Kal Naismith

Kal Alexander Naismith (born 18 February 1992) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a utility player for Championship club Luton Town.

Kal Naismith
Personal information
Full name Kal Alexander Naismith[1]
Date of birth (1992-02-18) 18 February 1992
Place of birth Glasgow, Scotland
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.86 m)[2]
Position(s) Utility player
Club information
Current team
 Luton Town
Number 24
Youth career
Rangers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2013 Rangers 17 (1)
2011 → Cowdenbeath (loan) 9 (2)
2012 → Partick Thistle (loan) 8 (0)
2013–2015 Accrington Stanley 73 (14)
2015–2018 Portsmouth 82 (18)
2015–2016 → Hartlepool United (loan) 4 (0)
2018–2021 Wigan Athletic 79 (6)
2021– Luton Town 1 (0)
National team‡
2007–2008 Scotland U16 4 (1)
2008–2009 Scotland U17 8 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22:34, 15 January 2021 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 31 January 2012

A Rangers youth graduate, Naismith made his breakthrough into the first team in the 2012–13 season, after loan spells at Cowdenbeath and Partick Thistle. He has represented Scotland at under-16 and under-17 level. He can play as an out and out striker, as a winger, in midfield, and in defense as a left back or centre back. His main attributes are his ball control and versatility.

Club career

Rangers

Naismith was sent on loan to Cowdenbeath and Partick Thistle during the 2011–12 season. On his return from loan Naismith made his debut as a substitute on 29 July 2012, in a 2–1 win over Brechin City in the Challenge Cup.[3]

He scored his first goal for Rangers against Forres Mechanics in the Second Round of the 2012 Scottish Cup. On 9 August 2013 he mutually agreed with Rangers to terminate his contract.[4]

Cowdenbeath (loan)

Naismith joined Scottish Second Division club Cowdenbeath on loan at the end of August 2011. He made his debut on 10 September against East Fife,[5] going on to score his first goals for the club on 24 September scoring both goals in their 2–1 win over Albion Rovers.[6] With matches limited due to call offs[7] his last game came on 10 December against Arbroath.[8]

Partick Thistle (loan)

On 5 January 2012 Naismith joined Scottish First Division club Partick Thistle on loan until the end of the season,[9] however was unable to play against Queen of the South in the Scottish Cup that weekend as he was cup tied[10] having played for Cowdenbeath earlier in the season.[11] He made his debut on 13 January playing from the start in their 1–0 defeat to Hamilton Academical.[12]

Accrington Stanley

In the 2013 summer, Naismith was given a trial at Accrington Stanley, completing a switch to them on a free transfer shortly after. [13] He made his debut for the club on 10 August, starting in a 2–2 home draw against Portsmouth.

Naismith scored his first goal for Stanley on 22 October 2013, netting the winner in a 2–1 home success over Bristol Rovers. He also scored braces against Torquay United and Mansfield Town, finishing the season with ten goals in 38 appearances.

Naismith was also an undisputed starter for the club in 2014–15, scoring four goals in 35 games.

Portsmouth

On 28 May 2015, Naismith signed a three-year deal with fellow League Two side Portsmouth, for an undisclosed fee.[14]

Naismith scored 13 goals in the season which saw Portsmouth finish as champions of League 2, clinched on the last day of the season.

At the end of the 2017–18 season, Portsmouth announced that he rejected a new deal from the club, deciding to pursue other options elsewhere.[15][16]

Wigan Athletic

On 30 May 2018, Naismith signed a three-year deal with the side Wigan Athletic. He scored his first goal for Wigan in a 4-2 loss at Sheffield United on 27 October 2018.[17] On 7 January 2021, Naismith left Wigan Athletic via mutual consent.[18]

Luton Town

On 15 January 2021, Naismith signed for Championship side Luton Town on a permanent deal.[19]

International career

Naismith has represented Scotland at under-16 level[20] making his debut against Wales on 5 October 2007.[21] His first goal came on 29 November against England.[22] He later represented the under-17 team making eight appearances.[23]

Career statistics
As of match played 26 December 2020
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Rangers 2011–12[24] Scottish Premier League 0000000000
2012–13[25] Scottish Third Division 17142003[lower-alpha 1]0243
Total 171420030243
Cowdenbeath (loan) 2011–12[25] Scottish Second Division 92100000102
Partick Thistle (loan) 2011–12[24] Scottish First Division 8000000080
Accrington Stanley 2013–14[26] League Two 38101010004010
2014–15[27] League Two 35420101[lower-alpha 2]0394
Total 73143020107914
Portsmouth 2015–16[28] League Two 19310002[lower-alpha 3]0223
2016–17[29] League Two 371300113[lower-alpha 4]14115
2017–18[30] League One 26200104[lower-alpha 4]1313
Total 82181021929421
Hartlepool United (loan) 2015–16[28] League Two 4000000040
Wigan Athletic 2018–19[31] Championship 301101000321
2019–20[32] Championship 373001000383
2020–21[33] League One 12200101[lower-alpha 4]1143
Total 796103011847
Career Total 272411027114330347
  1. Appearances in Scottish Challenge Cup
  2. Appearance in the Football League Trophy
  3. One appearance in the Football League Trophy; one appearance in League Two play-offs
  4. Appearances in the EFL Trophy

Personal life

On 20 September 2010, Naismith and fellow Rangers player Kyle Hutton, were abducted in Edinburgh by two men and driven around the city in Hutton's car[34] before they were dumped in the Niddrie area of Edinburgh. Naismith and Hutton were then mugged as the thieves stole the car. Later, both the thieves were convicted and prosecuted, and the car was retrieved.[35]

Honours
Rangers
Portsmouth FC

[36]

References
  1. "Notification of shirt numbers: Wigan Athletic" (PDF). English Football League. p. 76. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  3. "Brechin City 1–2 Rangers". BBC Sport. 29 July 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  4. "We've Done Our Homework - Rangers Football Club, Official Website". 9 August 2013. Archived from the original on 13 August 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
  5. "Cowdenbeath 3–2 East Fife". BBC Sport. 10 September 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
  6. "Cowdenbeath 2–1 Albion Rovers". BBC Sport. 24 September 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
  7. "Scottish football fixture card hit by cold snap". BBC Sport. 17 December 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
  8. "Cowdenbeath 0–0 Arbroath". BBC Sport. 10 December 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
  9. "Further Loan". Partick Thistle F.C. 5 January 2012. Archived from the original on 6 April 2013. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
  10. "Partick Thistle Complete Loan Deal For Rangers Winger Kal Naismith". The Glaswegian. 5 January 2012. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
  11. "Boness Utd 0–3 Cowdenbeath". BBC Sport. 19 November 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
  12. "Hamilton Accies 1–0 Partick Thistle". BBC Sport. 13 January 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
  13. "Kal Naismith seals Accrington Stanley switch". Sports Mole. 10 August 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  14. "Naismith pens Pompey deal". Portsmouth FC. 28 May 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  15. "Four Players Set To Leave Pompey". Portsmouth FC. 9 May 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  16. "Kai Naismith exits Portsmouth, who release trio of Jez Bedford, Nicke Kabamba and Theo Widdrington". BBC Sport. 9 May 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  17. "Sheffield United 4-2 Wigan". BBC. 27 October 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  18. https://wiganathletic.com/news/2021/january/Kal-Naismith-leaves-Wigan-Athletic/
  19. "Kal Naismith joins the Hatters in a permanent deal". Luton Town FC. 15 January 2021.
  20. "Kai Naismith SFA". Scottish Football Association. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
  21. "WALES v SCOTLAND". SFA. 5 October 2007. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
  22. "Scotland v England". SFA. 29 November 2007. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
  23. "Kai Naismith SFA under 17". Scottish Football Association. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
  24. "Games played by Kal Naismith in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  25. Kal Naismith at Soccerway
  26. "Games played by Kal Naismith in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  27. "Games played by Kal Naismith in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  28. "Games played by Kal Naismith in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  29. "Games played by Kal Naismith in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  30. "Games played by Kal Naismith in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  31. "Games played by Kal Naismith in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  32. "Games played by Kal Naismith in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  33. "Games played by Kal Naismith in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  34. "Men admit abducting Rangers players". BBC News. 14 December 2010. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
  35. "Thug who kidnapped Rangers starlets jailed". Daily Record. 12 January 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
  36. 2016–17 EFL League Two
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