Décès de Paul Kitson

[François]

Kitson, Blast star in '80s, dead at 49 in Toronto
Popular player a key cog on 1983-84 MISL champs

By Bill Free
Sun Staff
Originally published August 27, 2005
Paul Kitson, one of the more popular players from the Blast's indoor soccer glory days of the early 1980s, died yesterday morning in a Toronto hospital, one day after collapsing while coaching his youth soccer team.
No cause of death was known, and an autopsy was scheduled, a Blast spokesman said last night. The spokesman also said Kitson had not had any known health problems recently.

Kitson, 49, played on the 1983-84 Major Indoor Soccer League championship team and was known for the pet snake that he often had draped around his neck. Kitson also charmed Blast fans with a dance he did with the snake. He also coached the Maryland Mania for most of its one-season bust in the outdoor A-League in 1999.

"Paul was more than a soccer player," former Blast teammate Billy Ronson said last night. "He was a personality. We used to kid him about living off Stan [Stamenkovic] at the far post."

Ronson said he played only a few months with Kitson before the midfielder/forward was traded, and Ronson remembers his reaction to being asked by coach Kenny Cooper if "I could fill his big shoes."

Ronson answered, "I don't know, but I want No. 7 [Kitson's number]."

Kitson played three seasons for the Blast (1983-86) and ranks 10th on the original Blast all-time scoring list with 165 points. He scored 94 goals and had 71 assists in 129 games.

The Kitson era marked a time when the Blast was a major event in the city, with the team often playing before sellout crowds.

Kitson is the fourth member of those Blast teams to die at a young age, following Stamenkovic, Michael Reynolds and Domenic Mobilio.

Kitson returned to Baltimore often in recent years when the team held Hall of Fame induction ceremonies and was also a favorite with current Blast fans.

Funeral arrangements had not been completed as of last night.

[Bxl Boy]

Oui, c'est en son honneur que les joueurs portaient un brassard noir hier
Malheureusement, il a pas eu droit à une minute de silence, vraiment dommage

[Montreal_FC_Fan]

YNWA Paul!

[Daniel]