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Paul Kitson (American soccer)
Encyclopedia
Paul Kitson who played and coached professionally with both indoor and outdoor soccer teams in Canada and the United States.
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.
in 1997, but the team close at the end of the 1998 season. On May 14, 1999, the Maryland Mania
of the USL A-League hired Kitson. 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.
Player
Kitson began his career with Watford F.C.Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
in England before moving to the United States where he signed with the New York Apollo
New York Apollo
The New York Greeks was an American soccer club based in New York City that was a member of the American Soccer League.The team began as the amateur Greek-Americans. The club played lower Premier Division of the German American Soccer League which was based in the New York metropolitan area...
in the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
. 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
Chicago Horizon
The Chicago Horizons was a member of the original Major Indoor Soccer League for only the 1980–81 season. It was the first of two franchises that represented Chicago in the circuit's history. It was the first professional sports team that played its home matches at the Rosemont Horizon, which also...
of the Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
. The Horizon lasted only one season before collapsing and Kitson moved to the New York Arrows
New York Arrows
The New York Arrows was an indoor soccer team that played in the original Major Indoor Soccer League from 1978 to 1984. They won the first four MISL championships.-Preparing for the first season:...
for the next two indoor seasons. The Arrows won the 1982 MISL championship. In 1983, the Arrows sent Kitson to the Baltimore Blast
Baltimore Blast (1980-92)
Baltimore Blast were a longtime member of the Major Indoor Soccer League. From 1978 to 1980, the team was played as Houston Summit but moved prior to the 1980-81 season. The team won the league's championship in 1984. The team folded when the MISL ceased operation in the summer of 1992.-History:The...
. He remained with the Blast through the 1985-1986 season, winning the 1983-1984 MISL title. On March 6, 1987, Los Angeles Lazers
Los Angeles Lazers
Los Angeles Lazers were a soccer team based out of Los Angeles that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League from 1982 to 1989.-History:Major Indoor Soccer League awarded a Los Angeles franchise to Jerry Buss on June 24, 1982. Buss had purchased the Philadelphia Fever and wanted to move it to...
traded Kitson to the Cleveland Force
Cleveland Force
The Cleveland Force has been the name of two indoor soccer teams based in the Richfield, Ohio area:*Cleveland Force , of the original MISL*Cleveland Force , known as the Crunch from 1989 to 2002...
for Chris Chueden. He spent the next two seasons with the Force. In 1990, he played for the New Jersey Eagles
New Jersey Eagles
The New Jersey Eagles were an American soccer team founded in 1987 as the Cosmopolitan Eagles. In 1988, they entered the third American Soccer League as the New Jersey Eagles. They folded following the 1990 American Professional Soccer League season....
in the American Professional Soccer League
American Professional Soccer League
The American Professional Soccer League is a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the original North American Soccer League...
. He spent the 1992-1993 winter indoor season with the Denver Thunder
Denver Thunder
Denver Thunder were an indoor soccer club based in Denver, Colorado that competed in the National Professional Soccer League.The team was previously known as the Illinois Thunder.-Year-by-year:...
in the National Professional Soccer League. In the summer of 1993, he played with the Arizona Sandsharks
Arizona Sandsharks
Arizona Sandsharks was a U.S. indoor soccer team that played in the Continental Indoor Soccer League . It was founded in 1992 and folded in 1997, along with the CISL.-Arizona Sandsharks:...
of the Continental Indoor Soccer League
Continental Indoor Soccer League
The Continental Indoor Soccer League was an indoor soccer league that played from 1993 to 1997.-History:When the Major Soccer League folded in the summer of 1992, two of its former teams joined a group of hockey and basketball arena owners led by Ron Weinstein who wanted to create a league to...
. In the fall of 1993, he signed with the Detroit Rockers
Detroit Rockers
The Detroit Rockers were an indoor soccer team in the National Professional Soccer League from 1990 to 2001. They played in Joe Louis Arena and Cobo Arena in downtown Detroit, Michigan as well as The Palace of Auburn Hills and Compuware Sports Arena in the suburbs...
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
Philadelphia KiXX
The Philadelphia KiXX were a professional indoor soccer team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Founded in 1995 as an NPSL expansion franchise, they played in the Major Indoor Soccer League.The team colors were red, black, white, and blue...
of the NPSL, then moved to the Toronto Shooting Stars
Toronto Shooting Stars
Toronto Shooting Stars were an indoor soccer team based in Toronto, Ontario that competed in the defunct NPSL. The team began play in the 1996-1997 season, with home games taking place at Maple Leaf Gardens. However, the ownership of the franchise collapsed just 3 games into its first season,...
during the season. In 1997, he moved to the Montreal Impact
Montreal Impact
Montreal Impact was a Canadian professional soccer club based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1992, the team played in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid until the 2011 season. The owner Joey Saputo now operates the MLS team Montreal ImpactThe...
. He retired from playing in 1997 and moved to the head coach position, but the team closed at the end of the 1998 season.
Coach
Kitson began his coaching career with the Montreal ImpactMontreal Impact
Montreal Impact was a Canadian professional soccer club based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1992, the team played in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid until the 2011 season. The owner Joey Saputo now operates the MLS team Montreal ImpactThe...
in 1997, but the team close at the end of the 1998 season. On May 14, 1999, the Maryland Mania
Maryland Mania
Maryland Mania was a soccer club based in Baltimore Maryland that competed in the A-League for one year, in 1999.-Year-by-year:-Coach:Justin Fashanu was hired to coach the Mania, but fled the United States during the pre-season when he was accused of sexually assaulting an underage boy. He was...
of the USL A-League hired Kitson. He was hired at the end of the 1999-2000 season by the Buffalo Blizzard
Buffalo Blizzard
The Buffalo Blizzard was an indoor soccer team based in Buffalo, New York. The team was a member of the now defunct NPSL from 1992 to 2001. From 1992-1996, the team played at Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, and they moved to HSBC Arena in 1996 where they played until 2001.The team was originally...
. He coached them for 12 games. He then coached them in the 2000-2001 season.