Craig Bellamy

At 44 years old, Craig Bellamy has this physical status:

Craig Douglas Bellamy (born 13 July 1979) is a Welsh former professional footballer who played as a forward.

Bellamy, a native of Cardiff, began his career in Norwich City, where he made his professional debut in 1996.

He continued to play for Coventry City and Newcastle United in the Premier League, becoming the first signing for the former.

He was demoted in his single season with Coventry before winning two top-four finishes in his four years with Newcastle, earning two top-four finishes.

Bellamy was kicked out by boss Graeme Souness in 2005 and spent the remainder of the 2004-05 season on loan at Celtic, where he won the Scottish Cup. Bellamy returned to the Premier League later this year, after playing one season with both Blackburn Rovers and Liverpool, where he was named the club's player of the year and Liverpool.

He signed for West Ham United in 2007, but injuries interrupted his time there, and he rejoined Manchester City in 2009.

Bellamy left a division to the Championship to represent his boyhood team Cardiff City on a season-long loan.

He helped Cardiff reach the playoffs before they were beaten in the semi-finals.

Bellamy returned to Liverpool in the following season before returning to Cardiff City permanently in 2012.

Cardiff later led them to the Premier League for the first time in fifty years; it was the first time in fifty years that Cardiff had competed in English football's top tier.

He spent one season with the club in the Premier League, setting a new record by scoring for his seventh club in the division before retiring in 2014. Bellamy made his senior debut for Wales against Jamaica in 1998 at the age of 18.

Bellamy played for his country for 78 caps and scored 19 goals in the ensuing 15 years.

He served as the Wales captain from 2007 to 2011, when he resigned from the position due to injuries.

Following Bellamy's retirement from international football in 2014, the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign brought her to an end.

He was also a member of the Great Britain Olympic team in London in 2012, winning five times and scoring once. Bellamy, a controversial character, appeared in a number of high-profile events during his career and was described by Bobby Robson as "the gobbiest footballer I've ever met."

He has been a patron of several charities and founded The Craig Bellamy Foundation in Sierra Leone to provide education and football coaching to homeless children.

Early life

Craig Douglas Bellamy was born in Cardiff on July 13th, the second of three boys born to Douglas and Angela Bellamy. The family lived on Swindon Street near the Splott district of the city, a traditionally working-class neighborhood at the time of his birth, a predominantly working-class neighborhood. Bellamy's mother worked as a cleaner and his father worked at the nearby Allied Steel and Wire plant, where he remained until the plant's closing in 2002. Bellamy spent the bulk of his school holidays at his paternal grandmother's house in Adamsdown, with both his parents working full time. He has asthma, and as an infant, he went to the hospital to monitor the condition. Bellamy and his family lived in Trowbridge, an eastern suburb that was part of a 1960s council estate.

During the 1987–88 season, Bellamy's father, a keen football fan who loved Cardiff City and Bellamy's first exposure of professional football, was watching a Football League Fourth Division match between Cardiff and Newport County, which the home team won 4–0. Bellamy's father played amateur football for local Cardiff-based clubs; Bellamy characterized him as a "sluggish right-back." Bellamy's fascination with the sport soared; he attended Cardiff matches at Ninian Park and with his older brother Paul and his family mates in ABC Park near his house. Bellamy says playing against older children has turned him "into a great player very quickly." He began at Baden Powell Primary School before transferring to Trowbridge Juniors, where he joined the school football team at the age of seven. Despite being younger than most of the others, he was chosen to play and compete in his first match against Gladstone Primary School. Pentwyn Dynamo's local team was interested in Bellamy but was turned down by his small size; his father later offered to form a team if Bellamy could locate enough players; Bellamy scored all four goals in the club's first game shortly after. He was then chosen to represent both Cardiff Schools and a Cardiff and District team in national competition. He continued to attend Rumney High School but left the school with no GCSEs.

Bellamy, a 12-year-old boy, became friends with a group of mostly older boys and began to drink alcohol regularly and skipped class for up to two weeks at a time. He saw several of his friends using cannabis and sniffing glue, but denies ever using the chemicals himself. He later admitted to being a lookout while his friends broke into cars to loot car stereos in order to sell for heroin. He referred to himself as "a boy who knew he was going to be a footballer and thought he knew it all." Bellamy was barely attending classes and was smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol every day by the age of 14. His brother introduced him to Claire, his future wife; Bellamy identifies the relationship as a significant factor in moving him away from his early struggles.

Personal life

Bellamy has portrayed himself as a "keen" supporter of both Liverpool and Cardiff City. When Bellamy was a child in Cardiff, they met Claire Jansen. Despite Bellamy's time away from the city during his apprenticeship with Norwich City, they remained together; Claire stayed in Cardiff, working in a local newsagent. Bellamy and Claire had their first child together, a boy named Ellis, between 17 and 16 years old. Claire and Ellis remained in Cardiff while Bellamy commuted to Norwich. After Bellamy signed their first professional football contract, the couple moved into their own flat in 1996. Cameron, their second child, was born in January 2001 and Lexi, their third child, was born in 2007.

Bellamy proposed to Jansen on July 13, 2005 at The Lowry Hotel in Manchester, and the couple married at St Bride's Church in St. Brides-super-Ely, a village near Cardiff, in June 2006. Bellamy's family owned a permanent home in Peterston-super-Ely; Bellamy lived near his club and travelled to wherever possible when possible. In December 2012, the couple separated; his wife referred to "unreasonable conduct" as the reason for the divorce. Bellamy wrote an autobiography narrating that the couple split after "she decided she'd had enough." Enough of the moving and the following me round. Enough of the absentee husband. Enough of the selfishness and the sombre moods – and there were times when I didn't talk to her because of a knee injury."

Bellamy's autobiography GoodFella, which was ghostwritten by journalist Oliver Holt in 2013, was published in 2013. Bellamy wrote that he suffered with depressed episodes, particularly when he was unable to play football for long stretches due to injury. "There will be weeks, often months, when I couldn't get myself out of it," he wrote. Bellamy went on a "two-day binge" after Cardiff's loss to Reading in the playoff semi-finals. He refused to identify himself as the driver of a car that was caught on a speed camera and banned from driving. After being found to have exceeded the legal alcohol limit while driving in Cardiff earlier this month, he was barred from driving for 18 months. Bellamy, a martial arts enthusiast, has funded several of the fighters who train at Tillery Combat, a Abertillery, Wales fitness center, with a team of Shin2Chin providing them with vitamins, kit, and administration assistance. He also owns a Cardiff Combat MMA gym.

Bellamy was welcomed by a friend in 2007 to visit Sierra Leone. The country was also suffering as a result of a long civil war that had raged for five years. Fans of Bellamy were greeted by supporters, who were unable to safely walk the streets without an armed police escort, as crowds jambed highways hoping to see him. He visited the country's diamond mining industry and was shocked at the workers' poor living conditions, often children. He wanted to start a charity in the region, and the Craig Bellamy Foundation was announced in Sierra Leone on May 6th. Bellamy invested £1.4 million of his own money to create a not-for-profit football academy in Tombo, where 32 boys received an international standard education and elite-level football instruction at no cost to themselves. In August 2010, the first 15 children were admitted to the academy for the first time.

In conjunction with UNICEF, the Craig Bellamy Foundation also operated a national youth league. The Craig Bellamy Foundation League, a national youth football framework for youth, was developed for the communities of Freetown, Bo, Kenema, and Makeni; in addition to on-pitch results, awards were given for school attendance, fair play, and service to community causes. The league also paid for the education of participating children and employed 175 Sierra Leonian team coaches, regional managers, and league coordinators. 1,600 boys aged between 11 and 14 played or trained in the league on a daily basis in 2009. Both operations were suspended in April 2017 due to financial instability.

Bellamy is also a promoter of Noah's Ark Children's Hospital for Wales, which is part of the University of Wales Hospital, where both he and his three children were born. In 2010, he became a charity champion for Noah's Ark, a charity that was aiming to raise £7 million to finish a building project at the site.

Source

Club career

Bellamy attended youth sessions run by Cardiff City in Ely for a year after being encouraged by his father. The club, on the other hand, was uninterested in him as a youth and, at nine years old, he joined Bristol Rovers after being identified by former Bristol Rovers worker Stan Montgomery. Although Bellamy was swayed by the better instruction and his own playing kit, he was still an hour away from his family's house. He spent two years with Bristol Rovers before being noticed by a scout for Norwich City. Bellamy was sent to a trial match in Somerset where he impressed and was invited to compete in the Dana Cup, an international youth football tournament held in Hjrring, Denmark. His work culminated in a permanent position with Norwich's youth development team, Canary Rangers. Several other clubs were keen on Bellamy, and Leeds United's parent was offered £10,000 if he signed for them prior to signing with the club; Leeds United's fathers were offered £10,000 if they signed for them. When he was old enough to sign, Norwich responded by promising him a two-year YTS contract. Bellamy travelled by train to Norwich on Saturday afternoons and then played a youth game on Sunday morning before returning to Cardiff.

Bellamy and another apprentice were sent by Cardiff to start his youth apprenticeship with Norwich at the age of 15, and he and another apprentice were matched with a local family. His first year away from home was difficult, with the singer referring to it as "the hardest year of my life" after suffering from homesickness. Every apprentice was assigned to a senior player for whom they carried out basic tasks such as washing boots or making tea. Bellamy was paired with John Polston but discovered the veteran defender difficult to work with and believed Polston sought to "humiliate" him. Bellamy's homesickness was lessened after he became friends with Tom Ramasut, a Cardiff apprentice, but discipline problems became normal, as well. Bellamy's last warning came after he broke the arm of a trialist goalkeeper during a fight on the training ground; Bellamy later said that Norwich treated him with leniency when disciplining him in fear of losing a player with a promising future. When Bellamy's girlfriend Claire became pregnant while he was a youth player, he came to a turning point in his life. "I have had the opportunity to be a professional footballer," He says, citing the time when Claire called me up to tell me she was pregnant." Bellamy was the only player to be promoted to the club's reserve team by coach Mike Phelan at the end of his first year with YTS.

Bellamy signed his first professional deal with Norwich when he turned 16, earning £250 a week but with the option to renegotiate following ten first-team appearances. He made his professional debut for Norwich under new manager Mike Walker at the age of 17, as an injury-time replacement in a 2–0 loss to Crystal Palace in the second class of the English football league system. "It all felt very last minute," he said reflecting on the rushed nature of his appearance. I was wearing a three-size kit, I touched the ball twice, and the game was over, but it was over." Two more substitute appearances in fixtures against Manchester City and Oldham Athletic followed before the season's end. Bellamy made his first appearance in the league's first month against Barnet on August 12th and began in the league for the first time against Manchester City on September 20th. Bellamy appeared in his tenth match for the first team in the early stages of the season, sparking fresh labor talks. Despite a new-promoted Premier League side Crystal Palace's proposal to sign him for a fee of £2 million, he decided to keep his contract with Norwich. Bellamy's first senior goal, in the opener in a 2–2 home draw with Bury on 1 November. In the 23rd minute against Manchester City on February 7, 1998, he earned his first red card but he ended his first full season with 13 goals from 38 appearances, mainly as a central midfielder.

Bellamy, a youth player, was able to reveal his opinion to more senior members of the team. His words enraged some teammates who had retaliated during training sessions; Bellamy later stated that "one or two of them might attempt to clean me out with flying tackles." They wanted to give me a peg or two." After Kevin Scott consistently singled him out during a training session, one training session ended him "nearly in tears." Bellamy received support from his midfield partner, Peter Grant, who formed a close friendship with Bellamy. Bruce Rioch was promoted Norwich manager in 1998 and Bellamy was immediately moved from central midfield to attack. Bellamy scored seven goals in his first eight league appearances of the season, including his first hat-trick over Queens Park Rangers on August 22, 1998. He was one of the top goalcorers in the First Division by November and was rewarded with a new five-year deal.

Bellamy sustained a puncture wound in his left knee after a strong collision by Wolverham Wanderers defender Kevin Muscat in December 1998, leaving him out for two months and leaving him with a puncture wound in his kneecap caused by one of Muscat's studs. The tackle caused so much anxiety that Rioch had to be physically restrained by his coaching staff, while Bellamy's Norwich teammate Iwan Roberts admitted to assaulting Muscat two years later by stamping on his back. Bellamy's knee swollen since his return to action for the remainder of the season, but the season came to a close with a career-high 19 goals in all competitions. Bellamy fractured his cruciate ligaments in a harmless match against Southend United earlier this season and was barred from playing for between six and eight months. He made his return to the first team against Port Vale on April 22, 2000, and ended the season by scoring goals in consecutive matches against Barnsley and Sheffield United. Bellamy's interest in the summer soared; Norwich turned down a £3.5 million bid by Wimbledon, but Newcastle United showed concern but ultimately held off making a bid because they were waiting to sell Duncan Ferguson to finance the transfer.

Coventry City was sold to Newcastle for a club-record £6 million, which Norwich accepted. Bellamy was reluctant to join the club, preferring a move to Newcastle; he talked with Coventry boss Gordon Strachan to discuss the transfer. Bellamy did not use an agent at the time, so he asked his financial advisor to attend the meeting. His counsel had just met former footballer John Fashanu and phoned him for help, resulting in Fashanu's arrival unannounced at the meeting. Bellamy decided to move under the pressure of the circumstances, but "They were persuasive," he said. I felt that Fashanu's mess had me feel dissatisfied. I wanted to save face with Strachan. I felt ill. Because I'm asthmatic, my chest was stuffed. Because I was so tense, I was unable to breathe properly. I was in a state. So I did what everybody told me not to do. "I told Strachan I'd sign" was the word.

Bellamy made Coventry's highest signing, arriving on August 16, 2000 as a replacement for Robbie Keane. In a 3–1 loss to Middlesbrough and converted a penalty in the following game, a 2–1 victory over Southampton, he made his Premier League debut on the first day of the 2000–01 season. He had a rough start to his Coventry career, but he only scored three league goals, two of which were penalties, before the club found itself in the relegation zone in December. In a 1–0 victory over Leicester City on December 10, 2000, he scored the winning goal, giving his team three vital points, and Bellamy's form improved even more after the addition of his Wales striker John Hartson. After finishing 19th in the Premier League, Coventry was relegated at the end of the 2000-01 season. Bellamy scored eight goals from 39 appearances in his first season at Coventry. His total count of six in the league culminated in him finishing as the club's joint-highest goalscorer in the league, tied with Hartson and Mustapha Hadji. Bellamy said, "I never once loved it at Coventry." I was extremely demoralized. I had enjoyed myself so much at Norwich, but I discovered I had taken a backward step."

Following relegation, Coventry tried to reduce their wage bill and accepted Newcastle United's £6.5 million bid for Bellamy. Bellamy, Newcastle's boss, later described her as a "great player wrapped around an interesting and volatile personality." Bellamy's Newcastle debut in the UEFA Intertoto Cup was against the Belgian side Lokeren. Newcastle beat Newcastle 4–0 in the first leg, with Bellamy assisting Wayne Quinn and Shola Ameobi before scoring his first goal for the club in the second leg. In a 1–1 draw against local rivals Sunderland on August 28, Bellamy scored his first Premier League goal for Newcastle. In a 4–1 victory over Brentford in the League Cup two weeks ago, he scored a hat-trick, netting all three goals within 12 minutes. Newcastle received off to a promising start to the season and claimed first place after a 3–1 victory over Arsenal on December 18, 2001. Bellamy was dealt a straight red card in the match after being ordered to have swung an arm at Ashley Cole, but the decision was reversed on appeal. Bellamy and Alan Shearer developed a fruitful strike partnership; the pair scored 41 goals between them during Robson's first year. Bellamy said that his speed and imagination complimented Shearer's game.

Bellamy was one of four players emailed home from a winter training camp in La Manga after missing a team meal in honor of former Chairman John Hall. The group was reportedly unaware of the dinner's significance and had remained at a local restaurant. After being accused of throwing a student out of teammate Kieron Dyer's vehicle before kicking her later this season, he was given a police caution for common assault. Bellamy denied the charges, saying that the student slamming the car door on his leg after she refused to get out. Newcastle's title battle faded, and Bellamy missed the majority of the season's final months after breaking a tendon during a match against Sunderland. In the last three months of the season, he appeared twice, as Newcastle finished fourth. Bellamy scored 14 goals on the team in his first season and was named PFA Young Player of the Year.

Bellamy underwent knee surgery during the summer break and was supposed to be back in time for the new season by the fall. His recovery, on the other hand, was sluggish, and he missed Newcastle's first four games of the season. Bellamy made his UEFA Champions League debut against Ukrainian side Dynamo Kyiv, receiving a three-match suspension for headbutting Tiberiu Ghioane in the latter stages of the match after recovering from injury. In a 3–2 win over Feyenoord that put Newcastle into the second group stage of the tournament on November 13, 2002, he scored two goals, including a 90th-minute winner. Complications from his knee surgery have caused injury throughout the season; inflammation resurfaced soon after games, leaving him struggling for fitness the following week. Bellamy received the first red card in the tournament's history when he was suspended for swinging an arm at opposition defender Marco Materazzi five minutes into the game. Bellamy responded to being pinched, resulting in him being banned for three matches. Bellamy started suffering from tendinitis in his knees and, following his grandmother's death, he suffered with personal problems that culminated in an altercation with a stranger outside a Cardiff nightclub. He was charged with using racially charged words in connection with the incident. The charges were later dismissed, but Bellamy was found guilty of using foul and threatening words and fined £750. Newcastle finished in third place in 2002-03 with nine goals in 37 appearances.

Bellamy was advised that he needed knee surgery but decided against it to participate in two Euro 2004 qualifying matches for Wales at the start of the 2003–04 season. He skipped several games for Newcastle to ensure he was fit for Wales' matches. Freddy Shepherd, the Newcastle chairman, who attempted to ban Bellamy from playing for Wales until he returned to action for his club side, was enraged by this decision. If Bellamy appeared for Wales, Shepherd threatened to sue the Football Association of Wales (FAW), but this was later dismissed. Bellamy underwent the operation but was back to Newcastle to be told by Shepherd that if Bellamy does not return to form, the club is prepared to sell him. He missed more than three months of the campaign before returning to first-team action in a 1–1 draw with Birmingham City on January 31, 2004. Bellamy had a prolific scoring run since his return to action, scoring seven goals in two months before his season was ended due to a pulled hamstring. Newcastle finished fifth. Bellamy threw a chair at first-team coach John Carver after a public debate between the pair in March 2004. The altercation occurred while the team was travelling to watch a UEFA Cup match with Real Mallorca and Bellamy refused to travel. Bellamy was not allowed to watch the game after a lengthy discussion; Bellamy lauded Robson's involvement in the incident and blamed the dispute with Carver on pranks that had gone out of hand.

Patrick Kluivert's arrival from Barcelona in the 2004-05 season brought more competition for Bellamy, as well as the sale of his Wales international teammate Gary Speed has further diminished his team's status. Robson was fired after four league games following a slow start to the season. Graeme Souness, a coach with a reputation as a disciplinarian, was his replacement, and he quickly clashed with Bellamy. Bellamy had been seen swearing at Souness after being suspended during a game, and the pair had a physical altercation during a training session. Bellamy scored a last-minute winner in a 4–3 victory over Manchester City in late October, proving the rift had been closed. In December, a 1–1 draw at St. James' Park, his 10th goal for Newcastle that season, and his last for the club came in a UEFA Cup group stage match against Sporting CP.

Bellamy was suspended from the team in 2005 for a Premier League match against Arsenal at Highbury, which Newcastle lost 1–0. Bellamy was delayed due to a hamstring injury, according to Souness, but a post-match interview revealed it was because Bellamy was unable to play as a right-sided midfielder. Bellamy said in a minute or two, he was able to play in any position for his team. Bellamy later revealed he had feigned injury to miss a training session right before the Arsenal match, putting his Newcastle career in jeopardy. Bellamy argued with Shearer days later, and Souness was accused of lying about him and his loyalty to the club in an interview. Bellamy would never play for Newcastle again if he was boss, and the club fined Bellamy two weeks' wages (roughly £120,000 in 2020). Bellamy had been asked to apologize to Souness, but he refused to do so and was barred from first-team training. Bellamy retired from Newcastle with a total of 42 goals from 128 appearances.

Bellamy joined Celtic on loan for the remainder of the season on January 31, 2005. At the end of the loan, Celtic had the option to make the transfer permanent. Following his departure, Souness said it was "him or me" at Newcastle, and that allowing Bellamy to stay would have ended his managerial career. Bellamy's goalscoring record was also sluggish, with his remarks - "he's averaged 9.3 goals per season." Half of those people were not in the top flight. To get to 20 goals, we need two strikers near 20 goals. Bellamy has turned down a £6 million transfer to Birmingham City in order to move to Celtic. In a 2–0 loss to Celtic's Old Firm rivals Rangers on February 20, he made his debut for the club. In a 5–0 victory over Scottish First Division team Clyde in the Scottish Cup last week, he scored his first goal in the Scottish Cup the following week. During a 3–2 victory over Celtic and later scored the first goal in a 2–1 victory over Rangers in a crucial game for Celtic, he scored a hat-trick. Celtic led Rangers by two points going into the team's final match against Motherwell on the last day of the season, but Rangers lost by two points, as well as a Rangers victory over Hibernian. Bellamy's last game of his loan term was the 2005 Scottish Cup Final, in which he won his first major trophy of his career after Celtic beat Dundee United 1–0 at Hampden Park. Bellamy had scored 19 goals for Newcastle and Celtic during the season, but she had not scored 19 goals in total.

Even if he were to sign for Manchester United, Liverpool, or Arsenal, Bellamy's club and international strike partner John Hartson wanted him to make his move permanent, and he would never get the adulation he receives here." Celtic, on the other hand, was unable to compete with Bellamy's estimation or wage demands.

Bellamy attracted attention from a number of clubs, including Aston Villa, Fiorentina, and Benfica, before agreeing to terms with Everton following discussions with manager David Moyes. Bellamy, on the other hand, resigned after his last meeting with Moyes, describing him as "tense and hostile." He eventually signed for Blackburn Rovers, led by his former Wales coach Mark Hughes, for an undisclosed sum. Bellamy cited Robbie Savage's presence in Hughes and Wales as a major factor in his decision to join the team. He made his debut in a 3–1 loss to West Ham United, but he later suffered from a thigh strain that kept him out for several weeks. Despite the fact that his early months with the club were marred by injuries, he played in just 13 games by the end of December, he scored 17 goals for Rovers in 2005–06, including a career-best top tier total of 11 in 20 appearances, during a tumultuous but injury-tempered season.

Blackburn completed in sixth place in the Premier League as Hughes supervised the team's attack around Bellamy. The top-six finish represented a major leap over the previous season's 15th position, qualifying the club for the 2006–07 UEFA Cup. The team also reached the semi-finals of the League Cup before being eliminated by Manchester United. Bellamy was subsequently named as the club's inaugural Player of the Year award, which was voted for by fans, and Hughes discussed with Bellamy about his selection as the team's future captain for the following season. During Hughes' time at Blackburn, Bellamy has credited him with "resurrecting his career."

Bellamy was the subject of a £6 million transfer bid from Liverpool on June 20, 2006, triggering a clause in his deal that compelled Blackburn to allow him to speak to the club. Blackburn had discussed terminating the agreement with Bellamy for $2 million, but negotiations were not concluded when Liverpool made their offer. Bellamy had been named as a replacement for Djibril Cissé, who had broken his leg during an international fixture, according to Liverpool manager Rafael Bentez. Bellamy, a boyhood supporter of Liverpool, referred to the change as "like a dream" and required a salary cut to join Liverpool.

In the first leg of the Champions League third qualifying round, Bellamy made a goalscoring debut for Liverpool against Maccabi Haifa, a 2–1 victory. With a cross from Peter Crouch's left-hand corner of the 18 yards (16 m) box, he continued to set up the winning goal for him in the 81st minute of the 2006 FA Community Shield. Two months at the club were overshadowed by an imminent court case concerning an alleged assault of two women in a Cardiff nightclub in February 2006. The case went to court in November but was dismissed by the judge; the defense argued that the prosecution's evidence "was a shambles." Bellamy scored two goals during a 4–0 win over Wigan Athletic on December 2, 2006, his first appearance since the court case. He maintained his good form throughout the month, scoring two weeks against Charlton Athletic and then against Watford.

Bellamy was involved in a brawl in Portugal during a preparation session for a Champions League match against Barcelona in February 2007. On the final night, the two had argued in a bar before Riise returned to his hotel room. Bellamy, who was fuelled by alcohol, remained irate and proceeded to Riise's golf club. Bellamy awakened the room to find his teammate asleep. "I just whacked him across the buttocks with the club," Bellamy later said. You couldn't really call it a swing. It was just a thwack," the writer admitted. Riise denied Bellamy's description in his own autobiography, adding that the situation was much more serious and that Bellamy took several violent swings with the club at the time before he departed. Bellamy returned to his hotel room after exchanging terms before apologizing to Riise the next morning. He was fined two weeks wages by the club. In the media, the incident gave him the nickname "The Nutter with the Putter."

Bellamy celebrated his goal that tied the score at 1–1 by emulating a golf stroke in the first match after the incident, a Champions League last-16 round match against Barcelona. Despite Liverpool's disappointing finish in the Premier League, the club advanced to the final of the Champions League, where they lost 21-0 to A.C. Milan, with Bellamy an unused replacement. Despite losing 2–0, he expressed disappointment over Benitez's decision to use his last substitute in the game to make a defensive change. Benitez told Bellamy that the club was going to sign a new forward at the end of the season and that he was free to move forward.

Everton and Aston Villa investigated Bellamy once more; Sam Allardyce, Newcastle's chief, was turned down due to a faulty swap agreement involving Michael Owen. Bellamy was subsequently transferred to West Ham United for £7.5 million, up for a five-year contract, as the club brought in several new players, including Kieron Dyer and Scott Parker under new chairman Eggert Magnusson. Bellamy's fee was a club record at the time. In an opening-day 2–0 home loss to Manchester City on August 11, he made his West Ham debut on his first visit to the city. In a 2–1 League Cup victory over Bristol Rovers two weeks later, his first two goals for the club were scored. Bellamy and his wife were able to birth their third child during Bellamy's early days in West Ham. For the first time since he was a youth player, he exhibited how being away from his family's house in Cardiff for extended periods caused him to suffer from homesickness for the first time. He began suffering from arthritis that necessitated surgery; he returned to England in October, playing two matches for Wales and one for West Ham. The injury, on the other hand, sparked issues, and after losing 1–0 to Wigan in February, he was ruled out for the remainder of the season.

Bellamy spent mid-2008 in the Algarve working with a physiotherapist to regain fitness. Bellamy's season began in a pre-season match against Ipswich Town; he returned to action for West Ham in the third game of the 2008–09 season, scoring his third goal in a 4–1 victory over Blackburn Rovers. During the season, boss Alan Curbishley was promoted by Gianfranco Zola, but the team was struggling for success. Bellamy attracted the attention of several clubs in January 2009; he was the focus of a bidding war between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City. Tottenham was charged with £6 million and eventually agreed a fee with West Ham, but Bellamy refused to comply with a transfer request when West Ham demanded that he be released, implying that the club had demanded for the transfer. Two bids from Manchester City were turned down, but West Ham accepted a third undisclosed bid from City on January 18, 2009, the figure being around £14 million. Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp warned him that despite having no concern about the player, Manchester City had threatened to sign Wilson Palacios, who was retaliation for Tottenham signing Bellamy. Bellamy became dissatisfied with the ongoing transfer talks and told West Ham workers he wanted to stay and sign a new one. West Ham, on the other hand, pushed ahead with the transfer and accepted Manchester City's bid.

Bellamy's former Blackburn boss Mark Hughes reunited with him on 19 January 2009 after signing a four-and-a-half-year contract for an undisclosed sum estimated to be about £14 million. "I'm positive Craig will be great for us," Hughes said, "I'm sure Craig will be a hit" and that people will soon find out why we brought him to the club. His career-total transfer charges were £47 million, which was his highest transfer amount. Bellamy was hired as part of Manchester City's rising budget following the Abu Dhabi United Group's investment; Wayne Bridge, Nigel de Jong, and Shay Given arrived within a week. Bellamy won a 2–1 victory over Newcastle United on Sunday on his debut for Manchester City on January 28 by scoring the winning goal. In a 1–0 victory over Middlesbrough in the Premier League, he scored twice against FC Copenhagen in the UEFA Cup two weeks later. Despite investment, Bellamy blamed the team's lack of consistency in the league, which Bellamy attributed to a "clique" of Brazilian players who had arrived at the club; Robinho, Elano, and Gláuber, with all of whom Bellamy clashed on several occasions. Following a 2–0 loss to Portsmouth on February 14, 2009, he argued with the group on more than one occasion and accused them of lack of motivation. Bellamy sustained a knee injury against West Ham on March 1st.

Bellamy's forwards, Emmanuel Adebayor and Carlos Tevez, both joined the team ahead of the 2009-10 season. Bellamy's first goal of the season came in City's 4–2 victory over Arsenal on September 12, 2009, before he lined up Shaun Wright-Phillips for City's fourth goal with a run from his own half. In a 4–3 loss, he scored two goals against Manchester United a week earlier. His first goal, a 20-yard (18 m) box, was later voted Goal of the Month for September 2009. A fan invaded the pitch but was directed from the field, prompting the player to shove him in the chest after the game. Bellamy was not contacted by the FA during the incident, and Manchester City said they did not discipline Bellamy but rather offered their assistance to her. Hughes was fired as boss after a string of seven consecutive draws in the Premier League, during which Bellamy was banned from two bookable offences. Bellamy and Mancini's relationship got off to a rocky start after a tumultuous discussion of training schedules. Mancini had scheduled double sessions, but Bellamy had trouble complying due to his long injury history. Bellamy's knee injury was exacerbated more during a match with Manchester United supporters on a night out, causing him to miss two weeks. After Bellamy announced that he was unable to exercise for two days due to his personal fitness regime, which enraged Mancini, the two argued back to training. Bellamy stayed a regular in the first team for the remainder of the season, scoring 11 goals in 40 appearances.

Bellamy, a German footballer, expressed fear that he would be dropped from Manchester City's 25-man squad for the 2010-11 Premier League season, hinting at retirement in August 2010. He was left out of his club's 23-man Europa League squad to face Timișoara on August 11th. Bellamy was allowed to train with Cardiff City next week, fueling rumors that he might sign for his hometown team. Bellamy said he would "love to play for Cardiff" if asked about such a change.

Bellamy signed for Cardiff City on a season-long loan from Manchester City on August 17, 2010. With former captain Mark Hudson named team captain for the season, Cardiff chief Dave Jones confirmed Bellamy will be the team captain for the season. Manchester City had been wary of selling Bellamy to a potential divisional enemy and had suggested a move to Cardiff, but the move would have required a substantial portion of his income. On Monday, he made his Cardiff debut in a 4–0 win over Doncaster Rovers in which he scored from a 35-yard (32 m) free kick. Bellamy missed the next five games after playing the following match against Portsmouth due to a buildup of fluid in his knee that required rest. In a 2–1 victory over Barnsley on October 2nd, he returned and scored. Bellamy wanted to prevent further injury and recruited Raymond Verheijen, his former fitness coach at Manchester City, to work with him throughout the season and paid Verheijen's wages himself. Bellamy played in four consecutive home-league matches against Coventry, Leeds, Watford, and Reading, but he barely trained as much as the first team to recover his knee, which was swelling profusely after games. With a long-range shot in the final minutes of the game, Cardiff defeated Swansea City on June 6th; it was the first time Cardiff had defeated at their rival's ground since 1997.

Bellamy's presence on the Cardiff team was pivotal in the campaign for promotion, which culminated in a 2–2 draw with league champion Queens Park Rangers in April, in which he scored his second goal. Before Adel Taarabt's brace held them to a draw, Cardiff had led the game twice. When Norwich City was set to meet Derby County, Cardiff was up for second automatic promotion position in the final stages of the season. Bellamy phoned his longtime Norwich and international teammate Robbie Savage, who played for Derby, and told the players that if they won the game, they'd earn the money. Norwich, on the other hand, defeated 3–2 after a late-injury-time goal. A loss to Middlesbrough the following week revealed a playoff spot for Cardiff, and Bellamy scored his last goal of the season against Burnley in the 90th minute. He sustained a hamstring injury in the first 20 minutes of the first leg away from Reading, causing him to miss the game. Cardiff drew the match but were defeated 3–0 in the second leg with Bellamy absent.

Bellamy said he would like to stay with Cardiff beyond his loan term to fulfill his goal of seeing them play in the Premier League for one day. Bellamy, Cardiff's boss, was a surprise pick to replace him after Dave Jones' dismissal. Rather, his ex Norwich teammate Malky Mackay was named but did not announce whether or not he would attempt to sign Bellamy. After being priced at £4,000,000.00, Bellamy begged Manchester City to release him on a free transfer.

Bellamy returned to Manchester City for pre-season training but was placed in the club's reserves and was barred from the first team. He eventually signed a deal with the club to cancel the remaining year of his deal, allowing him to leave. He received calls from Queens Park Rangers and Stoke City, but he turned down both when Liverpool and Tottenham showed an interest in him. Bellamy decided to return to Liverpool, despite Kenny Dalglish's presence as boss. Cardiff City said they had lost in a last-minute attempt for Bellamy the following day. "I've grown up with Kenny Dalglish, now to be signed by him is a huge honour." It's been a long few months, so I had to be patient and expect something like this could happen."

Liverpool beat Stoke City 1–0 at the Britannia Stadium in Bellamy's return to Liverpool. He scored his first post-return goal for Liverpool against Brighton & Hove Albion in the League Cup on September 21-September 21, while his first league goal of his second spell came against Norwich City in a 1–1 draw a month later. Following the suicide of his friend and mentor Gary Speed, Dalglish pulled Bellamy from the team for the game against Manchester City on November 27. Bellamy returned to the team and earned assists on both Liverpool and Chelsea's goals in a 2–0 victory over Chelsea in the League Cup quarter-finals, describing his appearance as "one of the finest games I've ever played." The team gathered up before the game after losing in the final minutes of the game, with a clearly emotional Bellamy wept. Bellamy was compelled to visit Steve Rogers, a psychologist, after fearing that his own personal issues might put him in a similar situation.

Bellamy, who was primarily a squad player, made regular appearances as a replacement but enjoyed a long stint with the first team following Luis Suárez's suspension for racially insulting an opponent. Bellamy scored an equalizing goal against Manchester City on January 25, 2012, giving Liverpool a 3–2 victory on aggregate in the League Cup semi-finals. Liverpool defeated Cardiff City in the final on February 26th; Bellamy replaced Jordan Henderson in the second half, but not take a shot out because he was refused to be ruled out from the five nominated takers. Bellamy was also a pivotal role in the club's FA Cup final, with Andy Carroll assisting in the victory over Wembley over local rivals Everton 2–1 in their first FA Cup final in six years. He got off to a good match against Chelsea, which Liverpool lost 2–1.

Despite new Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers' offering him the opportunity to remain, Speed and Bellamy's breakup caused him to return to Cardiff to be closer to his children. Bellamy's free transfer to Cardiff City on a two-year contract began on August 10, 2012, when he spoke about a potential transfer. In a 1–0 victory over Huddersfield Town a week earlier, he made his second appearance of his second spell. He requested time off to address personal and injury issues after one more appearance and did not return to the first team until mid-September. Bellamy kicked Leeds United back to his 20-yard (18 m) free kick; Cardiff won the game 2–1. Bellamy was hospitalized in October after a league match against Watford; ankle ligament damage ruled him out for almost a month.

In November, he returned to the team, leading in back-to-back victories over Middlesbrough and Barnsley, which placed Cardiff at the top of the table. Cardiff maintained its spot in the rest of the season, with a goalless draw with Charlton on April 16, 2013, securing Cardiff's promotion to the top tier of English football for the first time in 52 years. Bellamy burst with delight on the pitch at the end of the game, after achieving what he described as "an impossible dream."

In a 2–1 victory over Norwich City on February 1, 2014, Bellamy's first goal of the 2013-14 Premier League season was his team's opener. Bellamy made history by becoming the first player to play for seven different clubs in the Premier League thanks to the goal. During the season, he appeared in 22 league games but not once scored another goal. Bellamy retired from football on May 22nd, 2014, saying, "I suppose over the years I've gotten used to the pains of various injuries," she said, but "I've been on anti-inflammatories every day." I'm not sure my body would think that's a good thing in due course, but it did keep me busy for the time being. However, the time has come to stand down and say enough. "My body can't take anymore."

International career

Bellamy first represented Wales at the schoolboy level in 1994, but he was put under pressure in an under-performing role. Bellamy was too small to play in the league, according to the manager, who said she fielded phone calls from other parents who said Bellamy was too small to play in the team. He progressed through the under-17 and under-18 ranks before being called up to the under-21 team for the first time at the age of 16. In a match against San Marino as a replacement, he made his debut as a substitute, becoming the youngest player to represent the team. Bellamy, on the other hand, began to see the under-21 side of his career as he was often relegated to the bench at Norwich after a period of international service. He called police in Norwich to report he was wounded, and prevented him from being identified in the team.

Bellamy was called into the senior Wales squad in 1998 by manager Bobby Gould, who was known for his eccentric tactics. Gould was involved in a wrestling match with John Hartson that left Gould with a bloodied nose during Bellamy's first training session with the first team. Bellamy made his international debut on March 25, 1998 as a substitute in the absence of Gareth Taylor in a friendly match against Jamaica at Ninian Park. Bellamy was part of a squad for friendlies against Malta and Tunisia, scoring his first international goal during a 3–0 victory over the former on June 3, 1998. Gould and the squad's clash over the team's quality culminated in a standoff between Gould and the squad. Bellamy made a return to the under-21 team during UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying and scored a late-winning goal against Denmark in a match against Denmark. In June 1999, Gould was fired after a 4–0 loss to Italy.

Bellamy, who was named as Wales' manager, was sick and missed the first match to be played at the Millennium Stadium, despite being included in the training squad. He returned from the 1999-2000 season to compete in friendlies against Brazil and Portugal. Wales' form under Hughes, and the team had a good qualifying campaign for UEFA Euro 2004. Wales defeated Finland in their first match before hosting Italy on October 16, 2002. Through Simon Davies, Wales took the lead early in the game before Alessandro Del Piero levelled after 30 minutes with a deflected free kick. Hartson recovered the ball and played-in Bellamy, who rounded Gianluigi Buffon to score Wales' winning goal in the 70th minute. Wales gained a strong foothold in the group thanks to consecutive victories over Azerbaijan, but the team lost to Serbia and Montenegro (twice) and Italy, as well as drawing with Finland. Bellamy incurred controversy with his club, Newcastle, over his participation in the qualifiers after he postponed a knee injury. Wales finished second in the group, four points behind winners Italy, in a two-legged playoff match against Russia for a spot in the finals. Bellamy missed both legs due to a knee injury that had plagued him before the games, and Wales lost 1–0 on aggregate.

In 2004, Hughes stepped down as Wales' boss, but John Toshack was installed in his place. Bellamy missed the majority of the first year as a result of sickness. Toshack awarded Bellamy the captain's armband when Ryan Giggs was ineffective for a Euro 2008 qualifier against Slovakia on October 7th. At home to the Slovaks, the game came to a 5–1 loss.

In a match against Cyprus—Bellamy's second match as captain—Bellamy's third goal for Wales in a 3–1 victory after setting up Robert Earnshaw for his team's second. Following the win, Toshack lauded Bellamy, saying, "Craig has been wonderful." Since he has been with us, he has understood the extra responsibilities, which is evident on the field." Bellamy was voted out of the captaincy by the Wales squad in November 2006 but not vice captaincy. Giggs resigned from international football in June 2007 and Toshack appointed Bellamy as the permanent captain. Bellamy's appearances for Wales were limited due to continued injury problems; he missed almost eight months between October 2007 and May 2008. In a friendly against Iceland on May 29, he returned to win his 50th international cap.

Despite Bellamy's manager Dave Jones' assertion that Bellamy was too ill to play for Wales, a 'club against country' row emerged in October 2010. Toshack resigned in September 2010 and Bellamy later blasted his former boss, saying that "the time of Toshack's ambitions seemed to be making sure we didn't get too heavy defeated rather than actually trying to win games." We didn't even try and compete, and I discovered that it was difficult."

Gary Speed, Bellamy's former teammate at both Newcastle and Wales, was appointed as the head of Wales in December 2010. Bellamy was supposed to retire from international football due to persistent knee injuries and unwilling to wait for a younger generation of players. He met with Speed in Cardiff to discuss his future. Bellamy was compelled to continue his international service, but Bellamy decided to resign as captain because his fitness meant he was unlikely to play every match. Speed demanded Bellamy's opinion on his replacement as captain; the pair decided on Aaron Ramsey, who was unveiled shortly after. Bellamy's former fitness coaches, Raymond Verheijen, and Damian Roden, who had previously worked, were also hired on his recommendation. Despite Wales' poor start to the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying season, Bellamy was encouraged by the progress being made under Speed's leadership, including victories over Switzerland and Norway. Speed committed suicide two weeks after the Norway match; Bellamy's next appearance for Wales was as captain in a memorial match against Costa Rica, with Ramsey absent. Bellamy played for Wales for a further 18 months under new manager Chris Coleman before he announced his retirement from international football after Wales' final 2014 World Cup qualifiers in October 2013. On October 15, 2013, Wales' last match against Belgium was a 1–1 draw. Bellamy finished his international career with 78 caps and 19 goals.

Bellamy was named one of the three over-aged players chosen by England's prime minister Stuart Pearce for Great Britain in June 2012 alongside Micah Richards and Giggs. In a 1-1 draw with Senegal, Bellamy scored Great Britain's first goal at an Olympic Games since 1960. During the pre-match performances, Bellamy and his other Welsh colleagues were chastised for failing to sing God Save the Queen, the British national anthem. "I wasn't going to sing the national anthem, and nor was any other Welsh player," he said later. It's not our national anthem. And that's all I sing. That's my country's national anthem. I'm not anti-English or anti-British; you have to remember that we were not banned in Wales solely for playing for Team GB."

Giggs scored the first goal of a 3–1 victory over the UAE in the team's subsequent match, while Bellamy assisted in the team's following match. For the final group game in which Giggs was absent, he was named Great Britain's captain. At the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, the team defeated Uruguay 1–0. With the Republic of Korea, the result enabled Great Britain to progress to a quarter-final. Bellamy was called minutes before the end of normal time. After losing the shootout 5–4, the game went to extra time and penalties; Great Britain was ruled out.

Coaching career

Bellamy returned to Cardiff as an academy coach on a volunteer basis. He was appointed Cardiff's player development manager in 2016, overseeing all age groups at the club's youth academy and coaching the older age groups. He was granted permission to apply for the vacant managerial role at Oxford United in February 2018. Bellamy agreed to terms with Oxford but later withdrew his admission after the club was taken over during the talks. In January 2019, he resigned from his teaching position at Cardiff to defend himself against a charge of bullying a youth athlete. Bellamy later revealed an apology for an "unacceptable coaching environment" but the club had no formal discipline discipline taken, despite the fact that he had no formal discipline discipline.

Following Bellamy's arrival as the under-21 team coach for Belgian side Anderlecht in June 2019, the team's under-21 team coach, Vincent Kompany, was given a three-year contract. He began working as an assistant to Kompany before resuming from his position in September 2021 due to mental health problems. He rejoined Vincent Kompany and was named first team coach at Burnley in July 2022.

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