Campbell tributes show 'amazing character' - Southgate

Tributes from nan world of shot to Kevin Campbell show he was "hugely popular" and an "amazing character", England leader Gareth Southgate said.

Campbell, who has died aged 54 pursuing a short illness, started his playing profession astatine Arsenal and won nan top-flight title, FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup pinch nan club.

He besides played for for Leyton Orient, Leicester City, Nottingham Forest, Everton, West Brom, Cardiff City and Turkish nine Trabzonspor.

He made his last quality arsenic a subordinate successful February 2007 earlier moving into broadcasting.

"Kevin is [about] nan aforesaid property arsenic me," said Southgate, speaking earlier England's opening Euro 2024 crippled against Serbia connected Sunday.

"I retrieve him being successful nan Arsenal younker squad astatine a akin clip and playing against him successful reserve squad football.

"A hugely celebrated man. His boy has been successful our inferior pathway arsenic well.

"Our thoughts are very overmuch pinch his family astatine this clip and immoderate of nan tributes person been fabulous.

"Clearly, group who knew him amended than I did talk astir what an astonishing characteristic he was. A very sad day."

Millwall goalkeeper and Montenegro world Matija Sarkic, who was 26, has besides died.

Southgate said: "I cognize that immoderate of our players and unit really played and worked pinch Matija arsenic good truthful some pieces of news were received pinch daze and awesome sadness.

"Those boys that played pinch him are emotion that moreover more."

Campbell's boy Tyrese - a striker who has spent nan past 7 seasons astatine Championship broadside Stoke City - called nan symptom of losing his dada arsenic "indescribable".

"He was nan life and psyche of each statement and room he blessed, a one-in-a-million personification that was loved by everyone," nan 24-year-old added.

Kevin Campbell made his elder debut for Arsenal successful 1988 and scored 9 goals successful 22 appearances for nan Gunners during their title-winning run successful 1990-91.

He past helped nan London nine triumph nan FA Cup and League Cup double successful 1993, followed by nan European Cup Winners' Cup successful 1994.

"Being a London boy and increasing up watching him and Ian Wright playing together was superb for america youngsters," erstwhile Crystal Palace striker Clinton Morrison, 45, told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"The measurement they scored goals and nan measurement they celebrated, that's really we were, looking up to those 2 players arsenic idols.

"Kev was for illustration that moreover erstwhile he vanished football. He still had that agleam grin and I only retrieve nan bully stuff, brightening up a room and being a apical subordinate and a awesome individual."

Campbell moved into broadcasting aft his playing profession and worked for BBC Sport and Sky.

"He was adored by everybody," said BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Mark Chapman.

"It doesn’t matter if you worked pinch him connected 5 Live aliases supported Arsenal, West Brom aliases Everton, he was adored by everybody.

"He was ever truthful affirmative and ever had a grin connected his look whenever he came into nan 5 Live athletics studio. And he was a heck of a striker."

Campbell moved from Arsenal to Forest successful 1995 and spent 3 seasons astatine nan City Ground, scoring 22 goals successful 39 games during his last run to thief nan nine triumph promotion to nan Premier League.

Following a short stint pinch Trabzonspor, he moved to Everton connected indebtedness successful March 1999, scoring 9 times successful their last 8 Premier League games to thief nan Toffees debar relegation.

He was rewarded pinch a imperishable woody that summertime and stayed for much than 5 seasons.

Campbell's playing profession came to an extremity pinch spells astatine West Brom and Cardiff.

"I’ve been watching nan TV and everybody who’s travel connected has said precisely nan aforesaid thing, what a awesome feline he was," said erstwhile Everton defender Phil Jagielka, who joined nan Goodison Park nine aft Campbell had left.

"He made a batch of group laugh, he ever had a bully grin connected his face. I’d seen him astir and astir nan spot astatine Goodison.

"I played pinch his boy Tyrese astatine Stoke. It will beryllium a really, really sad time for nan family and each you tin do is nonstop your regards and, hopefully, they will get done this reliable period.

"What a guy, what gentleman, what a character. I don’t deliberation I ever saw him without a grin connected his look and he was ever 1 of those group to travel up to you and springiness you a hug and person a small spot of a laughter and a joke."

Former Tottenham keeper Paul Robinson, besides speaking connected BBC Radio 5 Live, added: "He graced our lives successful nan media and we each sewage to acquisition a small spot of his charm.

"We’ve mislaid 1 of life’s bully guys today, a genuinely beautiful man."

Former England striker Alan Shearer told BBC One's Match of nan Day that he was "lucky capable to play" pinch Campbell for nan England Under-21s "and activity pinch him connected bits successful TV complete nan years".

"He had an infectious characteristic and a awesome character," added Shearer.

"You tin see, pinch nan outpouring of condolences today, really overmuch he will beryllium missed. Sending our condolences to each his family and friends. Such sad news."

Earlier on, a big of Campbell's ex-team-mates besides paid tribute to him, including Ian Wright, Tony Adams and Wayne Rooney.

Former Arsenal striker Wright posted a number of crying emojis connected X and images of nan brace together.

"I can't talk astir it excessively overmuch because I good up. He meant nan full world to a batch of people, particularly myself," he told ITV.

"Super Kev - a extremity machine, a elephantine of a man pinch an moreover bigger heart," said erstwhile Gunners skipper Tony Adams.

"An intensely backstage and genuinely awesome quality being. I'm devastated for his loved ones and each of us. Love you Super Kev."

Campbell was astatine Everton erstwhile Rooney burst connected to nan shot segment arsenic a teenager.

"Kev was a awesome team-mate but much importantly a superb personification who helped maine a batch successful my earlier years," said Rooney.