Campbell arrived at Pools in November 2014, during a turbulent period for the club, while he was still a teenager.
After a promising start to his Newcastle career which saw him become the youngest ever player to represent the Magpies in European competition, featuring in a Europa League clash with Greek side Atromitos aged just 17, Campbell drew blanks during loan spells at Carlisle and Fleetwood, although he did score twice in 12 appearances for Scottish side St Mirren.
He signed on loan for Pools with the side in a precarious position under Paul Murray, who managed just one win from seven matches before getting the boot, and failed to score in his two games at Victoria Park.
However, he soon started to realise the potential that prompted Alan Padrew to hand him his Premier League debut as an 18-year-old and went on to enjoy successful stints at Darlington, where he finished his first season as the Quakers’ top-scorer, Gateshead, helping the Heed to the National League North title and the FA Trophy and, most recently, Crawley, where he featured 48 times as the West Sussex outfit won promotion to League One.
Campbell, who is 29 years old, believes he has a lot more to give Pools and hopes to join the team in a more secure position than he did when he joined ten years ago.
“When I came here for that month, it wasn’t necessarily a good part of the club’s history,” he stated on the official club website.
“It probably wasn’t a great part in terms of my career as well.
“I was a young kid, and I probably didn’t necessarily handle the pressure that the club was under at the time.
“Now I’ve got 10 years more experience and I’m a much better player and I’m a much more rounded person than what I was back then.
“I’ll be using that experience to try and help the club kick on as much as I can.
“Looking round now, the dressing rooms are changed completely, the pitch is looking really nice and there’s just a good feeling around the place.
“I’m looking forward to being a part of it.”
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