Mark Campbell (footballer)

Playing career

Mark grew up in Auchinleck with younger brother Martyn and they both played for Valspar Boys Club before Mark signed for Greenock Morton as a schoolboy.

Stranraer

He began his professional career with Stranraer when he was signed by Manager Sanny McAnespie in 1996 as a raw 18 year-old. When Sanny was replaced not long after as Manager by Campbell Money, Mark made a loan move to Ayrshire Junior side Maybole to toughen up a bit. After returning to Stair Park, Mark played a crucial part in Stranraer's run to the 1997-98 Second Division Championship title. The young defender was attracting some interest by this point, and after an impressive start to the season in their First Division campaign the Stranraer board accepted a £90,000 bid from big-spending Ayr United.

Ayr United

Campbell was signed by Manager Gordon Dalziel for Ayr United from Stranraer on 24 February 1999 for a fee of £90,000,. After an impressive start to his Somerset Park career, injury halted Mark in his tracks when he suffered a cruciate ligament injury in his right knee. The injury meant he missed a large number of league games, as well as the 2002 CIS Cup Final against Rangers and the 2002 Scottish Cup Semi-Final against Celtic a week later, both at Hampden Park.

In his five years at Ayr, he made over 100 first team appearances in all competitions. He took the chance of a fresh start in the summer of 2004 when his contract expired.

Falkirk

One of Campbell’s former defensive partners at Ayr, John Hughes, signed him for Falkirk in the summer of 2004. After missing out on the cup runs at Ayr, Campbell made up for lost time when he lifted the Bell's Cup in November 2004, defeating Ross County 2-1 courtesy of Neil Scally and Darryl Duffy goals at St.Johnstone's McDiarmid Park. That same Falkirk team concluded their season as winners of the Scottish First Division with a 15 point margin over St.Mirren.

St. Johnstone

Due to his career as a P.E. Instructor at Kilmarnock prison, Campbell rejected the opportunity to turn full-time and remain with Falkirk in the SPL, instead choosing to sign for St.Johnstone under his former Falkirk team-mate Owen Coyle.

An achilles injury hampered the move and when he returned after months out the team, the side were on an upward trajectory and, feeling out of the picture, he moved to Raith Rovers in January 2006.

Raith Rovers

Manager Gordon Dalziel signed Campbell for a second time in his career when he brought him to a Raith Rovers side struggling in the Scottish Second Division at the time, and Mark was to enjoy a rollercoaster spell at the club.

Dalziel departed the Kirkcaldy side later that year to be replaced by future Scotland National Football Team Manager Craig Levein on a short-term basis, who himself was eventually replaced by John McGlynn in what was a tumultuous season. A season of stability followed, before Campbell (as Club Captain) led the team to the Scottish Second Division Championship title in April 2009. Rovers were enjoying a good start to the season and were consolidating themselves in the Scottish First Division when Campbell was involved in a serious car crash in February 2010 which ruled him out for nearly a year and threatened to cost him his career. He made his return on Boxing Day 2010 and bounced back in emphatic style, eventually winning the Irn-Bru First Division Player of the Month award as he cemented his place back in the side that finished the season in 2nd place, as runners-up to eventual Champions and local rivals Dunfermline Athletic. Dunfermline being promoted had a double impact on Raith, as not only were they denied a place in the SPL, it also meant that the club missed out on two derby matches with big crowds. Cuts were made to their playing budget, and Campbell was surprisingly one of 15 players not offered a new deal at the end of the season.

Queen of the South

It was announced on 25 June 2011 that Campbell, alongside his ex-Raith colleague Kevin Smith, had agreed terms with Dumfries club, Queen of the South. He made his Queens debut under Manager Gus MacPherson on 23 July 2011 in the 2-0 extra-time defeat away to his former club Ayr United in the 2011-12 Scottish Challenge Cup, just one of a number of times where he faced up to his brother Martyn in an opposing team. Campbell went on to make 19 first team appearances for the Palmerston Park club, before the club website announced that he had moved to Scottish Junior side Irvine Meadow.

Irvine Meadow

Campbell took his first step out of senior football in 14 years when he signed for reigning West of Scotland Super League Premier Division Champions Irvine Meadow on 11 February 2012. Campbell was a regular fixture in the back-line as Chris Strain's side made it back-to-back titles, finishing 5 points ahead of Petershill.

When Strain was sacked as Manager at the end of the following season, with the club finishing a disappointing mid-table position, Campbell even saw out the last few weeks of the season as Caretaker Manager until the appointment of Stevie Rankin in the close season. He was a mainstay of the side who made a lightning start to the 2013–14 West of Scotland Super League Premier Division campaign, but which finished runners-up to eventual Champions Auchinleck Talbot.

Auchinleck Talbot

After his contract at Meadow Park expired, Tommy Sloan signed Campbell for West of Scotland Super League Premier Division Champions Auchinleck Talbot in June 2014. where he won his second championship medal as Talbot romped to the 2014–15 West of Scotland Super League Premier Division title as well as the 2014–15 Scottish Junior Cup when Talbot defeated Musselburgh Athletic 2-1 at Kilmarnock's Rugby Park.

He suffered the second cruciate ligament injury of his career in November 2015 during a league match against Hurlford United which threatened to bring his career to an end for a second time. Still going through rehabilitation for his knee injury, Campbell left the club in the summer of 2016 upon expiry of his contract.

Coaching career

Mark embarked upon a coaching career when he joined Scottish Junior Football Association, West Region side Troon in October 2016.

Personal life

Campbell's brother Martyn Campbell is also a footballer and currently plays for Kilwinning Rangers.

The two brothers played on the same side for the first time in their lives in Martyn's testimonial match at Ayr United's Somerset Park in July 2015.

Honours