League title target for Jersey boy Luke
MARK PIRIE
Liverpool and Celtic are sitting at the top of the English and Scottish pyramid, respectively, as the season is placed on hold.
But a Rutherglen footballer is looking to outdo them both as the Jersey Bulls bid to complete an unbeaten season.
Luke Campbell has been at the heart of the backline for the Bulls as they earned promotion from the Combined Counties League Premier Division with 11 games to spare in their debut season in the English leagues.
The 30-year-old quantity surveyor has played a huge part in their success helping the side collect 21 clean sheets alongside countless air miles, as they fly across the channel for games every second week.
Despite their game with Westside being axed over the weekend and the title bid put on a two week hold due to COVID-19, Campbell still has high hopes.
Now the centre-back is targeting a league title and a perfect season after their 28 game winning streak broke the record for consecutive victories in the division.
He said: “It’s been a great season for us and now the hope has got to be to keep pushing for the title.
“We are in a great run of form. That doesn’t mean we’re going to win the league, but we have given ourselves a good chance so it has to be the aim for us now.
“That’s the target and I feel like we are up for the challenge.”
The towering defender has been impressed with the response from the local area to their debut campaign, after playing football his whole life and moving to Saint Helier as an eightyear-old.
However, it is messages from back home – including from his East Kilbride based gran Elizabeth – that have really touched him.
“I’ve had messages from back home congratulating me on the promotion,” he said.
“It’s been great to get that kind of support when they don’t get to see you play.
“Jersey is nice place to live, grow up and play your football.
“It’s quiet, but we have had a really good response to our games.
“It helps that we have done well with the Bulls, but we get between 600 and 800 fans at home games and they give us a great support.
“For our first season in the leagues, that’s a great response.”