JOHN Campbell expects it will be a struggle to sleep tonight as he deals with excitement levels beyond anything he experienced playing in two Wembley finals.

It may sound like hyperbole for Oxford United’s trip to Cheltenham Town, but the new signing is determined to make the most of a second chance.

Many gifted young players fall by the wayside before making an impact in professional football.

Few are handed the chance to make up for the disappointment and after failing to make the grade at Newcastle United and Manchester City, Campbell is well aware of what is at stake after making the leap from Jarrow Roofing.

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“It still feels a bit unreal,” he said. “I cannot wait, I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep on Friday night.

“I played at Wembley twice and I’m more excited now than I was then.”

Those showpiece occasions at the national stadium – an FA Trophy win with Darlington in 2011 and an FA Vase defeat with West Auckland Town in May – could easily have been the best moments of Campbell’s career.

The 26-year-old readily admits his love of the game was ebbing away when he pitched up at Jarrow this summer.

But a glut of goals, partly inspired by teasing from his eight-year-old son Layton, caught the eye of several professional clubs.

He said: “I was more interested in watching my son play.

“He scored 160 goals last season and he kept coming into the house saying ‘I’m better than you, I’ve scored more’, so I thought to myself ‘I’m going to have to give it a go’ “At the start of the season I was banging goals in.

“I thought ‘I’d better start looking after myself because it looks like I might get another chance’.

He added: “I was a young lad when I was at Man City and Darlington.

“To be honest I thought I knew more than the coaches and I thought I was better than everyone.

“Now I’m 26, I’ve realised I want to give it a good go.”

Making the leap from a division on a par with the Hellenic League looks a tall order.

While Campbell expects it could take a few weeks to reach full fitness after playing part-time, he is unfazed when asked whether he is good enough.

“There’s no doubt in my mind, I know 100 per cent I can definitely make the step up,” he said.

“I’m never not going to score goals and if you do that you’ll win the fans over.”

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