Arsenal and Everton pay emotional tribute to Kevin Campbell in their first fixture since his death aged 54
ARSENAL and Everton fans united to pay an emotional tribute to Kevin Campbell.
Today’s Premier League 0-0 draw was the first time the two sides have met since the former striker’s sad passing in June.
Campbell died aged just 54 following multi-organ failure due to a heart infection.
Tributes poured in from the sporting world in the summer.
And now two of his former sides came together to honour him on Saturday.
The Gunners – for whom Campbell won a league title, FA Cup and League Cup – erected a poster outside the Emirates with pictures of the forward in action for Arsenal and Everton.
It was captioned with his chant “he’s one of our own” plus “Kevin Campbell 1970 – 2024” and the Gunners club badge.
Campbell also featured on the front of the matchday programme and the giant screens inside the ground.
KC’s family were guests in the directors’ box as part of a celebration of his life and Arsenal’s partnership with the Kevin Campbell Foundation.
His sister Lorna presented Bukayo Saka with his Player of the Month award before kick-off in North London.
Then as the players walked out of the tunnel, Arsenal supporters unfurled a spectacular tifo showing old red home shirts with ‘Campbell 7’, ‘Reyes 9’ and ‘Rocastle 7’ in tribute to the trio of former players who have passed away.
Jose Antonio Reyes played for Arsenal from 2004 to 2007 but died tragically in a car crash aged just 35 in 2019 while David Rocastle died of cancer in 2001 when he was only 33.
Like pal Rocastle, Campbell came through the youth ranks at Arsenal and went on to score 59 goals in 213 appearances for the first team between 1988 and 1995.
He had stints with Nottingham Forest and Trabzonspor before joining Everton in 1999, initially on an emphatic loan with nine goals in eight games.
The striker secured a £3million permanent move and turned out a further 151 times, adding 39 goals, before finishing his career at West Brom then Cardiff.