*Indicates unconfirmed information. Figures in brackets after English team names indicate all appearances made and goals scored in competitive matches for Football League clubs from 1888 onwards. For Scottish League clubs the figures show details of all competitive appearances and goals scored from 1946/47 onwards.
Peter Kitchen
Appearances: 11+7 Goals: 4
Date / Year of birth: 16th February 1952
Position: Striker
Season of first appearance: 1991/92
Season of last appearance: 1991/92
Also played for: Doncaster Rovers (249+7,105), Ipswich Town (0), Orient (134+5,62), Fulham (23+3,6), Cardiff City (Wales) (69+3,22), Happy Valley (Hong Kong), Las Vegas Quicksilvers (USA), Dagenham and Chester City (3+2,1)
Prolific striker born in Mexborough, South Yorkshire who began his career as a junior at Doncaster and progressed to the first team, scoring after only 90 seconds of his Football League debut at Shrewsbury in November 1970 aged 18. Peter went on to score 105 goals in over 250 appearances spanning the 1970/71-1976/77 seasons and had a short trial spell at Ipswich during that time. He was Doncaster's leading scorer for four consecutive seasons from 1973/74 to 1976/77 inclusive.
In July 1977 Peter joined Orient for £45,000 and scored in every round of the club's epic FA Cup run during 1977/78 until they lost to Arsenal in the semi-finals. He got seven goals in the competition and scored a total of 29 that season. Peter was amongst the goals again during the 1978/79 campaign and in February 1979 Fulham signed him for a £150,000 fee.
His stay at Craven Cottage wasn't as successful and in August 1980 Peter was sold to Cardiff for £100,000.
He top scored with 14 goals for the Bluebirds during the 1980/81 season and made a total of 72 appearances (three as sub) for the club, scoring 22 goals before being released at the end of the 1981/82 campaign.
After leaving Cardiff Peter signed for Happy Valley of Hong Kong but in December 1982 he returned to England and rejoined Orient.
During the 1982/83 and 1983/84 seasons Peter took his total goal tally for the O's to 62 in 139 appearances (five as sub) but in the summer of 1984 he was given a free transfer.
After leaving Orient Peter had a spell in the USA with Las Vegas Quicksilvers and after returning to England early in 1985 he dropped into non-league football to join Dagenham.
Peter had made six appearances without scoring for the Daggers in the Gola League when he made a surprise return to the Football League in March 1985. Chester signed him as a non-contract player and Peter scored once in five appearances (two as sub) for them before returning to Dagenham. The Daggers released him at the end of the 1984/85 season and Peter retired aged 33.
In the summer of 1991 Peter made a surprise comeback when he signed for Margate as a favour to manager Tommy Taylor who he'd played with at Orient. Peter was 39 and hadn't kicked a ball for six years. His former Orient team-mate Bill Roffey also joined Margate. The Isle of Thanet Gazette said Peter was a "true evergreen" and he made his debut in a 2-1 defeat against Burnham at Hartsdown Park on 17.8.91 - the opening day of the 1991/92 season.
On 26.8.91 Peter scored his first goal with a fine header in a 2-2 home draw with Ashford and he then scored twice in Margate's next game - a 3-1 win over Newport IOW at Hartsdown on 31.8.91. The Gazette said he'd "turned in a dazzling display" and described his goals as "two clinical pieces of finishing".
Peter missed three games due to injury in September 1991 and at that time the Gazette wrote "(he) has turned in some fine displays (but) he has been unable to build up any sort of understanding with his partners". By then Peter had played alongside Paul Underwood, Matthew Toms and Gary Moore as Margate struggled for goals.
He returned to the starting line-up for a Southern League Cup tie against Erith & Belvedere at Hartsdown on 8.10.91 and scored in a 3-1 win. The Gazette said that Peter's presence "made a world of difference" but on 12.10.91 he picked up another injury in a 3-1 defeat at Havant and missed Margate's next six matches as a result.
By mid-November Peter was fit again and after coming on as a substitute in a 2-0 win at Buckingham on 16.11.91 he featured in Margate's next eight matches, although often as a sub. The Thanet Times said he was "prominent" in a 1-0 defeat at Burnham on 21.12.91 but that was Peter's last start for Margate. He made one further appearance as a sub in a 1-0 win over Canterbury at Hartsdown on 26.12.91 but then left the club and went back into retirement shortly before his 40th birthday. Peter had scored four goals in 18 appearances (seven as sub) for Margate but hadn't found the net in any of his last ten games although he'd been a substitute for five of them.
Various polls of both Orient and Doncaster supporters later rated Peter as being one of their club's greatest players and after his spell with Margate he played for Corinthian Casuals Veterans during the 1990's, scoring 280 goals in 228 games for them.
In 2006 a book about Peter fittingly titled "The Goal Gourmet" was published.
By 2010 Peter had retired from his job at a sports centre and was spending his time travelling. He was still travelling a lot with his wife during 2013 and in October 2013 Peter was a guest at a Leyton Orient home game.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
| |
|
1991/92 (MFC) |
11 (52) |
7 |
4 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (14TH OF 22) |
1QR |
3QR |
1R |
1R |