Retired Premier League striker Kevin Campbell, best known for his time at Arsenal and Everton, passed away on 15 June last year at the age of 54 due to natural causes, as confirmed by Manchester Coroner’s Court.
Campbell, who also played for Nottingham Forest and Trabzonspor, had been battling heart and kidney failure, compounded by a rare heart infection known as infective endocarditis.
The court heard that Campbell, who had been in good health until January 2024, was admitted to Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI) after his condition deteriorated significantly, causing him to lose more than half his body weight.
Coroner Zak Golombek ruled that while there were missed opportunities in diagnosing his heart infection, this “did not more than minimally contribute” to his death.
Initially hospitalized for six-and-a-half weeks, Campbell responded well to treatment and was discharged in March 2024. However, his health worsened, leading to his readmission in May.
Consultant cardiologist Dr Colin Cunnington testified that Campbell likely contracted infective endocarditis during the interval between hospital stays, exacerbating his weight loss and overall decline.
Campbell’s death was attributed to multi-organ failure resulting from infective endocarditis and hospital-acquired pneumonia. While the MRI initially categorized the delay in diagnosing the infection as a level 5 patient safety incident, their review concluded the death was “possibly avoidable but not very likely.”
Dr Robert Henney, a consultant at the MRI, remarked that Campbell’s condition was so severe that many others “may not have survived to make it into hospital.” Despite the setbacks, the court emphasized that the rare infection’s onset was not detected during Campbell’s initial stay.
Campbell, who won the 1991 First Division title, FA Cup, and European Cup Winners’ Cup with Arsenal, remains a celebrated figure in English football.
