Kevin was a much-loved friend and team-mate and he was a great example for all of us

Kevin was a much-loved friend and team-mate and affectionately known as ‘Super Kev’, ‘Rambo’ or simply ‘Kev.’

When I made my Arsenal debut in 1979, Kev was a 9-year-old watching at home in Brixton South London, just a few miles from where I also grew up.

Fast forward six years to 1985. Kev signs and joins Arsenal aged 15.

In 1988, Kev was part of the Arsenal FA Youth Cup winning team. I’ll always remember watching him scoring a hat-trick in that final at Highbury, beating Doncaster Rovers 6:1 over two legs.

Pat Rice (Kev’s youth team coach) tells a story of how Kev didn’t like heading the ball in those early days. Pat tried everything to encourage Kev to improve his heading. Finally, in desperation, he offered Kev £5 for every goal scored with his head. Well, that did the trick! It cost Pat a small fortune, but it worked, and the headed goals kept coming thereafter!

I remember David Dein, Pat Rice and others coming into the first team changing room to tell us about this super-talented youngster in our youth team.

I also remember back in 1993 when the club had a mural installed at the North Bank end at Highbury. David Dein tells the story of when Kev turned to him and said “Mr Dein, it’s a lovely mural but there is something missing”. No matter how hard Mr Dein looked at the mural he couldn’t see what Kev meant. Finally, he said, “Kev you’re going to have to tell me”, so with that Hollywood smile and with respect, he said, “Mr Dein, there are no brothers in the mural”. Mr Dein immediately understood and within a week had it all sorted.

Kev was our social organiser, storyteller, and beatboxer; he was charismatic, had a warrior spirit, and was a great example for all of us.

Kev played 228 times for Arsenal between 1988-1995 scoring 59 goals, mostly wearing that iconic No:7 shirt and I was there with him throughout.

It's an honour to be asked to be an ambassador for The Kevin Campbell Foundation and I hope you can please support us in any way you can.

Paul Davis