In Thistle’s all-time appearance list Jackie Campbell is bettered by just three players, Alan Rough, Davie McParland and Willie Sharp, three players whose names are written large across Thistle’s history. Jackie Campbell’s contribution to the Thistle cause in just under 20 years is no less significant.

Jackie’s talents as a footballer were first noticed while playing for his school team, alongside, interestingly enough, future Thistle team-mate Tommy Rae. Jackie came to Thistle’s attention when he was spotted by a Thistle scout in 1963, while playing in the Airdrie and Coatbridge Under 18 Amateur League with Greengairs United. So good was the scout’s assessment of the 17-year-old central defender that Campbell was offered the chance to provisional forms at Firhill without having to play a trial match. Thistle owe whoever that scout was a huge debt of gratitude.

The bulk of Jackie’s appearances for Thistle would be as a centre-back but it was as a right-back that he made his Thistle debut in a match against Celtic at Firhill in March 1964. He played a total of six games in his first season at Firhill as a right-sided full-back – he had impressed in that position during a practice game. Indeed it wouldn’t be until the 1971-72 season that the Thistle fans would see Jackie feature in the heart of the Thistle defence.

Season 1971-72, as every Thistle fan knows, was a momentous one in the history of Partick Thistle Football Club. Thistle’s run in the League Cup took Thistle all the way to the final where against all odds Celtic were defeated 4-1. Thistle’s League Cup winning team, Hugh Strachan aside, was talented but young and inexperienced at that level. At the age of 25, Campbell could almost have been considered a veteran.

Injury, including a mysterious skin ailment that proved resistant to both diagnosis and treatment, had curtailed Campbell’s first team involvement in the two seasons prior to 71-72. He was unable to play much part in Thistle’s unsuccessful fight against relegation, and although he played four times in the Thistle side that would win the Second Division title, the League Cup victory was Jackie’s first real taste of success.

Thistle would have further opportunities of cup glory in the 1970s, for they reached the League Cup semi final in 1975 and the Scottish Cup semi finals in 1978 and 1979. Jackie featured in all of those matches but Thistle were unable to progress beyond the last four. He did play in the Thistle side that lifted the Glasgow Cup by beating Celtic in 1981 but that was hardly comparable.

Campbell would play in close on 600 fixtures for Partick Thistle, but he scored just once. His solitary goal came in an almost typically crazy Partick Thistle match.

On 16 August 1975 Thistle travelled through to Perth to face St Johnstone in a League Cup tie. When Thistle found themselves trailing 2-0 after just 11 minutes all seemed lost. After 20 minutes though Dougie Somner hauled Thistle back into the match, and his goal was swiftly followed by an equaliser from John Craig. Enter Jackie Campbell. Playing in the right-back role that he made his debut in eleven years earlier, Campbell ventured forward, played a one-two at the edge of the box before rifling a shot into the back of the net. Thistle went on to win 4-2.

Helping to prevent goals rather than scoring them was Jackie’s main job at Firhill. On one occasion he took that role to the extreme. In January 1975 Thistle were playing Motherwell at Fir Park in a Scottish Cup match when John Arrol, preferred at the time in goals to Alan Rough, broke his leg after a clash with Motherwell’s Willie Pettigrew. In the days long before substitute goalkeepers, someone was going to have to take over role of Thistle’s last line of defence. With three quarters of the game still to play it fell to Jackie Campbell to fill that role. He did so with no little aplomb as Thistle earned a Firhill replay after a no scoring draw. Typically, with Alan Rough restored to the side, Thistle lost the replay.

In October 1980 the Thistle fans were given the opportunity to acknowledge the contribution that Campbell had made to Partick Thistle when Firhill hosted his richly deserved testimonial match. Two teams made up of current Thistle players and guests played out an entertaining 6-6 draw.

Jackie’s playing career could have had a happier ending. He last saw competitive action against Dundee United in March 1982. Thistle would be relegated at the end of that season and Jackie’s last game, a 5-1 defeat, was one of a number of unhappy afternoons Thistle would have. Campbell was by this time assisting Peter Cormack in a player-coach role, but relegation ended Campbell’s association with Partick Thistle. It wasn’t perhaps the happiest way in which to part company with the football club that had played a big part in his life.

In a programme interview Jackie gave his definition of the term professional in the context of a footballer. He considered it to be somebody who always gave 100% whether in training or playing. It had to be someone who led by example whenever possible and contributed fully to the team effort all the time and never floated on the crest achieved by his team mates. He could easily have been describing himself.