Paul Kitson

Football player infobox
playername = Paul Kitson


fullname = Paul Kitson
height =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1971|1|9|df=y
cityofbirth = Murton, County Durham
countryofbirth = England
currentclub =
position = Forward
clubnumber =
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1989–1992 1992–1994 1994–1997 1997–2002 1999–2000 2000 2002–2003 2003–2004
2005
clubs = Leicester City Derby County Newcastle United West Ham United → Charlton Athletic (loan) → Crystal Palace (loan) Brighton & Hove Albion Rushden
Aldershot Town
caps(goals) = 050 0(6) 105 (36) 036 (10) 063 (18) 006 0(1) 004 0(0) 010 0(2) 028 0(5)
001 0(0)
nationalyears = 1991–1992
nationalteam = England U21
nationalcaps(goals) = 007 0(3)
pcupdate =
ntupdate =

Paul Kitson (born 9 January, 1971 in Murton, County Durham) is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker. He played for Leicester City, Derby County, Newcastle, West Ham, Charlton, Crystal Palace, Brighton, Rushden and Diamonds and Aldershot Town.

Career

Kitson began his career as a trainee at Leicester City in 1988.cite web|url=http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=4241|title=Paul Kitson |work=Soccerbase|publisher=Racing Post|accessdate=2008-07-18] In one season at Leicester, Kitson and Ian Baraclough, his striking partner, scored 60 or so goals between them for the youth and reserve sides.cite news|title=All-rounder in a square hole|last=Lightbown|first=Chris |date=March 12, 1995|work=Sport|publisher=Sunday Times, The (London)|pages=2/22] Baraclough was sold to Grimsby Town, while Kitson scored 11 goals in 63 appearances for the Leicester first-team,cite book|last=Hogg|first=Tony|title=Who's Who of West Ham United|publisher=Profile|location=London|date=2005|pages=121|isbn=1903135508] and joined Derby County for a club record of £1.3 million transfer fee in March 1992, made up of £800,000 with Phil Gee and Ian Ormondroyd moving to Leicester in part exchange.cite news|title=Kitson in Pounds 1.3m move to Derby|last=Taylor|first=Louise |date=March 11, 1992 |work=Sport| publisher= Times, The (London)] Derby manager Arthur Cox described him as having "...all the qualities to develop into an outstanding player." and Kitson went on to score 49 goals in 132 appearances in two-and-a half years at Derby.

Newcastle United made an offer of £2,250,000 for Kitson in September 1994, which was initially turned down by Derby chairman and majority shareholder Lionel Pickering who felt that Kitson was worth between was £3 million and £4 million.cite news|title=Pickering relents and allows Kitson to go|date=September 22, 1994 |work=Sport|publisher=Times, The (London)|pages=48] However, Pickering was outvoted 4–1 by the club's directors and reluctantly agreed to the transfer. The deal almost collapsed when Newcastle refused to adjust their pay structure and accommodate Kitson's personal demandscite news|title=Kitson's move collapses under agent's demands|last=Taylor|first=Louise |coauthors=John Goodbody|date=September 23, 1994 |publisher=Times, The (London)] and a bid was made by Everton, 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.cite news|title=Keegan captures Kitson|last=Wilson|first=Peter|date=September 25, 1994|publisher=Sunday Times, The (London)] He scored his first goal for Newcastle in the 1–0 win over Manchester United in the third round of the Coca-Cola Cup in October 1994,cite news|title=Albert breaks down United's youthful resistance| last=Ball| first=Peter|date=October 27, 1994 |work=Sport|publisher=Times, The (London)|pages=48] and following the departure on Andy Cole in January 1995, found himself at centre-forward for the second half of of the 1994–95 season.cite news|title=Anfield of dreams|last=Lovejoy|first=Joe|date=December 31, 1995 |publisher=Sunday Times, The (London)] However, Kitson was then pushed down the pecking order by Alan Shearer, Les Ferdinand and Faustino Asprillacite news|title=Hammers' £5m bid for Kitson and Sheron|last=Woolnough|first=Brian |date=January 25, 1997 |publisher=Sun, The (London)] and he joined West Ham United in February 1997, having made 49 appearances for Newcastle, scoring 14 goals.

West Ham were looking certain to be relegated from the Premiership in February 1997, when Kitson signed a three-and-a-half year contract for a transfer fee of £2.3 million pounds.cite news|title=Kitson Pops in for Harry|last=Richards|first=Alan |date=February 7, 1997 |publisher=Sun, The (London)] West Ham's assistant manager Frank Lampard said, "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." He made his home debut, against Tottenham on 22 February 1997, which West Ham won 4-3. Kitson scored West Ham's second goal, with other new signing John Hartson getting the third goal to also score on his debut. Kitson bagged two against Chelsea in a 3-2 win, two against Everton in a 2-2 draw and bagged a hat-trick against Sheffield Wednesday in a 5-1 win. West Ham survived relegation despite a tough season. He also came out of the wilderness to score a hat-trick in the 4-4 draw with Charlton Athletic in November 2001 for West Ham.

He later played for Charlton, Crystal Palace, Brighton, Rushden and Diamonds and Aldershot Town.

References