Everton plan for tribute to Kevin Campbell as supporters plan gesture after striker's funeral
Members of the Everton family who passed away this summer will be remembered ahead of the game with Brighton & Hove Albion but there will not be a pre-match tribute to Kevin Campbell this weekend
Several members of the Everton family who passed away this summer will be remembered ahead of the club’s opening game of the season at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday but there will not be a pre-match tribute to Kevin Campbell. The former Blues striker died aged 54 at Manchester Royal Infirmary on June 15 from multi-organ failure due to a heart infection.
Following consultation with his family, a tribute for Campbell will take place ahead of Everton v Bournemouth on Saturday August 31 when family members can attend as special guests as the club. However, to ensure the memory of ‘Super Kev’ is honoured at the opening match of Goodison Park’s historic final season – the first fixture since he passed – the 1878s fan group are encouraging Evertonians to chant his name when the clock hits nine minutes, to signify his shirt number while at the club.
Evertonians are invited to join a period of applause in memory of former players Mick Gannon (81) and Frank D’Arcy (77), ex-physio Les Helm (87) and former first team coach Craig Shakespeare (60), all of whom passed away this summer. The applause will take place after the warm-ups and before the teams emerge for kick-off.
The 1878s will also be coordinating a flag and banner display in the Howard Kendall Gwladys Street End before kick-off. Supporters are respectfully asked to leave behind any flags found by your seat so they can be collected and recycled for future matches.
A strong Everton delegation were in London to attend a moving funeral service for Campbell on Wednesday, August 14. Tributes were paid and readings delivered at an emotional two-hour service at Brixton Seventh Day Adventist Church, followed by committal at Streatham Park Cemetery. Kevin’s former Everton team-mates Francis Jeffers, Don Hutchison, Tomasz Radzinski and Mark Pembridge were joined at the service by Everton ambassador Graham Stuart, former striker Marcus Bent, former Arsenal and Everton defender Martin Keown, the club's director of communications and engagement Scott McLeod and broadcast and liaison manager Darren Griffiths.
Kevin's former Arsenal team-mates Anders Limpar – who was later an FA Cup winner with Everton – Paul Merson, Perry Groves, Ian Wright, Ray Parlour, Tony Adams, Andrew Cole, Paul Davis, Chris Kiwomya, Jimmy Carter and Gus Caesar were also present, along with Les Ferdinand and Chris Hughton, who served the Gunners’ north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Family tributes were paid by Kevin’s grandmother Sylvia Gordon, his cousin Mark Gordon, aunt Marjorie Douse and cousin Marva Douse. His sister AnnMarie Campbell read from Revelation Chapter 21 while sons Tyrese and Kyle read movingly from the Book of John. Tributes were also paid by friends John Simmonds, Gary King, Paul Davis and Anthony Jordan.