Is it the end of the road for Sol Campbell after he walked out on shocked Notts County?

Simon Johnson
23 Sep 2009

Sol Campbell is no stranger to walking out on clubs and it would be no surprise if his latest exit could end up being his last act as a footballer.

It is just 29 days since the former Arsenal and Tottenham defender was unveiled as Notts County's shock new signing, having agreed a five-year deal with a salary of £40,000 a week.

But now the 35-year-old is without a club once more after sensationally quitting the League Two side following his debut in their 2-1 defeat at
Morecambe on Saturday.

The possible reasons behind his desertion are numerous. The Football League's announcement that they are investigating the recent takeover at County because of doubts over the new owners cannot have helped.

His lack of match fitness has also made settling by the Trent a tough ask. Campbell had been complaining of a hamstring injury, which was why he took so long to make his debut.

Then after barely taking part in training this week — at one point he mysteriously stopped to take part in a photo shoot — he said his goodbyes and left.

Supporters must have wondered if he was ever taking the project, which is being funded by Middle Eastern Consortium Munto Finance and led by director of football Sven-Goran Eriksson, seriously. While County paraded him with great excitement after Eriksson had talked of taking the club to the Premier League, he sneered his way through his first press conference and gave the impression it was all a bit of a joke.

His former manager at Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, is not usually one for spotting things but even he could see the potential of the move going wrong in the future. Wenger said at the time: “When you move down, it is always difficult to cope mentally.”

County fans have been promised a refund if they bought a shirt with Campbell's name on it but it will take more than money to erase this dire episode from their memories.

The problem Campbell now has is that he cannot play for a new team until January, as FIFA rules state that a contracted player cannot sign for another club until the transfer window re-opens.

Newcastle have already been linked with a move but they will have to wait for four months, during which time Campbell may well decide that his future career lies outside football.

He has always been regarded as a bit of an enigma and has increasingly shied away from the sports world and gravitated towards fashion and film, especially when he was dating interior designer Kelly Hoppen.

He once said: “I like to be a tiger roaming the jungle or an eagle soaring the skies. Just being me with no worries. People like to put people in little boxes and if you don't fit you're odd. But they don't really know me.”

Tottenham supporters will certainly feel some sympathy for County fans, having never forgiven Campbell for the way he snubbed them for rivals Arsenal in 2001.

He had been brought through the youth ranks at White Hart Lane knowing full well the animosity between the clubs and was expected to sign a new deal after nine years in a white shirt.

Despite telling Spurs' official magazine that the one club he would never sign for would be Arsenal, he joined Wenger's side on a free transfer and has been known as Judas' at Tottenham ever since.

Arsenal fans had a taste of his unusual state of mind themselves in 2006 when he walked out of the club during half-time with his side training 2-1 against West Ham unable to deal with the mistakes that had gifted their London rivals two first-half goals.

Two championships, four FA Cups and one League Cup have been won with Tottenham, Portsmouth and
Arsenal, the latter club being where he experienced most of his successes. He has had an England career of some note too, having become the first player to represent the nation in six consecutive major tournaments.

Campbell had his fair share of misery, though, after seeing goals against Argentina and Portugal — in World Cup 98 and Euro 2004 — disallowed, which would have seen England progress rather than get knocked out on penalties.

According to County, he still harbours hopes of playing for England in the World Cup in South Africa next year but if he isn't physically or mentally fit to play for them, then he may no longer be of any use to anybody.