Billy Campbell Player Profile

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Personal

  • Full Name: William Gibson Campbell
  • Born: June 2nd, 1944 (Belfast)
  • Height: 5' 6

Career



Dundee Career Summary

Competitive Friendlies
1966-67 25 4 1-
1967-68 53 12 - -
1968-69 38 (1) 6 - -
1969-70 27 (1) 1 - -
TOTAL 143 (2) 23 1-

NOTES:
Other Cups may include: Anglo-Scottish Cup, Challenge Cup, Cup Winners' Cup, Drybrough Cup, International Soccer League, League Cup, Summer Cup, Texaco Cup.


Biography

Campbell was a speedy, impish, but lightly built winger, at a time when Northern Ireland had the Best speedy, impish, lightly built winger. Billy played for Dundee in the 1967 League Cup Final and the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup semi the same season in a four year Dens Park spell during which he earned 6 full caps for his country.

William Campbell was born in Belfast on July 2nd 1944 and was brought up on the Shankhill Road. He made his footballing debut at the age of just 16 for Belfast club Distillery having been spotted playing for the Boys Brigade and he was soon attracting the attention of cross channel scouts.

In September 1964 Sunderland agreed a £7,000 fee for the 20 year-old Campbell’s signature and made his League debut in a 3-0 First Division defeat by Sheffield United in November. Over the following two seasons he made just four further appearances and although his impact at Roker Park was limited, Billy did win his second Under-23 cap for Northern Ireland.

During the summer of 1966 the outside-right was brought to Dens Park by manager Bobby Ancell and the Irishman made his debut in a League Cup sectional tie on the opening day of the 1966/67 season.

Usually in those days Billy wore contact lens and the short sighted Campbell once played a lovely ball to a rather bemused ball boy. However he soon became a regular in the Dundee side and a favourite with the fans and after winning a third Under-23 cap against Wales in February 1967 – his first international honour as a Dee – he made his full debut for Northern Ireland in a 1-0 win over Scotland at Windsor Park in October.

A week later Billy was in the Dundee side which lost 5-3 to Celtic in the 1967 Scottish League Cup Final at Hampden. He played in all ten matches in the cup run scoring both home and away against Motherwell in sectional ties but ultimately had to be content with a runners-up medal against the reigning European champions in what is regarded as one of the best Scottish finals of the Twentieth century.

Three days after the final Billy lined up on the right wing against Royal Leige in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup second round tie at Dens. By then The Dee had defeated DWS Amsterdam in the first round and after dispatching the Belgians 7-2 on aggregate and FC Zurich (1-0 both home and away) in the quarter-finals, met the mighty Leeds United in the semis, fifty years ago this week.

Campbell had played in all six ties en route to the semi and would play in both matches against Don Revie’s side but after a 1-1 draw in the first leg at Dens, it was the English side that progressed to the final after a 1-0 win at Elland Road.

Club v Country rows were as prevalent in the Sixties as they are today and Dundee had to withdraw both Billy Campbell and Sammy Wilson from the Northern Irish team scheduled to meet Wales in February 1968 due to a cup replay with Rangers.

He did however play against England at Wembley earlier that season in a match that doubled up as a British International Championship match and a Euro 68 qualifier and the following season scored his one and only goal for his country in a 4-1 win at home to Turkey in a World Cup qualifying tie.

Strangely he wasn’t selected for the next four internationals but returned to face the Soviet Union towards the end of the 1968/69 season. In total Billy went on to win half a dozen caps for his country – all as a Dundee player - his last two coming against Scotland in Belfast and Wales in Cardiff in April 1970.

By then he had also played his last game for Dundee and in the summer of 1970, four years after arriving at Dens Park, Billy moved on to Motherwell in a swap deal for winger Jimmy Wilson.

Billy served Motherwell for four seasons before returning home to be player/manager of Linfield in a move the Belfast Blues would have welcomed four years earlier, had they not been outbid by Motherwell. Campbell spent a successful eighteen months at Windsor Park, leading them to the Irish League title in 1975. He impressed many at the club with his knowledge and professionalism, and it came as a shock when he resigned in October 1975 with reasons varying from a falling out with the board over player payments to the inability of his wife to settle in Belfast cited.

Campbell returned to Scotland, finishing his senior playing career with Hamilton Academical, making his debut on Boxing Day 1976 in a 1-0 win over Morton. But he made just two further appearances, scoring in a 2-1 defeat by Arbroath, and bowing out following a 1-1 draw with Dumbarton. He later played with Lossiemouth in the Scottish Highland League and in the early Eighties returned to Fir Park as assistant manager to Bobby Watson.

At Dens Campbell is remembered fondly as providing pace as part of an attractive attacking blend that included Jocky Scott, Jim McLean, George McLean and fellow Irishman Sammy Wilson who took the Dark Blues to a major cup final and a European semi-final.

Debut

August 13th, 1966
Dundee United 2 - 0 Dundee

League Cup (Group 1)


Playing Statistics - First Team Competitive matches (All Seasons)


Competition NPS Win % Draw % Loss %
League 102 (2)195 --
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 8-- --
Scottish Cup 711 --
League Cup 263- --
Totals: 143 (2)236 --

 Recent Starting Appearances (First Team Competitive matches)
 08/04/70 Division One vs. Celtic (H) 1 - 2
 04/04/70 Division One vs. St Johnstone (H) 0 - 2
 01/04/70 Division One vs. Partick (H) 4 - 1
 28/03/70 Division One vs. Dunfermline (A) 2 - 3
 25/03/70 Division One vs. Morton (H) 2 - 1

 Recent Goals Scored (First Team Competitive matches)
 13/08/69 Group 3 vs. Partick (H) 4 - 0
 08/02/69 Division One vs. Arbroath (H) 3 - 0
 16/11/68 Division One vs. Falkirk (A) 1 - 0
 02/11/68 Division One vs. Celtic (A) 1 - 3
 26/10/68 Division One vs. Hearts (H) 3 - 1

 List of First Team Competitive matches played (click to expand)
 08/04/70 Division One vs. Celtic (H)  1 - 2
 04/04/70 Division One vs. St Johnstone (H)  0 - 2
 01/04/70 Division One vs. Partick (H)  4 - 1
 28/03/70 Division One vs. Dunfermline (A)  2 - 3
 25/03/70 Division One vs. Morton (H)  2 - 1
 21/03/70 Division One vs. Rangers (H)  2 - 1
 14/03/70 Semi Final vs. Celtic (N)  1 - 2
 11/03/70 Division One vs. St Mirren (A)  1 - 2
 07/03/70 Division One vs. Clyde (A)  1 - 1
 28/02/70 Division One vs. Kilmarnock (H)  3 - 0
 25/02/70 Division One vs. Airdrie (1878-2002) (A)  1 - 0
 21/02/70 Quarter Final vs. East Fife (A)  1 - 0
 09/02/70 Division One vs. Hibernian (A)  1 - 4
 07/02/70 2nd Round vs. Airdrie (1878-2002) (H)  3 - 0
 31/01/70 Division One vs. Ayr Utd (A)  2 - 3
 24/01/70 1st Round vs. Albion Rovers (A)  2 - 1
 17/01/70 Division One vs. Raith Rovers (H)  0 - 0
 20/12/69 Division One vs. Motherwell (A)  1 - 1
 06/12/69 Division One vs. Celtic (A)  0 - 1
 29/11/69 Division One vs. St Mirren (H)  1 - 0
 22/11/69 Division One vs. Hearts (H)  2 - 0
 08/11/69 Division One vs. Dunfermline (H)  1 - 1
 25/10/69 Division One vs. Morton (A)  1 - 0
 18/10/69 Division One vs. Clyde (H)  3 - 0
 13/09/69 Division One vs. Raith Rovers (A)  0 - 0
 06/09/69 Division One vs. Ayr Utd (H)  1 - 0
 03/09/69 Division One vs. Motherwell (H)  1 - 3
 30/08/69 Division One vs. Partick (H)  0 - 1
 27/08/69 Group 3 vs. Kilmarnock (A)  0 - 1
 23/08/69 Group 3 vs. St Johnstone (H)  1 - 2
 20/08/69 Group 3 vs. Partick (A)  1 - 0
 16/08/69 Group 3 vs. Kilmarnock (H)  0 - 0
 13/08/69 Group 3 vs. Partick (H)  4 - 0
 09/08/69 Group 3 vs. St Johnstone (A)  1 - 3
 08/04/69 Division One vs. Hibernian (A)  3 - 1
 29/03/69 Division One vs. Morton (H)  0 - 2
 26/03/69 Division One vs. Raith Rovers (H)  2 - 2
 22/03/69 Division One vs. Partick (A)  4 - 0
 15/03/69 Division One vs. Kilmarnock (H)  0 - 0
 12/03/69 Division One vs. Hearts (A)  2 - 2
 08/03/69 Division One vs. Falkirk (H)  0 - 0
 05/03/69 Division One vs. Dunfermline (A)  0 - 2
 08/02/69 Division One vs. Arbroath (H)  3 - 0
 01/02/69 Division One vs. St Mirren (A)  3 - 2
 25/01/69 1st Round vs. Hearts (H)  1 - 2
 18/01/69 Division One vs. Clyde (A)  0 - 0
 11/01/69 Division One vs. Airdrie (1878-2002) (H)  1 - 1
 04/01/69 Division One vs. St Johnstone (A)  1 - 3
 02/01/69 Division One vs. Dundee Utd (H)  1 - 2
 01/01/69 Division One vs. Aberdeen (A)  0 - 0
 14/12/68 Division One vs. Hibernian (H)  0 - 0
 07/12/68 Division One vs. Morton (A)  1 - 2
 30/11/68 Division One vs. Partick (H)  1 - 1
 23/11/68 Division One vs. Kilmarnock (A)  0 - 1
 16/11/68 Division One vs. Falkirk (A)  1 - 0
 09/11/68 Division One vs. Dunfermline (H)  1 - 0
 02/11/68 Division One vs. Celtic (A)  1 - 3
 26/10/68 Division One vs. Hearts (H)  3 - 1
 19/10/68 Division One vs. Arbroath (A)  2 - 1
 09/10/68 Semi Final vs. Hibernian (N)  1 - 2
 05/10/68 Division One vs. Clyde (H)  2 - 3
 28/09/68 Division One vs. Airdrie (1878-2002) (A)  3 - 0
 25/09/68 Quarter Final 2nd Leg vs. Stranraer (H)  6 - 0
 21/09/68 Division One vs. St Johnstone (H)  2 - 3
 14/09/68 Division One vs. Dundee Utd (A)  1 - 3
 11/09/68 Quarter Final 1st Leg vs. Stranraer (A)  4 - 0
 07/09/68 Division One vs. Aberdeen (H)  4 - 4
 31/08/68 Group 2 vs. Airdrie (1878-2002) (A)  3 - 0
 28/08/68 Group 2 vs. Hearts (H)  4 - 0
 24/08/68 Group 2 vs. Kilmarnock (A)  2 - 2
 17/08/68 Group 2 vs. Airdrie (1878-2002) (H)  1 - 1
 14/08/68 Group 2 vs. Hearts (A)  1 - 2
 10/08/68 Group 2 vs. Kilmarnock (H)  4 - 0
 15/05/68 Semi Final 2nd Leg vs. Leeds Utd (A)  0 - 1
 01/05/68 Semi Final 1st Leg vs. Leeds Utd (H)  1 - 1
 27/04/68 Division One vs. Falkirk (H)  1 - 1
 24/04/68 Division One vs. Morton (H)  0 - 3
 20/04/68 Division One vs. Raith Rovers (A)  2 - 0
 15/04/68 Division One vs. Hearts (H)  1 - 0
 13/04/68 Division One vs. Celtic (A)  2 - 5
 03/04/68 Quarter Final 2nd Leg vs. Zurich (A)  1 - 0
 30/03/68 Division One vs. Partick (A)  1 - 1
 27/03/68 Quarter Final 1st Leg vs. Zurich (H)  1 - 0
 23/03/68 Division One vs. Clyde (H)  3 - 0
 16/03/68 Division One vs. Dunfermline (A)  0 - 2
 13/03/68 Division One vs. Motherwell (A)  4 - 2
 09/03/68 Division One vs. Hibernian (A)  0 - 2
 06/03/68 Division One vs. Stirling Albion (A)  3 - 0
 04/03/68 2nd Round Replay vs. Rangers (A)  1 - 4
 02/03/68 Division One vs. Airdrie (1878-2002) (H)  6 - 2
 17/02/68 2nd Round vs. Rangers (H)  1 - 1
 10/02/68 Division One vs. Rangers (H)  2 - 4
 03/02/68 Division One vs. St Johnstone (A)  2 - 0
 27/01/68 1st Round vs. Cowdenbeath (A)  1 - 0
 20/01/68 Division One vs. Kilmarnock (H)  6 - 5
 01/01/68 Division One vs. Aberdeen (H)  0 - 2
 30/12/67 Division One vs. Falkirk (A)  2 - 0
 23/12/67 Division One vs. Raith Rovers (H)  4 - 0
 16/12/67 Division One vs. Celtic (H)  4 - 5
 09/12/67 Division One vs. Morton (A)  0 - 0
 02/12/67 Division One vs. Partick (H)  3 - 4
 18/11/67 Division One vs. Dunfermline (H)  4 - 0
 14/11/67 2nd Round 2nd Leg vs. Liegeois (A)  4 - 1
 11/11/67 Division One vs. Hibernian (H)  1 - 4
 08/11/67 Division One vs. Stirling Albion (H)  4 - 2
 04/11/67 Division One vs. Airdrie (1878-2002) (A)  0 - 0
 01/11/67 2nd Round 1st Leg vs. Liegeois (H)  3 - 1
 28/10/67 Final vs. Celtic (N)  3 - 5
 23/10/67 Division One vs. Rangers (A)  0 - 2
 14/10/67 Division One vs. St Johnstone (H)  1 - 4
 11/10/67 Semi Final vs. St Johnstone (N)  3 - 1
 07/10/67 Division One vs. Kilmarnock (A)  0 - 0
 04/10/67 1st Round 2nd Leg vs. DWS (H)  3 - 0
 30/09/67 Division One vs. Motherwell (H)  2 - 1
 27/09/67 1st Round 1st Leg vs. DWS (A)  1 - 2
 23/09/67 Division One vs. Hearts (A)  0 - 1
 20/09/67 Quarter Final 2nd Leg vs. East Fife (H)  4 - 0
 16/09/67 Division One vs. Dundee Utd (H)  2 - 2
 13/09/67 Quarter Final 1st Leg vs. East Fife (A)  1 - 0
 09/09/67 Division One vs. Aberdeen (A)  2 - 4
 02/09/67 Group 3 vs. Motherwell (A)  5 - 2
 30/08/67 Group 3 vs. Clyde (H)  1 - 0
 26/08/67 Group 3 vs. Hibernian (A)  4 - 2
 19/08/67 Group 3 vs. Motherwell (H)  2 - 1
 16/08/67 Group 3 vs. Clyde (A)  2 - 1
 12/08/67 Group 3 vs. Hibernian (H)  0 - 0
 29/04/67 Division One vs. Rangers (H)  1 - 1
 22/04/67 Division One vs. Airdrie (1878-2002) (A)  4 - 1
 12/04/67 Division One vs. Dunfermline (H)  3 - 1
 08/04/67 Division One vs. Clyde (A)  3 - 1
 01/04/67 Division One vs. St Mirren (A)  5 - 0
 25/03/67 Division One vs. Stirling Albion (H)  2 - 0
 18/03/67 Division One vs. Hibernian (A)  1 - 2
 10/03/67 Division One vs. Ayr Utd (H)  3 - 0
 04/03/67 Division One vs. St Johnstone (A)  3 - 0
 25/02/67 Division One vs. Partick (H)  0 - 0
 11/02/67 Division One vs. Motherwell (A)  3 - 5
 04/02/67 Division One vs. Falkirk (H)  4 - 1
 24/12/66 Division One vs. Airdrie (1878-2002) (H)  0 - 0
 17/12/66 Division One vs. Dunfermline (A)  1 - 0
 10/12/66 Division One vs. Clyde (H)  3 - 4
 03/12/66 Division One vs. St Mirren (H)  2 - 0
 26/11/66 Division One vs. Stirling Albion (A)  3 - 2
 19/11/66 Division One vs. Hibernian (H)  2 - 1
 12/11/66 Division One vs. Ayr Utd (A)  1 - 1
 08/10/66 Division One vs. Kilmarnock (H)  1 - 1
 01/10/66 Division One vs. Hearts (A)  1 - 3
 24/09/66 Division One vs. Celtic (H)  1 - 2
 17/09/66 Division One vs. Dundee Utd (A)  4 - 1
 10/09/66 Division One vs. Aberdeen (H)  2 - 1
 13/08/66 Group 1 vs. Dundee Utd (A)  0 - 2

 List of First Team Competitive goals scored (click to expand)
 13/08/69 Group 3 vs. Partick (H)  4 - 0
 08/02/69 Division One vs. Arbroath (H)  3 - 0
 16/11/68 Division One vs. Falkirk (A)  1 - 0
 02/11/68 Division One vs. Celtic (A)  1 - 3
 26/10/68 Division One vs. Hearts (H)  3 - 1
 28/09/68 Division One vs. Airdrie (1878-2002) (A)  3 - 0
 07/09/68 Division One vs. Aberdeen (H)  4 - 4
 13/03/68 Division One vs. Motherwell (A)  4 - 2
 13/03/68 Division One vs. Motherwell (A)  4 - 2
 06/03/68 Division One vs. Stirling Albion (A)  3 - 0
 17/02/68 2nd Round vs. Rangers (H)  1 - 1
 03/02/68 Division One vs. St Johnstone (A)  2 - 0
 20/01/68 Division One vs. Kilmarnock (H)  6 - 5
 20/01/68 Division One vs. Kilmarnock (H)  6 - 5
 23/12/67 Division One vs. Raith Rovers (H)  4 - 0
 16/12/67 Division One vs. Celtic (H)  4 - 5
 09/09/67 Division One vs. Aberdeen (A)  2 - 4
 02/09/67 Group 3 vs. Motherwell (A)  5 - 2
 19/08/67 Group 3 vs. Motherwell (H)  2 - 1
 22/04/67 Division One vs. Airdrie (1878-2002) (A)  4 - 1
 01/04/67 Division One vs. St Mirren (A)  5 - 0
 17/12/66 Division One vs. Dunfermline (A)  1 - 0
 10/12/66 Division One vs. Clyde (H)  3 - 4

  = Starting Appearances (Sub Appearances) | = Goals | NPS = Squad Appearances (as Non-Playing Sub) | GtGR = Goals to Games Ratio
 Yel = Yellow Cards/Cautions | Red = Red Cards/Dismissals | W/D/L - Games won, drawn or lost as percentage of games played in


Timeline

  • Date of Birth


    Billy was born on this date in Belfast.

    Friday, June 2nd, 1944

  • First Team Debut

    Dundee Utd 2 - 0 Dundee
    League Cup (Group 1)

    Saturday, August 13th, 1966

  • League Debut

    Dundee 2 - 1 Aberdeen
    League (Division One)

    Saturday, September 10th, 1966

  • First Goal

    Dundee 3 - 4 Clyde
    League (Division One)

    Saturday, December 10th, 1966

  • International Debut


    Billy earned his first International cap for Scotland, playing against Scotland.

    Saturday, October 21st, 1967

  • 50th Appearance

    Dundee 4 - 0 Dunfermline
    League (Division One)

    Saturday, November 18th, 1967

  • 50th League Appearance

    Dundee 3 - 0 Clyde
    League (Division One)

    Saturday, March 23rd, 1968

  • 100th Appearance

    Morton 2 - 1 Dundee
    League (Division One)

    Saturday, December 7th, 1968

  • Last Goal

    Dundee 4 - 0 Partick
    League Cup (Group 3)

    Wednesday, August 13th, 1969

  • 100th League Appearance

    Dundee 2 - 1 Morton
    League (Division One)

    On a bitterly cold night, with a strong wind blowing, Dundee started off with a flourish. Right away, Gordon Wallace outpaced two defenders before sending in a tremendous shot that was just inched too

    Wednesday, March 25th, 1970

  • Last Appearance

    Dundee 1 - 2 Celtic
    League (Division One)

    Wednesday, April 8th, 1970


International Career (Scotland)

Caps: 6

International Debut: October 21st, 1967 v. Scotland