Glenavon winger Peter Campbell keen to keep pushing forward

Four years ago Campbell opted for the risk of career over comfort by swapping home club Portadown - the side he could face at Mourneview Park this weekend in the Mid-Ulster derby - for the potential of individual rewards with Loughgall.

That same ambition proved the driving force behind his summer switch from a role as a central creative spark at Championship-based Loughgall for the uncertainty of a senior challenge with the Lurgan Blues.

“I made the choice around 2016 to leave Portadown for the opportunity at Loughgall, which was a risk maybe at the time and then this year I felt it was the right time to grab another chance with Glenavon,” said Campbell, who is from the Richhill village a few miles outside of Portadown. “There was interest from some other clubs previously but two years ago when teams asked about my situation I talked it over with people I trust and, ultimately, felt it just wasn’t the right time.

“Then, off the back of last season, I felt I had developed again and was ready to try that next challenge.

“Last season with Loughgall I was going into games week in, week out full of confidence and it really just seemed to be the right time to sign once Glenavon came in.

“The confidence and experience gained from playing under Dean and at a brilliant club like Loughgall was superb and I felt really motivated by the responsibility in games.

“Now it is about facing the test of moving up to another higher level and, after four years with one club in Loughgall, settling into fresh surroundings with players you don’t know at a different environment.

“But as much as it is always going to take time when you move to a new club, I feel really settled since joining Glenavon.

“Now I want to try and hit the ground running in the Premiership.”

Campbell is the latest player offered a senior stage by Glenavon boss Gary Hamilton following progress lower down the Irish League ladder.

“You look at Joel Cooper and Andy Hall who Gary signed from outside top-flight football and there is a great track record of people thriving at Glenavon out of similar circumstances,” said Campbell, who spent two spells within Portadown’s youth set-up either side of a period in Linfield colours. “Gary has told me to just focus on doing for Glenavon what I had been doing with Loughgall.”

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