Arsenal legend Martin Keown has backed former Gunners team-mate Sol Campbell to be a success with the Shrimpers after taking over the job at Roots Hall.

Campbell and Keown played together for Arsenal under Arsene Wenger between 2001 and 2004 after Campbell had joined the Gunners from North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Former England centre-back Campbell took over at Southend last week after leaving League Two side Macclesfield Town in August after taking charge of the side for 30 games.

Campbell then left Macclesfield two months ago and stepped up a division, taking charge of his first game in a 3-1 defeat to Ipswich Town, after watching his new side lose 7-1 to Doncaster Rovers just hours after being appointed the new Shrimpers manager.

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On his former team-mate, the 53 year-old Keown said: "It’s a new club for him but it’s a league higher and he will have better finances and facilities available to him now as well along with a good backroom team in Andy Cole and Hermann Hreidarsson.

"Sol has taken on the challenge and he will certainly give it everything he has.

"I sincerely hope he does well and I’m sure he will.”

While team-mates together at Arsenal, the pair won the Premier League twice in 2002 and 2004, including the famous invincible season, and became FA Cup winners in 2002 and 2003 as well as Community Shield winners in 2002 during one of Wenger's best spells in charge of Arsenal.

Campbell's next game in charge of Southend is against Sunderland at The Stadium of Light on Saturday as they look to gain some much-needed points.

The Verdict

Keown will know Campbell's personality traits as a leader within the dressing room, so therefore knows what Campbell's capabilities are.

The former team-mates had a strong partnership while at Arsenal together almost two decades ago, and despite Campbell's rocky start to life as manager at Southend, Keown believes that there will be success at Roots Hall for the former Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal centre-back.