Allan Campbell on reconnecting with Nathan Jones at Charlton Athletic and lack of loan game time at Millwall

BY RICHARD CAWLEY
richard@slpmedia.co.uk

Allan Campbell is relishing the prospect of his first-ever taste of League One football – with the hope that his second loan stint in South London is more productive than his spell with Millwall.

The 26-year-old Scottish midfielder joined Charlton Athletic last week from Luton Town.

Campbell, whose Hatters deal expires next summer, was attracted by the prospect of once again playing for Nathan Jones.

It was the Welshman who was in charge of Luton when they snapped up the Glaswegian, out of contract at Motherwell, in June 2021.

Campbell has made 75 league appearances for the Bedfordshire club and missed just four Championship games when they won promotion to the Premier League just two years after he arrived at Kenilworth Road.

Campbell did not make a top-flight bow before he was loaned to Lions at the end of the 2023 summer transfer window. He featured just 12 times for them, the last of those outings as an 86th-minute sub against Huddersfield in mid-December.

Campbell told the South London Press: “It wasn’t the way I planned it to be at Millwall – there were a couple of changes of manager during the season, which was a bit disrupting.

“But the club and staff looked after me as much as they could – the boys were brilliant. Sometimes in football it happens – that it doesn’t go the way you expect.

“I’m just looking forward to getting back on the pitch and performing again. It (Millwall) is the first time in my career where I haven’t played a lot games and it’s something I take a lot from mentally, that I’ve grown as a person.

“Everybody who knows me knows I’m someone who just tries to get better every day – no matter what. I went into training every day giving my all, to show I was ready when they needed me.”

Campbell has 87 Championship matches under his belt and featured 160 times for Motherwell in the Premiership, Europa League qualifiers and other cup competitions. Now comes a fresh challenge in England’s third tier.

Campbell was an unused substitute in Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Reading.

“Aye this is a new challenge but I wanted to come and play games – along with the ambition that the gaffer has it is exciting,” he said. “I want to be a part of it.

“I know a few of the boys – I’ve either played with them previously or against – so I know it’s a good squad. There is a good feel about the place. It’s going to be an exciting season.

“I had a chat with the gaffer (Luton boss Rob Edwards) in pre-season and I said I wanted to go and play.

“We came to an understanding it was best for me to go and get back to playing football elsewhere.

“It’s time to move on. When I got the opportunity to come here I was raring to go.”

Jones has talked before about an aversion to loan signings unless they majorly improve his squad or there is a chance of a longer-term stay.

The Welshman’s comments to our paper last week hinted at Campbell staying in SE7 beyond May.

“He is someone I’d like to move forward,” said Jones. “I already know he can play in the Championship – and be very successful in the Championship.

“So, it’s an easy decision for us. There will be more on that (his future) in the coming time on what we can do around that.”

Those quotes are surely music to Campbell’s ears?

“As a player you want to feel wanted and when I spoke to him he had a lot of praise for me,” said Campbell. “We worked well together at Luton and we were successful there. There is nothing better to hear a manager wants you to be here.

“He has expectations of me and also ways he feels he can improve me. That is one of the main reasons why I’ve come here.

“I would say I’m an all-round midfielder – energetic, box-to-box and all-action. Something you can’t take away is that I give my all on that park for the club, no matter what. Hopefully that comes with a lot of success.”

Campbell has one promotion on his CV, with Luton in 2023 when they won the Championsip play-off final at Wembley against Coventry.

“The key is being together as a group,” he said. “And by group I mean the team, the staff and fans – everybody pulling together to really drive the team forward.

“You have to enjoy the football you’re playing and have people coming along every week supporting the team – having that good atmosphere around the place and being a family club. It can breed something special.”

MAIN PICTURE: KYLE ANDREWS

INSET PICTURE: BRIAN TONKS