Falkirk FC's first ever top League
Goalscorer was a proper Bairn, a local lad. George [Geordie] Campbell
was born and brought up in the Town, and as far as I know lived his
whole life here.
Starting his career as a Juvenile with
Brockville Star [not associated with Falkirk FC], within a season he
drew the attention of Vale of Carron. Vale of Carron were the
'shire's wee team and were big in Junior Circles and Geordie joined
them, where he made an immediate impact. However, after a season, he
moved to Bo'ness [I don't know, West Lothian did have a better
Junior scene at the turn of the Century [it still does]] for another
season. But George was a Falkirk lad and soon moved to Dunipace
Juniors where he made Centre-Forward his own.
Falkirk's ears pricked up and soon
offered him terms. Of course, he couldn't be the Centre-Forward,
Robert Leishman was the CF, but he was put at Outside-Left. And he
scored, for a young man he scored. In Falkirk FC's First Season in
the League he scored 14 from 22 games. And when you add his goal in
the Qualifying Cup v East Stirlingshire, he scored FIFTEEN.
All in all George made the benchmark for all Fakirk Strikers to follow.
He retired from Falkirk due to ill-health, but was tempted out of
retirement due to Raith Rovers who needed a CF, but he did not play
many matches with them [possibly due to his health]. In April 1908
Falkirk played Raith at Stark's Park in a Benefit match for him. He
died at the scarily young age of 25, but you know, he is one of our
seasonal top scorers.
George
Campbell
b c1884, Falkirk, Stirlingshire
d 13th February 1909, Falkirk, Stirlingshire
Debut
– Saturday September 29th 1900 v Stenhousemuir (A) Scottish Qualifying Cup 2nd Rd
League Debut – Saturday August 16th 1902 v Clyde (A) Scottish League Division 2
Positions – Outside-Left, Centre-Forward
Club Honours – Scottish League Division 2 RU 1904/05, Dewar Shield RU 1903/04, Stirlingshire Cup W 1905/06, Stirlingshire Consolation Cup W 1902/03, 1904/05,Falkirk Infirmary Shield W 1904/05, 1905/06, RU 1903/04
Falkirk
Top League Goalscorer
1902/03 [14]
Scottish League Division 1 Matches/Goals [16/10]
Scottish League Division 2 Matches/Goals [53/25]
Scottish Qualifying Cup Matches /Goals [6/1]
Minor League Matches/Goals [19/8]
Minor Cup Matches/Goals [31/11]
Known Career – Brockville
Star, Vale of Carron, Bo'ness Our Boys, Dunipace Juniors, Falkirk [1900/01-1906/07] Raith Rovers [1907/08-1908/09]
Played in Falkirk's first ever Scottish League Match v Clyde (A) Scottish League Division 2, 16th August 1902
Scored on his League Debut
Hat-Tricks – 2 [Division 1 [1] Division 2 [1]]
