Kitchen George Image 3 West Ham United 1907

Description

Fairfield, Derbyshire born goalkeeper George Kitchen was an outstanding sportsman and became a professional golfer at the age of 14, later returning to golf after his football career was over. He also played cricket and for a time worked as a coach at Dulwich College. He eventually decided to concentrate on football and, after a period in 1896 with his local club, Buxton, playing in The Combination, he joined Stockport County in 1897, then playing in the Lancashire League.

After a year at Stockport, he move up to the Football League, joining Everton in 1898 as cover for Scottish international, Willie Muir. Kitchen made his debut on 14th January 1899, in a 2-0 victory over Preston North End. It was not until October 1901 that he became Everton’s first-choice keeper following Muir’s departure, helping Everton to reach the runners-up position in the First Division at the end of the 1901-02 season. He retained his place in the side until the arrival of Irish international Billy Scott in the summer of 1904.

After a season spent in the reserves, having made 90 appearances for The Toffees, Kitchen was transferred to West Ham United of the Southern League in the summer of 1905 as replacement for Matt Kingsley who had been dropped following a sending off in March. At West Ham, Kitchen became the club’s captain and penalty taker and became the first ever goalkeeper to score on his debut with a penalty against Swindon Town on 2nd September 1905. Over the next six years, Kitchen rarely missed a match for the Hammers before losing his place to John Geggus in 1911, leading to another season in the reserves. In 1907 he was described as “considered one of the best goalkeepers in the South, cool and resourceful in desperate situations”. In his seven-year span at West Ham, Kitchen made 205 appearances in the Southern League or F.A. Cup, scoring six goals.

In October 1912, he was rescued from West Ham’s reserves by Southampton’s new trainer, Jimmy McIntyre (who acted as “manager” under “secretary” Ernest Arnfield). Described at the time as “having the perfect build for goalkeeping”, Kitchen was past his prime by the time he signed for The Saints, but immediately replaced Bill Knight in goal, making his debut in a 0-0 draw with Coventry City on 26th October 1912. Kitchen’s experience soon installed a sense of confidence into a defence that had been struggling, and Saints won five of his first ten games in goal, having only won once in the previous two months.

Kitchen remained first choice goalkeeper until Ernie Steventon took over in November 1913 after which he only made two further appearances before a move to Boscombe in the 1914 close-season, having made 37 appearances for The Saints. He retired with the arrival of the First World War becoming the golf professional at Bournemouth Golf Club.