Messages of support flood in for 'very unwell' Leicester City favourite

Leicester City loan favourite Kevin Campbell is “very unwell”, Everton have said in a message of support to the striker.

On Sunday it was announced that Campbell, 54, had fallen ill last week and is currently in hospital. Everton led a round of well-wishes to the forward, who also played for Arsenal, Nottingham Forest, and West Brom.

The Toffees said on X, formerly Twitter: “We have been made aware our former striker Kevin Campbell is currently very unwell. Not just a great footballer but an incredible person, Kevin is, and always has been, a fighter and we wish him and his family well at this challenging time. Sending all our love.”

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Campbell remains a favourite at City, despite only representing the club for three months. A teenager struggling to make the breakthrough at Arsenal, he was sent to Filbert Street in late 1989 on a short-term loan deal and helped to inspire a turnaround in the club’s form.

David Pleat’s side had won just two of their opening 16 league fixtures in the 1989-90 season and were in danger of falling into the third tier for the first time in their history. But Campbell’s arrival, as well as that of Paul Moran on loan from Tottenham, quickly changed their fortunes.

City beat Leeds 4-3 on Campbell’s debut for the first of seven wins in the striker’s 11 league outings for the club. He scored five goals across that run, including a brace in a 3-2 victory at Portsmouth on New Year’s Day.

Campbell made his breakthrough at Arsenal after his City stint and in the following season he chipped in with nine goals as the Gunners won the first division title. Campbell also lifted the League Cup, the FA Cup, and the European Cup Winners’ Cup during his time at Highbury.