Bobby Campbell (Northern Irish footballer)

Robert McFaul Campbell (13 September 1956 – 15 November 2016) was a Northern Irish international footballer who played as a centre forward.

Bobby Campbell

Personal information
Full name	Robert McFaul Campbell
Date of birth	(1956-09-13)13 September 1956
Place of birth	Belfast, Northern Ireland
Date of death	15 November 2016(2016-11-15) (aged 60)
Place of death	Huddersfield, England
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[1]
Position(s)	Striker
Youth career
1972–1974	Aston Villa
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1974–1975	Aston Villa	10	(1)
1975	→ Halifax Town (loan)	15	(0)
1975–1977	Huddersfield Town	31	(9)
1977–1978	Sheffield United	37	(11)
1978	Vancouver Whitecaps	13	(9)
1978	Huddersfield Town	7	(3)
1979	Halifax Town	22	(3)
1979	Brisbane City	20	(10)
1979–1983	Bradford City	148	(76)
1983	Derby County	11	(4)
1983–1986	Bradford City	126	(45)
1986–1988	Wigan Athletic	69	(27)
Total		509	(198)
International career
1982	Northern Ireland	2	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Born in Belfast, Campbell started his career at Aston Villa, making his professional debut in April 1974. He failed to establish himself in the first team, making 10 league appearances for the club before being sold to Huddersfield Town in May 1975. He joined Sheffield United in 1977, but left the club after just one season. He briefly returned to Huddersfield Town for a second spell before signing for Halifax Town.

In December 1979, he joined Bradford City. He made over 300 appearances for the club, and became the club's all-time leading goalscorer with a total of 143 goals. Whilst at Bradford he won promotion from Division Four in the 1981–82 season and the Football League Division Three title in 1984–85, the latter of which paled into insignificance when 56 spectators were killed in a stand fire while playing Lincoln City in the final game of the season.

Campbell left Bradford in 1986 and joined Wigan Athletic, where he finished his playing career. In 1986–87, Campbell finished as Wigan's top goal scorer with 20 goals, helping the club to reach the quarter-final of the FA Cup for the first time in its history. He was the club's top scorer again with a further 16 goals in the 1987–88 season, most notably scoring a hat trick against local rivals Bolton Wanderers at Burnden Park in the first round of the League Cup.^[2]

International career

In 1975, Campbell was selected to play for the Northern Ireland youth team at the European Under-18 Championship in Switzerland, but was sent home, along with teammate Bertie McMinn, after being involved in a car crash.^[3] The Irish FA subsequently banned both players from representing the country at all levels.^[4] After several attempts to overturn the decision, including a petition from supporters,^[5] the ban was eventually lifted in 1981.^[6]

In April 1982, Campbell was included in the Northern Ireland squad for the upcoming British Home Championship,^[7] and was subsequently capped twice during the tournament. He was also selected by his country for the 1982 FIFA World Cup later that year, but failed to make an appearance.

Post-retirement

After retiring from football in 1988, Campbell worked as a steward at a working men's club in Huddersfield. In 2013, he was dismissed by the club after he and his wife were accused of fraud,^[8] but the charges were dropped after the case was taken to court.^[9]

On 15 November 2016, Campbell was found dead after hanging himself in his garage.^[10][11]

Career statistics

Source:^[12][13]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Aston Villa	1973–74	Second Division	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	1
	1974–75	Second Division	7	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	9	0
	Total		10	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	12	1
Halifax Town (loan)	1974–75	Third Division	15	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	15	0
Huddersfield Town	1975–76	Fourth Division	11	1	0	0	3	1	0	0	14	2
	1976–77	Fourth Division	20	8	0	0	0	0	0	0	20	8
	Total		31	9	0	0	3	1	0	0	34	10
Sheffield United	1977–78	Second Division	37	11	0	0	1	0	4[a]	3	42	14
Vancouver Whitecaps	1978	NASL	13	9	0	0	0	0	0	0	13	9
Huddersfield Town	1978–79	Fourth Division	7	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	7	3
Halifax Town	1978–79	Fourth Division	22	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	23	3
Brisbane City	1979	NSL	20	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	20	10
Bradford City	1979–80	Fourth Division	21	8	0	0	0	0	0	0	21	8
	1980–81	Fourth Division	42	19	1	0	4	3	0	0	47	22
	1981–82	Fourth Division	45	24	1	0	6	3	4[b]	2	56	29
	1982–83	Third Division	40	25	4	2	5	3	4[b]	3	53	33
	Total		148	76	6	2	15	9	8	5	177	92
Derby County	1983–84	Second Division	11	4	0	0	1	0	0	0	12	4
Bradford City	1983–84	Third Division	32	9	1	0	0	0	2[c]	1	35	10
	1984–85	Third Division	46	23	3	3	4	0	0	0	53	26
	1985–86	Second Division	41	10	2	0	4	2	0	0	47	12
	1986–87	Second Division	7	3	0	0	1	0	0	0	8	3
	Total		126	45	6	3	9	2	2	1	143	51
Wigan Athletic	1986–87	Third Division	35	16	5	4	0	0	5[d]	0	45	20
	1987–88	Third Division	34	11	2	1	4	4	2[c]	0	42	16
	Total		69	27	7	5	4	4	7	0	87	36
Career total			509	198	20	10	35	16	21	9	585	233

1. Appearances in the Anglo-Scottish Cup
2. Appearances in the Football League Group Cup
3. Appearances in the Football League Trophy
4. Three appearances in the Football League Trophy, two appearances in the Third Division play-offs

References

1. Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 392. ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
2. "Latics Legends: Bobby Campbell". Wigan Athletic. Archived from the original on 7 October 2006. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
3. "Accident ends a Swiss visit for Ulster footballers". Belfast Telegraph. 10 May 1975. p. 1.
4. "Irish FA place ban on two youth stars". Belfast Telegraph. 2 July 1975. p. 24.
5. Brodie, Malcolm (28 October 1981). "It's time to lift this cruel ban". Belfast Telegraph. p. 24.
6. "Ban lifted on Campbell, McMinn". Belfast Telegraph. 23 December 1981. p. 16.
7. "Campbell's Kingdom". The Guardian. 22 April 1982. p. 20. ProQuest 186375304.
8. Rutherford, Adrian (20 March 2014). "Ex-Northern Ireland star Bobby Campbell and wife to face court charged with fraud". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
9. Gibbons, Brett (17 October 2014). "Fraud case against ex-Aston Villa star Bobby Campbell thrown out". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
10. Sutcliffe, Robert (24 November 2016). "Hundreds turn out to celebrate the life of Huddersfield Town and Bradford City legend Bobby Campbell". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
11. "Bradford City legend Bobby Campbell took his own life, mourners are told". Telegraph & Argus. 24 November 2016. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
12. Bobby Campbell at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
13. Bobby Campbell at National-Football-Teams.com

External links

• Bobby Campbell at National-Football-Teams.com
• Northern Ireland's Footballing Greats
• Bobby Campbell hat-trick for Wigan Athletic v Bolton Wanderers (video on YouTube)