Campbell isolates at home with wife due to ill health history

Arbroath manager Dick Campbell reckons that watching one of his grandchildren dropping off a food parcel for he and his wife Ann-Marie was like viewing a scene from 1970s TV show MASH.

However, it has emphasised that legendary Liverpool manager Bill Shankly was not right about everything.

Campbell has made the heartbreaking decision to go into isolation along with wife Ann-Marie as he knows that his health is vulnerable should he come into contact with the coronavirus.

The 66-year-old said: “Ann-Marie and I have decided to avoid all physical contact with everyone, including my family, and that has been a really hard thing to do.

“I have had cancer and I am diabetic so it would be really concerning if I was to become ill.

“I am very aware of my status so I am not seeing anyone.

“I am very fortunate that I can keep making phone calls and see my family out of a window but it is difficult.

“My grandson came up and left food for us on our doorstep and it was surreal, it felt like we were watching MASH.

“Bill Shankly said that football was more important than life or death but do you know something, he was probably wrong.”

The Gayfield manager admitted he is also concerned over twin brother Ian, who is his number two at the Lichties and his boss during the week in their work away from football.

He explained: “I feel for my brother as he is trying to keep three businesses going and he is also a care worker. He has a lot on his plate.”

There is a strong sense that football returning would be the perfect pick-up for Campbell, who added: “When I was the manager at Forfar nearly 10 years ago, we once went 73 days without a game due to the weather.

“What is going on just now means that break pales into insignificance.

“That was due to snow and ice but this is very different.

“My enthusiasm for football is as strong as it can be but no one knows when we will be back.

“The players can put trackers on them when they go training just now and I get the results sent to me.

“They know that I know how much work they are putting in and they will love that.

“We had been having a sensational season before it was shut down and once football comes back, I hope that it has counted for something.”

Picture: SNS. Dick Campbell: Still able to track how much training his players are doing.