Andrew Watson InstituteCharles Campbell
Campbell had been a pupil at Edinburgh Academy. He was born in Coupar Angus and ended up captaining both Queen’s Park and Scotland. Given that the Spiders have won the Scottish cup 10 times, his haul of eight winners’ medals and two runners’-up medals in the English FA cup is not too shabby. His only International goal came in the 1877 2-0 win over Wales.
He was one of the Queen’s Park players who also turned out for Corinthians: founded in 1882, in order to try and copy the game that Scotland played. The Scotch Professor game. If this was the only thing he did beyond Queens Park, it would make him one of the most important footballers of all time. Through the influence the Corinthians had on the English international team, Charles Campbell was one of the players who taught England how to play the passing and running game.
Campbell was a Queens Park committeeman for 16 years, from 1874 and was club president, 1879 to 80. 10 years later he was president of the Scottish Football Association and was match official for the 1889 Scottish cup final.
Another example of his influence was his introduction of the Scottish Game to Ireland. With James Allen of Caledonian FC, Campbell took two teams to Belfast in 1880 to demonstrate the game of the Scotch Professor. Following this game, which the Queen’s Park select won 3-1, the Irish Football Association was founded. It is fitting that he is buried in Kildare.
