Just speculation but a few things coming together

Armstrong really likes him
Gateshead just sold a fwd for 5 figured which could free up budget
Not even in our squad last Saturday


Could be 2+2 =5 but if we can get him off wage bill and use the money to fund some other attacking talent could be a win all round

Best for all concerned I say,it's not worked out at pools for him and I don't think it will. Free up a decent wage to bring in another player. He's been a massive let down.

Don't understand why Campbell hasn't been a success at Pools tbh. If the guy has talent, fitness and commitment and the respective Pools managers during his time at Pools have played him in his preferred position then there's no reason why it shouldn't have worked out for him. I would have thought that Grayson would be sufficiently experienced to get the best out of Campbell. IMO he should only be permitted to join a rival NL club as and when Grayson is able to introduce a better option.

Maybe Campbell would benefit from an Adam Boyd type loan to a team in the league below, come back hungry and ready to prove people wrong, seems as though he has no incentive to impress to me.

Judging by the fact that Francis and Daly both travelled to Yeovil and Campbell didn't, the indications are that Grayson already thinks he's got better options.

Most Poolies would agree with him - 2 goals and 2 assists in 38 appearances last season is a really poor return for an attacking midfielder.

He'll be on a decent wage at Pools as we paid money to get him off Crawley. For whatever reasons the move hasn't worked out, so freeing up that wage would be good business.

Even taking into account the ridiculous and often pathetic goings on at Pools during the summer, you would expect a professional footballer to return from close season 'hungry and ready' to prove himself. I suspect that he's either been nobbled and/or believes that he's not man enough for the NL. Would love to see him prove the doubters wrong but will Grayson give him an opportunity to do so?

I don’t get Grayson thinking that a bench containing Hunter Feather and Walker wouldn’t have been improved by one of them being replaced by Campbell unless Grayson was trying to force the issue

I think he's not settled at at Pools and just wants off. If you look at his stats for Gateshead 22/23 season he played 43 games scoring 13 goals. He was a hard working well liked player (although no assists which is strange for an attacking midfielder). Then he went to Crawley in 23/24 and returned 7 goals from 45 games. They offloaded him on us and he contributed 2 goals in 38 games last season (again with no assists).

If you watch him (and only him) for about ten minutes during a game playing for us he looks as though he's working hard - running and pointing at stuff (he's got that down to a tee) but he's actually contributing bugger all. 9 times out of ten when he receives a pass he just passes it straight back in a "there's nothing on" kind of way. He doesn't tackle, he doesn't set up the forwards and to be honest - I think he's the last thing the Heed need right now. So they're welcome to him.

Agree with your asssessment of Campbell's typical contribution in a Pools game (usually minimal, which is why a large proportion of the crowd is quick to get on his back) but he did manage 2 assists last season - set up Hunter for the winner at Yeovil this time last season and hit the post in the home game against Fylde (Madine scored from the rebound):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJlhDQOUNZc

Credit where credit's due

Fair enough - I stand corrected

We didn't pay any money to Crawley as his contract had expired when he signed for us. He will be on a decent wage here which may prove a stumbling block for a move to Gateshead. What I think may happen is Gateshead offer to pay a % of his wages and take him on loan.

The odd thing is, he’s always been a popular player at his previous clubs, baffler that.

At Darlo Campbell was an effective little player, he had a good attitude, he worked hard, he scored goals - but he didn’t make a huge difference, wasn’t badly missed when he left and didn’t stand out as a star player.

I think his size worked against him a little against the NLN hard-men defenders.

the lad just needs to move on somewhere else. no matter where he does end up its hard to imagine him being less effective than he was at pools. just another player in a long list of ones who just never got going at a new club.

He's shit.

Did he miss out on the Yeovil game purely due to Grayson's choice or is it possible he was injured? Just wondering.

In his post match interview Grayson said it was his choice to leave Campbell and Folarin at home.

Ok. Thanks for the info.

So KPG is correct then.

Ye

Bloody hell. I hope Grayson gave them something else to do like hoovering the boot shelves or dusting the trophy cabinet. If they're being paid a decent wedge then they shouldn't just be sat on their arses on a Saturday afternoon.

Think Grayson maybe making a point to them and to Singh with his subs bench around the lack of options we have going fwd

I'd be more inclined to think it was because it was an away game, and Grayson would be more defensively minded. I think it's more telling he picked featherstone ahead of Campbell on the bench.
I honestly don't think he was trying to send Raj a message, I get the feeling Grayson would just tell him.

Why would he have to send Raj a message…if I was manager and had to run things like that past him and justify it, I’d be a riding off into the sunset manager.

Surely if he wanted to give Raj a message he'd just talk to him or Lennie? We had 3 attackers on the pitch and one on the bench for an away game, I don't see the problem.
I've no doubt Grayson will still be evaluating his squad in real match situations as the games come thick and fast.
Let's see what Saturday's squad looks like and performs.

doubt the words raj singh crosses his mind when selecting a squad for a game. the non inclusion of campbell is hardly a shock move.

CAMPBELL probably sit on his contract now and go to South Shields or Gateshead next season.