| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Christopher Robin Anthony Napier | ||
| Date of birth | 26 September 1943 | ||
| Place of birth | Dunblane, Scotland | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[1] | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| – | Blackpool | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1960–1963 | Blackpool | 2 | (0) |
| 1963–1964 | Preston North End | 1 | (0) |
| 1964–1965 | Workington | 58 | (25) |
| 1965–1966 | Newcastle United | 8 | (0) |
| 1966–1972 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 256 | (84) |
| 1972–1974 | Blackburn Rovers | 54 | (10) |
| – | Durban United | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). |
|||
Christopher Robin Anthony "Kit" Napier (born 26 September 1943) is a Scottish former professional footballer who scored 119 goals from 379 appearances in the Football League playing as a forward for Blackpool, Preston North End, Workington, Newcastle United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Blackburn Rovers.[2]
Napier was born in Dunblane, Perthshire, the nephew of Scotland international Charlie Napier and Kilmarnock player George Napier. He began his football career as a junior with First Division club Blackpool, and turned professional with that club in 1960. He played twice in the Football League before joining their arch-rivals Preston North End of the Second Division for the 1963–64 season. After a single appearance, and still only 20 years old, he moved on to his third club, Workington, newly promoted to the Third Division. He scored twice as Workington eliminated First Division Blackburn Rovers from the 1964–65 League Cup by five goals to one,[3] and scored the equaliser as his club earned a deserved replay against eventual winners Chelsea in the quarter-final.[4][5]
Such results, added to 25 goals from 58 League matches, attracted attention. In November 1965, First Division club Newcastle United paid £18,000 for Napier's services,[1] but at the end of the season, having struggled to adapt to the higher level,[6] he returned to Division Three with Brighton & Hove Albion, for an £8,500 fee.[1] At Brighton he finally found some stability; of the six seasons he spent with the club, he was their top scorer in all but 1969–70,[7] and helped them to runners-up spot in 1972. Though his club were promoted, Napier spent two further seasons in Division Three, with Blackburn Rovers. He then moved to South Africa, where he played for Durban United and then made a career in the motor trade.[1]