Spurs boss Harry Redknapp today admitted his pleas to the club's supporters to lay off the vitriol towards Campbell, who quit Tottenham to join arch-rivals Arsenal in 2001, would probably fall on deaf ears.

The veteran centre-back, who is back at the Gunners for a second spell and is a confirmed starter in tomorrow's match, has not played at Spurs' ground since 2005 and is guaranteed a hostile reception by the home fans.

Campbell is still considered a traitor by the Spurs faithful, who attacked the Arsenal team bus on the player's first return to White Hart Lane in 2001 before subjecting him to homophobic chants when he played for Portsmouth at Fratton Park in 2008.

Redknapp accepts that Campbell remains a hate figure among Tottenham's loyal following but hopes the insults do not get too strong.

"It has been a long-running saga but they (Spurs fans) have got the hump with him here and they are not going to forgive him," Redknapp said.

"I am sure he will get some grief. It is no good me sitting here and saying that he won't.

"They pay their money and they are going to do what they want to do, aren't they? I just hope they don't do anything silly or shout anything silly.

"Sure, if they want to jeer him or whatever, that is fine. But we saw trouble before at Portsmouth with people making remarks that aren't right. You do not want that.

"But when he plays, he gets on with it doesn't he? He will get on with the game. He has been through it all before and he is experienced enough now."

Redknapp was surprised to see Campbell sign for Arsenal for a second time.

The former England defender left the Gunners in July 2006 and his future was uncertain before he was signed by Portsmouth, at the time managed by Redknapp, in August of that year.

"I could never see him going back to Arsenal in a million years," Redknapp said.

"I never thought he would want to go anywhere near Arsenal again. When I took him, he wanted out and they (Arsenal) wanted him out as well.

"He walked away from a fortune at Arsenal. His contract there was incredible. He just went, 'No, I don't want to play there any more'.

"I took him to Portsmouth but it cost him millions and millions. The money he was getting at Portsmouth compared to what he was getting at Arsenal, he was losing about £3million a year."

Redknapp remains an admirer of Campbell, who had a short, fateful spell at Notts County at the start of this season before joining Arsenal in January.

"He's just a natural," Redknapp said.

"He has pace - when he gets in his stride he's still quick - he's a powerful runner, great in the air. He's got it all really.

"It's a great lift for him to get the chance to go back to Arsenal. If he'd stayed at Notts County, that was the end of him. Now suddenly he's involved in the team that was playing Champions League and trying to win the championship. But I never thought Arsenal would take him back."