Iconic Moments in Football No.96
On 1st July 2001, Arsenal unveiled one of the most shocking signings of all-time when Sol Campbell was introduced to the press at their training ground.
Campbell was poached from their bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer after his contract came to an end at White Hart Lane. There were only a small number of journalists who had gathered at the Arsenal training ground because it was expected that Arsene Wenger would be announcing the signing of Ipswich Town goalkeeper Richard Wright.
Instead, it was Sol Campbell who walked into a shocked press room. The journalists who were present quickly got in contact with their editors to announce the shock transfer deal and news of it was splashed all over the back pages of the newspapers the following day.
Arsene Wenger and Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein met the Tottenham captain in secret several times and it took a fair bit of convincing for him to move across North London. This wasn’t because of Arsenal not being a bigger and more successful club, more that there would be so much hatred from the Tottenham fans.
Campbell had been linked with some of the biggest clubs in European football, including Barcelona and Inter Milan. It was widely expected that he would move to one of those continental teams and it was never expected that he would join Tottenham’s most hated rivals.
In his first game back at White Hart Lane on 17th November 2001, Campbell endured some terrible abuse from the home fans. Many held up signs with the word ‘Judas’ on it and he was booed every time he had the ball. The game ended 1-1 with Gus Poyet equalising for Spurs late in the game.
In Campbell’s first season at Arsenal, the club won the league and cup double. Tottenham would finish 9th in the Premier League and runners-up in the League Cup after losing 2-1 to Blackburn Rovers.
During his time at Arsenal, Campbell would win both the league and FA Cup twice and reach the Champions League final in 2005/06, when he scored the opening goal of the game. They would go on and lose the final 2-1 to Barcelona.
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