On This Day – 3rd July
3rd July is Sol Campbell Day for Arsenal fans like me!
It was on this day back in 2001 that Arsene Wenger shocked the football world by unveiling the former Tottenham man as his new signing.
Campbell has been linked with moves abroad, Inter Milan and Barcelona were mentioned more than any other clubs. It was widely expected that Campbell would end up at one of the two clubs and be unveiled to the press holding the club’s shirt out with his name on.
Wenger called for a press conference and caught the world off-guard by bringing the England international out to the press on 3rd July, complete with Arsenal shirt! The press conference that was announced was expected to be for the unveiling of Richard Wright, Ipswich Town’s up and coming goalkeeper. Wright would join Arsenal later in the summer, but Campbell’s transfer would be the club’s biggest signing of the summer.
Tottenham fans were incensed that the player who had come through their youth ranks and who spent nine years playing for their first team would move across to their bitterest of rivals.
They had already come to terms with the fact that he wanted to leave the club, letting his contract run down before leaving to find success elsewhere.
There have only been a few transfers between the two clubs, the most notable being Pat Jennings who Spurs sold to Arsenal in 1976. They thought that his best days were behind him but the Northern Irish goalkeeper played on for another nine years, enjoying a late revival in his career.
Campbell knew that his first trip back to White Hart Lane would be tough and so it proved when the two clubs played out a 1-1 draw on X. Many Spurs fans held up signs and threw hundreds of balloons with the word ‘JUDAS’ written across them. They booed his every touch but he stayed strong and despite Arsenal conceding a late equaliser, Campbell was proud of his performance.
Arsenal won the league and FA Cup double in 2001/02, proving to the Tottenham fans why he made the move to their North London neighbours. He won another FA Cup in 2003 and was an integral part of the Invincible team of 2003/04. Campbell put Arsenal ahead in the 2006 Champions League Final against Barcelona before two late goals gave the Catalans victory.
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