Armagh's Stefan Campbell Set For Dramatic Return To Northern Irish Soccer Club

Armagh's Stefan Campbell has rejoined Northern Irish intermediate football club Lurgan Celtic ahead of the 2025-26 season.

It will be the latest in a string of stints for the soccer side for 'Soupy,' who came up through the youth ranks at the club.

Campbell has lined out for Lurgan Celtic across three previous spells, the last of which came to an end seven years ago.

For the first time since 2018, Campbell will line out in the green-and-white hoops, after a stunted season with the defending All-Ireland champions Armagh.

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Lurgan Celtic announced the return of Armagh's All-Ireland winner Stefan Campbell in a statement released on Tuesday.

First team manager Niall Lavery was quoted in the statement, praising the character of the Clan na Gael man:

What a player. I played alongside Soup for long enough to see what he can do. A leader in any changing room.

He'll add pace, power, goals and all-round quality to the team.

It's a brilliant addition that drives the professionalism up considerably.

Brilliant work from Coly Rooney to get this one over the line. Can't wait to see Stefan back involved and scoring goals.

34-year-old Campbell was an important player in Armagh's march to Sam Maguire last summer, and batted off retirement talk in the aftermath of that All-Ireland final win.

Brought on a sub in that final, Campbell helped to set up the only goal of the game against Galway, the decisive moment in what was only Armagh's second Sam Maguire triumph.

He endured a tougher 2025 campaign, battling injury throughout the year and playing a limited role in their championship season. Campbell was missing for Sunday's quarter-final defeat to Kerry due to a hand injury.

After Armagh's exit from the championship, his future appears as though it may lie away from inter-county football.

Campbell is not the first Ulster football star to make the switch in recent weeks.

Tyrone All-Ireland winner Cathal McShane was announced as a new signing for Strabane Athletic last month, just weeks after his final appearance in the white and red.