Joel Kitamirike

Infobox Football biography
playername = Joel Kitamirike


fullname = Joel Derick Kitamirike
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1984|4|5|df=y
cityofbirth = Kampala
countryofbirth = Uganda
height = Height|m=1.80
position = Defender
currentclub = Chelmsford City
clubnumber =
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 2001-2004 2003-2004 2004-2005 2005 2006 2006-2007
2007-2008
2008-
clubs = Chelsea → Brentford (loan) Mansfield Town Dundee Columbus Crew Fisher Athletic
Weymouth
Chelmsford City
caps(goals) = 00 (0) 22 (0) 02 (0) 08 (0) 01 (0) 22 (1)
19 (0)
00 (0)
nationalyears =
nationalteam =
nationalcaps(goals) =
pcupdate = 13:29, 3 July 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate =

Joel Kitamirike (born 5 April 1984) is a Ugandan-born football player, who moved to England as a child and has British citizenship. He most notably played for Football League One club Brentford during the 2003–04 season and for Scottish Premier League club Dundee in 2005. He is now playing non-league football for Chelmsford City.

Club career

Kitamirike was born in Kampala, Uganda, in 1984 and came to England when he was six years old. [cite web|url=http://www.icons.com/kitamirike/biog.html?0|title=Joel Kitamirike biography: the early years|publisher=Icons.com|accessdate=2008-07-03] He began his career as a youth player at Chelsea, where he made one appearance aged 17, deputising in a UEFA Cup tie against Hapoel Tel Aviv, when several players did not travel to Israel because of a security threat. [cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/uefa_cup/1605181.stm| title=Hapoel stun subdued Chelsea|date=2001-10-18|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-07-03] He joined Brentford on loan in September 2003 and extended his loan in November 2003 for the rest of the 2003–04 season,cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/brentford/3222734.stm| title=Kitamirike extends Bees deal| date=2003-11-20| publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-07-03] during which he made 25 league and cup appearances for Brentford. [cite web| url=http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=28702&seasonid=133| title=Games played by Joel Kitamirike in 2003/2004|work=Soccerbase|publisher=Racing Post|accessdate=2008-07-03] He was released by Chelsea at the end of the 2003–04 season, and after trials with Dutch club Willem II Tilburg [cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/3554992.stm|title=Kitamirike eyes Dutch move| date=2004-08-11| publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-07-03] and Walsall, [cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/3599118.stm |title=Walsall trial Kitamirike|date=2004-08-25|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-07-03] joined Mansfield Town in December 2004 on a non-contract basis.cite web| url=http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=28702| title=Games played by Joel Kitamirike in 2003/2004|work=Soccerbase|publisher=Racing Post|accessdate=2008-07-03] He made two appearances for Mansfield before joining Dundee in January 2005 on a two-year contract.cite news| url=http://moreresults.factiva.com/results/index/index.aspx?ref=NOTTEP0020050125e11o0001k |title= Thanks Stags - Kitamirike| date=2005-01-24| publisher=Nottingham Evening Post|accessdate=2008-07-03] [cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/dundee/4180913.stm| title=Dundee sign defender Kitamirike| date=2005-01-17| publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-07-03] He made seven starts for Dundee in the 2004–05 season as the club were relegated from the Scottish Premier League and made two further appearances before leaving the club in November 2005 after agreeing a deal to terminate his contract. [cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/dundee/4415826.stm| title=Defender Kitamirike leaves Dundee|date=2005-11-07|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-07-03] Two months later, he joined Major Soccer League club, Columbus Crew. [cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/4607034.stm | title=Ugandan Kitamirike signs in USA| date=2006-01-12 |publisher=BBC Sport| accessdate=2008-07-03]

He made one appearance for the Crew before dropping into English non-league football and playing for Fisher Athletic and Weymouth. [cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/weymouth/7250309.stm |title=Terras allow Kitamirike to leave|date=2008-02-18|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-07-03] He was released by Weymouth in February 2008 and joined Chelmsford City. [cite news| url=http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=48599 |title=King brings in Joel|date=2008-03-03|publisher=Non League Daily|accessdate=2008-07-03]

International career

Kitamirike represented England at under-15 level and in 2004, the Uganda national football team included him in their squad for the 2006 World Cup and Nations Cup qualifier against DR Congo in June 2004, taking advantage of new Fifa rules making him eligible to play for his country of birth at full international level. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/3750179.stm|title=Uganda eye Kitamirike|last=Oryada |first=Andrew |date=2004-05-26|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-07-03] Although Kitamirike was keen to play, Ugandan immigration law did not permitted dual nationality. Kitamirike was unwilling to give up British citizenship in order to get a Ugandan passport so missed the game.cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/3772769.stm|title=Uganda to miss Kitamirike|last=Oryada |first=Andrew|date=2004-06-03|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-07-03]

References

External links

* [http://www.icons.com/kitamirike Joel Kitamirike official website] at Icons.com
*soccerbase|28702