I returned to Arsenal and had to train by the woods – the manager didn't want to see me

Sol Campbell reveals that legendary Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger refused to even look at him when he returned to north London, forcing the formidable defender to train away from the squad.

Campbell spent five seasons at Arsenal, from 2001 to 2006, and became an icon in the heart of the club's defence. In his first stint with the Gunners - after his controversial move from their rivals Tottenham Hotspur - the centre-half won two Premier League titles and three FA Cup medals, and also went undefeated throughout the 2003/04 league campaign.

After much success, Campbell departed for Portsmouth on a free transfer and captained them to a famous FA Cup victory in 2008, before a year's stint with Notts County. But the defender was craving the feeling of playing under Wenger again, and returned to north London to train with Arsenal in 2010 - but his old boss didn't seem to want him back.

During an appearance on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet, the now-50-year-old revealed that Wenger couldn't even stand to watch him train and forced him to work alone. Campbell said: "[In 2010] Arsene [Wenger] didn’t want to sign me because I left Arsenal [in 2006] but I changed his mentality. He said that he didn’t know if I could bounce back to the same level and I said, ‘Well, that means you don’t really know me’, and I showed him.

"I left Notts County and I was in a limbo, I couldn’t sign for two clubs under one window. So, I was hanging around until January to find a club. I went back to Arsenal and trained, and the guys brought me in.

"At first, I had to train over by the woods because he [Arsene Wenger] didn’t want to see me. I built on things and trained with the youth team, then the reserves and the academy – just built up my fitness.

"In the end, their captain said that my numbers were better than some of the lads, but Arsene still didn’t want to see me."

Campbell's resilience ended up paying off, as Wenger's staff convinced him to let the defender train with the squad for the chance of signing a contract with his old team. He said: "In the end, he got battered down by all the staff and they said that they have to see me.

"So, what he did, on this particular session – he got me in there and training was fine. At the end of the session, it was one-on-ones. He went, 'Sol, in you go!' That’s when I proved him wrong and I destroyed him, I had a really good session. I proved him wrong and then he signed me after that."

The seasoned centre-half returned to Arsenal, making 11 appearances throughout the second half of the 2009/10 season. However, the fairytale didn't continue, and Campbell ended up at Newcastle United the following season, making seven appearances before retiring from professional football.

Campbell's return to Arsenal was one full of determination and perseverance, as he had to convince his ex-manager that he was still able to perform at a high level in the Premier League.

Arsenal didn't end the season with the trophies that Campbell had been used to either, as their Premier League title challenge against Manchester United and Chelsea ended after a harsh run of results in the second-half of the season. This poor form saw them drop to a final position of third place, with Chelsea and United ending the season above them by double digits.

Their quest for Champions League glory was thwarted by Barcelona in the quarter-finals, going out 6-3 on aggregate after a 4-1 away defeat in the second leg. Domestic cup competition also ended in sadness, with a 3-1 defeat to Stoke City in the fourth round of the FA Cup, and a 3-0 loss to Manchester City in the fifth round of the League Cup condeming them to a trophyless season.

However, Campbell was pleased to showcase his desire to play for the club he won so much with before, as he noted that changing Wenger's mind was a victory for him all on its own. He added: "At the time, I helped Arsene [Wenger] to make him realise that there is passion and strength in players who want to keep on playing football, and the desire.

"In his head, that type of player didn’t exist."

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