Secret Footballer

[RIP apes]

i thought he meant Kitson


Well done. Have an Interpoint.

[TBM]

lol

Although regarding that Valencia on Kitson challenge - he says

I remember thinking as several fans helped me out of the stand and back on the pitch

- yet the video shows he didn't fall in to the stand

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejw2n5bv_lo

It shows he stayed on the pitch and no fans helped him back on

[ZacNaloen]

I thought that, but then I realised they probably play a little loose with the facts on purpose, to hide identity and for drama.

and anyway who doesn't embellish the odd story here and there, eh TBM?

[Betting_man]

Guys - Notts Co fan here. I'm 110% sure TSF is your old boy Kitson.

Most things fit - made a club record signing move which he later regretted bitterly (Reading to Stoke for £5.5m), part of an extremely successful promoted team that was promoted to the Prem and went down on the last day whom he then left, worked with a 'great manager' for years who went on to 'lose it' (presumably Coppell) came up through non-league, friends with an African player who was racially abused in Russia (Andre Bikey), even makes reference to a story which tried to make out he was addicted to painkillers (see link).

http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/footb ... rror_story

Final clue for me was the secret footballer talked about his frustration at being left out for an opening day fixture, and in a separate article told how his least favourite ref was Rob Styles.

Kitson was left out of your opener again Man Utd in 2007/8. He came on in the second half and was sent off shortly afterward by... Rob Styles.

Assuming it is him, just wondered about a couple of his articles relating to the excellent Reading side of 05/06. He says he couldn't get on with that team's 'all action hardman' - who would that have been?

Also makes references to a lot of things 'wrong under the surface but covered because of the success and lays into that side's captain, branding him selfish and telling an anecdote about how everyone snubbed him after he ignored a team photo boycott in a row over bonuses - must be Ingimarsson.

Is that a surprise to you lot?

Well done on your recent promotion btw!

[TBM]

Sidwell was our all action hardman

[Hoop Blah]

Assuming it is him, just wondered about a couple of his articles relating to the excellent Reading side of 05/06. He says he couldn't get on with that team's 'all action hardman' - who would that have been?

Sidwell. Although both ginger they're not cut from the same block so it wouldn't surprise if they didn't get on. It wouldn't surprise me if Kitson couldn't get on with anyone to be fair!

Also makes references to a lot of things 'wrong under the surface but covered because of the success and lays into that side's captain, branding him selfish and telling an anecdote about how everyone snubbed him after he ignored a team photo boycott in a row over bonuses - must be Ingimarsson.

Is that a surprise to you lot?

More likely to have been Murty I imagine. There was some disquiet about the bonuses that were paid out when we got promotion in 2006, so it would fit together. They all signed up to the contracts though so I don't see where they thought they'd been stiffed on it.

Are people really that interested in the identity of this guy that they trawl the internet for any mentions of him on forums and sign up just to discuss it? I'm amazed.

[Betting_man]

Hi Hoop Blah - wouldn't say I trawled the internet looking for mentions - this is a Reading forum after all, and I guessed there would be a topic on it. Just an interested football fan at the end of the day, and I found the Reading stuff particularly interesting.

Anyways, here's the piece about Murty (or II) if you fancy a read: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog ... er-captain

[Ian Royal]

Pretty sure Kitson openly said he didn't really get on with footballers because he felt he had nothing in common with most of them. He also had a reputation for not being interested in training - which may well explain his injury riddled career.

It doesn't all fit Kitson, but plenty does, so I suspect he's one of a couple or more who contribute. Why limit yourself to one secret footballer, when there are litterally half a dozen or so with an IQ in triple figures you could work with.

[creative_username_1]

Hi Hoop Blah - wouldn't say I trawled the internet looking for mentions - this is a Reading forum after all, and I guessed there would be a topic on it. Just an interested football fan at the end of the day, and I found the Reading stuff particularly interesting.

Anyways, here's the piece about Murty (or II) if you fancy a read: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog ... er-captain

Harper used to oxf*rd about with armbands

[GreaterTorontoRoyal]

Hi Hoop Blah - wouldn't say I trawled the internet looking for mentions - this is a Reading forum after all, and I guessed there would be a topic on it. Just an interested football fan at the end of the day, and I found the Reading stuff particularly interesting.

Anyways, here's the piece about Murty (or II) if you fancy a read: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog ... er-captain

Harper used to oxf*rd about with armbands

Didn't he put it around his leg? I remember he used to play with his socks half way down his shin pads. Or have I just molded the two stories together in my mind?

[Jerry St Clair]

One of the ongoing themes about the Secret Footballer is his solid, working class roots. Kitson is from Hertfordshire which, whilst not all leafy and affluent, is also hardly working class lad territory. Anyone know his family's background?

[soggy biscuit]

Pretty sure Kitson openly said he didn't really get on with footballers.

Just footballers? I would be surprised if he gets on with humans to be honest

[MmmMonsterMunch]

How could anyone call Murty selfish?! How very dare he!

FTR I am a Kitson fan but the Murty link doesn't fit. He's far too nice.

It's more than one person. No one has answered the point about the racial abuse in the 70's.

Sonko anyone? LOL.

[Badger Finger]

One of the ongoing themes about the Secret Footballer is his solid, working class roots. Kitson is from Hertfordshire which, whilst not all leafy and affluent, is also hardly working class lad territory. Anyone know his family's background?

Probably a reference to Kitsons 'I used to stack shelves in Sainsburys' past tbh

[Betting_man]

Monster Munch - As far as I am aware, he has never posted an article on seeing racism on the terraces in the 70s. Also, that would make the player 38/39 at the very least, and there are v few that age still playing (David James, Giggs?)!

He did post this about first encountering racism when it was directed at his friends from a multicultural council estate though, and makes a reference to the 70s, so perhaps that is where that came from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog ... t-chanting

And Kitson grew up in Hitchin - nice town centre maybe, but the place does have a couple of estates I believe.

Oh and Monster Munch - if you hadn't seen the 'Murty' piece, I'm guessing you hadn't seen the 'Sidwell' (thanks for those that answered that btw) one, either - it's here, if you're interested http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog ... es-friends

[Once were Biscuitmen]

But Kitson is too young?

How did he go to a football game in the 1970s when he was born in in 1980?

[Betting_man]

Once were Biscuitmen (love the username!) - read my post again. I don't believe the secret footballer has actually posted an article telling how he saw racism on the terraces in the 70s...

[RIP apes]

Kitson's actually without a club at the moment and, perhaps more relevantly, he wasn't Premiership last season.

[reading_fan]

Hi Hoop Blah - wouldn't say I trawled the internet looking for mentions - this is a Reading forum after all, and I guessed there would be a topic on it. Just an interested football fan at the end of the day, and I found the Reading stuff particularly interesting.

Anyways, here's the piece about Murty (or II) if you fancy a read: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog ... er-captain

Has Kitson ever been a captain though? I don't think he would have been with either us or Stoke. Cambridge perhaps? Pompey?

[soggy biscuit]

http://www.standard.co.uk/business/cityspy/city-spy-on-the-trail-of-the-secret-footballer-8084364.html

Evening Standard say it is Kitson (but with no more evidence than the kind of guesswork & speculation on here)