The Guardian wrote:
Kevin Campbell, the former Arsenal, Nottingham Forest and Everton striker, has died at the age of 54. Campbell’s death was announced almost two weeks after it was revealed he was in hospital with a serious illness. He was a hugely popular figure within the game, a league title winner with Arsenal and a charismatic TV pundit in more recent years.
Terrible news.
Kevin Campbell, born on February 4, 1970, is an English former professional footballer known for his impactful career as a striker. Starting his professional journey with Arsenal in 1988, Campbell quickly showcased his prowess on the field. During his tenure at Arsenal, he contributed significantly to the team’s success, including winning the First Division title in 1990-91 and the FA Cup and League Cup double in 1992-93. Known for his physical presence and goal-scoring abilities, Campbell became a fan favorite.
In 1995, Campbell moved to Nottingham Forest, where he continued to impress, before embarking on a brief stint in Turkey with Trabzonspor. His return to England saw him join Everton in 1999, where he left an indelible mark. Campbell’s goals were crucial in helping Everton avoid relegation during the 1998-99 season, earning him the club’s Player of the Season award.
Throughout his career, Campbell also played for clubs like West Bromwich Albion and Cardiff City, before retiring in 2007. Beyond his club career, he was part of the England U21 and B teams, though he never made a senior appearance. Post-retirement, Campbell transitioned into media, offering expert analysis and commentary on the sport.
When I met Campbell, he was a member of the media.
In 2012, I get a phone call from Kevin- out of the blue. I pick up and he is on the line. He tells me he’s listened to the podcast and he would like to talk to me about a project he is involved in called Path2Pro. I really didn’t want to do the interview because….well…I just don’t remember why I didn’t want to do it…possibly because I didn’t want to talk about his project-I wanted to talk about Arsenal and Everton.
So on January 19th 2012, I meet up with Kevin Campbell in Beverly Hills. We have a nice chat and I record an interview. Seven years into my podcast career/lark and he was one of the bigger names I had ever interviewed and I was expecting the very worst. Nothing was further from that. Campbell asked me how I ended up in Los Angeles and what the football was like here. He was genuinely interested in the podcast and what I planned on doing in the future. In a nutshell Campbell treated me like a professional equal. His genuine kindness flipped a switch in my brain- I could talk to anyone in the football world and not worry about it matching resumes.
Campbell’s Twitter account was always a positive place. I followed him on Twitter and I never had any cause for being mad.
Kevin Campbell’s last instagram post read “Health is Wealth”
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