Paul Kitson (soccer)

Paul Kitson (May 31, 1956 in London, England – August 25, 2005 in Toronto, Canada) who played and coached professionally with both indoor and outdoor soccer teams in Canada and the United States.

Kitson began his career with Watford F.C. in England before moving to the United States where he signed with the New York Apollo in the American Soccer League. In 1980, the Apollo was renamed New York United and Kitson continued to play for United until the team folded following the 1981 season. In 1980, Kitson began his indoor career with the Chicago Horizon of the Major Indoor Soccer League. The Horizon lasted only one season before collapsing and Kitson moved to the New York Arrows for the next two indoor seasons. The Arrows won the 1982 MISL championship. In 1983, the Arrows sent Kitson to the Baltimore Blast. He remained with the Blast through the 1985–1986 season, winning the 1983–1984 MISL title. On March 6, 1987, Los Angeles Lazers traded Kitson to the Cleveland Force for Chris Chueden. He spent the next two seasons with the Force. In 1990, he played for the New Jersey Eagles in the American Professional Soccer League. He spent the 1992–1993 winter indoor season with the Denver Thunder in the National Professional Soccer League. In the summer of 1993, he played with the Arizona Sandsharks of the Continental Indoor Soccer League. In the fall of 1993, he signed with the Detroit Rockers of the NPSL then back in the CISL, this time with the Detroit Neon in the summer of 1994. In 1996, he joined the Philadelphia KiXX of the NPSL, then moved to the Toronto Shooting Stars during the season. In 1997, he moved to the Montreal Impact. He retired from playing in 1997 and moved to the head coach position, but the team closed at the end of the 1998 season.

Kitson began his coaching career with the Montreal Impact in 1997, but the team closed at the end of the 1998 season. On May 14, 1999, the Maryland Mania of the USL A-League hired Kitson. In 2001, Kitson was appointed the head coach for Canadian Professional Soccer League expansion side the Brampton Hitmen. Throughout the season the Hitmen performed poorly without recording a single victory, which resulted in Kitson to be dismissed from his post on July 25, 2001. He was hired at the end of the 1999–2000 season by the Buffalo Blizzard. He coached them for 12 games. He then coached them in the 2000–2001 season. The Blizzard closed at the end of the 2001 season. Paul then moved Ontario, Canada, to be with his wife and daughter and continued being involved with youth soccer. At the time of his passing, Paul was a technical director for the Glen Shields Sun Devils. He died doing what he was passionate about and that was soccer, a very fitting end to a life that was dedicated to the beautiful game.