Former Halifax Town player Norman Bodell dies, aged 86

Bodell played over 200 league games in the lower reaches of the Football League, having begun his professional career as a recognised half-back with Rochdale.

He appeared in the two-legged final of the then fledgling League Cup against Norwich City in 1962 before joining Crewe Alexandra the following year.

Over three seasons, Bodell made 109 league appearances and scored two goals for the Railwaymen but had lost his place in the side when Halifax Town manager Vic Metcalfe brought him to The Shay in October 1966.

A former PT instructor in the Army and a natural athlete, Bodell was converted to left-back and made skipper, and was part of the side whose journey to the third round of the FA Cup included the record 7-0 victory over Bishop Auckland on 7 January 1967.

An uncompromising player – Bodell’s philosphy appeared to be that if you didn’t win the ball, then get the man – he nevertheless lost his place to the emerging John Pickering, and despite being placed on the open-to-transfer list by Metcalfe in November 1967, remained with the club until the end of that term, by which time Metcalfe had been succeeded by Alan Ball Snr.

Bodell appeared in the final four matches of the 1967-68 season, taking his tally in all competitions for the club thirty-six, but with an eye to the future, he had already moved into coaching, holding his first course at JH Whitley, Holmfield, in April 1967, before becoming a qualified FA Coach.

He played for Northern Premier League side Altrincham before joining the coaching staff at Barrow, then a struggling Third Division outfit.

When player-manager Colin Appleton resigned, Bodell took over to become the youngest manager in the Football League, but with the club struggling at the foot of the Third Division and destined for relegation, Bodell was sacked in February 1970.

He went on to serve as coach to the reserve team at Wolverhampton Wanderers under Bill McGarry, and felt a sense of pride for those who’d come under his wing, such as Alan Sunderland and goalscorer John Richards, when Wolves defeated Manchester City to lift the League Cup in 1974.

Bodell then teamed up with Bobby Charlton at Preston North End, then served under former Town team mate Jim Smith at Blackburn Rovers and Birmingham City, holding the reins for two matches at St Andrew’s following Smith’s sacking in February 1982 before the appointment of Ron Saunders.

He later held scouting posts at both Birmingham and West Bromwich Albion before retirement in 2018.