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| George Campbell |
 George Wallace Campbell was born on Thursday, 29th January, 1920, in Dumbarton, Dunbartonshire. The 5' 9 (11st 0lbs) forward signed for Donald Turner's Thistle on Wednesday, 4th January, 1939, having most recently been with Vale of Clyde. Aged 18, he made his debut appearance on Wednesday, 11th January, 1939, in a 0-0 draw away to Queen of the South in the SFL First Division. There were no goals for George during his spell with Thistle. He played his last game for the club on Saturday, 11th February, 1939, in a 2-2 draw at home to Queen's Park in the SFL First Division, having appeared as a Jag on 5 occasions. His club-list included Vale of Clyde, Partick Thistle, Albion Rovers, Vale of Leven, Dumbarton, Stirling Albion, Hamilton Westinghouse, Rochester Celtics and British Imperials. George died on Tuesday, 29th May, 1979, in Hamilton, Ontario, aged 59. |
| George Campbell's Summary Totals |
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| League | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Competitive | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| All Games | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
 This far-travelled lad, an outside left specialist, had two spells living in South Africa (once in his earlier teenage years then again in his mid-20s), as well as sampling football in Canada and the USA. By 1938, the 18-year-old was making his mark in the junior grade with Vale of Clyde and, in December of that year, Thistle manager Donald Turner drafted him into Firhill for training and for trial games with the reserves (under the psuedonym of "Smith"), which went well. Thistle acted quickly to sign George to terms, with Wolverhampton Wanderers also keen to secure his services. George made 5 appearances for the first team in a 4½ week spell early in 1939, but was never on the winning team. A Scottish Cup exit to Cowdenbeath (in a Firhill replay) was particularly disappointing. After being freed from Firhill, George signed for Albion Rovers in August 1939 and, like everyone else, had his ambitions thwarted by the outbreak of war, having to settle for lower-key (and lesser-paid) games in the Regional League West as opposed to the relative glamour of the SFL First Division. By the following season, he was back in his Dunbartonshire home territory, signing for Vale of Leven. In 1942, George married Angelina Myles, who was of a similar age, in Dumbarton. Away from the football, he worked as an engineer, and she was a factory worker. Towards the end of the war, by now playing as a half-back, he joined Dumbarton, before returning to South Africa in August 1946 to take up a job there. George was back in Scotland a year later and played a couple of league games with Stirling Albion. In June 1948, George and Angelina set sail from Southampton, bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia, fully intent on a new life together in Canada. So began a whole new (and succesful) chapter in both his footballing story, and in his personal life, and their first-born, Brian, arrived the following year. Settling in Ontario, George spent several years with Hamilton Westinghouse, before alternating his loyalties for several years between Rochester Celtics in New York and the British Imperials, back in Hamilton. Throughout the 1950s, George appeared in various "All Stars" line-ups as exhibition games were lined-up against the touring great and good of the likes of Manchester United, the English FA and Jönköping. After retirement as a player at the end of the decade, George tried his hand at coaching. Sadly, George passed away at the relatively young age of 59, leaving Angelina a widow. Their first-born, Brian, passed away in 1992 and Angelina did likewise a year later. The three are laid to rest together at Hamilton Mount Cemetery in Ontario (see 'Gallery' tab above). |
| (CHH/WS/JK) |
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