggling with a series of niggling injuries.[29]

He signed with Poole Town in March 2016.[30] He played four league games towards the end of the 2015–16 season as the "Dolphins" won promotion into the National League South as champions of the Southern League Premier Division. He scored two goals in 35 league games in the 2016–17 campaign, however, Poole were barred from competing in the play-offs as Tatnam Ground did not meet National League standard regulations.[31] He left the club on 10 October 2017, following the establishment of home grown talent Ollie Balmer in the first-team.[32]

On 28 October 2017, Bell-Baggie joined Weymouth of the Southern League Premier Division.[33] He made his debut for Mark Molesley's "Terras" later that day in a 4–1 FA Trophy defeat at Hereford on 28 October.[34] He ended the 2017–18 season with five goals in 30 league appearances at the Bob Lucas Stadium, helping Weymouth to secure a place in the play-offs, where they were beaten 3–0 by King's Lynn Town at the semi-final stage. He featured 51 times in the 2018–19 season, scoring five goals, to help Weymouth to win promotion as champions of the Premier Division.[35] He scored ten goals in 33 appearances in the 2019–20 National League South season, which was permanently suspended on 26 March due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England, with Weymouth in the play-offs in third-place.[36]

On 23 June 2020, Bell-Baggie signed for Eastleigh of the National League; manager Ben Strevens said that "He’s stood out on the occasions we’ve watched him. He carries the ball really well and has a really strong attacking threat. I’m really pleased to get it over the line so soon."[37] He scored one goal in 20 league games across the 2020–21 campaign.[38] At the end of the season, it was announced that Bell-Baggie's contract would not be being renewed and he would subsequently be released.[39]

In June 2021, Bell-Baggie joined National League South side Havant & Waterlooville.[40] He scored two goals in 16 games in the first half of the 2021–22 season.[38] On 22 January 2022, Bell-Baggie joined Southern League Premier Division South side Salisbury.[41] Steve Claridge's "Whites" ended the 2021–22 season in 15th-place, with Bell-Baggie scoring one goal in 18 appearances.[42] On 21 June 2022, he signed with Gosport Borough of the Southern League Premier Division South.[43] He scored eight goals in forty appearances throughout the 2022–23 campaign, including a brace on his debut in a 3–2 home win over Merthyr Town.[42]

International career

Bell-Baggie turned out for England at both under-16 and under-17 levels.[44] He lifted the Victory Shield in 2007 with the under-16s, Bell-Baggie starting in the 2–0 win over Wales and the 2–1 win against Scotland.[45] In August 2008 he made two appearances for the under-17s, in a 2–1 defeat by Portugal and a 2–0 win over Italy.[46] Bell-Baggie made his senior debut with Sierra Leone in a 1–0 defeat to Cape Verde at the Estádio da Várzea in a World Cup qualifier on 15 June 2013.[47]

Style of play

Rotherham United manager Ronnie Moore considered him to be an "impact player". He went on to say "he's got electric pace. He's brave and strong and has got a lot of goals for the Reserves and kids. He's two footed and can play on the left wing and gets into little pocket. He turns and twists and, even at his young age, he knows the game."[48]

Personal life

In 2011, Bell-Baggie was living with his girlfriend, Natalie, sister of Adam Lallana.[4]

Career statistics

Club statistics

As of match played 22 April 2023
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Reading 2009–10[49] Championship 00——— 00
2010–11[50] Championship 00——— 00
Total 00000000 00
Rotherham United (loan) 2009–10[49] League Two 110——1[lower-alpha 1]0 120
Port Vale (loan) 2010–11[50] League Two 30—101[lower-alpha 2]0 50
Crawley Town (loan) 2010–11[50] Conference National 0010—— 10
Yeovil Town 2011–12[51] League One 00——— 00
Hayes & Yeading United 2011–12[51] Conference National 10——— 10
Salisbury City 2011–12[52] Conference South 51——— 51
Tranmere Rovers 2012–13[53] League One 311—211[lower-alpha 2]0 342
2013–14[54] League One 1201020— 150
2014–15[55] League Two 12310102[lower-alpha 2]0 163
Total 554205130 655
Bristol Rovers 2014–15[55] Conference National 00——— 00
Stockport County 2015–16[38] National League North 12100—00 121
Poole Town 2015–16[56] Southern League
Premier Division		 4000—00 40
2016–17[38] National League South 35200—00 352
2017–18[38] National League South 9100—00 91
Total 48300—00 483
Weymouth 2017–18[42] Southern League
Premier Division		 30500—4[lower-alpha 3]0 345
2018–19[42] Southern League
Premier Division		 41321—8[lower-alpha 4]1 515
2019–20[38] National League South 311010—1[lower-alpha 5]0 3310
Total 1021831—131 11820
Eastleigh 2020–21[38] National League 20110—1[lower-alpha 5]0 221
Havant & Waterlooville 2021–22[38] National League 14210—1[lower-alpha 5]0 162
Salisbury 2021–22[42] Southern League
Premier Division South		 18100—00 181
Gosport Borough 2022–23[42] Southern League
Premier Division South		 34720—4[lower-alpha 6]1 408
2023–24[42] Southern League
Premier Division South		 0000—00 00
Total 34720—41 408
Career total 3233810161242 36342
  1. ↑ Appearance in the League Two play-offs
  2. 1 2 3 Appearance in the Football League Trophy
  3. ↑ Appearance in the FA Trophy, Dorset Senior Cup, Southern League Challenge Cup and play-offs
  4. ↑ Appearance in the FA Trophy and Dorset Senior Cup
  5. 1 2 3 Appearance in the FA Trophy
  6. ↑ Appearance in the FA Trophy, Hampshire Senior Cup and Portsmouth Senior Cup

International statistics

Sierra Leone national team
YearAppsGoals
201320
201430
Total[57]50

Honours

England under-16s

Weymouth

References

  1. ↑ "List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/07/2010 and 31/07/2010" (PDF). The Football Association. Retrieved 20 August 2010.
  2. ↑ Rollin, Jack; Rollin, Glenda (5 August 2010). Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2010–2011. ISBN 978-0-7553-6107-6.
  3. ↑ "FootballSquads – Port Vale – 2010/11". footballsquads.co.uk. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  4. 1 2 Hardy, Martin (12 November 2012). "Cost of a two-week trial: £1,000. Saving the dream: Priceless". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 16 February 2016. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  5. 1 2 Fordham, Jonny (7 June 2010). "Bell-Baggie absolutely delighted after Wembley run-out". Reading Post. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
  6. ↑ "NEW LOAN SIGNING". port-vale.co.uk. 13 August 2010. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
  7. ↑ "Rotherham United sign Reading's Bell-Baggie on loan". BBC Sport. 12 March 2010. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
  8. ↑ "Accrington Stanley 2–1 Rotherham". BBC Sport. 16 March 2010. Archived from the original on 9 May 2014. Retrieved 17 March 2010.
  9. ↑ "Rotherham United hang on to Bell-Baggie and McAllister". BBC Sport. 9 April 2010. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
  10. ↑ "Port Vale sign winger Abulai Bell-Baggie on loan". BBC Sport. 13 August 2010. Archived from the original on 18 August 2010. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
  11. ↑ "Moore loses out on Bell-Baggie". rotherhamunited-mad.co.uk. 5 August 2010. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
  12. ↑ "Port Vale winger Bell-Baggie vows to make first team". BBC Sport. 16 August 2010. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
  13. ↑ "Crawley Town sign Reading winger Abdulai Bell-Baggie". BBC Sport. 25 November 2010. Retrieved 26 November 2010.
  14. ↑ "Icelandic defender Ivar Ingimarsson to leave Reading". BBC Sport. 2 June 2011. Retrieved 2 June 2011.
  15. ↑ "Kerrea Gilbert and Abdulai Bell-Baggie join Yeovil Town". BBC Sport. 9 August 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
  16. ↑ "Yeovil Town release four but re-sign Watford's Gavin Massey". BBC Sport. 4 January 2012.
  17. ↑ "Bell-Baggie Signs for Hayes & Yeading". footballconference.co.uk. 6 January 2012. Archived from the original on 27 January 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  18. ↑ "Kidderminster 3 – 1 Hayes & Yeading". BBC Sport. 7 January 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  19. ↑ "Salisbury City sign Matt Clark and Abdulai Bell-Baggie". BBC Sport. 16 January 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  20. ↑ Jowett, Andy (12 July 2012). "Ex-Everton striker Francis Jeffers training with Tranmere Rovers". Cheshire Today. Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  21. ↑ "Tranmere Rovers sign winger Abdulai Bell-Baggie". BBC Sport. 1 August 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  22. ↑ "Bell-Baggie Signs New Contract". Tranmere Rovers F.C. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  23. ↑ "Sky Bet Football League Team of the Week 05/09/14 – 07/09/14". efl.com. 8 September 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  24. ↑ "Steve Jennings and Rory Donnelly join as two exit". BBC Sport. 8 January 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  25. ↑ "Bell-Baggie leaves Tranmere". Sporting Life. 2 February 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  26. ↑ "Rovers Complete Baggie Signing". Bristol Rovers Official Website. bristolrovers.co.uk. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  27. ↑ "Baggie Leaves Rovers". Bristol Rovers Official Website. bristolrovers.co.uk. 17 June 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  28. ↑ "Young bags Abdulai". stockportcounty.com. Archived from the original on 10 July 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  29. ↑ "Baggie exits Edgeley Park". stockportcounty.com. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  30. ↑ Mitchell, Andy (11 March 2016). "Poole Town sign ex-Football League winger Abdulai Baggie". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  31. ↑ "National League: Darlington FC, Hungerford Town & Poole Town denied play-off places". BBC Sport. 26 April 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  32. ↑ "Player Changes – Poole Town FC". Poole Town FC. 10 October 2017. Archived from the original on 26 December 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  33. ↑ "Abdulai Baggie joins the Terras". The Terras. 28 October 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  34. ↑ "Solid start for Abdulai Baggie". The Terras. 31 October 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  35. 1 2 "Weymouth are the champions!". Wessex FM. 27 April 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  36. ↑ "National League clubs vote to end regular season immediately". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  37. ↑ "New Signing: Abdulai Bell-Baggie signs for Eastleigh". eastleighfc.com. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  38. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Abdulai Bell-Baggie at Soccerway
  39. ↑ "2020/21 Released And Retained List". eastleighfc.com. 4 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  40. ↑ "Havant and Waterlooville are delighted to announce the signing of Abdulai Baggie". havantandwaterloovillefc.co.uk. 24 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  41. ↑ "Abdulai Bell-Baggie signed". Salisbury FC. 22 January 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  42. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Abdulai Baggie Profile | Aylesbury United FC". aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  43. ↑ Steel, Connor (21 June 2022). "Winger Bell-Baggie signs for Gosport – The Gosport and Fareham Globe". The Gosport & Fareham Globe. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  44. ↑ "England Under 17's lose out to Portugal at Nene Park". thediamondsfc.com. 29 August 2008. Archived from the original on 26 February 2012. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
  45. ↑ "Royals win trophy with England". readingfc.co.uk. 3 December 2007. Archived from the original on 6 August 2012. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
  46. ↑ "Abdulai Baggie". thefa.com. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
  47. ↑ "Cape Verde Island v Sierra Leone". FIFA. Archived from the original on 17 January 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  48. ↑ Herringthorpe (15 March 2010). "RUFC – Ronnie talks about Bell-Baggie". rotherham.vitalfootball.co.uk. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
  49. 1 2 "Games played by Abdulai Bell-Baggie in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  50. 1 2 3 "Games played by Abdulai Bell-Baggie in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  51. 1 2 "Games played by Abdulai Bell-Baggie in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  52. ↑ "Games played by Abdulai Bell-Baggie in 2011/2012 in Conference South". Soccerway. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
  53. ↑ "Games played by Abdulai Bell-Baggie in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  54. ↑ "Games played by Abdulai Bell-Baggie in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  55. 1 2 "Games played by Abdulai Bell-Baggie in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  56. ↑ "Player Statistics 2015/16 – Poole Town FC". pooletownfc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 9 July 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  57. ↑ "Abdulai Bell-Baggie". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
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