Kevin Campbell, a former striker for Arsenal, Nottingham Forest, and Everton, died at the age of 54.
Campbell’s death was disclosed nearly two weeks after it was revealed that he was hospitalized with a severe illness. He was a tremendously famous character in the game, having won the league title with Arsenal and later become a dynamic TV analyst.
“We are devastated to learn that our former striker Kevin Campbell has died after a short illness,” the club announced on Twitter. “Kevin was loved by everyone in the club. We’re all thinking of his friends and family during this terrible time. Rest in peace, Kevin.”
Wayne Rooney, a former Everton teammate, posted on X: “Absolutely devastated to hear the news about Kev. He’s thinking about his entire family and pals. Kev was an excellent colleague, but more significantly, a clever individual who assisted me greatly in my early years.”
Campbell’s former Arsenal teammate and captain, Tony Adams, wrote: “Super Kev: a goal machine, a monster of a guy, with an even greater heart. An extremely private and truly wonderful human being. I’m devastated for his loved ones, and all of us. “I love you, Super Kev, Skipper.”
Clinton Morrison says he grew up in south London fascinated by Campbell’s “goals and celebrations” with Arsenal striker Ian Wright. “Being a London boy and growing up watching him and Ian Wright playing together was brilliant for us youngsters,” the former Crystal Palace and Republic of Ireland striker Morrison told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“The way they scored goals and celebrated, that’s how we felt, looking up to those two guys as heroes. We thought, “Look how they score goals, enjoy themselves, and celebrate.”
“Kev was like that even after he left football. He still had that bright smile, and I just recall the happy times: lightening up a room, being a top player, and a fantastic person.”
Tyrese Campbell, Campbell’s son, has characterized him as “my idol” and a “one in a million person”. “I appreciate my dad was admired by many, and the outpouring of love has been some comfort as a family, so thank you for that at such a difficult time,” the former Stoke striker said in a message sent on his behalf by journalist Alan Myers.
“The pain of this is indescribable and as a son you look at your dad as invincible. He is my idol, the one 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, special person. I’ll miss you dad. I would now ask that the privacy of our family is respected as we mourn the loss of an irreplaceable father, brother, uncle and all round amazing human being. Love you always dad.”
Born in Lambeth, Campbell was a prolific goalscorer at youth level for Arsenal and made his first-team debut against Everton in 1988. He scored eight goals in 10 games during the run-in of the 1990-91 season, when George Graham’s team won the First Division championship for the second time in three years. He won a League Cup and FA Cup double with Arsenal in 1993 and the European Cup Winners’ Cup against Parma the following year, starting in an attack that also included Alan Smith and Paul Merson.
Campbell left his boyhood club in 1995, having scored 55 goals in 210 appearances despite fierce competition for places in a team strengthened by the arrival of Ian Wright in 1991. He made a £2.5m move to Forest, where he suffered relegation from the top flight in 1997 but played an instrumental part in their return as Championship winners the following season with 23 goals.
After a brief and unhappy spell at Trabzonspor, where he was racially abused by the club chairman, Mehmet Ali Yilmaz, Campbell signed for Everton on loan in March 1999. What was intended to be a short-term deal turned into a highly successful, and lasting, connection with the club.
Everton were fighting relegation when Campbell arrived but he made an immediate impact on and off the pitch, galvanising the dressing room and scoring nine goals in his first eight games as Walter Smith’s side pulled clear of trouble. The move was made permanent for £3m that summer and he was also Everton’s leading goalscorer for the next two seasons. Campbell scored the winner in the Merseyside derby at Anfield in 1999 – Everton’s last win away at Liverpool until 2021 – and was the club’s first black captain. He remained a regular visitor to Goodison long after his playing career was over, and a hugely popular figure among supporters.
Campbell also had spells at West Bromwich Albion, where he again helped a relegation-threatened club climb to safety in the Premier League, and Cardiff. He retired after being released by Cardiff in May 2007. The former England Under-21 international went on to forge a successful career as a TV commentator and pundit, his warmth, humour and decency shining through on screen as it did whenever he entered a room.
Away from football Campbell briefly ran a record label, 2 Wikid, but the company became embroiled in a legal dispute with its first signing, Mark Morrison. He also co-owned a high-end security company. Campbell’s son, Tyrese, played for Stoke City until he was released last month.
