Sol Campbell argues that he was judged by a different standard than other footballers, pointing out that he was not the first nor the last to move between two fierce rivals.
Tottenham fans have still not forgiven Sol Campbell
When Campbell, who was the captain of Tottenham in 2001, decided to run his contract down and sign for Arsenal, he might have expected that there would be some heavy blowback for a few years.
However, he could have not been more wrong. 24 years on from that move, he remains public enemy number one for Spurs fans, many of whom even refuse to refer to him by name.
Unflattering chants about Campbell still continue to ring around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on a regular basis, and one would imagine that the 50-year-old would think twice before coming anywhere near the venue.
Campbell accuses fans of judging him by a different standard
Campbell might feel that his move to Arsenal was worth it in the end, given the trophies he went on to win at Highbury. Humiliatingly for Spurs fans, one of those was the Premier League title, with the Gunners being crowned Champions at White Hart Lane after a 2-2 draw in 2004.
Speaking about that game and his conduct after the final whistle, Campbell told The Independent: “They knew if we avoided defeat we were going to be champions and Robbie Keane did what he used to do and won a penalty at the end and they got a draw,
“But it wasn’t enough and we won the title. It was a sweet moment. After all the chanting and booing and everything I’d been through I could easily have gone wild.
“It would have been easy for me to go crazy and run around the pitch and really rub it in and celebrate like mad. But I didn’t, I kept calm and went to the dressing room. Sometimes it is more dignified not to show such a reaction and shows class.”
Campbell insisted that others in the game have also made controversial moves between rival clubs but feels he has been unfairly singled out for his decision.
He added: “I’m not the only player to move between rival clubs, either directly or indirectly. There was Luis Figo who moved just before me, and Kenny Miller did it between Celtic and Rangers they weren’t quite portrayed in the same way.
“Why was I so special? It was hard at the time and I went through a lot, it affected me in a number of ways. Arsenal were very good and protected me and to be around world-class players definitely helped, but I don’t think the authorities did enough. What I went through wouldn’t be allowed to happen now.”
Sol Campbell only has himself to blame
It is one thing to move from Tottenham to Arsenal, but to do it in a sneaky way by running his contract down and stabbing Spurs fans in the back says a lot about Campbell as a person.
The Englishman was good enough to join any side in the world at that time, but he did not care about the way the move would be perceived.
While there is no place for abusive language, Spurs fans are well within their rights to make their displeasure known to Campbell, who is now living with the consequences of his own actions.
This week alone, Campbell has given interviews claiming Tottenham fans treat him unfairly, while also cashing in on a Google Pixel advert that directly mocks Spurs. You can’t have it both ways, Sol.