RIP, Football Legend Kevin Campbell

Everyone at Everton Football Club is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of one of the Club’s most popular and much-loved former strikers, Kevin Campbell, at the age of 54.

By Everton

Not just a Goodison Park hero and huge fan favourite, Kevin was the Blues first black captain. He was is also a remarkable person and person, as anyone who has was fortunate enough to meet him will know.

Everton first took on Kevin in the month of March 1999, on loan to the team struggling to keep off relegation, and manager Walter Smith in need of some experience, guile as well as goals to his team. Kevin was able to tick all three boxes and his impact was evident immediately.

While he did not make his Blues debut until April, the forward was Everton’s top goal scorer with nine goals over a five-game stretch that helped keep Everton in the top tier and securing an award of Premier League Player of the Month.

The Goodison fans had a new hero. The change was permanent, and the admiration for him grew to new heights in the month of September 1999 when he scored the sole goal in the famous Merseyside derby win at Anfield.

In the month of January, 2001 With David Weir out through injury, Smith made Kevin the first captain in black of Everton to play in their Premier League fixture at Coventry City. Kevin was captain numerous times and was always very satisfied to be so.

His final Everton appearance was in January 2005, when a stoppage-time goal scored by Leon Osman earned three points against Portsmouth.

Kevin was a part of 161 games with the Toffees with 51 goals scored and was the club’s top marksman over three seasons.

The impact he made his contribution to Everton Football Club, however it goes beyond the realm of the numbers. A cult and well-known players to sport the Royal Blue shirt and remains a legend in the eyes of Evertonians and was the ideal ambassador, who was always looking forward to going back to Goodison Park in a media role or to support the Toffees as an avid fan.

Kevin was born in Lambeth and began his career in football at Arsenal. The team who took home the FA Youth Cup in 1988 and the following year Kevin made his debut in the first team against Everton in Goodison Park.

The loan stints were for Leyton Orient and Leicester City before joining the Gunners side. He was later part of the team that won the First Division title with a two-to-one win over Liverpool in 1989 at Anfield in 1989.

Then, he formed an amazing partnership along with Ian Wright and they played with each other during 1993’s FA Cup final against Sheffield Wednesday at Wembley and in the replay that Arsenal ultimately defeated by a score of 2-1. They had previously played similar at the conclusion of the League Cup against the same opposition.

In 1994, he represented Arsenal during the semi-final of the European Cup Winners’ Cup. The Gunners beat the Parma team which included Gianfranco Zola Thomas Brolin and Faustino Asprilla.

After more than 200 games with Arsenal, Kevin moved to Nottingham Forest in 1995 for the sum of PS2.5million. The three seasons he spent in the City Ground included a drop to the Premier League and a promotion to the Premier League, and Kevin finishing the season as the Forest’s top goalscorer.

At the time of his signing in 1998 Kevin joined Trabzonspor and then joined Everton 7 months following and after six years of success in the club’s Goodison Park, the player decided for West Bromwich Albion in 2005 and played a key role for helping Baggies to avoid the drop in during the season. He concluded his professional career through an unspecified time in Cardiff City.

He is the top in the league with no caps. English Premier League goalscorer with scores of 83 in the league for Arsenal, Everton, Nottingham Forest and West Brom.

Kevin was always greeted with the most warm welcome when returning to Merseyside and he was a good thing as well. He was a massive of a person, an outstanding footballer, and will be missed by all who were fortunate enough to have met Kevin.

The thoughts of all in Everton will be with his loved ones during this very sad time. we will, naturally be paying a fitting tribute when the new season starts.