Dave Kitson is a former Premier League star who disrupted the world of football with the worldwide number 1 bestselling book, I Am The Secret Footballer.
Dave is the creator of the groundbreaking team bonding technique, InAMinute© which has revolutionised the way in which businesses around the world build winning teams.
"50% of what you see is what everybody else sees, it's the obvious stuff. It's the other 50% that determines who loses and who wins." - Dave Kitson
Introducing InAMinute©
InAMinute© is a rapid team-bonding technique developed by David Kitson, to solve a growing problem in today’s fast-paced, disconnected workplace: how to quickly build trust, connection, and shared purpose in teams that don’t have time to “naturally gel.”
Used by leaders across sports, government, and business, the method invites each team member to speak for just one minute about their life; sharing personal stories that create authenticity, empathy, and psychological safety. In doing so, it breaks down barriers, builds trust, and transforms groups of strangers into cohesive, high-performing teams.
As constant restructuring, hybrid work, and high-stakes demands pull teams apart, InAMinute© offers a simple, time-efficient way to bring people together—fast. David's experience bonding football teams under pressure now helps leaders create aligned, resilient cultures where performance thrives.
Keynote: “From strangers to high performers: What football taught me about bonding teams at speed.”
"Working with Dave and utilising the InAminute© tools, helped us accelerate our team culture goals. A brilliantly simple resource, which we will use going forward"
Mark Tongue CEO
Select Car Leasing
Best Selling Author
The Secret Footballer began as a groundbreaking Guardian column in 2011, offering a raw, insider look at professional football. Its success sparked seven Sunday Times bestselling books, including the global hit I Am The Secret Footballer, now translated into 37 languages and taught in UK A-Level classes.
The anonymous player's honest reflections on mental health, elite sport culture, and football’s financial future influenced reforms in the PFA and drove millions in investment for mental health, anti-racism, and grassroots football.
His identity remained a well-kept secret ...
until now.
Lessons from The Premier League
Dave Kitson is a former Premier League footballer turned acclaimed speaker
Sunday Times bestselling author whose career has taken him from the football pitch to the pages of national newspapers and onto stages across the world.
Spanning over a decade, Dave's professional playing career included memorable spells at clubs such as Reading FC, Stoke City, and Portsmouth. He remains one of a select group of players to have scored in every league and domestic cup competition, and holds multiple club records, including being Reading FC’s all-time top scorer at the Select Car Leasing Stadium. He was a key figure in Reading’s record-breaking 106-point Championship-winning season, and became the first player to score a Premier League goal for the club.
As a speaker, Dave brings his extraordinary experiences to life through captivating, adaptable talks that use stories, memorabilia, and personal anecdotes involving some of the game’s greatest players—Cristiano Ronaldo, Steven Gerrard, Luka Modrić, Wayne Rooney and more—to explore themes like resilience, adversity, identity, and mental health. Whether speaking to corporate clients, or sports professionals, his sessions are bespoke, thought-provoking and unforgettable.
Alongside his speaking and media work (including regular roles with Sky Sports, TalkSport, and CNN), Dave is a passionate educator and coach. He is the founder of the Dave Kitson Academy—the largest football academy in Berkshire—where he applies his Four Pillar Philosophy: Enjoyment, Motivation, Ambition, and Humility. He also mentors professional players and grassroots coaches and led the prestigious Reading Blue Coat School to its first ever national title.
A committed lifelong learner, Dave achieved a diploma in Rhetoric and World Literature from Harvard University. His unique blend of elite sporting experience, educational insight, and powerful storytelling make him one of the most distinctive voices in football today.
Recent Clients
Performance Coaching
Dave coaches the InAMinute© team bonding technique to both the sports and business world.
Facilitation
Dave creates bespoke programs that enable teams in business and sport to work cooperatively and effectively together, emphasising the involvement of every participant in a meaningful way.
Facts About Dave Kitson
Dave Kitson
Coaching
Dave founded Dave Kitson Coaching, Berkshire’s largest football academy, in 2024, built on his Four Pillar Philosophy: Enjoyment, Motivation, Ambition, and Humility. He mentors players and coaches at all levels and proudly leads the programme with sponsorship support from Select Car Leasing.
