The family of retired football star Kevin Campbell have questions over the care he received before his death, a coroner’s court heard.

The former Everton and Arsenal striker died aged 54 at Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI) on 15 June last year.

A provisional cause of death was given as multi-organ failure due to a heart infection known as infective endocarditis.

Manchester Coroner’s Court heard he had several stays in hospital before his final admission to the MRI in May 2024, including a six-and-a-half week period where no underlying cause for his declining health was identified.

Mr Campbell, who also played for Nottingham Forest and Trabzonspor in Turkey, had been fit and well until around January 2024.

The pre-inquest review hearing was told MRI later declared a Level 5 patient safety incident, the most serious category, regarding his treatment there.

Lawyer Sebastian Naughton, representing Mr Campbell’s family, said the MRI’s own investigation had identified “some shortcomings” in treatment, with reference to a delay in diagnosis during his final spell at the hospital.

He said the family, who were not present at the hearing, wanted to know more about his earlier stay there.

“The family have questions about the first admission,” he said.

“In broad terms, how it was there was a six-and-a-half week admission and no clear cause was identified and whether there was an an earlier opportunity.”

Zak Golombek, area coroner for Manchester, adjourned proceedings ahead of a full inquest hearing on a date yet to be decided.

A statement from Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust said it would not comment on an ongoing inquest.

Campbell scored 59 goals in 224 games for Arsenal and, alongside the 1990/91 league title, he also won the FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup with the Gunners.

He spent three years at Nottingham Forest from 1995 and had a one-season stop in Turkey before moving to Everton in 1999.

He stayed on Merseyside until 2005, where he spent time as captain under Walter Smith, and ended his career with spells at West Bromwich Albion and Cardiff.

Campbell later worked in the sports media and was a member of the Black Footballers Partnership, which works to increase the voice and influence of black footballers.