Whitby manager Harry Dunn signed the ex South Bank goalkeeper from fellow Northern League side Guisborough Town in February 1995 with Matthew Coddington, Anth Lee, Steve Richie & John Outhwaite transferred to Guisborough Town in the same deal.

Rated as one of the best goalkeepers in the Northern League, Campbell made his Whitby Town debut in a 4-0 North Riding Senior Cup victory over Grangetown Boys Club at the Turnbull Ground on the 9th March 1996 with his league debut coming a week later on the 16th March where he kept a clean sheet in a 6-0 home victory over Ferryhill Athletic, going on to make seven appearances before the end of the season.

The following season, 1996/97, saw David make 58 appearances missing only three games as Whitby won the Northern League championship for the second time and also lifted the FA Vase at Wembley, with Campbell keeping a clean sheet in the 3-0 victory over North Ferriby United on the 10th May 1997. Whitby also made it to the First Round of the FA Cup that season going out after a replay away to Hull City.

1997/98 saw Whitby storm to the Unibond Northern Premier League Division One title losing only one away game all season, a last day 2-0 defeat to Ashton United which Campbell missed!

Whitby also opened the season by lifting the JR Cleater Cup with a 2-0 victory over Bedlington Terriers at the Turnbull Ground on the 9th August 1997, Campbell again keeping a clean sheet and going on to make 55 appearances that season.

Season 1998/99 saw Dave start on the bench and he made just one appearance before leaving the club to sign for fellow Unibond League side, Spennymoor Town. He re-signed for the club in March 2000 and made his second debut the following season in a 3-1 away victory over Droylsden on Saturday 19th August 2000 going on to make 45 appearances as Whitby finished in mid-table but at the start of the 2001/02 season he again, left this time joining Bishop Auckland in August.

He returned to Whitby for a third time from Gateshead in October 2002 making his third debut for the club in a 2-1 away defeat to Altrincham on the 19th October 2002. He made his 200th appearance for Whitby that season in a 3-2 defeat against Lancaster City going on to make 36 appearance by the end of the season.

He went on to make 37 appearances in 2003/04, 38 appearances in 2004/05 and 34 appearances in 2005/06 including his 300th appearance in a 5-1 away defeat to Prescot Cables on the 26th November 2005.

Season 2006/07 saw David make a further 30 appearances (two as a substitute) one of those substitute appearances saw him come off the bench to play up front in a 3-1 away defeat at Fleetwood Town on the 17th March 2007!

He made his 350th appearance for Whitby on the 16th October 2007, keeping a clean sheet in a 2-0 victory over Frickley Athletic at the Turnbull Ground and going on to make 37 appearances by the end of the season.

He made just 12 appearances for the club in 2008/09, joining Stokesley on loan in October 2008 for a short spell.

The following season, 2009/10, saw David back as number one, going on to make 39 (one as a substitute) appearances by the end of the season including his 400th for the club in a 2-2 draw away to Ashton United on the 12th October 2009. He was also named the Whitby Town Supporters' Player of the year for 2009/10.

Still going strong he made a further 30 (one as sub) appearances in 2010/11 including his 450th in a 2-2 away draw at Matlock Town on the 26th March 2011.

A poor start to season 2011/12 saw manager Tommy Cassidy leave Whitby by mutual consent and David was appointed player-coach alongside Darren Williams as player-manager on the 24th October 2011 and they over saw a last day great escape from relegation with a 1-0 victory over Buxton to stay in the Northern Premier League with David making 18 appearances that season.

He made a further two appearances for Whitby in 2012/13 his last coming in a 2-1 away defeat at Nantwich Town on the 9th April 2013. He remained at the club as player-coach until a poor start to the 2015/16 season saw him and Williams relieved of their duties on 23rd November 2015.

A true Whitby Town legend, David made a total of 479 appearances for the club the 2nd highest appearance maker for the club behind Paul pitman.