Kevin Campbell – (1970 – 2024)
Former Arsenal and Everton striker Kevin Campbell has died at the age of 54 after a short illness. Campbell scored 148 goals in 542 appearances across spells with eight clubs during his career. He won four major trophies with Arsenal and also played for Leyton Orient, Leicester City, Nottingham Forest, Trabzonspor, Everton, West Brom and Cardiff City.
After coming through Arsenal’s youth set-up, Campbell made his senior debut for the club in 1988, also having loan spells with Leyton Orient and Leicester City. He scored nine goals in twenty-two appearances for the Gunners during their title-winning 1990-91 campaign. Campbell then helped the London club win the FA Cup and League Cup double in 1993 and the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1994.
Nottingham Forest signed Campbell in the summer of 1995 and he spent three seasons at the City Ground, scoring twenty-two goals in thirty-nine games during his final term to help the club win promotion to the Premier League. Following a short stint in Turkey with Trabzonspor, Campbell moved to Everton on loan in March 1999, scoring nine times in their final eight Premier League games to help the Toffees avoid relegation.
He was rewarded with a permanent deal that summer, and stayed for more than five seasons. Campbell’s playing career came to an end with spells at West Brom and Cardiff City. He made his final appearance as a player in February 2007, before moving into TV broadcasting.
Everton said earlier this month he became ill in May and was “very unwell” in hospital and today they issued a statement saying “Everyone at Everton is deeply saddened by the death of our former striker Kevin Campbell at the age of just 54. Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time.
Arsenal said “We are devastated to learn that our former striker Kevin Campbell has died after a short illness, Kevin was adored by everyone at the club. All of us are thinking of his friends and family at this difficult time. Rest in peace, Kevin.”
Kevin Campbell’s son Tyrese Campbell – a striker who has spent the past seven seasons at Sky Bet Championship side Stoke City thanked the public for their support. He said, “The pain of this is indescribable and as a son you look at your dad as invincible. He is my idol, the one who I wanted to be when I grew up. He was the life and soul of every party and room he blessed, a one-in-a-million person that was loved by everyone. A special person, I’ll miss you Dad.
Chadwick Media 