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[Albion] RIP Kit Napier



rocker959

Well-known member
Jan 22, 2011
2,802
Plovdiv Bulgaria
RIP Kit(Keo ) , thanks for so many brilliant memories.
 




perseus

Broad Blue & White stripe
Jul 5, 2003
23,461
Sūþseaxna
Chelseaprogramme_4311e.jpg
 




KNC

Well-known member
Sep 3, 2003
2,023
Seven Dials
RIP, Kit Napier. A hero of mine from when I first started supporting. Took the Letters from his name for my ‘name’ on here.
He was the main corner taker. That is the ‘C’
 


AnotherArch

Northern Exile
Apr 2, 2009
1,197
Stockport & M62
Sad news indeed. Another of that generation gone. The reason these players are so remembered is that they all stuck around for many years. For you younger ones, Kit was probably ahead of his time in that he was not the typical lump of a number 9 as most were in those days, but relied on his skill and speed.
His song:
Kit Nap-i-er, Kit Nap-i-er,
Is it true what they all say?
You are the king
Oh yeh, oh yeh.
(To the tune of Grocer Jack by thingammyjig Teenage Opera)
RIP
 






KitNapier

New member
Aug 26, 2010
2
Hi Everyone, this is Chris Napier, Kit Napiers' son.
Our family has been comforted and absolutely blown away by the messages that have been posted regarding my dad. My heart swells with pride that he was a football hero to so many. He was my hero for purely being my Dad. Please can I ask if anyone has any video footage of my dads playing days,the poems and chants or even pictures , we would love to see more. Thank you for giving my dad the opportunity to play for such an amazing club and for being the amazing fans that you all are, it really is incredible. He spoke so fondly of Brighton as every one of his greatest memories were for this great club!
 


timbha

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
10,506
Sussex
Hi Everyone, this is Chris Napier, Kit Napiers' son.
Our family has been comforted and absolutely blown away by the messages that have been posted regarding my dad. My heart swells with pride that he was a football hero to so many. He was my hero for purely being my Dad. Please can I ask if anyone has any video footage of my dads playing days,the poems and chants or even pictures , we would love to see more. Thank you for giving my dad the opportunity to play for such an amazing club and for being the amazing fans that you all are, it really is incredible. He spoke so fondly of Brighton as every one of his greatest memories were for this great club!

RIP Kit. I’m another from that generation that was introduced to the Albion in the 60s. Kit was the superstar, judged by what we saw on the pitch, collecting autographs and reading the Argus the next day. A wonderful player. You must be so proud.
 




DavidinSouthampton

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jan 3, 2012
17,351

Good grief, that brought back memories, me as a 14 year old in the old South Stand and my brother (6years older) getting worried because he thought I was going to kick someone - not because of violent tendencies, but because I was "kicking every ball".

Ay, ay ay ay,
Bonetti is better than Yashin,
Hollins is better than Eusebio.
And Brighton are in for a thrashing.....
.......... except they didn't!
 


DavidinSouthampton

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jan 3, 2012
17,351
Hi Everyone, this is Chris Napier, Kit Napiers' son.
Our family has been comforted and absolutely blown away by the messages that have been posted regarding my dad. My heart swells with pride that he was a football hero to so many. He was my hero for purely being my Dad. Please can I ask if anyone has any video footage of my dads playing days,the poems and chants or even pictures , we would love to see more. Thank you for giving my dad the opportunity to play for such an amazing club and for being the amazing fans that you all are, it really is incredible. He spoke so fondly of Brighton as every one of his greatest memories were for this great club!

It has genuinely amazed me the number of people, including me, who have used (and meant) the word hero.

This has been one of my favourite threads on here for years. Thanks for your Dad!!!:albion2:
 


Perfidious Albion

Well-known member
Oct 25, 2011
6,367
At the end of my tether
RIP kit Napier

When I first went to the Goldstone he was a mainstay of the team.Thanks for the memories. Like the time when a phantom whistler blew and everybody stopped....... but Kit had the presence of mind to just turn the ball in the net. I thought he'd be booked for kicking it away, but the ref gave a goal. Hooray!......Then his flying horizontal header one day. to score from a low cross, nowadays it would be goal of the season.

A great servant of the club.
 




timbha

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
10,506
Sussex
img026.jpgHere's a picture of Kit. It says on the back:

Goldstone Ground. FA Cup 4th Round. Brighton and Hove Albion V Chelsea. 18/2/67

Peter Bonetti saves from Kit Napier (Brighton Centre Forward), and Ron Harris and Marvin Hinton (both Chelsea)
 




Seagull over Canaryland

Well-known member
Feb 8, 2011
3,557
Norfolk
RIP. We've seen many heroes wear the blue and white but Kit Napier will always be no.1 for me. A classy, elegant and talented player. With a touch of impudence too. Great to see the images of Kit in action. I hope the Club will arrange a suitable tribute.
 




The Hon Sec

New member
Feb 23, 2009
421
Deep up County
I will always remember an evening game under lights with Kit taking successive corners from both left and right. Each of them ended up almost under the crossbar with the keeper having to flick the ball over. Enjoyed watching that team and particularly Kit Napier!
 


Freddie Goodwin.

Well-known member
Mar 31, 2007
7,186
Brighton
Of course I feel a common bond with any Albion fan but I feel a special kinship with those who, like me, started supporting a rather ordinary 3rd division team back in the late 60's.

We didn't have much to cheer and, with only 2 teams being promoted and no play-offs, we didn't have great expectations & yet so many of those people are still here and, reading through these pages, a great part of this is due to Kit and, for so many, being our 1st footballing hero and you know your 1st love is always your best.

RIP Kit & I hope the club do you proud.
 




Gilliver's Travels

Peripatetic
Jul 5, 2003
2,922
Brighton Marina Village
This thread – sadly already relegated to invisibility on page 3 – has brought back so many memories. As everyone says, Kit Napier was a genuine superstar hero in an era when – with Radio Brighton yet to be invented – you never even got to hear a player speak, let alone appear in any kind of video interview.

Memories? I recall nipping into the Goldstone when the players were training, and plucking up courage to wish Kit all the best as he jogged past me on the cinder track. I remember my surprise at hearing his gentle Scottish lilt. The brief pen portrait in away clubs' programmes would always mention his birthplace as Dunblane (sadly, a place remembered mostly nowadays for that appalling shooting tragedy).

As everyone says, Kit scored some truly wonderful goals, and provided so much entertainment for us glory-starved fans back then. It's good to know that his family are gaining comfort from hearing about the absolute admiration and respect in which he was held by thousands of us. A true Albion great.
 




Lever

Well-known member
Feb 6, 2019
5,443
View attachment 107054Here's a picture of Kit. It says on the back:

Goldstone Ground. FA Cup 4th Round. Brighton and Hove Albion V Chelsea. 18/2/67

Peter Bonetti saves from Kit Napier (Brighton Centre Forward), and Ron Harris and Marvin Hinton (both Chelsea)

I was there! I remember that bizarrely I had to go to a reserve game to get my ticket. It must have been the biggest attendance ever for such a match. Albion reserves versus Notts County with Frank Cronie (?) scoring the second half winner in a dull match.
Albion versus Chelsea? Albion went a goal down but came back and earned a draw; at the time Tommy Docherty's Chelsea was at the top of the 'First Division' so it was a big deal. Sadly we lost the replay at Stamford Bridge 4-0!
 
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Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Patron
Oct 8, 2003
56,097
Faversham
This thread – sadly already relegated to invisibility on page 3 – has brought back so many memories. As everyone says, Kit Napier was a genuine superstar hero in an era when – with Radio Brighton yet to be invented – you never even got to hear a player speak, let alone appear in any kind of video interview.

Memories? I recall nipping into the Goldstone when the players were training, and plucking up courage to wish Kit all the best as he jogged past me on the cinder track. I remember my surprise at hearing his gentle Scottish lilt. The brief pen portrait in away clubs' programmes would always mention his birthplace as Dunblane (sadly, a place remembered mostly nowadays for that appalling shooting tragedy).

As everyone says, Kit scored some truly wonderful goals, and provided so much entertainment for us glory-starved fans back then. It's good to know that his family are gaining comfort from hearing about the absolute admiration and respect in which he was held by thousands of us. A true Albion great.

Well said. Thanks for posting. And, yes, this thread needs to be bounced and rebounced.
 


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