'I am The Secret Footballer' - Former Middlesbrough striker finally confirms identityThe Secret Footballer was a popular column in the GuardianFormer Boro loan striker Dave Kitson (Image: PA)Former Middlesbrough striker Dave Kitson has revealed for the first time that he was in fact The Secret Footballer. ‌And now, the former Boro striker has officially confirmed it, telling the Express: "I am The Secret Footballer. "The worst thing that happened was when I wrote a column about mental health called 'Sometimes There's Darkness Behind the Light. I said there was a mental health epidemic and I predicted it was only a matter of time before someone took their own life. That's when the Secret Footballer stopped being fun."

Source: Express February 19, 2026 00:27 UTC