[1] After completing his National Service requirements with the British Army of the Rhine in 1958,[3] Bodell made his senior debut on 7 February 1959 at home to Norwich City in the Football League Third Division.
[4] Normally a centre forward,[3] he played in an unfamiliar wing-half position in a Rochdale side disrupted by illness; they lost 2–1, and fell to the foot of the table.
In the 1961–62 season, he helped Rochdale reach and played in both legs of the League Cup final which they lost to Norwich City.
[8][4] Bodell left Northern Premier League club Altrincham, where his playing career ended because of knee ligament damage but where he had continued as coach, to become manager of Barrow in March 1969.
[13] This situation was repeated four years later when Smith's dismissal in February 1982 left Bodell as caretaker for two matches until the appointment of Ron Saunders.