Wikipedia

Paul Kitson

This article is about the English footballer. For the English indoor soccer player, seePaul Kitson (footballer, born 1956).

Paul Kitson(born 9 January 1971) is an English former professionalfootballerwho played as astriker.

Paul Kitson
Personal information
Full name Paul Kitson[1]
Date of birth (1971-01-09)9 January 1971(age 53)[1]
Place of birth Murton,England
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
1988–1989 Leicester City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1989–1992 Leicester City 50 (6)
1992–1994 Derby County 105 (36)
1994–1997 Newcastle United 36 (10)
1997–2002 West Ham United 63 (18)
1999–2000 →Charlton Athletic(loan) 6 (1)
2000 →Crystal Palace(loan) 4 (0)
2002–2003 Brighton & Hove Albion 10 (2)
2003–2004 Rushden & Diamonds 28 (5)
2005 Aldershot Town 1 (0)
Total 303 (78)
International career
1991–1992 England U21 7 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He notably played in thePremier LeagueforNewcastle UnitedandWest Ham United,as well as in theFootball Leaguewith Leicester City,Derby County,Charlton Athletic,Crystal Palace,Brighton & Hove Albion,Rushden & Diamonds,andAldershot Town.He was capped seven times byEngland U21,scoring 3 goals.

Career

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Leicester City

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Kitson began his career as a trainee atLeicester Cityin 1988.[2]In one season at Leicester, Kitson andIan Baraclough,his striking partner, scored 60 or so goals between them for the youth and reserve sides.[3]Baraclough was sold toGrimsby Town,[3]while Kitson scored 11 goals in 63 appearances for the Leicester first-team,[4]and joinedDerby Countyfor a club record of £1.3 million transfer fee in March 1992, made up of £800,000 withPhil GeeandIan Ormondroydmoving to Leicester in part exchange.[5]Derby managerArthur Coxdescribed him as having "...all the qualities to develop into an outstanding player".[5]and Kitson went on to score 49 goals in 132 appearances in two and a half years at Derby.[4]

Derby County

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His arrival at theBaseball Groundcame in the final quarter of the1991–92 season,the last season before the creation of theFA Premier Leaguefrom the top flight of English football. Derby, bankrolled by wealthy new chairmanLionel Pickering,were spending heavily as they looked to winpromotionfrom theSecond Divisionto the new super league, and ironically one of their biggest promotion rivals were Kitson's former club and arguably Derby's biggest rivals – Leicester City. Kitson scored four times in 12 appearances as the 1991–92 season drew to a close, but defeat toBlackburn Roversin theplayoffssemifinals meant that third placed Derby would be denied aWembleyplayoff final meeting with Kitson's former club and most crucially the chance of a place in the new Premier League.

Further heavy spending followed this disappointment, but Derby failed to make a serious challenge for promotion from the new Division One (which they had been widely expected to dominate) in1992–93but it was still a good personal season for Kitson, who scored 17 times in 44 league games. He added 13 goals to his league tally in1993–94,and Derby reached the playoff final, where they were beaten 2–1 by Kitson's old club, Leicester City. He began the1994–95 seasonstill a Derby player, but after scoring two goals in eight games that season he was on his way out of the club after two and a half years and 36 goals from 105 league games.

Newcastle United

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Newcastle Unitedmade an offer of £2,250,000 for Kitson in September 1994, which was initially turned down by Derby chairman and majority shareholderLionel Pickeringwho felt that Kitson was worth between £3 and £4 million.[6]However, Pickering was outvoted 4–1 by the club's directors and reluctantly agreed to the transfer, which went ahead on 24 September.[6]The deal almost collapsed when Newcastle refused to adjust their pay structure and accommodate Kitson's personal demands[7]and a bid was made byEverton,but the deal went through less than 24 hours after Pickering said that"God must be a Derby fan"and Freddie Fletcher, chief executive of Newcastle, had said the deal was"dead and buried",with Kitson signing a three-year contract at £3,500 a week.[8]He scored his first goal for Newcastle in the 2–0 win overManchester Unitedin the third round of theLeague Cupin October 1994, though he was still very much the club's "backup" striker behind Andy Cole andPeter Beardsley.[9]However, when Cole was sold to Manchester United in January 1995, found himself at centre-forward for the second half of the 1994–95 season. He had a decent campaign, scoring eight goals in 26 games, though1994–95is generally remembered as a disappointing season for Newcastle, who began it as many people's title favourites with six successive wins but ended up finishing sixth – not even enough for aUEFA Cupplace.[10]

However, the arrival ofLes Ferdinandduring the 1995 close season meant that Kitson was once again a squad player as the1995–96season got underway, and the arrival ofFaustino Asprillain mid season further reduced his first team chances. Newcastle finished second that season after being overhauled in the second half campaign by aManchester Unitedside who sealed the title by a five-point margin barely four months after Newcastle had led by 10 points, but Kitson's part in Newcastle's exciting though ultimately disappointing campaign had been minimal as he had played just seven league games and scored twice. But he remained loyal to the Magpies even after another blow at the end of July 1996: the arrival of £15 million world record signingAlan Shearer.He managed three Premier League appearances as Newcastle were once again under the title challengers, before finally leaving on 10 February 1997 in a £2.3 million switch to Premier League strugglers West Ham United. His departure from Tyneside was relatively quiet, coming just weeks after one of the most momentous events in the club's history: the resignation of managerKevin Keegan.[11]

West Ham United

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West Ham were fighting against relegation from the Premier League when Kitson joined them.[12]West Ham's assistant managerFrank Lampardsaid,"The last man we signed from Newcastle was Bryan 'Pop' Robson in the 1970s and Paul has the same qualities. He is quick, sharp and has good physical attributes."[12]He made his home debut, againstTottenham Hotspuron 22 February 1997, which West Ham won 4–3. Kitson scored West Ham's second goal, with other new signingJohn Hartsongetting the third goal to also score on his debut.[13]This marked the beginning of what is still arguably West Ham's finest strikeforce since theTony Cottee/Frank McAvenniepartnership of the 1980s, and a contrast following the disappointing spells of strikers likeFlorin RaducioiuandPaulo Futre.

Kitson bagged two againstChelseain a 3–2 win,[14]two againstEvertonin a 2–2 draw,[15]and bagged a hat-trick againstSheffield Wednesdayin a 5–1 win.[16]West Ham survived relegation despite a tough season and finished 14th, with Kitson's eight goals in 14 league games being priceless to their survival.[17]

Subsequent seasons atUpton Parkwere not quite so successful, with the1997–98seeing Kitson restricted to 13 games and 4 goals in the Premier League (though the Hammers improved to eighth in the league and just missed out on aUEFA Cupplace in their best season for over a decade), and a year later he contributed 17 games and 3 goals to a side which finished fifth to secure UEFA Cup football and their first European campaign in almost 20 years.[17]

However, Kitson's first team opportunities were becoming even more limited, as he made 10 goalless league appearances in1999–2000and just two in2000–01.After a long period without scoring he surprisingly scored a hat-trick in the 4–4 draw withCharlton Athleticon 19 November 2001 for West Ham, a match that he considers to be the highlight of a career in which he failed to live up to his vast potential. The first of these goals was a blistering right foot volley after a through ball from Paolo Di Canio – it was voted number three by the West Ham supporters' association poll of their top 10 goals of the decade. These were the only goals he scored in the2001–02season – his last at the club.[18]

Charlton Athletic and Crystal Palace

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During his final three seasons at West Ham, Kitson was loaned out to Charlton Athletic and Crystal Palace, but neither of these spells was particularly productive. He scored once for Charlton, with his goal coincidentally coming against the club he would soon join on loan: Crystal Palace.[19]

Personal life

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On 21 April 2018, Kitson was accused of gambling £25,000 that he was meant to be putting towards paying off his debts, after he was declared bankrupt the previous year.[20][21]In 2021, Kitson was banned from driving for 22 months and fined £550 after being found guilty ofdrink driving.Kitson had crashed into his neighbour's fence inBillinghamafter 10 hour drinking session.[22]

Honours

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West Ham

References

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  1. ^abcHugman, Barry J., ed. (2003).The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2003/2004.Queen Anne Press. p. 248.ISBN1-85291-651-6.
  2. ^"Paul Kitson".Soccerbase.Racing Post.Retrieved18 July2008.
  3. ^abLightbown, Chris (12 March 1995). "All-rounder in a square hole".Sport.London: The Sunday Times. pp. 2/22.
  4. ^abHogg, Tony (2005).Who's Who of West Ham United.London: Profile. p. 121.ISBN1-903135-50-8.
  5. ^abTaylor, Louise (11 March 1992). "Kitson in Pounds 1.3m move to Derby".The Times.London.
  6. ^ab"Pickering relents and allows Kitson to go".The Times.London. 22 September 1994. p. 48.
  7. ^Taylor, Louise; John Goodbody (23 September 1994). "Kitson's move collapses under agent's demands".The Times.London.
  8. ^Wilson, Peter (25 September 1994). "Keegan captures Kitson". London: The Sunday Times.
  9. ^Ball, Peter (27 October 1994). "Albert breaks down United's youthful resistance".The Times.London. p. 48.
  10. ^Lovejoy, Joe (31 December 1995). "Anfield of dreams". London: The Sunday Times.
  11. ^"Paul Kitson – Newcastle United FC – Football-Heroes.net".Sporting-heroes.net.Retrieved3 July2010.
  12. ^abRichards, Alan (7 February 1997). "Kitson Pops in for Harry".The Sun.London.
  13. ^"Spurs lose in seven-goal thriller".whufc. Archived fromthe originalon 12 October 2013.Retrieved30 March2012.
  14. ^Moore, Glenn (13 March 1997)."Football: Kitson keeps the Hammers happy".Independent.co.uk.Archivedfrom the original on 25 May 2022.Retrieved28 April2012.
  15. ^Hadfield, Dave (20 April 1997)."Football: Black spot for bright Kitson".Independent.co.uk.Archivedfrom the original on 25 May 2022.Retrieved28 April2012.
  16. ^"Football: Hartson and Kitson silence Pleat's lambs".The Independent.London. 5 May 1997.Archivedfrom the original on 25 May 2022.Retrieved30 March2012.
  17. ^ab"Paul Kitson – West Ham United FC – Football-Heroes.net".Sporting-heroes.net.Retrieved3 July2010.
  18. ^Tongue, Steve (20 November 2001)."Johansson takes the gloss off Kitson hat-trick – Premier League, Football".The Independent.London.Retrieved3 July2010.[dead link‍]
  19. ^"Charlton brush off Palace on brink of the abyss".The Guardian.27 March 2000.Retrieved11 April2012.
  20. ^"Bankrupt footballer Paul Kitson accused of blowing £25,000 on betting rather than paying debts".Daily Mirror.21 April 2018.
  21. ^"Former Rams striker accused of blowing £25k on betting rather than debts".Derbyshirelive.23 April 2018.
  22. ^Payne, Mark (12 May 2021)."Ex-Newcastle United striker Paul Kitson crashed into neighbour's fence after 10-hour drinking session near Hartlepool".Hartlepool Mail.Retrieved15 June2023.
  23. ^"Intertoto win gives Hammers Uefa spot".BBC. 24 August 1999.Retrieved12 September2018.
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