Derek Christopher Bellotti (born 25 December 1946) is an English retired professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Derek Bellotti
Personal information
Full name Derek Christopher Bellotti
Date of birth (1946-12-25) 25 December 1946 (age 77)
Place of birth East Ham, London, England
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
Queens Park Rangers
Bedford Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1966–1971 Gillingham 35 (0)
1970–1971Southend United (loan) 3 (0)
1971–1972 Charlton Athletic 14 (0)
1972–1974 Southend United 74 (0)
1974–1975 Swansea City 19 (0)
1975–1978 Maidstone United
1978Margate (loan)
1978–1979 St Blazey
1979–1982 Torquay United 0 (0)
1982–1983 Falmouth Town
1983–198? Bideford AFC
198?–198? Saltash United
198?–1988 Newquay
1988–19?? Torrington
1997 Ilfracombe Town
Total 145 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

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Derek Bellotti began his career as an apprentice with Queens Park Rangers in September 1963.[1] He turned professional and spent two seasons on loan to Bedford Town before being released at end of the 1965–66 season without making his debut for QPR.

He joined Gillingham in July 1966 and went on to make 35 league appearances for the Gills. In October 1970 he joined Southend United on loan, playing 3 games and later that month was transferred to Charlton Athletic for a fee of £5,000.[2] He played 14 league games for Charlton before moving to Southend United again in December 1971, this time on a permanent basis. He was Southend's regular 'keeper, staying at Roots Hall until May 1974 when he joined Swansea City after playing 74 league games for Southend.[1]

He only stayed at the Vetch Field for one season, playing 19 times in the league, before moving back into non-league football with Maidstone United, spending two months on loan at Margate from January 1978. Later that year, his career outside football took him to live in Abbotskerswell, Devon and he signed for Cornish non-league side St Blazey from where he signed for Torquay United in October 1979 as cover for John Turner and later for Vince O'Keefe. When Torquay scrapped their reserve team in 1982, he left without making a league appearance, joining Falmouth Town. He subsequently played for Bideford, Saltash United, Newquay, and Torrington.

In December 1997, at the age of 50, he played for Ilfracombe Town as a temporary replacement for regular 'Combe goalkeeper, his son Ross, who was also a professional with Exeter City.

Bellotti is currently managing director of Kingfisher Print and Design, a print firm based in Dartington.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Swanseacity Archived 24 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine accessed 08/01/08
  2. ^ Charlton Archived 26 January 2008 at the Wayback Machine accessed 08/01/08
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