Sol Campbell admits he never expected an offer to arrive from Arsenal last month.
The former England defender made his return to Champions League football during the week for the first time in three years.
"I've always believed in my own ability, but never thought I'd play for Arsenal again," Campbell told The Times. "I came back to try and keep fit, with a view to getting another club, in the Premier League or the Championship. I trained by myself for three weeks, which was hard work mentally. I tried to do everything - jogs, sprints, in and out of cones, I went swimming, anything just trying to get the best out of the facilities I had. Ball work was pretty difficult on my own!
"I started training with the first team after about a month, just popping in to help out if they were a few bodies light. I was the spare man, but didn't mind. It was like going back to school, but I didn't mind starting again.
"I never gave a single thought about playing for Arsenal until January, when Arsène Wenger started to consider it. It was a gradual process. He never said, 'we're short Saturday, can you play?' Not quite anyway. The boss saw me training, making better times, playing OK and how I was conducting myself around the club. He said he was thinking about signing players, but they were a bit top-heavy with defenders so I'd have to wait."
