He held the record as the Englishman with the most Premier League goals – 82 – not to have been capped for the national side
Kevin Campbell, who has died aged 54, was a bustling centre-forward for Arsenal and Everton in the 1990s and early 2000s; he enjoyed success in England and Europe at the end of George Graham’s era at Highbury and is perhaps best remembered at Goodison Park for the burst of nine goals in six matches that saved the club from relegation in 1999.
Prolific in Arsenal’s youth team, for whom he once scored 59 goals in a season, Campbell made his breakthrough in early 1991. Emerging as a challenger for Alan Smith’s place in the side, the powerfully built 21-year-old struck eight times
Because of his height (6 feet), Campbell preferred to play off the shoulder of opponents rather than coming from deep. But after Ian Wright was signed by Graham, Campbell had to compete with Smith to keep up the play and give Wright opportunities.
In fiercely contested knockout matches, Campbell was frequently effective as the Gunners evolved into more of a cup team than a league team. He assisted Arsenal in defeating Sheffield Wednesday in the 1993 FA Cup and League Cup finals. The next season, he scored the equaliser against a Paris Saint-Germain squad that included David Ginola and George Weah in the first leg of the European Cup-Winners’ Cup semi-final.
With Wright suspended for the final against Parma in Copenhagen, Campbell defended from the front against the likes of Gianfranco Zola and Faustino Asprilla. Smith’s goal secured the trophy and sparked celebrations that continued throughout the team’s flight home and into the next morning.
When Graham was sacked the following year, however, his replacement, Bruce Rioch, earmarked Campbell’s place for the arriving Dennis Bergkamp. The former was offered the chance to play on the wing, but knew he thrived best as a striker, and left for Nottingham Forest. He had scored 59 goals in 213 appearances for Arsenal.
Kevin Joseph Campbell was born on February 4, 1970, in Brixton, south London, and is of Jamaican origin. As a child, he was an Arsenal fan and football provided an escape route. He became eligible to polish the boots of players like Charlie Nicholas and Viv Anderson after he signed schoolboy forms with the club. In 1988, he and the Gunners won the FA Youth Cup, defeating Doncaster Rovers 6-1 on aggregate in the final.
After seeing Campbell play against Forest’s junior team, Brian Clough was so impressed that he hauled Campbell off the pitch, into his office and shoved a contract under his nose. Campbell hesitated until Pat Rice, the coach at Arsenal, intervened and opened the door. The attacker subsequently received
He did fetch up at the City Ground after leaving Highbury, bought as a replacement for Stan Collymore. Campbell could not stave off relegation, but under Dave Bassett Forest returned to the Premier League a year later as First Division champions.
In Europe that season, Campbell’s pairing with Pierre van Hooijdonk was the most productive. But in the summer, Campbell was sent to Turkey’s Trabzonspor, which infuriated Van Hooijdonk, who went on strike and eventually quit the team.
A goat was sacrificed and its blood was used to paint Campbell’s boots as a welcome to the club’s grounds while he was having an eye-opening stint on the Black Sea. The level of play and the fervour of the supporters greatly pleased him, but he had a falling out with the chairman after he was not paid and was supposedly dubbed a “cannibal.”
He moved to Everton in January 1999, initially on loan. The Toffees looked certain candidates to go down, but Campbell made an almost instant impression and his goals in the spring were credited with keeping them up.
Campbell signed for the club, playing alongside the likes of Paul Gascoigne, Duncan Ferguson and the young Wayne Rooney. In 2000 he scored the last Everton winner at Anfield for two decades, and the season after became the club’s first black captain. He left in 2005, having notched 39 goals in 151 appearances.
Campbell, who was highly regarded by both teammates and supporters for his unwavering work ethic and positive outlook, played for Cardiff and West Bromwich Albion before retiring in 2007. Having only made one appearance for England B, he was the Englishman with the most Premier League goals (82), without ever receiving a cap for his country.
After that, he launched a record label and worked as a television analyst. However, it was rumoured that he filed for bankruptcy in 2015 due to losses incurred via tax evasion tactics that HMRC found objectionable. In June 2024, he was admitted to the hospital due to renal failure.
His two professional football players, Tyrese and Kyle, as well as his ex-wife Faye survive him.
Kevin Campbell, born February 4 1970, death announced June 15 2024
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