24 Sep 2016 18:01:06
Hi Ed001 hope you're well if you don't mind I was wondering what was your opinions on Bellamy while he was with us? As a player and how he was thought of around the club. Read an interesting piece about him an got me a thinking. Cheers!

{Ed001's Note - depends on which time around you mean?

First time around, good player but a dick off the pitch, drank too much, caused a bit of hassle, such as the golf club incident with Riise, etc. Because of that, he was not able to deliver on a consistent basis as he was too caught up in off field stuff.

Second time round, he had changed his life due to a trip to Africa and he was a totally different person. He was always a grafter, but he was almost obsessive in his second spell. Behaved himself off the pitch and was generally a good person to have around the club. His performances were much better as well.

Bellamy is the prime example of how the old saying about leopards not changing their spots is wrong. He had a truly life changing experience in Africa and his life was no longer about getting drunk and fighting everyone. Now he had a purpose and desire to make the most of every second he had left in his career.}

1.) 24 Sep 2016
24 Sep 2016 18:25:42
It is always a great thing to see some find redemption in any walk of life. Credit to Bellamy for the way he has found redemption in his life.

2.) 24 Sep 2016
24 Sep 2016 18:27:00
Just goes to show, sometimes going barefoot can make you appreciate your older brothers scabby old 4 striped adidas (in bright green) . well done anyone who can turn their lives around.

3.) 24 Sep 2016
24 Sep 2016 18:33:52
Yeah that was pretty much the theme of the article. Apparently after that trip he did a shed load for charity- the poverty he saw seemed to really move him. Not sure if I remember it correctly but I think I caught he was donating all his wages to charity during his second spell at Cardiff.

Thanks for the reply Ed cracking win today too!

{Ed001's Note - it was half his wages he was donating, he set up a foundation to help out there and devotes huge amounts of time to helping. Every summer he goes out to Africa to work with children. I have nothing but respect for all he has done since he saw what had happened out there.}

4.) 24 Sep 2016
24 Sep 2016 18:45:57
Hi ed001,

What happened on that trip to change Bellamy so much? He was always one of my favourite players for some reason, always loved seeing him play.

Cheers.

{Ed001's Note - it was a war torn region, I think Rwanda off the top of my head, but I can't remember.}

5.) 24 Sep 2016
24 Sep 2016 18:46:40
Edd001 I'm guessing bellamy visited a certain part far from the glam?

{Ed001's Note - yes mate. The country he visited had been involved in a civil war and he was asked by a friend of his to visit as part of a scheme to bring the country back together through football. They put former enemies on teams together etc. It has made a huge difference to people's lives there.}

6.) 24 Sep 2016
24 Sep 2016 19:21:04
I think as a player he could have achieved aa lot more .

Blistering pace.

Always seemed very opinionated off the pitch and it affected his game quite a bit.

7.) 24 Sep 2016
24 Sep 2016 19:24:38
Good on him. Wouldn't we all do the same if we had the money? Not all people do tho, so fair play to him. ❤️.

8.) 24 Sep 2016
24 Sep 2016 19:42:20
I think anyone who can, should make those type of trips, it completely changes your perspective on life. You hear all this rubbish from the media when it's a totally different story when you experience it for yourself. Not just Africa, but other regions in the world. A lot of ignorance would be wiped away if such trips where made by more people.

9.) 24 Sep 2016
24 Sep 2016 21:45:08
Sierra Leone.

10.) 24 Sep 2016
24 Sep 2016 22:18:26
Good to know Ed and nice to hear. Can't fault the man fair play.

{Ed001's Note - WBD is right, it was Sierra Leone.}