‘I was treated terribly after leaving Tottenham for Arsenal – no one has apologised’
‘I was treated terribly after leaving Tottenham for Arsenal – no one has apologised’
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One of the few players to make the switch between fierce north London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham has said the treatment he received was ‘horrendous’. After spending over a decade at Spurs, ex-England defender Sol Campbell made the difficult decision to leave for Arsenal in the early 2000s.
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Campbell was loved by Tottenham fans having come through the academy to make more than 300 first-team appearances and lift the League Cup in 1999. But Campbell felt he needed to leave Spurs in order for his career to go to another level and joined Arsenal on a free transfer in 2001, linking up with legendary Gunners boss Arsene Wenger.
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Tottenham fans never forgave Campbell for what they saw as a betrayal, especially as he had publicly insisted he was staying in a post-match interview with Sky Sports. Campbell says the treatment he received after leaving Spurs was ‘more than toxic’ but he does not regret his controversial decision, having gone on to enjoy a hugely successful spell at Arsenal.
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During his five years with the Gunners, Campbell lifted two Premier League titles and two FA Cups and was a key part of Wenger’s Invicibles team. Campbell also featured in a Champions League final for Arsenal, scoring an opener against Barcelona at the Stade de France before the Spanish giants came back to win 2-1.
Justifying his decision to switch between the north London rivals, Campbell told the Daily Mirror: ‘It was a move by a young man who wanted to win. ‘I wanted to win football games, I wanted to win championships, I wanted to see how far I could push my country, to see if I could win something for my country.
