FORMER Barrow and Whitehaven prop Jim Campbell – whose RL career also took in a spell in Australia – has died, He was 83.

Campbell – also known as Jock for his Scottish roots – came to Craven Park from Haven in February 1960, and went on to make 89 appearances for Barrow.

The big prop forward spent three years with the club before emigrating to Australia, where he would link-up with one of his former club's greats.

After playing for South Sydney, Campbell joined Golbourn Workers, where Phil Jackson – part of the legendary 1955 Challenge Cup-winning team – was then player/coach.

He spent three years in Australia before returning the Barrow, where he lived until his death last week.

Former Barrow team-mate John Rea, who played in the 1957 Challenge Cup final defeat by Leeds remembered a hard-working player.

He said: “Jim was a big lad and you could see what a threat he would have been in the line-out in union.

“He was one of the old-style prop forwards whose job it was to win the scrums in the days gone by.

“He was a hard trainer and a good forward who never took a backward step; he was also a nice chap.

“I remember when he came to Barrow he visited my house not long after settling in and he came by car – we were surprised, as not many of us had cars.”

Campbell was the grandfather of Barrow Island teenager Elliot Campbell, who was recently selected to play for Scotland Under-19s, following in Jim's footsteps.

The elder Campbell made his name in rugby union with his hometown club in Kelso and made the West of Scotland representative side before being snapped up by Whitehaven in 1959.

A year later, he was making his debut for Barrow against the toughest of opponents, Wigan, having been the subject of a sizeable transfer fee between the Cumbrian clubs.

After a tough first season, he played alongside the likes of Bill Burgess and Brian Fallon in his latter two campaigns.

In their history of all Barrow RL players, authors Keith Nutter, Steve Andrews and Dave Huitson described Campbell as: “An excellent signing, giving three seasons of impeccable service and missing very few games at what was a troubled time for the club.”

A funeral service for Campbell will be held at Aldingham Church on Tuesday, August 14, at 1pm.