Even writing the words above leaves me in shock. There will be far better tributes written I am sure, but I felt compelled to write this anyway. Logging onto Twitter and seeing the news today was, I suspect, something like taking a crunching tackle from the man himself. Like everyone, I was stopped still in my tracks. Stunned. I’m still in shock at the news that the one of the strongest, best, and most symbolic of players that this club has ever had the privilege of witnessing, has passed away.
Legend is a hugely overused word. It has wormed its way into everyday vernacular, and more often than not it is used to describe someone of very average achievement. When applied to Bobby Campbell, like the man himself, the word legend is spot on.
For those who were fortunate enough to see him play, you know why. For those who weren’t, just try something for me. Collect all the attributes of your favourite Bradford City players and put them together. Perhaps the courage and passion of Gary Jones, the goals of Lee Mills, the sheer power of Darren Moore, the leadership of Stuart McCall, and the presence of David Wetherall. Take all of that, package it up into one player, and you are on the way to having one Bobby Campbell. That’s how good he was. That’s how important he was. When we chanted ‘One Bobby Campbell’, it’s because we knew that never before and never again could one Bradford City player possess so many of the qualities that we love. Hero, rock, goal scorer, match winner, hard man, character. Bobby had the lot.
Bobby was the front man in every sense of the phrase. I remember the towering headers and the bullet finishes. I remember the chants of ‘Bobby’s gonna get you’ when things got tasty. At an age when ‘my Dad’s tougher than your Dad’ was all the rage in the playground, our man was indeed tougher than their men, and woe betide the player who tried to prove otherwise. Bobby was someone everyone on the pitch, no everyone in the ground, no everybody in the city, could rely on when the going got tough.
Over the years he proved that many times. When we needed a goal, up popped Bobby to power in a header. When we needed a leader, there was our number 9. When the city needed something or someone in the aftermath of the fire tragedy, there was Bobby Campbell, visiting hospitals, being himself and lifting spirits. To Bradford City, Bobby Campbell always was and always will be a talisman.
‘They Don’t Make Them Like Him Anymore’ was the title of Paul Firth’s brilliant book about him, and it couldn’t be more accurate. Whether it’s scoring a goal, clobbering an opponent, getting us promoted, having a pint in the old Belle Vue pub at the top of Valley Parade (before a game!), or playing a prank on a team mate, the memories of the man are nothing but wonderful. They really don’t make them like Bobby anymore.
Bobby Campbell. You were a hero to me as a five year old, and 32 years on you are still that hero today. Behind you and your teammates, in the picture above, somewhere in that stand at Burnden Park was a five year old who was singing One Bobby Campbell. There was, is, and only ever will be, one Bobby Campbell. My thoughts and sympathies go out to all of your friends and your family. RIP Bobby, and thank you for the memories. We’ll treasure them just as we treasure you.
@jpieslak