Ninth tier club Arlesey Town appoint former Premier League player Dave Kitson named as their new chairman, it was recently announced.
The Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division outfit revealed in August that John Morrell resigned from the club with immediate effect, with the former top flight footballer stepping in.
Kitson once played for the Blues during their Ryman League Division Three title-winning season in 2000/01 before joining Cambridge United and then had success in the highest levels of English football, and won promotion to the big time with Reading, winning the 2005/06 Championship season in which the Royals dominated, setting a new league record of 33 league games unbeaten between the opening day defeat by Plymouth Argyle and the loss at Luton Town in February; these were the only league defeats the team would suffer that season.
On the 25th of March 2006 they clinched promotion to the top flight for the first time in their 135-year history thanks to a 1–1 draw away to Leicester City and Coppell’s team secured the league title in the following week, with a 5–0 drubbing of Derby County, and they would go on to set a new English league record for the number of points won in a season, with 106, something that still stands today.
CLUB STATEMENT:
It is with regret that Arlesey Town Football Club announce the resignation of its chairman John Morrell with immediate effect.
John stands down after 5 years at the club. He took over in May 2016 and helped steer the club through a period of financial difficulties and restraint. More recently John has helped oversee a transition period at the club leading to stability on and off the pitch.
Everyone at the club wishes to thank John for his time, effort and help throughout his tenure at the club and we wish him and his wife Christine all the very best for the future.
In light of Johns resignation, the committee looked to promptly seek out a potential replacement, it was decided there was a clear candidate in which they would like to approach and someone they felt the members would be glad to see back at the club, therefore we are pleased to announce the appointment of former Arlesey Town and Premier League Striker Dave Kitson as Chairman of the club on an initial interim basis.
Dave first appeared for the club in 2000-2001 in our Ryman League Division Three Championship winning season. After signing for Cambridge United the following year, making over 100 appearances and scoring 40 goals, he was then signed by Reading who were, at the time playing in Division One of the Football League. From 2003-2008, Dave played over 130 games and scored 54 goals for Reading including their rise to the Premier League during their record breaking 106 season.
Dave went on to play for Stoke, Middlesbrough, Portsmouth, Sheffield United and Oxford United before taking on a post playing career as a pundit for numerous broadcasters alongside appearing regularly on talkSPORT radio.
Dave says of his appointment: ‘I would like to thank the committee for offering me the opportunity to take on the role as Interim Chairman, I would also like to thank John Morrell for the sterling work he has done as Chairman to lead the club to this point, Arlesey has always had a place in my heart and I made numerous lifelong friends during my time here, This is an exciting period for everyone involved and I look forward to contributing to the start of the next chapter in the clubs history’.
The Club is excited to have Dave on board as we now start looking to further secure the clubs future.
Speaking to the club’s media channels he said: “The club remains very familiar to me, I grew up a mile or two over the Herts border in Letchworth and aside from a little more housing here and there, not much has changed in the 20 years I’ve been away.
“On the one hand, that familiar feeling of home can be very comforting but on the other hand we have an opportunity to improve and develop what we have here in the interests of the club and the community that we serve.
“I like this level of the football pyramid. I believe that football clubs should serve their communities. At the elite end of professional football that simple truth has been eroded and, in some cases, lost completely.
“We exist to provide entertainment to our community and we want the community to be proud of us and to be proud to say that their local team is a successful team.”
You can listen to him speak in another recent interview by clicking HERE.
PLAYING CAREER:
Youth career
–1998 – Hitchin Town
Senior career
1998–2000 – Hitchin Town
2000–2001 – Arlesey Town
2001–2003 – Cambridge United – 102 games (40 goals)
2003–2008 – Reading – 135 games (54 goals)
2008–2010 – Stoke City – 34 games (3 goals)
2009 → Reading (loan) – 10 games (2 goals)
2009 → Middlesbrough (loan) – 6 games (3 goals)
2010–2012 – Portsmouth – 68 games (12 goals)
2012–2013 – Sheffield United – 33 games (11 goals)
2013–2014 – Oxford United – 32 games (4 goals)
2014–2015 – Arlesey Town
Total – 420 games (129 goals)
Teams managed
2014–2015 – Arlesey Town – (player-assistant manager)
#GoalOfTheDay belongs to Dave Kitson 👌@ReadingFC pic.twitter.com/3IY9BnOj6C
— Premier League (@premierleague) April 18, 2017
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