AUDIO: Banned Campbell reveals his regrets

The 33-year-old Canadian was sacked by Hull Stingrays on Tuesday afternoon after an off-ice incident during Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat to Gardiner Conference rivals Dundee Stars.

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It came after he had been ejected from the game deep into the third period for ‘excessive roughness’ after he retaliated to a hit into the boards by the visitors’ Nico Sacchetti, who was himself awarded a boarding penalty and thrown out of the game.

It was once the two men left the ice that Campbell further confronted Sacchetti near the Stars’ dressing room.

Hours after Hull revealed Campbell was to be released with immediate effect, the Elite League’s head of discipline Moray Hanson announced that fiery forward would be handed a 47-game ban for his actions at Hull Arena - one of which has already been served in Sunday’s 3-2 defeat in Dundee.

The lengthy ban contained various offences by Campbell – 15 matches for fighting off the ice, 12 matches for an attempted eye gouge, 10 matches for a knee to the head and a further 10 matches for excessive force to the head resulting in an impact to the ice.

Looking back on the incident, Campbell admits he has regrets that his actions will have been seen by some of Hull’s younger fans, as well feeling sorry for letting his team-mates down.

“I definitely have regrets,” said Campbell. “The regrets I have are that I really don’t like the idea that little girls and little boys were at the game and they saw the incident off the ice.

“I have a 17-month-old little girl and I would never want her to see anything like that up close.”

Campbell, who has also had spells with Coventry Blaze and Sheffield Steelers, has always been regarded as one of the more physical players during his time in the Elite League, although that hasn’t stopped him being a potent attacking force, particularly in his two spells with the East Yorkshire club.

Player-coach Sylvain Cloutier admits Campbell was one of his best players so far this season, posting 10 points, including four goals, in eight games and his exit will leave a big hole to fill.

But, while regretting his actions off the ice at Hull Arena, Campbell says his initial response on the ice was to what he regarded as a ‘dirty’ hit from behind.

“I’ve never, ever been a player to go out and try and hit someone from behind or make dirty plays,” said Campbell, who will now concentrate on his various business interests in Newcastle.

“I’ve always responded to protect either my players or to protect myself. The guy who made the hit, in my eyes, he was trying to hurt me and there was no need for it and I had to respond the way I did.”

Campbell said he fully understood Hull’s decision to release him from his one-year deal.

“What could they do? I’d signed a year’s contract and they can’t afford to pay a player like myself, who is not going to be there and is not training and not playing, so it was a no-brainer,” added Campbell, who will always be fondly remembered by Hull fans for scoring a second leg hat-trick which defeated Sheffield Steelers two seasons ago to book an unexpected place at the play-off finals weekend for Cloutier’s team on the back of an aggregate 7-4 win.

“I totally understand and I have no quarrels with the owner or coach Sylvain Cloutier. I’ve always tried to be a leader in the dressing room and on the ice but a player like myself who plays with that amount of emotion every game - it’s not justifiable, but these things do happen when you play with emotion and an edge.

“I’m really disappointed and I really, really wanted to help the the team out this year. I wanted to make an impact as far as making the play-offs and winning the Conference and bringing this team back into Nottingham for the play-off weekend again.

“The guys are really good guys that we have this year, so, yes, in that sense I do feel I have let them down in that area.”