As a player Campbell was a noted lower division forward whose 131 goals in all competitions established the individual record for a player with Brechin City.G & J Rollin, The Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2008-2009, p. 694 He had previously appeared for Dunfermline Athletic and Arbroath and went on to appear for Cowdenbeath, Dunfermline again and Montrose before retiring. During his career, Campbell was promoted with Brechin and helped Dunfermline to achieve promotion twice.
