Dave Kitson
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.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,[10] but was then badly injured later in the same match.[13] 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.[18] 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...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.[28] 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..."[29] Kitson played regularly for the remainder of the season, making 37 appearances in total and scoring 11 goals,[30] but with the Blades failing to gain promotion he was released when his contract expired in June 2013.[41][42] Kitson caused controversy in December 2018 when, during a TalkSport interview, he said that "players make themselves a target" following racist abuse of Raheem Sterling.[43] In May 2020, Kitson came in for criticism following his announcement that he wanted to become chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association, with the chairman of Kick It Out questioning his anti-racism credentials and three black players attacking the former Reading striker for his comments about Sterling.
David Kitson (cricketer)Dave Kitson (South African politician)ReadingHitchinForwardHitchin TownArlesey TownCambridge UnitedStoke CityMiddlesbroughPortsmouthSheffield UnitedOxford UnitedfootballerPremier LeagueFootball LeagueKevin DoyleFratton ParkliquidatedBarry SilkmanJohn BeckSwansea CityTom YoungsDavid Crown2005–06 seasonChampionship2006–07 seasonFA CupBirmingham City2007–08Manchester UnitedPatrice EvraTony PulisBritannia StadiumLeague CupLeyton OrientSunderlandBolton WanderersManchester CityLiam LawrenceMarc WilsonIpswichLeicesterSteve CotterillNottingham ForestMichael AppletonDoncaster RoversMárkó FutácsNotts CountyBramall LaneLeague TwoHertfordshireSainsbury'sThe Secret FootballerGuardianTalkSportRaheem SterlingTyrone Mings1997–98Isthmian League1998–99Second DivisionThird Division2003–04First Division2004–052005–062006–072008–092009–102010–112011–122012–13League One2013–14Isthmian League CupHerts Senior CupFootball League TrophyChampionship play-offsLeague One play-offs2001–02Football League ChampionshipPFA Team of the YearCambridge Evening NewsFettisEdwardsWestwoodUnderwoodTinklerRussellHumphreysMorrellReading F.C. Player of the SeasonMeldrumWheelerHarrisSilvesterCummingFridayBowmanHetzkeWilliamsRichardsonBremnerFrancisSeniorMcPhersonGoodingHislopMorleyParkinsonCaskeyButlerHarperIngimarssonArmstrongSigurðssonPearceLe FondreFedericiAl-HabsiRinomhotaRafaelLaurentYiadomReading F.C. – Hall of Fame inductees