Bobby Campbell (footballer, born 1941)

Robert McGhee Campbell (1941 – 7 March 2019) was a Scottish footballer who played as an inside right for St Mirren, Greenock Morton, Motherwell and Stranraer.

Bobby Campbell
Personal information
Full name Robert McGhee Campbell
Date of birth 1941
Place of birth Ayr, Scotland
Date of death 7 March 2019 (aged 77)[1]
Place of death Irvine, Scotland
Playing position(s) Inside right
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
– Ardeer Recreation
1959–1963 St Mirren 19 (1)
1963–1965 Greenock Morton
1965–1971 Motherwell 161 (36)
1971–1972 Stranraer 6 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Campbell joined St Mirren from Ayrshire Junior football as a teenager in 1959,[1] at which time he was also studying for a degree in science at the University of Glasgow.[2] There was another player of the same name, a right back, on the books of the Paisley club's from 1959,[3] and as a consequence they became known in match reports as 'Black' Campbell and 'Red' Campbell to differentiate[2][4] ('Red' was the right-back, who had ginger hair – the forward has been reported as having very dark hair,[4] but in fact it was a light brown shade).[2] 'Black' Bobby Campbell stated that in training, he was referred to as "Boaby", a more common pronunciation in his native Ayrshire, while the Glaswegian 'Red' was simply "Bobby".[2]

The name issue seemed to have passed when 'Black' moved on to Morton in 1963 (he was allowed to leave St Mirren despite the earlier departure of the players who had kept him out of the team, Tommy Gemmell and Tommy Bryceland);[5] he soon became an important part of the Morton team and helped them reach the 1963 Scottish League Cup Final, although they lost the match to Rangers.[2][6][7][1] 'Red' later made the same move to Cappielow, and both stayed at the club until 1965, with 'Black' transferring to Motherwell while 'Red' moved to play in South Africa.[8]

Campbell spent six years at Fir Park featuring in several different positions, with possibly his most memorable contribution being the scorer of all five goals in a victory over his old club St Mirren in September 1966,[2] finishing that campaign as the club's leading [9] He ended his career after a short spell with Stranraer,[10] and later worked for IBM.[2] He died in 2019.[1]

Honours
Morton
Motherwell
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References
  1. Former Morton star who was a key player in one of the club's best-ever sides has died, Greenock Telegraph, 18 April 2019
  2. The St Mirren Campbells - one Black and one Red, Sunday Post, 9 October 2016, via PressReader
  3. St. Mirren: 1946/47 - 2013/14, Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Transfer Database
  4. When Celtic signed two ‘Rangers men’ in one day, Evening Telegraph, 18 September 2017
  5. Greenock Morton: 1946/47 - 2013/14, Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Transfer Database
  6. Morton's Bravery in Vain | League Cup for Rangers, The Glasgow Herald, 28 October 1963
  7. Morton shocked top sides to reach ‘63 final, The Scotsman, 29 October 2013
  8. Turner & Wright / Turnwright's Chocolate - Soccer ~ South African N.F.L. (07) - Complete Checklist, Football Cartophilic Info Exchange, 18 April 2018
  9. Bobby Campbell, MotherWELLnet
  10. Stranraer: 1955/56 - 2013/14, Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Transfer Database
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