Dave Kitson Explained

Dave Kitson
Fullname:David Barry Kitson
Birth Date:21 January 1980
Birth Place:Hitchin, England
Position:Forward
Youthyears1:–1998
Youthclubs1:Hitchin Town
Years1:1998–2000
Caps1:2
Goals1:0
Years2:2000–2001
Years3:2001–2003
Caps3:102
Goals3:40
Years4:2003–2008
Clubs4:Reading
Caps4:135
Goals4:54
Years5:2008–2010
Clubs5:Stoke City
Caps5:34
Goals5:3
Years6:2009
Clubs6:Reading (loan)
Caps6:10
Goals6:2
Years7:2009
Clubs7:Middlesbrough (loan)
Caps7:6
Goals7:3
Years8:2010–2012
Clubs8:Portsmouth
Caps8:68
Goals8:12
Years9:2012–2013
Caps9:33
Goals9:11
Years10:2013–2014
Caps10:32
Goals10:4
Years11:2014–2015
Clubs11:Arlesey Town
Caps11:0
Goals11:0
Manageryears1:2014–2015
Managerclubs1:Arlesey Town (player-assistant manager)
Manageryears2:2023–
Managerclubs2:Reading Blue Coat School (assistant manager)
Manageryears3:2024–
Totalcaps:420
Totalgoals:129

David Barry Kitson (born 21 January 1980) is an English former professional footballer who played as a forward.

He made 420 appearances in the Premier League and Football League, including 145 for Reading.

Kitson began his career with non-league Hitchin Town and Arlesey Town before he joined Cambridge United in 2001 and became one of the brightest prospects in the Third Division, which led to him being signed by Reading in 2003 for a fee of £150,000.

He enjoyed great success with Reading, forming a formidable strike partnership with Kevin Doyle as Reading won the Championship title with a record 106 points and gained promotion to the Premier League for the first time in 2006. After two seasons in the top flight Reading were relegated and Kitson signed for Stoke City for a club record fee of £5.5 million.[1]

He had loan spells with Reading and Middlesbrough before joining Portsmouth. He spent two seasons at Fratton Park but agreed to cancel his contract with Portsmouth in August 2012 with the club in danger of being liquidated, and subsequently joined Sheffield United on a short term deal, before signing a two-year contract at Oxford United in June 2013.

Club career

Cambridge United

Kitson joined Cambridge United, then in Division Two, in 2001 after being recommended by agent Barry Silkman to U's manager John Beck.

He made his debut in 3–2 victory away over Stoke City on 17 March 2001. On the final day of the same season, Kitson notched his first goal for the club in a 1–1 draw at Swansea City.

The following season saw the club relegated from League One but Kitson scored 10 goals, finishing as the club's second-top goalscorer, one behind Tom Youngs.

It was in the 2002–03 campaign that Kitson really found his feet. He scored 25 goals in a prolific campaign which saw him hot on the heels of David Crown's club record of 27 goals in a season. After 11 goals in 19 appearances at the start of the 2003–04 season, Kitson left Cambridge to join second-tier outfit Reading. His return of 47 goals in 123 appearances in all competitions ensured Kitson's place among the club's all-time legends.[2]

Reading

Kitson was sold to Reading on 26 December 2003, for a fee of £150,000.[3]

At Reading, he scored five goals in 10 starts in his first season. In the 2005–06 season, despite injury he went on to record an impressive goals-to-game ratio, and continued to do so as Reading won the Championship title with a record 106 points.

Following promotion with Reading, Kitson scored the club's first Premier League goal in their 3–2 home win against Middlesbrough on the opening day of the 2006–07 season, but was then badly injured later in the same match.[4] The injury kept him out of the game until Reading's FA Cup victory over Birmingham City on 27 January 2007.[5]

On 27 March 2007, he committed his future to Reading, signing a new deal until June 2010.[6]

In Reading's first Premier League game of the 2007–08 season, Kitson was sent off less than a minute after coming on as a substitute against Manchester United at Old Trafford, for a challenge on Patrice Evra.

Stoke City

On 18 July 2008, Kitson moved in a £5.5m move from Reading to Stoke City, breaking Stoke's record transfer fee.[7]

Speculation soon arose as to whether Kitson was settled at Stoke, as he struggled to adapt to the side's style of play after being played out of position by manager Tony Pulis.

As a result, he failed to score any goals in any of the 18 competitive games he played for Stoke City in the 2008–09 season.

Chairman Peter Coates and Pulis denied any rumour that he might be leaving the Britannia Stadium.[8] He rejoined Reading on loan until the end of the 2008–09 season on 10 March 2009.[9]

Kitson later revealed that he made the "wrong decision" in joining Stoke, adding that he and his family were happy at Reading and that "I threw all of that away for what I thought was going to be a new challenge... I hold my hands up – it was my fault. I made the decision to go to Stoke, I didn't have to, no-one forced me to go, and it was a bad decision."

Addressing his lack of goals for Stoke, he said "I'd been bought for a lot of money but I wasn't sure I was being utilised in the way I thought I was going to be... You do have some days at training when you go back in and wonder what you're doing there."[10]

However, Reading failed to gain promotion, meaning that Kitson returned to Stoke. Kitson stated that he would "start his Stoke career again".[11]

His first competitive goal for Stoke came in a 1–0 League Cup win at Leyton Orient on 26 August 2009.

He scored his first league goal for Stoke on 29 August 2009, which proved to be the winning goal against Sunderland and then scored again with a goal against Bolton Wanderers.

However Kitson lost his place to James Beattie and joined Middlesbrough on a two-month loan.[12]

He scored his first goals for Middlesbrough when he scored a brace against Peterborough United on 28 November 2009.

He returned to Stoke on 1 January 2010. He scored in the FA Cup against Manchester City and Bolton Wanderers.

Portsmouth

Kitson joined Portsmouth with Liam Lawrence on deadline day as part of a deal which saw Marc Wilson join Stoke City.[13] Kitson made his Portsmouth debut on 11 September 2010 in a 0–0 draw with Ipswich at Fratton Park. He scored his first goal for the club in a 4–1 defeat at Crystal Palace on 14 September 2010 and a further 2 goals in a 6–1 win over Leicester at Fratton Park on 24 September 2010. In his first season, Kitson made 39 appearances and scored 8 goals.

In his second season, Kitson was frequently left out of the squad, before Steve Cotterill left the club to become manager of Nottingham Forest. Kitson experienced a dip in form and was dropped to the bench by Cotterill's successor Michael Appleton. Kitson registered his first Portsmouth goal since October 2011 at Doncaster Rovers with a 90th minute equaliser, before Márkó Futács scored in stoppage time to secure a 4-3 win, which kept Portsmouth in the division for at least one more week and confirmed Doncaster's relegation. Kitson left the club in August 2012.[14]

Sheffield United

On 31 August 2012, Kitson joined Sheffield United on a short-term deal.[15] He made his debut on 15 September 2012, coming on as a second-half substitute in the 1–1 draw with Bury. His first goal for the Blades came in a 1–1 draw against Notts County at Bramall Lane on 29 September 2012.

On 16 November 2012 Kitson extended his contract until the end of the season, stating that "It wouldn't have sat comfortably with me to leave a job half done after integrating myself into a great squad... I still would like to go to America but we will revisit that at a later date because the aim is to have a good crack at winning promotion here."[16]

Kitson played regularly for the remainder of the season, making 37 appearances in total and scoring 11 goals, but with the Blades failing to gain promotion he was released when his contract expired in June 2013.[17]

Oxford United

On 27 June 2013, Kitson joined League Two club Oxford United, signing a two-year contract.[18] [19] He scored four league goals in his only season at the club. On 22 July 2014 Kitson announced his decision to retire from playing professional football.[20]

Return to Arlesey Town

In December 2014, Kitson returned to Arlesey Town as a player, but left in February 2015 following manager Nick Ironton's departure.[21]

Caversham United

Kitson signed as a player for Reading Sunday League side Caversham United to support Sunday League Day on 24 March 2024 and raise money for Prostate Cancer UK. In his first competitive game for 10 years, Kitson scored twice on his Caversham United debut in a 2–2 draw against Reading Sunday League Division 2 rivals Rose & Thistle.[22] [23] [24]

Management and coaching

In addition to his second spell as a player at Arlesey Town between December 2014 and February 2015, Kitson also took on a role as the team's assistant manager.[25]

In 2017, Kitson was appointed as a volunteer coach for Grenfell Athletic, the team set up to support victims of the Grenfell Tower fire.[26] [27]

In October 2023, Kitson launched The Dave Kitson Academy and has coached players from the Reading FC academy. In January 2024, Kitson's former Reading team-mate James Harper joined him for some of his coaching sessions and, in May 2024, David Hillier made a guest appearance as a coach.[28] [29] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34]

With Kitson as part of the coaching team, Reading Blue Coat School beat Cranleigh School 2-1 after extra-time in the ISFA Under 18s Shield final on 19 March 2024.[35] [36] [37]

In March 2024, Kitson was announced as Nauru's first ever national team manager and international ambassador. He was tasked with assembling a team to play in Nauru's first competitive game.[38] [39] [40] [41] [42]

In June 2024, Kitson invited Reading-based XL FC, a football club that helps men lose weight, to visit Nauru to play the national team in their first ever game.[43] [44] [45] [46]

Other roles in football

In April 2021, Kitson was announced as chairman of Arlesey Town. On 19 February 2024, Kitson announced that he had resigned as Arlesey chairman. He expressed an interest in becoming a director of a football club in Berkshire.[47] [48] [49]

Kitson gives talks to football clubs and schools about his career and other topics including resilience and mental health. In April 2024, he delivered one of his talks to the Under 21s and Under 18s at his former club Cambridge United.[50] [51] [52] [53] [54] [55]

Media work

Kitson has worked as a Talksport pundit and a Premier League pundit for Stadium Astro in Malaysia. He has also written for the Reading Chronicle.[56] [57]

Personal life

Kitson was born in Hitchin, Hertfordshire and worked for Sainsbury's as a shelf stacker prior to becoming a professional footballer.[58]

He has been written about as being a 'leading contender' as the former Premier League player behind The Secret Footballer series of Guardian columns and books.[59] [60]

In October 2023, Kitson joined fans of his former club Reading in a march from the town centre to the club's Select Car Leasing Stadium, in protest against the club's owner Dai Yongge.[61] While being interviewed as a guest on The Price Of Football Podcast in May 2024, he talked about the "stupidity" of the way Reading FC has been run in the post Sir John Madejski era of the club.[62] [63] [64]

In February 2024, Kitson revealed that he hid behind a car after a Reading game against Portsmouth, to stop Portsmouth fans spotting him.[65]

In May 2024, Kitson set up a networking group to support businesses, charities and community groups in the Reading area.[66]

Kitson has appeared on Talking Royals - a podcast that supports Reading FC fans who are facing mental health challenges.[67]

He has stated that one of his ambitions is to create a football-related television series and that he had been in talks with former Soccer AM producer James Long, with a view to trying to get the series made. Kitson said: "I genuinely believe that we could put together something really special that shows football in a whole new light."[68]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Hitchin Town1997–98[69] Isthmian League Premier Division20001030
1998–99Isthmian League First Division00003030
Total20004060
Cambridge United2000–01Second Division8100000081
2001–02Second Division3392010414110
2002–03Third Division44206121435525
2003–04Third Division17101110001911
Total1024092418412347
Reading2003–04First Division1750000175
2004–05Championship371900003719
2005–06Championship341820344022
2006–07Premier League1324200184
2007–08Premier League341000203610
Total13554625414660
Stoke City2008–09Premier League1601010180
2009–10Premier League1832121225
Total343313140!5
Reading (loan)2008–09Championship10220122
Middlesbrough (loan)2009–10Championship6363
Portsmouth2010–11Championship3581010378
2011–12Championship3341010354
Total6812202072!12
Sheffield United2012–13League One33112100203712
Oxford United2013–14League Two324400000364
Career total422129266146164478145

Honours

Cambridge United

Reading

2005–06

Individual

2002–03 Third Division[71]

Notes and References

  1. News: Kitson joins Stoke in club-record deal. The Guardian. 18 July 2008 .
  2. Web site: U'S LEGENDS RETURN TO ABBEY FOR MICK GEORGE CHARITY MATCH – SECURE YOUR PLACE! . www.cambridge-united.co.uk . en-gb . 23 February 2020.
  3. News: Cash Point! . 27 March 2006 . . 16 May 2006 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060509101728/http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/sport/football/united/2006/03/27/b683caf1-e46e-45ef-8cf9-b6de50f1c4c5.lpf . 9 May 2006.
  4. News: Royals come back from two-nil down to beat Boro in first ever Premiership match . 19 August 2006 . 5 February 2007 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080927141613/http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10306~885161%2C00.html . 27 September 2008 . Reading FC.
  5. News: Royals progress to the fifth round after good away win against Blues . 27 January 2007 . 5 February 2007 . dead . https://archive.today/20120805102750/http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~971508,00.html . 5 August 2012 . Reading FC.
  6. News: Kitson signs new three-year contract . 27 March 2007 . 27 March 2007 . dead . https://archive.today/20120805131426/http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~1002595,00.html . 5 August 2012 . Reading FC.
  7. News: Stoke seal £5.5m Kitson transfer . 18 July 2008 . BBC Sport.
  8. News: Kitson going nowhere, says Coates . 27 November 2008 . BBC Sport.
  9. News: Kitson returns to Reading on loan . 10 March 2009 . 10 March 2009 . BBC Sport.
  10. News: Striker Kitson regrets Stoke move . 12 March 2009 . BBC Sport.
  11. News: Dave's Determined . 15 August 2009 . 16 August 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090725032529/http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10310~1728883%2C00.html . 25 July 2009 . Stoke City F.C.
  12. Web site: Kitson Completes Loan Move To Boro . 17 November 2009 . Stoke City F.C . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091120195320/http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10310~1877556%2C00.html . 20 November 2009 . 17 November 2009.
  13. News: Kitson and Lawrence In, Wilson Out . 31 August 2010 . 31 August 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100903182638/http://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/LatestNews/news/Kitson-and-Lawrence-In-Wilson-Out-1318.aspx . 3 September 2010 . Portsmouth FC.
  14. News: Two left as Dave Kitson leaves Fratton Park . BBC Sport . 3 August 2012.
  15. Web site: Striker agrees Blades deal . 31 August 2012 . Sheffield United FC Official Web Site . 31 August 2012.
  16. News: Dave Kitson extends Sheffield United contract . 16 November 2012 . 16 November 2012 . BBC Sport.
  17. News: Retained list . 18 June 2013 . 18 June 2013 . Sheffield United FC Official Website.
  18. News: Dave Kitson: Oxford United sign ex-Sheffield United striker . BBC Sport . 27 June 2013.
  19. Web site: United Sign Kitson . Oxford United F.C . 27 June 2013.
  20. News: Dave Kitson: Former Oxford, Stoke City and Reading striker retires . 22 July 2014 . BBC Sport . 23 February 2020 . en-gb.
  21. Web site: New Manager Appointed . 14 December 2014 . Arlesey Town F.C. . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150214042135/http://www.arleseytownfc.co.uk/#!news-posts/c21xj/i3p2cxs249 . 14 February 2015 . 18 February 2015.
  22. News: Reading FC legend signs for Sunday League Caversham United . 6 March 2024 . Reading Chronicle . 6 March 2024 . en-gb.
  23. News: 7 former pros we can't believe are still playing non-league football in 2024 . 6 March 2024 . Planet Football . 24 March 2024 . en-gb.
  24. News: Kitson scores twice for Caversham United in his first competitive game for 10 years . 25 March 2024 . RDG.TODAY . 25 March 2024 . en-gb.
  25. Web site: New Manager Appointed . 14 December 2014 . Arlesey Town F.C. . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150214042135/http://www.arleseytownfc.co.uk/#!news-posts/c21xj/i3p2cxs249 . 14 February 2015 . 18 February 2015.
  26. Web site: Arlesey to welcome football squad of Grenfell Tower survivors and bereaved this weekend. Biggleswade Today. 27 July 2022 .
  27. Web site: Grenfell Athletic: the football club uniting a community hit by tragedy. The Guardian. 15 March 2022 .
  28. News: Reading FC legend sets up football academy in Berkshire . 25 October 2023 . The Reading Chronicle . 25 October 2023 . en-gb.
  29. News: Reading FC legend launches new group coaching sessions . 24 April 2024 . Wokingham Today . 24 April 2024 . en-gb.
  30. News: Reading FC Column: The challenges of being a parent . 17 May 2024 . Reading Chronicle . 17 May 2024 . en-gb.
  31. News: Reading FC legend links up with former teammate for coaching . 8 January 2024 . The Reading Chronicle . 12 January 2024 . en-gb.
  32. News: Former Arsenal midfielder helps coach Ross Juniors kids . 10 June 2024 . Hereford Times . 10 June 2024 . en-gb.
  33. News: Arsenal and Portsmouth favourite joins Reading FC legends as coach . 9 June 2024 . Reading Chronicle . 9 June 2024 . en-gb.
  34. News: Arsenal legend helps Ross Juniors FC celebrate 20 years . 6 June 2024 . The Ross Gazette . 6 June 2024 . en-gb.
  35. News: ISFA U18 SHIELD . 29 February 2024 . Independent Schools Football Association . 1 March 2024 . en-gb.
  36. News: Reading FC legend helps school to first win in 378-year history . 20 March 2024 . Reading Chronicle . 20 March 2024 . en-gb.
  37. News: Blue Coat's double delight in national competitions . 8 April 2024 . Reading Chronicle . 29 May 2024 . en-gb.
  38. News: Dave Kitson: Former Reading forward set to manage Nauru in first international match . 25 March 2024 . BBC . 25 March 2024 . en-gb.
  39. News: Dave Kitson to coach Nauru football team - a team that doesn't exist yet . 29 March 2024 . nzherald.co.nz . 29 March 2024 . en-gb.
  40. News: The Pacific Island Of Nauru Plans Its First International Soccer Match . 22 March 2024 . Forbes . 23 April 2024 . en-gb.
  41. News: Nauru appoint former Premier League player . 14 March 2024 . FOOTBALL IN OCEANIA . 14 March 2024 . en-gb.
  42. News: 'Nobody said it would be easy': Dave Kitson on managing Nauru, one of the world's fattest countries . 26 April 2024 . Daily Telegraph . 26 April 2024 . en-gb.
  43. News: Reading's weight-loss footballers going global . 14 June 2024 . BBC . 14 June 2024 . en-gb.
  44. News: Fat-fighting footballers aiming for Pacific match . 17 June 2024 . BBC . 17 June 2024 . en-gb.
  45. News: Reading weight loss football team invited for trip of a lifetime to face Dave Kitson's Nauru . 16 June 2024 . Reading Today . 16 June 2024 . en-gb.
  46. News: Reading's fat-fighting footballers have Pacific tour in their sights . 21 July 2024 . ITV News . 21 July 2024 . en-gb.
  47. News: New Arlesey Town chairman Dave Kitson looking to make the community proud . 2 August 2021 . The Herts Advertiser . 25 October 2023 . en-gb.
  48. News: Dave Kitson on why he is stepping down at Arlesey Town . 27 February 2024 . The Comet . 18 August 2024 . en-gb.
  49. News: Reading FC legend hoping to pursue director role at Berkshire based football club. 19 February 2024 . Wokingham Today . 19 February 2024 . en-gb.
  50. News: Reading FC legends from different eras meet for the first time. 10 August 2024 . BBC . 10 August 2024 . en-gb.
  51. News: Dave Kitson delivers talk to U's youngsters. 10 April 2024 . cambridgeunited.com . 10 April 2024 . en-gb.
  52. News: Reading FC Column: Thank you - and what next for Reading FC?. 19 January 2024 . Reading Chronicle . 10 April 2024 . en-gb.
  53. News: LHS CONNECTED: March 2024. 2 April 2024 . Little Heath School . 10 April 2024 . en-gb.
  54. Web site: Kitson stars at Charvil end of season awards. Henley Standard. 27 May 2024 .
  55. Web site: Reading FC legends meet for first time. HRDG.TODAY. 10 August 2024 .
  56. Web site: "He's unleashed them": Dave Kitson DOES NOT WANT Ange to CHANGE his tactics!. . 28 December 2023 .
  57. Web site: Reading FC legend to become exclusive column contributor. Reading Chronicle. 25 October 2023 .
  58. Web site: Reading FC Memories: Dave Kitson was not a typical footballer, and that's what makes him special. BerkshireLive. 22 July 2014 .
  59. Web site: Fans identify The Secret Footballer as mystery star trends online. Birmingham Live. 9 April 2018 .
  60. Web site: 'Is it you?' - Ex-Stoke City striker Dave Kitson quizzed on being The Secret Footballer. StokeOnTrentLive. 23 August 2020 .
  61. Web site: Reading FC legend Dave Kitson leads fans protest march to Mad Stad. Wokingham.Today. 28 October 2023 .
  62. Web site: Interview: Dave Kitson, former Reading player, now national team manager of Pacific Island Nauru. Apple Podcasts. 3 May 2024.
  63. Web site: Reading FC legend admits 'tears have been shed' over crisis. Reading Chronicle. 4 May 2024 .
  64. Web site: 'We've had to watch someone completely destroy it': Reading FC legend expresses anger at ownership situation. Wokingham Today. 29 May 2024 .
  65. Web site: Reading FC Column: Not so happy memories of Portsmouth days. Reading Chronicle. 16 February 2024 .
  66. Web site: Reading FC legend shows support for local business community. Wokingham Today. 27 May 2024 .
  67. Web site: Reading FC legend to appear on Talking Royals podcast. Wokingham.Today. 25 February 2024 .
  68. Web site: Reading FC Column: I'm hoping Rocket will give me a boost. Reading Chronicle. 12 April 2024 .
  69. Web site: Fixtures 1990–1999 . fishpondersfactsandstats.info . 23 February 2020.
  70. News: Blackpool lift LDV Vans Trophy . Paul . Fletcher . BBC Sport . 24 March 2002 . 18 March 2024.
  71. News: Henry lands PFA award . David McKechnie . The Guardian . 28 April 2003 . 14 January 2023.
  72. Web site: Players of the Season . 2023-05-01 . Reading FC.