Sandy Campbell

[bondi.boy]

Sandy is now living on the streets with a shopping trolley, sleeping on the beach, and battling cancer.
Once the darling of rugby league, he moves slowly around the streets of Coolangatta and Tweed Heads with his shopping trolley and chemotherapy infusion pump.
He wears the same clothes, has no money, no support and sleeps on the beach.

And life for Sandy has become utterly cruel -- he has throat cancer.

Once a rugby league glamour player with Canterbury, Souths and Easts, he is now homeless.
The man nicknamed The Sandman was a 1980s dancing footy heart-throb.
Tall, strong, and with curly black hair, Campbell thrilled fans in his 93-game career between 1986 and 1991.
etc.


Dean Ritchie article in today's Daily Telegraph.

#####

Charming!
Would he qualify for Men of League assistance?
So sad to see his situation.

[horrie hastings]

While he was a never a favourite of mine even when he played for the Roosters i would never wish any form of cancer on anyone, life throws up so many curve balls.

https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/the-mol...4-2c8759127bfa


https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/nr...b57b9d5dbed7b6

[Dr. Voodoo Man]

Yeah I was reading about him as well. Very sad. He has cancer and a face full of tattoos. I hope the Men of League organisation can provide him with some assistance.

[bondi.boy]

Yeah I was reading about him as well. Very sad. He has cancer and a face full of tattoos. I hope the Men of League organisation can provide him with some assistance.

NRL, with its record profits, could perhaps make a generous annual donation to Men of League ( Family of League now?), who could in turn use some of the money to help Sandy.
He came from the era prior to the NRL's/club's programs to ensure NRL players have 'life after footy' financial and life skills training.

[Rooster1908]

May sound harsh but need to deal with why he is living on the streets and if he wants the help to get off them.

[Easts75]

May sound harsh but need to deal with why he is living on the streets and if he wants the help to get off them.

How long does an ex employer need to help someone after they finish up with them ?

[mightyrooster]

Very sad and cancer in your 50s is shocking.

[Batemans Bay Rooster]

While he was a never a favourite of mine even when he played for the Roosters i would never wish any form of cancer on anyone, life throws up so many curve balls.

https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/the-mol...4-2c8759127bfa


https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/nr...b57b9d5dbed7b6

Good to know

[Headless Chook]

NRL, with its record profits, could perhaps make a generous annual donation to Men of League ( Family of League now?), who could in turn use some of the money to help Sandy.
He came from the era prior to the NRL's/club's programs to ensure NRL players have 'life after footy' financial and life skills training.

They already do that

[King Salvo]

That's pretty sad as I got to know Sandy somewhat when playing Baseball against him - He for the Canterbury Bankstown Vikings and Me Campbelltown Ghosts in the NSW Major League.

A genuine nice fellow I recall

I understand a GoFundMe page is being set up and Family of League (Formerly Men of League) are also looking to help out.

Sandy Campbell - Rooster # 844 played 93 First Grade games - 50 for the Bulldogs / 24 for the Roosters and 19 for the Rabbitohs so hopefully these 3 clubs can also help out in some way too.

No one in a so called modern prosperous society should be living on the streets

Help out a former Rooster in need if you can

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl...0f1691fd7f5590

[King Salvo]

How long does an ex employer need to help someone after they finish up with them ?

The Family of League will try to assist any one from the Rugby League community but not sure if clubs do the same for all their ex players/officials/coaches/support staff etc.

If people have a few dollars spare below is the link to donate to the Family of League (Formerly Men of League )

https://familyofleague.org.au/

[Rooster36]

How long does an ex employer need to help someone after they finish up with them ?

oh come on… no one is saying the have to…. It’s a unique situation where people at a young age are earning good coin and getting great coin. Of course they don’t have to but it’s the right thing to do and if you want to encourage other young kids to proximate in the sport than this is a great example of what it can do

[Carlos Parra]

Campbell has reportedly struggled after retiring from footy in 1991 and has “lounge hopped” for the last 20 years while working as a security guard and tattoo artist, according to News Corp.

I think his problems are to do with mental health or drug issues. It probably does date back to when he left the game. The 2 careers cited by News Corp would probably be cash (or other substances) in hand, so I suspect he never learned the value of money.

[bondi.boy]

They already do that

Thanks.
Also good to know.

[bondi.boy]

Campbell has reportedly struggled after retiring from footy in 1991 and has “lounge hopped” for the last 20 years while working as a security guard and tattoo artist, according to News Corp.

I think his problems are to do with mental health or drug issues. It probably does date back to when he left the game. The 2 careers cited by News Corp would probably be cash (or other substances) in hand, so I suspect he never learned the value of money.

Former Dogs team mate is quoted as saying "he was fine until about a year ago, then everything just fell apart".

Hopefully he can be helped into at least a roof over his head, regular good food, and good health care/community transport to and from cancer treatment.

Nothing good came out of the pandemic, but at least it demonstrated the value of having savings and a job.