STUART McCall today paid a personal tribute to City legend Bobby Campbell and said: “You can’t think of him without smiling.”

McCall is still coming to terms with the shocking news of his former team-mate’s death aged 60.

The club will pay tribute to their record goal-scorer at the next home game against Northampton on Tuesday.

McCall admits it has not sunk in but looks back so fondly on a player who was larger than life both on and off the field.

He said: “As deeply sad as it is, we’ve got to rejoice in his life and celebrate Bobby for what he was.

“He’ll always be a legend at this football club.

“It’s impossible to think of Bobby and not get a smile on your face.”

McCall found out from chief scout Greg Abbott at the training ground but their obvious sadness soon gave way to reminiscing about past Campbell stories. It was the same when the City boss spoke with other players from that era.

He added: “Greg came over and he had tears in his eyes. I thought something had happened to someone in his family – but it has happened to someone in the family because Bobby was a part of it.

“It knocks you for six. But as sad and as gutted as we were, within 20 minutes we were talking about old tales and remembering this moment and that goal, funny stuff and football stuff.

“Two hours later, John Hendrie popped into my office and it was the same again.

“Then I spoke on the phone to Mark Ellis, who was in America. You start off heartbroken but then you’re talking about things you’d forgotten.

“Some of the stories are absolutely priceless. But everyone seems to know him.

“I’d mention him in Scotland and they all remembered the big Irishman.

“I’ve seen Bobby a few times over the past 12 months. The last thing he said to me was make sure you get a winger to serve (James) Hanson, just get that boy some service and he’ll get you goals.

“He was a Godfather to us lads in the team. He led the line and he was a leader in the dressing room.

“Look at football nowadays and there’s no doubt there’s a lack of leaders. In the same breath there are also a lack of characters but Bob was both.

“You got what you saw in Bob. As supportive as he was at the young lads coming through, he’d also give you a rollicking if you weren’t doing things right.

“I could fill a book with stories relating to Bobby on and off the park and the times that the squad had together.”

McCall recalled one Campbell moment at training that he has never witnessed since at any club – a thumping header from outside the penalty area.

“You’ve seen these headers from a long ball where the keeper’s come out and it’s just been nodded over them.

“But this was from a cross, it was mine that’s why I remember it, and he just bulleted it into the top corner.

“It was one of those moments when the whole place just stopped.

“You see overhead kicks and players like Maradona, Messi and George Best who’ll take five people on or David Beckham scoring from the halfway line.

“But I’ve never ever seen anyone score from outside the box with a header from a cross.

“That part of his game was brilliant, although he also used to tell us that he was the best volleyer at the club. I nicked that saying from him the longer I went on in the game!”

Campbell scored 143 goals in 320 appearances for City in a seven-year stretch punctuated briefly by a move to Derby which helped to keep the club afloat.

McCall added: “The best bit of business we did was getting him back. That was the biggest lift for everyone.

“I remember his early days when I was an apprentice and he had a good partnership with little David McNiven. Then we had Bobby and John Hawley, two senior ones, who were different characters but gelled so well on the park.

“I’ve got old Betamax videos from the early years when I first got in the team and Bobby played a massive part in the success we had with all his goals.

“He was such a big character and we’re all going to miss him. It’s going to really hit home when we have our next get-together and Bobby is not there.”