Bell began his playing career with hometown Scottish League club Dumbarton in 1892, before transferring to Third Lanark in 1894.

[6] After departing Olive Grove in 1897 and then spending two seasons with Everton (one playing alongside his elder brother Jack, previously also a Dumbarton teammate),[7][8] Bell's most successful goalscoring period came with First Division club Bolton Wanderers, for whom he scored 45 goals in 103 appearances between 1899 and 1903.

[9] After leaving Burnden Park, he ended his career with spells at Brentford and West Bromwich Albion.

[10][11] Bell scored on his only appearance for the Scottish League XI, in a 4–1 victory over their Irish counterparts on 2 February 1895.

[2] Dumbarton The Wednesday This biographical article related to association football in Scotland, about a forward born in the 1870s, is a stub.