Noel Campbell

Who is Noel Campbell?

Noel Campbell is a retired Irish footballer.

He began his career in 1966 with St. Patrick's Athletic F.C. in the League of Ireland where alongside his brother Johnny played in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup against FC Girondins de Bordeaux with Noel scoring twice in the Stade Chaban-Delmas. He had played in the 1967 FAI Cup Final losing to Shamrock Rovers. Noel was the clubs top scorer in 1968–69 and 1969–70.

While with St. Patrick's he made his full international debut on 30 May 1971.

The following season he moved to SC Fortuna Köln in Germany. From 1971 to 1973 he made 51 appearances and scored nine goals in the Regionalliga West; he also played five games and scored two goals in the promotion play-off to the Bundesliga. In 1973–74 he played 29 Bundesliga games and when he played against Borussia Mönchengladbach on 11 August 1973, he became the first Irishman to play in the Bundesliga. From 1974 to 1979 he scored 16 goals in 110 2. Bundesliga games.

Campbell won 11 caps for Ireland, one in his St. Patrick's Athletic days and a further ten whilst under contract to Fortuna Köln He departed the international stage in somewhat ignominious circumstances, dismissed within a minute of his introduction as a substitute in a 1977 World Cup qualifier against Bulgaria in Sofia.