Tributes paid to respected striker
KEVIN Campbell has been described as “my idol” and a “one in a million person” by son Tyrese after his death at the age of 54.
The former Arsenal and Everton striker, pictured inset below,a title and FA Cup winner with the Gunners and a hero at Goodison Park after saving the Toffees from relegation in 1999, died after a short illness.
“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,” former Stoke striker Tyrese said in a message released 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.”
Campbell’s former clubs - he also played for Nottingham Forest, Trabzonspor, West Brom and Cardiff, as well as having loan spells at Leyton Orient and Leicester - and ex-teammates also paid tribute to a forward who scored 148 goals in 542 appearances during his career.
Former England captain and Everton teammate Wayne Rooney wrote on X: “Absolutely devastated to hear the news about Kev.
“Thinking of all his family and friends. Kev was a great teammate but more importantly a brilliant person who helped me a lot in my earlier years.”
Tony Adams, Campbell’s former Arsenal teammate and captain, posted: “Super Kev: a goal machine, a giant of a man, with an even bigger heart.
“An intensely private and a truly wonderful human being. I’m devastated for his loved ones, and all of us. Love you Super Kev, Skipper.”
ITV pundit Ian Wright, who played alongside Campbell in the Gunners’ frontline, said before the Spain v Croatia game at the Euro 2024 finals: “Obviously my best wishes and condolences go to his family, but it’s too soon for me to talk about it.”
Campbell scored 59 goals in 224 games for Arsenal and, alongside the 1990-91 league title, he also won the FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup at Highbury.
He spent three years at Forest after joining them in 1995 and had a one-season stop at Trabzonspor in Turkey before moving to Everton in 1999. He stayed at Everton until 2005, where he spent time as captain under Walter Smith, and ended his career with spells at West Brom and Cardiff.