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Fullname: Robert Gordon Campbell
aka: Robert Campbell, "Baby" (from Baby Elephant(!))
Born: 27 January 1883
Died: 31 May 1943
Birthplace: Ellon, Scotland
Signed: 26 June 1905
Left: 13 June 1906 (to Rangers!)
Position: Defence/Full-back
Debut: Celtic 3-1 Motherwell, League, 19 Aug 1905
Internationals: none

Biog

Full back Robert Campbell is one of the few players to have played for both Celtic and Rangers.

The Ellon-born player signed for Celtic on June 26th 1905 from Queen's Park where as an amateur he had earned a reputation as a player of great potential and seen as a catch of the season.

His brief time in the Hoops was largely forgettable as it was brief and he made a total of 11 appearances - all in the league. He then made the big move and as a Rangers man at heart he went to Ibrox in January 1906 for £350. He stayed 8 years with Rangers where he was played mostly as a centre forward, and had a very successful career.

There was still respect for Robert Campbell as a player at Celtic, and on 19 Aug 1912, Celtic played Rangers in a benefit game for him. Said to be an assiduous worker for the Glasgow Wesleyan Brotherhood (a religious group).

He was to later become a director of the Ibrox club, a disturbing fact in that a former Celtic player was on the board of Rangers as it began to enforce its sectarian policies under arch-bigot Struth et al. Looks like the Celtic ethos had long dissipated from him; was he getting his own back after his poor stint at Celtic? Who knows? He likely profited from the new bigotted policy being implemented at Ibrox, and that is sad to see, however that is not to confirm that he was necessarily a bigot himself, circumstance could be the reason.

Playing Career

Honours with Celtic

Scottish League

• 1905-06

Pictures

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