We are very sad to report the death of former County player Danny Campbell, who passed away on Sunday 16th August at the age of 76.
Danny was born in Oldham and was a talent schoolboy athlete, representing Manchester Schools at football and Lancashire Schools at Cricket, having a trial with Lancashire CCC in 1965.
He started his football career as an amateur at Droylsden FC before signing for West Bromwich Albion in January 1961. He became a professional the following year, but had to wait until 1965 to make his first team debut for The Throstles. Remarkably his debut came in the 1st Leg of the Football League Cup final versus West Ham at Upton Park. Campbell was to receive a winners tankard as Albion won the tie 5-3.
In the course of seven seasons at The Hawthorns, Campbell’s route to more appearances was blocked by John Talbut (who poignantly also died only two days before Danny on the 14th August 2020). He made only 11 first team appearances in total, before he joined a host of English players who moved to America to join the North America Soccer League.
He went to Los Angeles, where he made 32 appearances for the LA Wolves in the 1968 season. The franchise folded at the end of the season and he returned to England, where he was given a trial by County, who were still looking for centre halves to replace the championship pairing of Matt Woods and Eddie Stuart.
After receiving clearance from The FA and following a successful trial, he signed for The Hatters and made his debut in the 3rd Division game at Mansfield Town on Feb 1st 1969. The highlight of his 15 games that season was scoring for County in a 2-1 win against Swindon Town, the week before they beat the might Arsenal at Wembley in the League Cup final.
Danny played part of the following season, during which County were relegated back to the 4th Division. Danny left Edgeley Park in March 1970 having made a total of 36 appearances for County.
He moved across to Bradford Park Avenue where he joined their sadly ill-fated relegation fight to remain in the Football League. Avenue were to fail in their re election, with Campbell taking the honour of scoring their last ever Football League goal in the 4-2 defeat at Aldershot in April 1970.
He remained with the club as they entered the Northern Premier League, but there demise was confirmed when they went into liquidation in October 1970. At this point he moved to South Africa to continue playing for Port Elizabeth City until his retirement in 1975. He remained in South Africa for the rest of his life.
He was diagnosed with Covid-19 only 10 days before his death, and died from a pulmonary embolism. An honest, hardworking centre half, described as “perceptive in the tackle”, he travelled the world playing football, and is remembered fondly at Edgeley Park for the part he played in the history of our Club. We send our sincere condolences to his wife Isabel and three children – Glenn, Danielle and Collette, and two grandchildren.
