RIP Graham Campbell

The board, past players and officials and members of the West Perth Football Club express our condolences to the family of our 1975 premiership coach Graham Campbell, who passed away today at the age of 85.

Campbell is best remembered for taking the club to a premiership in his first year as coach after a disastrous season in 1974 had seen the Cardinals finish on the bottom of the WAFL ladder.

In his initial three years with West Perth, the club won 43 out of 68 games, finishing first, third and fourth respectively. 

Campbell then returned to Melbourne as coach of Fitzroy, where he had played 151 games in nine seasons in the 1950s and 60s, he coached the reserves premiership in 74 and was caretaker coach at the end of '74 before accepting the League role at West Perth in '75.  In '78 they won the night premiership. He still had one more year of his contract to run.  He is recognised as the coach that brought the club back, and over the following years they made the finals many times. The family returned to Perth in '79 so the family could all be together. That was the kind of person he was.

In 1979, he was again appointed league coach at West Perth after the late Percy Johnson was sacked mid-season, and he held on to the role until the end of 1981.

Unfortunately, Campbell was unable to recreate the magic of his first stint at West Perth, with the Cardinals failing to make the finals in any of his three seasons in charge. However, sons Dean and Rod both played for the club during this era, cementing the Campbell connection to Leederville Oval.

Campbell coached Glenelg in the SANFL in 1983 and 1984, missing the finals in his first season but leading the Bays to a third-placed finish in 1984. He is recognised as having provided the foundation for Glenelg's 1985 and 1986 premierships.

He passed away in Adelaide after a battle with illness and will be forever remembered at West Perth. The club offers its condolences to Graham's family, including our past players Rod and Dean Campbell.

Our heart beats true for a great West Perth man.