Signed copy of 'Bobby Campbell - They dont make them like him no more' by Paul Firth

Great book, really enjoyed reading it and the title is absolutely right!

 

No need, I signed my own copy "best wishes, Bobby Campbell". No-one ever knew.

 

You can pick the book up for less than a tenner, it's just the autograph that makes it slightly different but unless you're called Mick and pretend it's personally signed to you then I doubt it really adds any value.

 

Bobby signed a boat load of his book when launched at Valley Parade

 

You forgot to add that he often played under the influence, having had five pints in The Belle Vue before a match. The "urban myth" of him being in there in his kit, downing a pint and running down VP to be there for KO is much more than a legend.

 

Knowing Bobby, and as recounted in the book, it was more likely to have been a stolen car full.

 

It wasn't about pure ability with Bobby, it was the fact he left everything on the pitch, never shirked anything and left his mark on his opponents. He drank too much, he smoked too much but you always knew he gave it his all, and as fan what more do you want from a player. It felt like he was one of us and if wasn't on the pitch he'd be in with the fans giving it large, it was a real connection he had, a worthy legend and a real one off. I'm glad he was part of my City education

 

A few years ago I bumped into Peter Jackson, because I knew who he was he assumed I was a Town fan. Deluded fool.

 

Very little. Bobby was an absolute bruiser who thought nothing of taking out a defender to get to a ball. His heading ability was amongst the best I've ever seen and the way that man could swivel his neck and meet a cross was up there with the very best number 9's. He never ever went down looking for a foul and would just run straight through a defender, Bobby wasn't interested in winning a penalty when he could batter the defender and still score.

Cook is probably a more skillful footballer than Bobby, but in the context of the times, Bob's game suited things very well. Cook can finish well, but he hasn't got half the shot that Bobby had. If a keeper got between Bob leathering a ball and the goal, he didn't save it, he just ended up in the back of the net. or if he did save it he broke his wrists.

Bobby was more akin to Bob Latchford, Malcolm McDonald & Co, Whereas Cook is just a typical lower league 21st Century player. If Bobby had applied himself more at a young age, and trained properly he would have had a career at a much higher level and played 50 plus times for NI. He just wanted to play games and did little else off the pitch.

 

Bobby was at Aston Villa when he was 14, but I get your point.

 

I used to be in the BV last hour after coming up from Town for the entire duration of his times at the club, every home game . Never saw him once, for balance.

 

What injury ? The reason Bobby didn't progress is that he couldn't behave himself and was sacked at Villa, Huddersfield & Halifax for misdemeanours. He was banned from international football for "borrowing" a car aged 16.

The reason Bobby didn't progress was a lot to do with having grown up in a lawless Belfast during the early days of the "Troubles" and thinking that what he saw there represented normal life. When he came to us aged 23/ 24 he was drinking in the last chance saloon, thank god George Mulhall managed to wind him in a bit (without losing his edge).

Some will say his spell at Derby in 1983 proved he wasn't above the level we played at, but I maintain it just came too late in life for him and had he applied himself at 16 he would have made it at the very top. Remember at the time, the best defenders were no where near as technical as they are now (with the exception of Bobby Moore & Colin Todd) and Bobby had the aggression to have mixed it easily with any late 70's centre half you could name.

 

Lots of reoccurring knee issues wasnt it?