Hartlepool United head coach reflects on "tough" season for Adam Campbell
Hartlepool United head coach Anthony Limbrick has been reflecting on a "tough" season for Adam Campbell.
The 30-year-old was touted as a marquee signing when he arrived at Pools last summer following an impressive campaign with Crawley, scoring seven goals in 42 league games and helping the Red Devils win promotion to League One, starting in the play-off final at Wembley.
Campbell was offered terms to remain in West Sussex but opted instead to return to the North East, where he was born and has spent large parts of his professional career.
As soon as the news broke that Campbell was closing in on a move to Pools, where he made two appearances during a fleeting loan spell in 2014, fans were in raptures. Campbell's impressive pedigree - he made his Newcastle debut aged just 17, enjoyed a prolific spell at rivals Darlington and helped Gateshead win the National League North title in 2021 - meant supporters were expecting big things from the diminutive attacker. Indeed, he was often talked up as the signing of the summer.
There were some promising signs in pre-season, with Campbell impressing in his favoured role in-behind a central striker, leaving fans licking their lips at the prospect of him teaming up with Mani Dieseruvwe when the campaign began.
He started well enough, providing the assist for Jack Hunter's winning goal against Yeovil on the opening day, but it wasn't long before cracks started to appear. Following an injury to Luke Charman, Campbell was moved out to the left flank and he struggled to adapt to Darren Sarll's direct brand of football. Having been taken off at half time in a 1-1 draw with Wealdstone in late August, Campbell started to look more and more frustrated before losing his place in the side.
Things came to a head in October when Campbell scored his first Pools goal, lashing home a late leveller in an FA Cup fourth qualifying round draw with National League North side Brackley Town. Having salvaged a replay, Campbell gave an emotionally charged post-match interview, brandishing his first few months at the Prestige Group Stadium as the most frustrating of his career.
Campbell's form started to improve under Lennie Lawrence, with the versatile forward scoring and assisting in November's remarkable 4-3 win over Solihull Moors, although there were still signs he was struggling and he produced glaring misses in defeats to York and Gateshead.
The appointment of Anthony Limbrick, renowned as a possession-based manager, looked like it might suit Campbell, who thrived under the likes of Scott Lindsey and Mike Williamson. Yet things went from bad to worse, with Campbell on the end of increasing criticism from fans, some of whom even appeared to jeer his name when he was substituted towards the end of February's frustrating goalless draw with strugglers Maidenhead. Campbell did not start any of the final eight games of the campaign and was used only sparingly from the bench.
The question now is what his future might have in store. Undeniably talented, Campbell has achieved lots in the game since making his Premier League debut as a teenager. However, it's hard to avoid the sense that his move to Pools has been a bitter disappointment. True, there have been some extenuating circumstances, not least the deteriorating condition of the pitch at the Prestige Group Stadium, but there have been times this term when the attacker has looked altogether bereft of confidence.
It's unclear whether Campbell has another year on his contract, while the current state of limbo following March's resignation of chairman Raj Singh means it could well be a number of weeks before players know where they'll be playing their football next season. Fans are divided; some have seen enough, while others would like Campbell to be given the chance to rediscover his best form at the Prestige Group Stadium. Limbrick, who has been a staunch supporter of Campbell even if he has, lately at least, proved reluctant to put too much faith in him on the pitch, admits it's been a challenging campaign for the attacker.
"Adam is a good player, there's no doubt about that," he said.
"I watched him closely in the Crawley team when he got promoted. He's a good footballer, a good technician, he really wants to do well and he has tried really hard. You can see in his work out of possession that he does a really good job for us and works so hard.
"It hasn't quite happened for him in possession this season; it's been tough for him. He's an honest lad, he still works hard, he's been coming on and trying to make as much of an impact as he can. It's been tough for him, he's had a challenging season."