Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Michael Kightly
Michael John Kightly (born 24 January 1986) is an English former professional footballer who played as a winger.
Kightly was rejected as a schoolboy by Tottenham Hotspur but worked his way back to League football with Southend United. He again slipped into the non-League though, before being spotted by Wolverhampton Wanderers while starring for Grays Athletic. He soon became a vital player for Wolves and was pivotal in their promotion to the Premier League in 2009. However injuries disrupted his time in the top flight before the club's relegation after three seasons. He joined Stoke City in August 2012 for an undisclosed fee. Kightly spent the 2012–13 season at Stoke before joining Burnley on loan in August 2013. After helping the Clarets gain promotion to the Premier League he made the move permanent in June 2014.
Born in Basildon, Kightly played schoolboy football for Tottenham Hotspur but was released and subsequently picked up by his hometown team, non-League Basildon United. His stay was short and was soon back in professional football, signing a two-year scholarship with Southend United on 16 December 2002 following a five-game trial period. He made his league debut for the club on 3 May 2003, in a 1–0 defeat at Exeter City.
Although featuring in all their cup games of this time, scoring once in the Football League Trophy against Luton Town, he made only 13 league appearances over three different seasons for them. On 22 October 2004, he joined Farnborough Town on loan, spending three months with the club before returning to Southend United on 20 January 2005. He was released at the end of the season by Southend manager Steve Tilson.
Conference side Grays Athletic signed Kightly, where he scored 15 league goals in his first season, and won the FA Trophy. He began the 2006–07 season still with Grays, and had scored 10 goals by November. Such form caught the eye of scouts at Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers, to whom he completed a two-month emergency loan move on 17 November 2006.
He would subsequently return to play against Grays for Wolves in a pre-season friendly, which was a condition of the permanent deal later made between the clubs.
Kightly scored his first ever league goal to earn a 1–0 victory at Queens Park Rangers in December 2006. His form at Grays Athletic led him to be dubbed "The Ryan Giggs of non-league football", and it was reported that Sir Alex Ferguson was interested in signing Kightly for Manchester United. After scoring two goals in five games, his loan move was made permanent when he signed a two-and-a-half-year contract for a nominal fee on New Year's Day 2007.
He became a first-team regular in the remainder of the season, and his six goals helped the club into a play-off position. His performances saw him come runner-up for Wolves' Player of the Year 2006–07, losing out to goalkeeper Matt Murray. Kightly signed a new four-year deal with Wolves in June 2007, after reported interest from Manchester United, Aston Villa, and Everton.
Hub AI
Michael Kightly AI simulator
(@Michael Kightly_simulator)
Michael Kightly
Michael John Kightly (born 24 January 1986) is an English former professional footballer who played as a winger.
Kightly was rejected as a schoolboy by Tottenham Hotspur but worked his way back to League football with Southend United. He again slipped into the non-League though, before being spotted by Wolverhampton Wanderers while starring for Grays Athletic. He soon became a vital player for Wolves and was pivotal in their promotion to the Premier League in 2009. However injuries disrupted his time in the top flight before the club's relegation after three seasons. He joined Stoke City in August 2012 for an undisclosed fee. Kightly spent the 2012–13 season at Stoke before joining Burnley on loan in August 2013. After helping the Clarets gain promotion to the Premier League he made the move permanent in June 2014.
Born in Basildon, Kightly played schoolboy football for Tottenham Hotspur but was released and subsequently picked up by his hometown team, non-League Basildon United. His stay was short and was soon back in professional football, signing a two-year scholarship with Southend United on 16 December 2002 following a five-game trial period. He made his league debut for the club on 3 May 2003, in a 1–0 defeat at Exeter City.
Although featuring in all their cup games of this time, scoring once in the Football League Trophy against Luton Town, he made only 13 league appearances over three different seasons for them. On 22 October 2004, he joined Farnborough Town on loan, spending three months with the club before returning to Southend United on 20 January 2005. He was released at the end of the season by Southend manager Steve Tilson.
Conference side Grays Athletic signed Kightly, where he scored 15 league goals in his first season, and won the FA Trophy. He began the 2006–07 season still with Grays, and had scored 10 goals by November. Such form caught the eye of scouts at Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers, to whom he completed a two-month emergency loan move on 17 November 2006.
He would subsequently return to play against Grays for Wolves in a pre-season friendly, which was a condition of the permanent deal later made between the clubs.
Kightly scored his first ever league goal to earn a 1–0 victory at Queens Park Rangers in December 2006. His form at Grays Athletic led him to be dubbed "The Ryan Giggs of non-league football", and it was reported that Sir Alex Ferguson was interested in signing Kightly for Manchester United. After scoring two goals in five games, his loan move was made permanent when he signed a two-and-a-half-year contract for a nominal fee on New Year's Day 2007.
He became a first-team regular in the remainder of the season, and his six goals helped the club into a play-off position. His performances saw him come runner-up for Wolves' Player of the Year 2006–07, losing out to goalkeeper Matt Murray. Kightly signed a new four-year deal with Wolves in June 2007, after reported interest from Manchester United, Aston Villa, and Everton.