Joel Kitamirike
Encyclopedia
Joel Kitamirike is a Uganda
n-born football player, who moved to England
as a child and has British citizenship. He played for Football League One
club Brentford
during the 2003–04 season and for Scottish Premier League
club Dundee
in 2005. His most recent club was Chelmsford City
.
In November 2008 he was sentenced to 20 months' imprisonment for supplying Class A drugs and possession of Class A and other drugs with intent to supply.
, Uganda
, in 1984 and came to England when he was six years old. He began his career as a youth player at Chelsea
, where he made one appearance aged 17, deputising in a UEFA Cup
tie against Hapoel Tel Aviv, when several players did not travel to Israel
because of a security threat. He joined Brentford
on loan in September 2003 and extended his loan in November 2003 for the rest of the 2003–04 season, during which he made 25 league and cup appearances for Brentford. He was released by Chelsea at the end of the 2003–04 season, and after trials with Dutch club Willem II Tilburg
and Walsall
, joined Mansfield Town
in December 2004 on a non-contract basis. He made two appearances for Mansfield before joining Dundee
in January 2005 on a two-year contract. He made seven starts for Dundee in the 2004–05 season as the club were relegated from the Scottish Premier League
and made two further appearances before leaving the club in November 2005 after agreeing a deal to terminate his contract. Two months later, he joined Major Soccer League
club, Columbus Crew
.
He made one appearance for the Crew before dropping into English non-league football and playing for Fisher Athletic
and Weymouth
. He was released by Weymouth in February 2008 and joined Chelmsford City
, for whom he made one appearance before leaving the club at the end of the 2007–08 season.
In November 2008 he was sentenced to 20 months' imprisonment for supplying Class A drugs and possession of Class A and other drugs with intent to supply.
included him in their squad for the 2006 World Cup and Nations Cup qualifier against DR Congo in June 2004, taking advantage of new Fifa
rules making him eligible to play for his country of birth at full international level. Although Kitamirike was keen to play, Ugandan immigration law did not permitted dual nationality. Kitamirike was unwilling to give up British citizenship in order to get a Ugandan passport so missed the game.
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
n-born football player, who moved to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
as a child and has British citizenship. He played for Football League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
club Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
during the 2003–04 season and for Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
club Dundee
Dundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
in 2005. His most recent club was Chelmsford City
Chelmsford City F.C.
Chelmsford City F.C. is an English semi-professional football club based in the town of Chelmsford, Essex. The club are currently members of the Conference South and play at the Melbourne Stadium.-Chelmsford:...
.
In November 2008 he was sentenced to 20 months' imprisonment for supplying Class A drugs and possession of Class A and other drugs with intent to supply.
Club career
Kitamirike was born in KampalaKampala
Kampala is the largest city and capital of Uganda. The city is divided into five boroughs that oversee local planning: Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division and Lubaga Division. The city is coterminous with Kampala District.-History: of Buganda, had chosen...
, Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
, in 1984 and came to England when he was six years old. He began his career as a youth player at Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
, where he made one appearance aged 17, deputising in a UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
tie against Hapoel Tel Aviv, when several players did not travel to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
because of a security threat. He joined Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
on loan in September 2003 and extended his loan in November 2003 for the rest of the 2003–04 season, during which he made 25 league and cup appearances for Brentford. He was released by Chelsea at the end of the 2003–04 season, and after trials with Dutch club Willem II Tilburg
Willem II Tilburg
Willem II , also known as Willem II Tilburg, is a football club based in Tilburg, North Brabant, Netherlands. The team was founded on 12 August 1896 as Tilburgia...
and Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
, joined Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town F.C.
Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910...
in December 2004 on a non-contract basis. He made two appearances for Mansfield before joining Dundee
Dundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
in January 2005 on a two-year contract. He made seven starts for Dundee in the 2004–05 season as the club were relegated from the Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
and made two further appearances before leaving the club in November 2005 after agreeing a deal to terminate his contract. Two months later, he joined Major 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...
club, Columbus Crew
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
.
He made one appearance for the Crew before dropping into English non-league football and playing for Fisher Athletic
Fisher Athletic F.C.
Fisher Athletic F.C. was a semi-professional football club from South East London, which last played in the Conference South, which is one of the two leagues that form the sixth tier of the English football league system. The Bermondsey-based club ground-shared at Champion Hill Stadium, the home...
and Weymouth
Weymouth F.C.
Weymouth F.C. are an English football club based in the town of Weymouth, who currently play in the Southern League Premier Division.-History:Weymouth Football Club were founded in 1890 and played their first game on 24 September of that year...
. He was released by Weymouth in February 2008 and joined Chelmsford City
Chelmsford City F.C.
Chelmsford City F.C. is an English semi-professional football club based in the town of Chelmsford, Essex. The club are currently members of the Conference South and play at the Melbourne Stadium.-Chelmsford:...
, for whom he made one appearance before leaving the club at the end of the 2007–08 season.
In November 2008 he was sentenced to 20 months' imprisonment for supplying Class A drugs and possession of Class A and other drugs with intent to supply.
International career
Kitamirike represented England at under-15 level and in 2004, the Uganda national football teamUganda national football team
The Uganda national football team, nicknamed The Cranes, is the national team of Uganda and is controlled by the Federation of Uganda Football Associations...
included him in their squad for the 2006 World Cup and Nations Cup qualifier against DR Congo in June 2004, taking advantage of new Fifa
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
rules making him eligible to play for his country of birth at full international level. Although Kitamirike was keen to play, Ugandan immigration law did not permitted dual nationality. Kitamirike was unwilling to give up British citizenship in order to get a Ugandan passport so missed the game.
External links
- Joel Kitamirike official website at Icons.com