Liam Kitching

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Liam Kitching
Personal information
Full name Liam James Kitching[1]
Date of birth (1999-09-25) 25 September 1999 (age 24)[2]
Place of birth Harrogate, England
Height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[3]
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Coventry City
Number 15
Youth career
0000–2018 Leeds United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2019 Leeds United 0 (0)
2018 → Harrogate Town (loan) 9 (3)
2018–2019 → Harrogate Town (loan) 34 (3)
2019–2021 Forest Green Rovers 44 (0)
2021–2023 Barnsley 82 (5)
2023– Coventry City 28 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:45, 27 April 2024 (UTC)

Liam James Kitching (born 25 September 1999) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for EFL Championship club Coventry City. He started his career at Leeds United, though did not make a first-team appearance, and also had loan spells at Harrogate Town before joining Forest Green Rovers in July 2019 and Barnsley in 2021.

Early life[edit]

Kitching was born in Harrogate and attended Rossett School.[4] He is of Irish descent.[5]

Career[edit]

Leeds United[edit]

Kitching began his career at Leeds United and signed a two-year contract with the club in July 2017.[6] After featuring regularly for Leeds' under-23 side during the first half of the season, Kitching joined Harrogate Town on a one-month loan in January 2018.[7][8] His first appearance for Harrogate came as a substitute in a 4–1 victory over Stockport County before making his first start for Harrogate on 10 February 2018 in a 3–1 victory over Leamington, in which he scored the first goal of his senior career.[3][9] On 16 February 2018, his loan was extended until the end of the season.[10] After making 9 league appearances for Harrogate, scoring three goals,[3] Harrogate were promoted to the National League after defeating Brackley Town 3–0 in the play-off final.[11] On 20 July 2018, Kitching signed a new contract with Leeds United before rejoining Harrogate on a six-month loan deal.[12] In January 2019, his loan was extended until the end of the season, after scoring three goals in 25 appearances during the first half of the season.[13] Across the 2018–19 season, Kitching appeared in 34 league games for Harrogate, scoring twice.[3]

Forest Green Rovers[edit]

Kitching signed with Forest Green Rovers in July 2019 on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee.[14][15] He made his debut for Forest Green Rovers as a substitute in their 1–1 League Two draw away to Walsall,[16] before making his first start on 13 August 2020 in a penalty shoot-out victory over Charlton Athletic following a 0–0 draw in the EFL Cup, in which Kitching conceded a missed penalty in normal time.[17] He appeared in 29 of Forest Green Rovers' 36 league matches across the truncated 2019–20 season.[3]

Barnsley[edit]

On 5 January 2021, Kitching signed for Championship club Barnsley on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee believed to be in the region of £600,000.[18][19][20] He scored his first goal for the club on 13 September 2022 in a 1–1 draw against Port Vale.[21]

Coventry City[edit]

On 1 September 2023, Kitching transferred to fellow Championship side Coventry City.[22] On 14 February 2024, he scored his first goal for Coventry, a stoppage-time equaliser in a 2–2 draw against Plymouth Argyle.[23] On 1 April, he scored two own goals in a 2–1 home loss to Cardiff City.[24]

Style of play[edit]

Kitching can play as a centre-back or as a left-back.[25][15]

Career statistics[edit]

As of match played 27 April 2024[3][26]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Leeds United 2017–18 Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2018–19 Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Harrogate Town (loan) 2017–18 National League North 9 3 0 0 — 1[a] 0 10 3
Harrogate Town (loan) 2018–19 National League 34 3 2 0 — 3[a] 1 39 4
Forest Green Rovers 2019–20 League Two 29 0 3 0 2 0 2[b] 0 36 0
2020–21 League Two 15 0 1 0 0 0 1[b] 0 17 0
Total 44 0 4 0 2 0 3 0 53 0
Barnsley 2020–21 Championship 1 0 0 0 0 0 1[c] 0 2 0
2021–22 Championship 32 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 34 0
2022–23 League One 45 4 3 0 1 0 4[d] 1 53 5
2023–24 League One 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1
Total 82 5 5 0 1 0 5 1 93 6
Coventry City 2023–24 Championship 28 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 32 1
Career total 197 12 15 0 3 0 12 2 227 14
  1. ^ a b Appearance(s) in FA Trophy
  2. ^ a b Appearance(s) in the EFL Trophy.
  3. ^ Appearance in the play-offs.
  4. ^ One appearance in the EFL Trophy, three appearances and one goal in the play-offs

References[edit]

  1. ^ "CLUB LIST OF REGISTERED PLAYERS AS AT 19th MAY 2018" (PDF). The Football League. 19 May 2018. p. 21. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  2. ^ "Liam Kitching - Defender - First Team - Barnsley Football Club". www.barnsleyfc.co.uk.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Liam Kitching at Soccerway. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  4. ^ "Liam Kitching reveals 'shock' and 'nerves' after Marcelo Bielsa casts eye over Leeds United loanee". Yorkshire Evening Post. 2 November 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  5. ^ Gaine, Bill (10 January 2023). "A 'Granny Rule XI' We'd Love To See Playing For Ireland Some Day". Balls.ie.
  6. ^ "12 pen new deals". www.leedsunited.com. Leeds United F.C. 4 July 2017. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  7. ^ "Town loan Leeds defender Kitching". harrogatetownafc.com. Harrogate Town A.F.C. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  8. ^ "Defender Kitching leaves Leeds on loan for Harrogate". nonleaguedaily.com. 21 January 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  9. ^ "Leamington 1 Town 3". harrogatetownafc.com. Harrogate Town A.F.C. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  10. ^ "Liam Kitching loan extended". www.leedsunited.com. Leeds United F.C. 16 February 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  11. ^ "Leeds United loanee Liam Kitching wins promotion with Harrogate Town". Yorkshire Evening Post. 14 May 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  12. ^ "Kitching signs new deal with Leeds United before heading back out on loan". Yorkshire Evening Post. 20 July 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  13. ^ Butcher, Will (4 January 2019). "Leeds youngster Liam Kitching agrees loan extension at Harrogate". HITC. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  14. ^ "Liam Kitching: Leeds United defender signs for Forest Green on three-year deal". BBC Sport. 8 July 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  15. ^ a b Iles, Robert (8 July 2019). "Forest Green complete signing of defender from Leeds United". Gloucestershire Echo. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  16. ^ Loveridge, Ashley (11 August 2019). "Forest Green player ratings as Thomas shines and Winchester catches the eye in draw at Walsall". Stroud News & Journal. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  17. ^ Vincent, Bobby (13 August 2019). "Forest Green Rovers knock Charlton Athletic out of Carabao Cup". Gloucestershire Echo. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  18. ^ "Liam Kitching joins the Reds". www.barnsleyfc.co.uk. Barnsley F.C. 5 January 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  19. ^ Palmer, Jon (5 January 2021). "Forest Green defender completes move to Barnsley". GloucestershireLive. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  20. ^ "Barnsley sign Forest Green's Kitching". BBC Sport. 5 January 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  21. ^ "Barnsley 1–1 Port Vale". BBC Sport. 13 September 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  22. ^ "Coventry sign Barnsley defender Kitching" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  23. ^ "Plymouth Argyle 2–2 Coventry City". BBC Sport. 14 February 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  24. ^ "Coventry City 1–2 Cardiff City". BBC Sport. 1 April 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  25. ^ "Kitching's form tempts Leeds United chief Marcelo Bielsa in for a closer look". Harrogate Advertiser. 31 October 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  26. ^ Liam Kitching at Soccerbase
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