Alan Pattullo: Dick Campbell on the brink of yet more success

Dick Campbell might have a twin brother Ian who he credits with much of his success, but he’s still a genuine one-off.

Dick Campbell can secure the League 1 title with Arbroath this weekend. Picture: Kenny Smith/SNS

Two weeks ago last night he was still up speaking at a Dundee FC Hall of Fame dinner as the clock hands nudged towards midnight. His Arbroath side had an important league fixture against Angus rivals Forfar Athletic the following day but why let winning another league title get in the way of a good story? And he had plenty of them.

One of these tales Campbell told against himself and I’d already had a sneak preview since I was sitting near Morten Wieghorst, among the inductees that evening and who was clearly horrified for fear of having disrespected the great man, who’s closing in on 1,300 matches as a manager and eyeing a tenth promotion as manager/first-team coach.

Arbroath need only a point from today’s clash with Brechin to get over the line and secure the League One title.

But Wieghorst, now back in his Denmark homeland having last worked in Britain when assistant to Michael Laudrup at Swansea City five years ago, was not up to date with Campbell’s continued exploits. After bumping into each other at the dinner just prior to Campbell getting up to speak, they exchanged best wishes and enquired how the other was doing before Morten, one of the nicest men in football, stopped the bold Campbell in his tracks by 
asking: “So Dick, what are you up to these days – still involved in football?”