When talking about those successes, Campbell goes to great lengths to use the word “we” rather than “I” or “me” because, according to him, his backroom staff are the real reason behind his success.
“I’m just very lucky that I’ve got good staff,” says Campbell. “I don’t do a thing. Seriously, I don’t do a thing. I just walk in to that dressing room on a Saturday and say my piece.”
Twin brother Ian, John Young and John Ritchie had remained constant pillars of support for Campbell – both professionally and as close friends – for the best part of 40 years. But Ritchie passed away last summer after a suffering with cancer, forcing the Arbroath manager to soldier on without his best pal and valued advisor.
“We dedicated the Championship win to John. I just miss him so much,” says Campbell, before eulogising the man who helped him recover from his own cancer scare nine years ago.
“John and I used to walk every day around the meadows in Loch Hourn after my doctor told me I needed to get more exercise. We did that for three years and told the same stories every day. We used to sit in the back of John [Young] or my brother’s car and the two of us would sit and listen to the two of them talk about tactics while we ate a bag of sweeties and reminisced about the laughs that we had.
“That’s what football gives you – memories and a lot of broken hearts. A lot of happy times and a lot of sad times. But the jovial times outlive the bad times.”
As he prepares for a season which Campbell believes will be the “hardest of his career”, the elder statesman of Scottish football does not seem worried or intimidated. Where a younger, inexperienced coach may approach the campaign with overconfidence or blind naivety, Campbell has plenty of anticipation but nothing left to prove.
“When I look back at all I’ve done, I don’t really care,” says Campbell. “My accolades are all here for all to see. And they’re there for my children to get when I’m no longer here. Maybe they’ll recognise that their dad wasn’t bad at what he did.”
