Craig Bellamy - English Premier League Ambassador

Craig Bellamy joined City in January 2009 following a protracted courtship that saw the Blues have three bids turned down before West Ham accepted an undisclosed offer for the striker despite strong interest from Harry Redknapp’s Tottenham Hotspur.

With over 50 international caps for Wales, Bellamy became Mark Hughes' second January signing, again joining Wayne Bridge in having significant Premier League experience.

Craig started his career with Norwich City and made his Football League debut in March 1997 against Crystal Palace. After a successful time at Carrow Road,  so much so he has been voted into the Norwich hall of fame, Bellamy moved up to the Premier League by signing for Coventry City in a deal worth over £5 million.

After a season with Coventry, Sir Bobby Robson and Newcastle came calling for Craig, paying £6m in the process and this was justified at the end of his first season as the Welshman was named the PFA Young Player of the Year.

Alongside Alan Shearer, Bellamy formed a potent strike-force helping Newcastle to qualify for the Champions League. After progressing through the first group stage, the Tynesiders may have found Inter Milan and Barcelona too strong during 2002/03, but on the domestic front they still managed a third-place finish as Bellamy bagged 10 goals in 36 league and cup appearances.

There was an acrimonious end to the Cardiff-born frontman’s time on Tyneside as he was sent out on loan to Celtic, but as he was consistently proving, Bellamy produced the goods at Parkhead.
He scored nine goals in 15 appearances, winning the Scottish Cup in the process, and despite the Glasgow giants keen to keep Craig they were priced out of a deal.

Instead Mark Hughes swooped to take the player he had managed at international level to Ewood Park for a fee believed to be around £5m.
Back in England and back in the goals (17 for the season) Bellamy attracted interest from a number of clubs and ultimately it was Liverpool who triggered a release clause to sign the striker.
A victim of ‘Rafa’s rotation policy’ during his time at Anfield, Craig was keen to play as much football as possible and moved to join West Ham United for £7.5m in July 2007, stating: "It was important for me to start playing regular football.

“I could sit at Liverpool as a squad player all day long, picking up my money, playing every now and then, but I'd be cheating myself and my personality."

After a strong start to his Upton Park career, including three goals in his first five matches, a persistent abdominal injury blighted his first season.

In that time, he made his 50th appearance for his country and also launched his Craig Bellamy Foundation - a charitable organisation which helps the underprivileged in Sierra Leone.

Bellamy had visited the war-torn West African country and was reportedly moved to invest £650,000 of his own money to help build a football academy to develop the country's young football talent.
Craig made an immediate impact at City following his move from Upton Park, scoring on debut against Newcastle.