Campbell Alec Image 2 Hampshire 1920

Description

Born of Scottish parents in South Stoneham, Southampton, centre half Alec Campbell had the honour to represent England as an amateur international against The Netherlands whilst still at school, the only known occasion that a schoolboy has represented his country at that level. He was soon spotted by Southampton and joined them in 1908, making his professional debut in a Southern League match at Millwall in February 1909, but, unfortunately for The Saints, he (together with several other amateur internationals) was persuaded to join Samuel Hill-Wood’s team at Glossop North End in the Second Division in September 1909, making his debut in an FA Cup tie in January 1910 at Bury. This was one of only 10 games he would play for Glossop over the next three years and he returned to The Dell in January 1914, also playing for Boscombe in the same period.

The First World War then intervened though he regularly turned out for Southampton and also guested for West Ham United. In 1919 he resumed League football with Southampton, initially in the Southern League then in the following year the Football League, by which time he had been made Club Captain. He captained the club in Southampton’s inaugural Football League fixture at Gillingham in August 1920. He won the Division Three (South) Championship with Southampton in 1922 and continued to play for Saints until 1926, when after 15 goals in 199 appearances he joined Poole Town (where he was among their team that played in the FA Cup in January 1927 in front of 65,000 at Goodison Park, losing 3-1 to Everton and a Dixie Dean hat-trick). In April 1927 he was appointed manager of Chesterfield, although he only remained in December before leaving the game entirely.

He also played cricket as a right handed batsman for Hampshire in 7 first class matches in 1908 and 1909, making a highest score of 21 at an average of 9.10.