Sol Campbell Has Now Departed Notts County

[QPR Report]

The Sun -
Exclusive
Sol quits Notts CountyBy JANINE SELF

SOL CAMPBELL has quit Notts County after just ONE game.
The former England star stunned team-mates yesterday when he walked into the changing-room to say his goodbyes.

Campbell, 34, agreed a five-year £40,000-a-week deal at the start of this month and made his debut in a wretched 2-1 defeat at Morecambe on Saturday.

Campbell went to manager Ian McParland after the game and asked to be released from the deal. The ex-Spurs and Arsenal centre-half was a free agent in the summer after leaving Portsmouth.

He arrived in a flurry of publicity and hoped for a coaching role under director of football Sven Goran Eriksson.

His departure comes as County are being investigated by the Football League, as exclusively revealed by The Sun on Saturday.

League chiefs want details of the money men behind Munto Finance's recent takeover.

The new owners are understood to have given McParland just two games to save his job.

County face Port Vale at home this weekend and travel to Lincoln on Tuesday night.

Executive chairman Peter Trembling said: "Of course we've got to review whether Ian's the man for the job. He's under pressure, we spent a lot of money so it goes with the territory."

www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/2650775/Sol-Campbell-quits-Notts-County.html

[QPR Report]

And the BBC

Campbell can leave Notts County

Campbell joined Notts County on a five-year contract
Notts County will not stand in Sol Campbell's way if he is determined to leave, BBC Sport understands.

The ex-England centre-back is believed to have told the club he wants to leave Meadow Lane after making his debut at Morecambe on Saturday.

It was their third consecutive away defeat and the former Tottenham and Arsenal defender said his new side were guilty of hesitating in possession.

The 35-year-old only joined the Magpies last month on a five-year deal.

newsvote.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/n/notts_county/8270272.stm

[cpr]

That'll bring the songs out again.

Why on earth did go there ffs!

[blockhead]

just seen the sky news item on it, very fishy, got the feeling that the board are looking for receipts.

[QPR Report]

So maybe we can still get Erickson to replace Gianni

[QPR Report]

BBC - Campbell makes Notts County exit

Campbell changed his mind after only one game in a Notts County shirt
Former England defender Sol Campbell has left League Two side Notts County by mutual consent after only one game.

Executive chairman Peter Trembling told the club website Campbell "could not adjust to the long-term nature of the project under way at Notts County".

The 35-year-old former Portsmouth, Arsenal and Tottenham player arrived as a free agent in August to team up with ex-England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson.

But his debut, a 2-1 loss at Morecambe on Saturday, was also his final match.

Campbell's footballing future is now uncertain.

He is highly unlikely to be allowed to join a Premier League club before the January transfer window unless he can prove he had a just sporting cause for quitting Meadow Lane.

Campbell agreed a five-year deal with Notts County after his contract with Portsmouth expired, earning a reported £40,000 a week.

606: DEBATE
I think it is a disgrace and insult to the players, club and fans. I don't think he will get a good reception from fans if he decides to find another club

powerfulGlenith
It was the biggest coup pulled off by the Magpies following the takeover by Munto Finance and arrival of Eriksson as director of football.

But following Campbell's hasty departure and with the Football League yet to ratify Munto's takeover of the club, Trembling is keen to reassure fans that they have no reason to worry about the club's future.

"The investment project is on track; we have brought in a lot of new players and resources into the club but obviously this is a five-year project, not a five-week one," he stated.

Campbell, who has won 73 England caps, began his playing career at Tottenham before making a controversial move to bitter rivals Arsenal in 2001.

In five years with the Gunners, he won two Premier League titles and three FA Cups and was an integral member of the double-winning team of 2002 and the 'Invincible' squad that went through the entire 2003-04 league season unbeaten.


Wenger 'surprised' by Campbell move
In February 2006, Campbell left Highbury at half-time after he was substituted in Arsenal's 3-2 defeat by West Ham.

He was at fault during the build-up of the Hammers' first two goals but it was stated at the time through his solicitor that the player only "needed some space".

He moved to Portsmouth in 2006, captaining them to FA Cup glory in 2008 and making 32 Premier League appearances last season, before his contract expired and he moved to Meadow Lane.

On agreeing to drop three divisions, Campbell revealed the prospect of working again with Eriksson had been a big draw and said he planned to play for the club for "at least three years".

"This club have got great ambition and I want to be a part of it," stated Campbell following his signing.

"Sven played a big role. He's a great man. He's managed all over the world and he knows his football, he's a proper guy.

"He has seen the future. It's a challenge but I think everyone connected to the club are prepared for that challenge. It's refreshing."

However, it appears the situation changed on Tuesday.

"He had taken part in training and then, rather bizarrely, was part of a photo shoot," revealed BBC Radio Nottingham's Colin Slater.

"Then he went for treatment for a little hamstring niggle, collected his boots and said goodbye to the few people who were around.

"I understand he had some further discussions with some of the top people at the club, including Peter Trembling, the executive chairman."

When it the signing was announced, Campbell's decision to drop to League Two received a mixed reaction from his former bosses.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp, who managed Campbell at Portsmouth, revealed if he had been in charge of any other club than Tottenham he would have attempted to sign him.

"I think he is still a fantastic player," he said.

"In my opinion, he's still in the top six central defenders in the Premier League so for Notts County to get him in that division is incredible."

However, Arsene Wenger, who was Campbell's manager at Arsenal, expressed doubts about how he would handle dropping down a few divisions.

"Time will show if it is a good move for him," he added. "It depends what is in his mind, if it is purely a football move or if it is a long-term move that he wants to be involved afterwards as a coach.

"Maybe it can be a good decision if he wants to build something on the longer term. On the short term, he will suffer a bit because he is used to top-level football.

newsvote.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/n/notts_county/8270272.stm

[QPR Report]

Nott County Official Site
Sol Leaves by Mutual Consent

Notts County FC confirms that Sol Campbell has asked to cancel his five year contract with the Club, this has been agreed by mutual consent.

Peter Trembling, Executive Chairman said: "While we are disappointed that Sol felt that he could not adjust to the long term nature of the project underway at Notts County, we obviously wish him the best with the remainder of his career and hope that he is able to obtain a place where he can play at International level ahead of the 2010 World Cup.

"The investment project is on track; we've brought in a lot of new players and resources into the Club, but obviously this is a five year project, not a five week one. For any fan that bought a new Notts' shirt and had 'Campbell' printed on the back, I am pleased to offer a voucher for the club shop for a replacement shirt."
www.nottscountyfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10426~1805805,00.html

[Zamoraaaah]

Very unprofessional thing to do.
I hope the FA refuse him permission to play for another club before January.

[QPR Report]

Guardian

Sol Campbell rips up County contract and walks out of football until January• Former England centre-back cannot join another club this year
• 35-year-old unhappy with facilities at League Two Notts County

David Hytner and Stuart James

Sol Campbell stands to pay a heavy price for walking out on his contract at Notts County as, under Fifa rules, he will now be unable to play for a new club until January, which will raise the inevitable question about his future in the game.

The former England defender turned 35 last week and by the new year will be sorely lacking in match fitness. Campbell may have earned £160,000 from his four-week dalliance with League Two County but, in another sense, he could be infinitely poorer. Having allowed his contract at Portsmouth to expire, on 26 August he Campbell signed a four-year deal at the League Two club in August, with the option of a fifth year. He was guaranteed to earn £10m over the course of the contract. There seems little doubt that, despite the possibility of a route into coaching at County, the money, supplied by the club's new backers, was the principal motivating factor. Those close to Campbell had urged him to consider other opportunities at more established clubs but he struck out on his own.

Yet Campbell grew disillusioned very quickly. Although County insisted that he had been aware of the five-year timescale they have set for their climb up through the divisions, the player appeared to run out of patience at certain things with indecent haste.

It is understood that Campbell was unimpressed with the training ground, claiming that the pitch was not watered properly and, as a result, was too hard. The final and most brutal reality check for him came last Saturday, when he made his County debut at Morecambe. In front of 3,335 fans, the former Arsenal defender, who was some way short of full fitness, was part of the team that lost 2-1.

As he digested the events of the afternoon, Campbell came to the sobering conclusion that he had to get out. He regularly talks of wanting things to be done "properly" and, to his mind, County had fallen short. But several figures at the club have been left bewildered.

County's executive chairman, Peter Trembling, said the club were "disappointed Sol felt he could not adjust to the long-term long-term nature of the project". He added: "Perhaps things are not happening as quickly as he thought they might but this is a five-year project, not a five-week project. We can't just become a Premier League club overnight. Sometimes decisions are made, people make wrong decisions and Sol has decided that this is not where he wants to be now."

County agreed to cancel Campbell's registration but, under worldwide transfer rules, he cannot join another club until January, unless he were to cite an exceptional factor beyond his control that forced him to walk away from his contract.

Newcastle United, with whom Campbell held talks over the summer, will not renew their interest in him.

www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/sep/23/notts-county-sol-campbell-quits

[Lonegunmen]

Show me the Money. This guy has just ruined any of what was left of his reputation. Living in a dream world of self importance - No, not Flavio, Sol Campbell.

[londonranger]

Now Notts are under FA invewtigation, financial irregs. todays papers.