Blimey! Ex-Prem Striker Dave Kitson Finally Outs Himself as the Elusive 'Secret Footballer'

Right, lads, grab a pint because we've got a proper mystery solved from the annals of football's shadowy underbelly. Former Premier League striker Dave Kitson has dropped the bombshell that he was the man behind 'The Secret Footballer' – that anonymous scribbler who dished the dirt on the beautiful game's not-so-beautiful secrets while still lacing up his boots. For years, fans were like detectives on the telly, forming online sleuth squads to unmask the bloke, but Kitson kept his cards close to his chest until now.

Picture this: Kitson, the journeyman forward who first turned heads at Cambridge United and then smashed it at Reading – remember that mad 2005-06 Championship season where the Royals racked up a record 106 points to rocket into the Prem? He bagged goals there before bouncing around Stoke City, Portsmouth, Sheffield United, Oxford United, and even a cheeky retirement swansong at non-league Arlesey Town in 2015. All the while, under the 'Secret Footballer' alias, he was churning out weekly newspaper columns and no fewer than five books. These weren't your bog-standard autobiographies; they were gritty tell-alls on matchday madness, dodgy transfers, contract shenanigans, and the soul-crushing side of pro footy that fans rarely glimpse.

Spilling the beans on the Liberty Rock Sport Podcast, Kitson admitted: 'I've never said that out loud before.' He kicked it off back in the day when he was fuming about football's direction and needed a vent for his mental health. 'I've been scribbling since I was a nipper – wanted to be a travel writer, no less. It was cathartic, helped me unpack the industry's nonsense without dropping names. Just laid out the facts and let punters make up their own minds.'

It started as a laugh, but soon the pressure mounted. 'Had a big contract on the line – if I'd been rumbled, it'd be sacking and exile quicker than you can say 'gagging order'.' In an era before every Tom, Dick and Harry had a podcast, this was groundbreaking stuff. Kitson reckons it even sparked top-level changes in English football, which he's chuffed about, though the stress was 'immense'. Funny how what began as therapy turned into a high-stakes game of hide-and-seek.

Then there's the heartbreaking pivot point: the death of Gary Speed in 2011. The Welsh midfield maestro, who graced Leeds United, Newcastle United, Bolton Wanderers and more, was found dead at 42. Kitson had just penned a column called 'Sometimes There's Darkness Behind the Light', banging on about the mental health crisis in football – a taboo topic back then. 'Nobody talked about it; you'd be branded weak. I warned it was a ticking bomb, someone would take their own life. Submitted it Friday, out Saturday, and Sunday... Gary. That's when the fun drained out of it.' Oof, talk about timing that hits like a thunderbolt.

These days, Kitson's hung up his pundit mic (he's dipped into that too) and channels his energies as a motivational speaker, zeroing in on mental health – fitting, innit? He even owned up to a past gaffe in 2020, apologising to Raheem Sterling after clumsily implying the Man City star had 'made himself a target' for racist abuse back in 2018. 'Clumsy words, my bad – never condoned racism. Hats off to Raheem for fighting it; more needs doing, and I'm game to help.' Classy move, putting it right and offering a chinwag to square things.

So, there you have it – the 'Secret Footballer' wasn't some shadowy FA suit or a foreign superstar, but a solid pro striker airing the game's laundry. It's a reminder that behind the glamour, footy's full of real humans grappling with real demons. Kitson's tale changed the chat around the sport, and now that the mask is off, maybe it'll inspire the next wave of whistleblowers. Fancy a reread of those books now you know who wrote 'em? Cheers to Dave for the courage – and for keeping us lot guessing for so long!

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