Former Arsenal defender Sol Campbell has admitted he doesn't look back fondly on playing against Spurs following his controversial departure from White Hart Lane in 2001.
Campbell's move across north London enraged Tottenham fans, with the then-England international walking out of his boyhood club on a Bosman free transfer.
Everything about the game and the lead-up to it was fractious. I didn’t enjoy it, but the other guys loved the buzz around derby week
And the 40-year-old has exclusively told FourFourTwo that, although the prospect of returning to White Hart Lane didn't cause him to lose any sleep, he certainly didn't enjoy his reunions with his former employers.
"I didn’t dread it," Campbell told FFT. "They were amazing games, but they were always a big hassle for me.
"We had a great record at Arsenal against Tottenham but everything about the game and the lead-up to it was fractious. I didn’t enjoy it, but the other guys loved the buzz around derby week. It consumes you – players and fans.
"Life has gone on. There’s no need for me to [look] back. I’m on another level, I’ve moved on and won what I’ve won and done what I’ve done and I’m really proud of what I’ve achieved under all that pressure. So for me that is just history now."
Campbell won two Premier League titles and three FA Cups during his five years with the Gunners, compared to just a single League Cup during nine years in Tottenham's first team.
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
Sol Campbell was speaking on behalf of The Great British Brekkie at www.greatbritishbrekkie.org.uk. Support their work with bereaved children by texting BREK13 to 70070. For more information on Winston’s Wish, click here.
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
