Danny Shittu

Danny Shittu

Shittu playing for Millwall
Personal information
Full name Daniel Olusola Shittu
Date of birth (1980-09-02) 2 September 1980
Place of birth Lagos, Nigeria
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Playing position Centre back
Youth career
1999 Norwich City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2002 Charlton Athletic 0 (0)
2001 → Blackpool (loan) 17 (2)
2001 → Queens Park Rangers (loan) 18 (1)
2002–2006 Queens Park Rangers 165 (16)
2006–2008 Watford 69 (8)
2008–2010 Bolton Wanderers 10 (0)
2010–2011 Millwall 9 (0)
2011–2012 Queens Park Rangers 7 (0)
2012–2015 Millwall 69 (3)
National team
2000–2010 Nigeria 32 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 05 May 2015 (BST).


Daniel Olusola "Danny" Shittu[1] (born 2 September 1980) is a Nigerian footballer who is a free agent after being released by Millwall in 2015. A centre back, he has made 346 appearances in the Premier League and Football League, including 190 for Queens Park Rangers.

In his 16-year-long playing career, Shittu has previously played for Norwich City, Charlton Athletic, Blackpool, Watford and Bolton Wanderers. He played 32 games for the Nigeria national football team between 2000 and 2010.

Early life

Shittu was a childhood friend of rapper Dizzee Rascal, who described Shittu as "like a big brother".[2]

Club career

Early career

Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Shittu started his career at Charlton Athletic, after a trial at Norwich City as a teenager. Shittu started in 28 games for Charlton scoring a record 14 goals as a centre back.[3] He spent most of his two years at the club on loan, first at Blackpool in January and February 2001, then Queens Park Rangers.

Queens Park Rangers

Shittu's debut for Rangers as a loanee, away at Peterborough on 23 October 2001 in a Football League One fixture, was rather inauspicious ending in his being sent off in the 83rd minute.[4] His first goal came away at Chesterfield on 15 December 2001 in a game in which he was again sent off.[4]

QPR acquired his services permanently for £350,000 in January 2002. He was bought by brothers Alex and Matt Winton,[5] who also paid Shittu's wages during his first season at the club.[6] His first game as a permanent player was the home fixture with Bury on 12 January 2002. Shittu went on to have a very successful spell at Loftus Road becoming a fan's favourite for his robust and combative performances in the heart of the defence. He was part of the team that made it to the Division Two play-off Final in 2003 where Rangers were narrowly beaten by Cardiff[7] and the team that won promotion the following season. He made a total of 182 appearances in four seasons and scored 17 goals.

Watford

On 6 August 2006 he was signed for £1.6 million by Premiership newcomers Watford. This move was controversial, as Shittu had passed a medical at West Bromwich Albion, before a late call from Watford manager Aidy Boothroyd.

Shittu scored his first goal for the club in a 2–2 draw against Newcastle United in the League Cup on 7 November 2006. He powered a header past Newcastle goalkeeper Steve Harper to give Watford the lead. However Watford went on to lose the match on penalties. Shittu scored his first Premier League goal on 5 May 2007 in a 2–0 win at Reading.

On 16 February 2008, Shittu managed to score both for and against his former club, Charlton Athletic.[8] After a successful 2007–08 season with Watford in which Shittu scored 9 goals in all competitions, he was named in the PFA Championship team of the year.[9] Shittu left Watford in August 2008 to join Premier League side Bolton Wanderers for a fee of £2m plus further add-ons. He made 69 appearances scoring 8 times for Watford between 2006–2008.

Bolton Wanderers

Shittu joined Premier League club Bolton Wanderers on 6 August 2008,[10] on a three-year contract, for £2m plus further add-ons, beating off competition from Scottish Premier League club Rangers.[11]

Shittu made his debut for Bolton on 30 August during their 0–0 draw with West Brom. He then went on to start the next two games against Fulham and Arsenal, but then did not make another appearance until 28 December in a 1–0 loss at home to Wigan Athletic. Shittu went on to make 10 league appearances for Bolton in his first season at the club, nine of which were starts.

Shittu did not make a single appearance during the 2009–10 season, only managing to make four appearances as an unused substitute. During Shittu's absence from the Premier League, he made regular appearances for the Bolton reserves team, playing with the likes of Nicky Hunt before his release.

In May 2010, it was reported that Shittu was a target for Kayserispor of the Turkish league, with early reports suggesting that he was being offered a lucrative £1m a year contract.[12]

On 1 September 2010, the club announced that they had a come to an agreement with Shittu to release him from his contract.[13]

Millwall

He signed for Millwall on a three-month contract, on 20 October 2010 and left the club on 25 January 2011 and after an impressive string of performances he signed for QPR.

Return to Queens Park Rangers

On 27 January 2011, Shittu rejoined Queens Park Rangers on a 6-month contract.[14] He made his second debut for the club on 22 February in the 2–0 win over Ipswich Town.[15] After impressive performances in the Championship winning season he was offered a new 12-month contract in June, however he did not make the 25-man Premier League squad meaning he only appeared in Rangers' League Cup campaign. He was then released at the end of the season, making only one appearance the whole season.

Return to Millwall

On 13 August 2012, Shittu rejoined Millwall on a 1-year contract and was named as vice-captain. On 13 March he scored the only goal, a header away to Blackburn Rovers to put Millwall into the FA Cup semi-final against Wigan Athletic at Wembley Stadium. He was also voted player of the year for 2013 [16]

International career

Shittu made his international debut for Nigeria against Paraguay on 26 March 2002.

He was a regular under coach Berti Vogts and played a significant role for the Super Eagles team that lost in the quarter-finals of the 2008 CAF Africa Cup of Nations to hosts Ghana. He was also a rock in the back four for Nigeria at 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Algeria as the side finished third.

Shittu was involved in the qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup making four appearances for the Super Eagles with his first coming in a 1–0 win away to South Africa on 6 June 2008. His second came in a 4–1 win at home over Sierra Leone. As well as the 0–0 draw away with Mozambique and the 1–0 home win in the reverse fixture.

Shittu was selected for the 23-man Nigeria squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He made his first appearance in the World Cup in their opening game of Group B against Argentina on 12 June 2010.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 8 March 2014[17]
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Charlton Athletic 1999–2000 Division One 000000----00
Total 000000----00
Blackpool (loan) 2000–01 Division Three 1720000--20192
Total 1720000--20192
Queens Park Rangers (loan) 2001–02 Division Two 1810000----181
Queens Park Rangers 2002–03 Division Two 4671010----487
2003–04 Division Two 2000000--40240
2004–05 Championship 3441000--20374
2005–06 Championship 4541000----464
Total 173163010--6018316
Watford 2006–07 Premier League 3012021----342
2007–08 Championship 3971200--10419
Total 6983221--107511
Bolton Wanderers 2008–09 Premier League 1001010----120
2009–10 Premier League 000000----00
Total 1001010----120
Millwall 2010–11 Championship 901000----100
Total 901000----100
Queens Park Rangers 2010–11 Championship 700000----70
2011–12 Premier League 000010----10
Total 700010----80
Millwall 2012–13 Championship 3904210----442
2013–14 Championship 2222000----231
Total 6125210----673
Career total 34627134111--9037931

Honours

Club

Queens Park Rangers

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "The Football League Retained List". The Football League. 8 July 2015. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  2. ↑ Thompson, Ben (7 August 2009). "Dizzee heights for Dizzee Rascal With fans in high places, a string of awards and the likely hit record of the summer, there is every reason why Dizzee Rascal should have his head in the clouds. But he has his destiny in his own hands and his feet firmly on the ground.". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
  3. ↑ "Flow from the nest – Daniel Shittu". Ex-Canaries.
  4. 1 2 "Games played by Danny Shittu in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  5. ↑ Cox, Gerry (12 January 2002). "QPR superfans deliver Shittu on a plate" – via The Guardian.
  6. ↑ "Shittu's permanent move". BBC. 7 January 2002.
  7. ↑ "Cardiff seal promotion". BBC. 23 May 2003.
  8. ↑ Haines, Gary (16 February 2008). "Shittu pegs back former club". Charlton Athletic F.C. Archived from the original on 26 February 2008. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  9. ↑ "Ronaldo named player of the year". 27 April 2008 – via bbc.co.uk.
  10. ↑ "Shittu secures switch to Bolton". BBC Sport. 6 August 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
  11. ↑ "Shittu trots on". Watford FC official website. 6 August 2008. Archived from the original on 23 May 2012. Retrieved 2008-08-17.
  12. ↑ "Danny Shittu set to snub Bristol City, Portsmouth and Newcastle for £1m-a-year Kayserispor switch". Daily Mail. 10 May 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-10.
  13. ↑ "Shittu Released From Contract". bwfc.co.uk. 1 September 2010. Archived from the original on 14 November 2010. Retrieved 2010-09-01.
  14. ↑ "Shittu Returns". qpr.co.uk. 27 January 2011. Archived from the original on 31 January 2011. Retrieved 2011-01-27.
  15. ↑ "QPR 2 – 0 Ipswich". BBC Sport. 22 February 2011. Retrieved 2011-02-23.
  16. ↑ "Millwall's Danny Shittu scores to put Blackburn Rovers out of FA Cup". Guardian. 13 March 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  17. ↑ "Danny Shittu career stats". Soccerbase. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  18. ↑ "Winners announced for The Football League Awards 2015". The Football League. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
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