David Campbell

Born in Eglinton, just outside Derry, Campbell's playing career took off at local intermediate side, Oxford United Stars FC. From there he moved on to Nottingham Forest as an apprentice in June 1981, picking up Northern Ireland youth caps along the way, before signing professional forms at the City Ground in June 1983. At Forest, Campbell's route to a regular first team midfield spot was always going to be difficult, especially with young English talent such as Neil Webb and Steve Hodge also battling to establish themselves. As it was, Campbell did admirably to break into the Forest team for the second half of the 1985–86 season, enjoying a run of 27 consecutive Division One appearances through to the following season. It was Campbell's impressive First Division form that prompted Billy Bingham to call him up as Northern Ireland searched for the right squad mix to take to the 1986 World Cup finals in Mexico. Campbell made his international bow as a sub in the pre-World Cup warm-up game with Morocco, and did enough to earn a place in the finals' squad. His first start for Northern Ireland was against Brazil at the finals, but he could do little to prevent a 3–0 defeat in the Guadalajara sun. On returning from Mexico, Campbell's continued good form brought him impressive press, his skills on the ball allowing him to twist and turn his way into the opposition's penalty area. Here though lay the problem, once in these dangerous positions he would often lose the plot, blasting…