Bellamy had a spell at Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club as a teenager, but decided to pursue a career in football instead, joining Chesterfield as a trainee.
[1] He left the club in July 1987 after becoming embroiled in a contract dispute to join then-fourth tier Wolverhampton Wanderers for a £17,500 fee set at tribunal.
Here, he played as a first choice player for four seasons, despite continued friction with then manager Peter Eustace,[1] before leaving for non-league Chelmsford City in June 1996.
Just five months later, he took up a joint manager role for the club and spent five years in this capacity, winning promotion to the Isthmian League Premier Division in 2001.
[3] In 2008 the English classical composer Mark-Anthony Turnage wrote a short piece for counter tenor and harp inspired by Gary Bellamy.