Bell began his senior career with Kilmarnock and, after loan spells with Montrose and Queen of the South, went on to play over 100 matches for the club and win the Scottish League Cup in 2012.

Bell was born in Dumfries and was on the books of local club Queen of the South as a youngster and was also part of the youth set up at Annan Athletic.

[4][5] Kilmarnock manager Jim Jefferies said in November 2007 that he was prepared to allow Bell to go out on loan once he had fully recovered from a cruciate injury.

[9] He retained his place to make his European debut in the second leg of the UEFA Cup second qualification round game against FC Nordsjælland on 26 August.

Following a match against Livingston, which Queen of the South won 6–1 on 4 October 2008, Bell was involved in an incident in a Dumfries bar, which resulted in a broken jaw, but he managed to recover two weeks later.

[14] After signing the new deal, Kilmarnock manager Jim Jefferies hinted that Bell faced a battle in order to become the club's first choice goalkeeper.

[16] Mark Brown was then brought in on loan from Celtic to cover for Combe,[17] but when he returned to his parent club in January 2010, Bell then became the established first choice goalkeeper for Kilmarnock.

[14] Bell remained first pick for the start of the 2010–11 season, with his performances attracting attention from Scotland manager Craig Levein.

[24] He also spoke about how he felt that being dropped by Paatelainen had cost him his place in the Scotland squad and that he wasn't treated fairly at the club.

[35] However, on his next appearance, Bell received a straight red card when he fouled an opposition player in the penalty box, as Kilmarnock lost 2–1 to Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

[38] Kenny Shiels then claimed that English club Ipswich Town were interested in signing Bell, this was denied by their manager Mick McCarthy however.

[41][42] Bell made his Rangers debut on 31 August 2013, against East Fife playing as a trialist as the club's new signings couldn't be registered until 1 September 2013, due to their transfer embargo.

[44] Rangers finished third in the Championship and reached the play-off final for promotion to the Scottish Premiership, but lost 6–1 on aggregate to Motherwell.

[45][46] In the 2015–16 season, with Bell out injured, new signing Wes Foderingham became the first-choice Rangers goalkeeper under the management of Mark Warburton.

[56] Bell started as first choice goalkeeper, but subsequently fell behind Conor Hazard and Jamie Sneddon in the pecking order.

[61] Bell was first called up to the senior Scotland squad on 4 October 2010 for the European Championship qualifiers against the Czech Republic and Spain, after Matt Gilks dropped out through injury.

[62] He made his Scotland debut, as a 68th-minute substitute replacing Craig Gordon, against the Faroe Islands on 16 November 2010 in a 3–0 friendly win at Pittodrie Stadium in Aberdeen.