Aberdeen loanee Dean Campbell was determined to “get the knee slide right” after firing English League Two Stevenage to an FA Cup giant-killing at Premier League Aston Villa.
With Stevenage 1-0 down inside the final five minutes at Villa Park, Pittodrie youth academy graduate Campbell won an 88th-minute equalising penalty and then – two minutes later – slashed home a winner to send the travelling support into raptures.
Having netted just his second senior goal, Campbell, who is on loan at Stevenage from the Dons for the season, said his first thought was to celebrate with those jubilant fans.
He told BBC Three Counties Radio: “First thing I thought was ‘get the knee slide right’, which was my first one in football and I think I managed to do all right with that.
Aberdeen loanee Dean Campbell the hero on a day Stevenage will never forget!
Absolute scenes! 😲⤵️#BBCFootball #BBCFACup pic.twitter.com/ET7xAL5Tql
— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) January 8, 2023
“The noise from the brilliant travelling fans was incredible and the celebrations at the end were exceptional.”
‘I saw I had space and just thought I’d have a go’
Midfielder Campbell has made 20 appearances so far during a season where Stevenage are pushing for the League Two title, however, his FA Cup strike – with his mum and dad watching on in the West Midlands – will take some beating as far as moments go.
The 21-year-old, who is out of contract at Aberdeen in the summer, said: “It’s an incredible feeling personally, but for the whole squad as well.
“We won a corner and I was kind of at the edge of the box. I heard the gaffer screaming, as he does: ‘go get the ball’ – and when I got the ball I took a good touch, saw I had space and just thought I’d have a go, focus on my technique, get it on target and it just snuck in at the front post.
“It was a good strike. I knew there were a lot of bodies in the way, so I had to keep it down, I got a good connection and I saw it go in – it was just elation after that.”
Conversation