Everton FC legend Kevin Campbell died aged 54 last year
Everton FC legend Kevin Campbell died aged 54 last year
A coroner has ruled that Everton FC legend Kevin Campbell died of natural causes. The former striker, who played for the Toffees from 1999 – 2005, died aged 54 at Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI) on June 15 last year.
The coroner has today ruled a delay in the diagnosis of a rare heart infection “did not more than minimally contribute” to the death of Mr Campbell. The striker, who also played for Arsenal from 1988 – 1995, was said to be fit and well until around January 2024, when he was first admitted to MRI for seven weeks.
An inquest in Manchester heard tests showed he was suffering from severe heart and kidney failure but following treatment, including dialysis, he was deemed healthy enough to be discharged.
Mr Campbell lost weight during his hospital stay from 124kg to 98kg but it had plummeted to just 59kg when he was readmitted two months later on May 17.
Area Coroner for Manchester, Zak Golombek, said Mr Campbell was “very unwell” at that stage and medics felt there was some continuation of the heart and kidney failure, with signs of an infection of unknown cause.
His condition continued to deteriorate as further investigations and tests in early June confirmed a diagnosis of infective endocarditis. Medical treatment then continued until his death from multi-organ failure.
An internal investigation by the hospital accepted the infection – caused by bacteria entering the blood and travelling to the heart – could have been diagnosed earlier and that “more curiosity” should have been shown by clinicians over Mr Campbell’s significant weight loss.
However, the inquest was also told he would “almost certainly” not been been fit enough to undertake “high risk” open-heart surgery if the infection had been detected earlier during his final admission.
Recording a conclusion of death by natural causes, Golombek said: “Kevin died from a naturally occurring illness which very sadly on June 15 reached its natural end.”
Mr Campbell enjoyed an incredible career in an Everton FC shirt as his form in the final stages of the 1998-99 campaign helped lift the Blues to safety.
He arrived at Goodison Park on loan from Turkish side Trabzonspor in the spring of 1999 with the club’s Premier League status at risk. His run of nine goals in five games led the Blues to safety and paved the way for a permanent move.
In total, he scored 51 goals across 164 appearances for Everton, including a fourth-minute Merseyside derby winner against Liverpool on September 27, 1999.
He is also regarded as a legend at Arsenal where he scored 59 goals in 224 games. He also won the 1990-91 league title, also won the FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup with the Gunners.
