Source: Telegraph
Notts County sign Sol Campbell
The former England centre-back joined the Midlands club after holding talks during the day, and is due to be presented to the media at Meadow Lane on Tuesday.[LNB]Campbell has become the club's highest profile signing since Sven-Goran Eriksson was appointed as director of football this summer. [LNB] Related ArticlesCampbell set for CountyDaily Bung: Spurs fly into sackingsCounty retain top spotEriksson lines up Campbell for Notts CountyFantasy: Sven's XICampbell, who was a free agent, his contract at Portsmouth having expired last month, had been mulling over whether to join County since being approached by Eriksson two weeks ago. [LNB]His hesitation over descending to the fourth tier of English football derived from his desire to stay in contention for a place in England's World Cup squad for next year. [LNB]However, after taking advice and receiving little interest from the Premier League, Campbell appears to have accepted that his international career is over.[LNB]County used the prospect of up to three more years of competitive football as an incentive to Campbell to make the move. [LNB]They also hoped that the defender's interest in moving into management would prove an additional lure. He will be able to soak up invaluable experience working alongside Eriksson, a former England manager under whom Campbell was first-team regular, while working for his coaching badges. [LNB]Additionally, the club foresee Campbell as having a role to play in their plans to turn their centre of excellence into a facility worthy of academy status. [LNB]His involvement with a club at youth level would again give him extensive experience should he decide to turn to management. [LNB]Highs [LNB]1. Campbell's first match as a professional footballer was for Tottenham in December 1992, when he came on as a substitute for Nick Barmby. He actually began his career as a centre forward, and he made an immediate impact, scoring in the 88th minute against Chelsea. [LNB]2. 73 caps for his country illustrates the impact he has had at an international level. He made his debut against Hungary on 18 May 1996, and almost exactly two years later, aged 23 years and 248 days, Campbell became the then-second-youngest captain after Bobby Moore in a 0-0 draw against Belgium. [LNB]3. Being just one of five Englishmen to find the net in the Champions League final is another major achievement, as is winning the FA Cup three times with Arsenal. His greatest moment, though, must have been captaining Portsmouth when they won the trophy at Wembley in 2008. [LNB]Lows [LNB]1. Sadly, Campbell has had plenty of lows to go alongside the myriad highs of his career. Perhaps the defining moment was his departure from Tottenham on a Bosman to Arsenal in 2001. Spurs fans burnt effigies outside White Hart Lane, and have called him Judas ever since. [LNB]2. Campbell caused a stir in 2006 by going missing after a 3-2 defeat to West Ham. Substituted at half-time, Campbell left the stadium and was not heard from for several days. Team-mate Robert Pirès said he had a 'big worry' in his private life. [LNB]3. The vitriol he has been forced to endure since leaving Spurs raised its head in October last year, when he was subjected to racist chants and homophobic abuse from a number of Spurs fans, four of whom were later arrested and banned from every ground in the country. [LNB]
