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Search forBristol Rovers captain Campbell goes back to where it all began
Thursday, October 30, 2008, 17:05
The 30-year-old midfielder cut his footballing teeth at Leicester City, breaking into their first team under Martin O'Neill in 1996 when they were plying their trade in the Premier League.
Campbell's league debut for the Foxes came at Old Trafford and he went on to make 37 appearances in the top flight, 25 of them from the bench. There would doubtless have been more had he not been competing with the likes of Muzzy Izzet and Neil Lennon for a place in the side.
Tomorrow, Campbell will probably feel an extra twinge of pride as he leads the Pirates out on their first-ever visit to the Walkers Stadium.
"It will be good, and not just because I used to play for them. But in this league the games against Leicester and Leeds are probably the ones you look for first because it gives you the chance to play in a big stadium in front of a big crowd," he said.
"I was with Leicester from the age of 12 until 23, which is quite a few years – but that's a long time ago now and all in the past. Their fans probably won't even remember me!
"Quite a few of the appearances I made for them were as substitute, but for a young lad to have been involved at such a successful time for the club was something I'll never forget.
"There were a lot of good players there at the time and some of have since gone on to have careers at really big clubs."
O'Neill steered Leicester into the Premier League during his first season in charge and guided them to a top-half finish in every season during his five-and-a-half year tenure. There were also three appearances in League Cup finals, which brought two wins and subsequent European campaigns.
"Working under Martin was different. Obviously he's one of the best managers in the country and wherever he's been, he's had tremendous success. He's carried that on with Aston Villa," said Campbell.
When it comes to astute management, it should not be forgotten that Campbell has been a key man in the recent tactical change that has helped spark Rovers' recent revival.
After claiming only two points from 15 in September, during which time they were leaking goals like a sieve, coach Paul Trollope's decision to switch Campbell to a buffer role just in front of the back four has paid off in more ways than one.
A haul of 13 points from 15 in October tells its own story, and the Pirates have not only plugged the leaks at the back but are also League One's top scorers and head to the East Midlands looking to extend a seven-game unbeaten run.
"As a team we've adapted to the new formation well and I think it's clear to see that we're playing some good stuff and enjoying it," said Campbell.
"I don't want to keep harping back, but it was clear something had to be done to address what was happening to us. Our performances weren't too bad and we were scoring plenty of goals, but we were conceding far too many. Fair play to Trolls and Lennie (Lawrence) because hopefully they have arrested it.
"At first it was probably seen as a negative thing in that we were playing an extra defender, but now people can see that it frees up other players to play in a more attacking way than they would have done previously."
Campbell's deliveries from corners and free-kicks led to seven of the 10 goals Rovers scored in October, six of them put away by in-form Rickie Lambert.
"We work hard on our corners and free-kicks and at the moment it's paying dividends for us. We've scored our fair share from them and that's down to the way the lads attack the ball," said Campbell.
"Obviously Rickie's on fire at the moment, but it's not just him. Craig Hinton, Byron Anthony and Craig Disley can be a danger too – along with Steve Elliott and Danny Coles when they are fit. We do have some big lads but it's not just down to height, it's down to a willingness to attack the ball."
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