Kit Napier

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title: "Kit Napier" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1943-births", "2019-deaths", "sportspeople-from-dunblane", "footballers-from-stirling-(council-area)", "scottish-men's-footballers", "men's-association-football-forwards", "blackpool-f.c.-players", "preston-north-end-f.c.-players", "workington-a.f.c.-players", "newcastle-united-f.c.-players", "brighton-&-hove-albion-f.c.-players", "blackburn-rovers-f.c.-players", "english-football-league-players", "footballers-from-the-scottish-borders", "scottish-emigrants-to-south-africa", "20th-century-scottish-sportsmen"] description: "Scottish footballer (1943–2019)" topic_path: "technology/web" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kit_Napier" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Scottish footballer (1943–2019) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox football biography"]

Field	Value
name	Kit Napier
full_name	Christopher Robin Anthony Napier
birth_date
birth_place	Dunblane, Scotland
death_date
death_place	Durban, South Africa
height
position	Forward
youthclubs1	Blackpool
years1	1960–1963
clubs1	Blackpool
caps1	2
goals1	0
years2	1963–1964
clubs2	Preston North End
caps2	1
goals2	0
years3	1964–1965
clubs3	Workington
caps3	58
goals3	25
years4	1965–1966
clubs4	Newcastle United
caps4	8
goals4	0
years5	1966–1972
clubs5	Brighton & Hove Albion
caps5	256
goals5	84
years6	1972–1974
clubs6	Blackburn Rovers
caps6	54
goals6	10
clubs7	Durban United
totalcaps	379
totalgoals	119
::

|name = Kit Napier |image = |full_name = Christopher Robin Anthony Napier |birth_date = |birth_place = Dunblane, Scotland |death_date = |death_place = Durban, South Africa |height = |position = Forward |youthyears1 = |youthclubs1 = Blackpool |years1 = 1960–1963 |clubs1 = Blackpool |caps1 = 2 |goals1 = 0 |years2 = 1963–1964 |clubs2 = Preston North End |caps2 = 1 |goals2 = 0 |years3 = 1964–1965 |clubs3 = Workington |caps3 = 58 |goals3 = 25 |years4 = 1965–1966 |clubs4 = Newcastle United |caps4 = 8 |goals4 = 0 |years5 = 1966–1972 |clubs5 = Brighton & Hove Albion |caps5 = 256 |goals5 = 84 |years6 = 1972–1974 |clubs6 = Blackburn Rovers |caps6 = 54 |goals6 = 10 |years7 = |clubs7 = Durban United |caps7 = |goals7 = |totalcaps = 379 |totalgoals = 119 Christopher Robin Anthony Napier (26 September 1943 – 31 March 2019) was a Scottish 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.

Career

Napier was born in Dunblane and raised in West Linton, which was then in Peeblesshire. He was a nephew of Celtic player Tommy McInally. He played youth football with Linton Hotspur before joining Blackpool's ground staff straight from school and turning professional in 1960. and scored the equaliser as his club earned a deserved replay against eventual winners Chelsea in the quarter-final.

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, but at the end of the season, having struggled to adapt to the higher level, he returned to Division Three with Brighton & Hove Albion, for an £8,500 fee. 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.

He died in Durban, South Africa, at the age of 75.

References

References

1. {{Hugman. 14380
2. "Kit Napier". Neil Brown.
3. "1960's – League Cup 50th Vote". The Football League.
4. (25 November 2007). "News Archive 2007". Workington A.F.C.
5. (26 November 1964). "Workington Earn Replay". The Times.
6. (1997). "Albion A–Z: A Who's Who of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C". Goldstone Books.
7. Scott, Kenneth H. (26 March 2021). "Player Profile: Christopher 'Kit' Napier". Kenneth H Scott.
8. 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,Carder & Harris, ''Albion A–Z'', p. 338.
9. (5 April 2019). "Obituary: Christopher Napier, footballer who was always in demand in the lower leagues". The Scotsman.

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