EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW Delivering a pair of shoes was Stevie’s salvation
STEVIE CAMPBELL has never been much of a singer.
But he has Yodel to thank for reviving his football career!
After a year spent delivering parcels, the revitalised former Dundee United youth chief is helping to deliver success at Brechin City.
Campbell’s acrimonious departure from Tannadice last year came as a shock to everyone in the Scottish game.
After mentoring stars like Ryan Gauld, Johnny Russell, Stuart Armstrong and John Souttar, he was seen as the custodian of the most-productive youth system in the country. Then everything changed. Just weeks after penning a new contract, Campbell was suspended, then resigned, amid rumours of a rift with former Tangerines boss, Jackie McNamara.
At the time, McNamara’s stock was high. Today, after a nightmare spell at York City, it could scarcely be lower.
He said he would resign if his side did not get a “positive result” against Braintree yesterday.
They conceded an 88th-minute penalty to draw 1-1, leaving McNamara to ponder his next move.
Campbell’s fortunes stand in stark contrast.
After reaching an “amicable settlement” with United in the summer, the former Dundee, Livingston and Brechin player returned to Glebe Park as firstteam coach under Darren Dods.
When the opportunity arrived, it was perfectly packaged. And with City flying high at the top of League One, Campbell is loving life back in the dug-out.
“I suppose you could call it a year from hell,” he admits, his trademark enthusiasm apparently undimmed by the experience.
“It’s funny, though, how things worked out. I’d never been out of football before when it ended at United. I had 15 years as a player, then 15 years coaching, so it was a shock.
“I couldn’t work in football while the terms of my departure from United were up in the air, but I needed to do something. Thankfully, I was able to get a delivery job with Yodel.
“It turned out my route included Brechin. So who do I end up delivering a parcel to? Ken Ferguson, the Brechin chairman.
“I’d been a player there so, obviously, we got talking. He was telling me that once everything was sorted I’d be straight back into full-time football.
“But Darren Dods was the first guy on the phone when I got my settlement sorted with United, so that was that.”
Campbell sits back, apparently satisfied with the anecdote, but quickly springs back into life to add: “I think it was a pair of shoes I was delivering to Ken that day!”
Campbell refuses to get specific about how things fell apart for him at Tannadice. After a full year of legal back-and-forth, who can blame him? And with Brechin off to a flyer in League One, why should he care?
What’s more important to Campbell is what he learned from the experience – and what comes next.
“The one thing I will say is, it gave me time out of the football bubble,” he admits. “When you’re in there you probably work 60, 70 hours a week and think nothing of it. It’s just what you do.
“I enjoyed the majority of that – don’t get me wrong. But I’ve realised that I made so many sacrifices along the way, and not always the right ones.
“Probably family was the biggest one. My wife actually said to me that she saw more of me when I was working for Inverness than she did when I was at Dundee United.
“That’s just the nature of the job. You’re on call all the time.
“But I’ve no bitterness about that. I honestly don’t. I wish the club well, I wish the players well and I look back on my 10 years at United and have some fantastic memories.
“But I’m looking to the future now. It’s all about the opportunity at Brechin – which is different for me – and I’m honestly buzzing about it.”
Even a few minutes spent in Campbell’s company is proof enough of that. His enthusiasm is inspiring, his love of football clear to see.
“I know it sounds a bit daft, but being out in the van over the last year was a real positive experience for me,” he continues.
“It was something I needed – time to think. It has been healthy for me.
“I’m indebted to the guys that gave me that job because they knew I wouldn’t be there forever.
“Football is my first love. It will always be that way, and now I’m back in, I don’t want to be out again.”