It's a bit of a myth to suggest Kitson was a proven Premier League goalscorer at any point in his career.
In a 14 season career, he had one season where he scraped ten goals in the Prem. The rest of the time he was a bog standard journeyman.
Dave KitsonCambridge2000–01 Second Division 8 1
2001–02 Second Division 33 9
2002–03 Third Division 44 20
2003–04 Third Division 17 10
Reading2003–04 First Division 17 5
2004–05 Championship 37 19
2005–06 Championship 34 18
2006–07 Premier League 13 2
2007–08 Premier League 34 10
Stoke2008–09 Premier League 16 0
2009–10 Premier League 18 3
Reading (loan) 2008–09 Championship 10 2
Middlesbrough (loan)2009–10 Championship 6 3
Portsmouth2010–11 Championship 35 8
2011–12 Championship 33 4
Sheffield United 2012–13 League One 33 11
Oxford2013–14 League Two 32 4
Career total: 420 games, 129 goals
By comparison:
Dave Bamber
Blackpool1979–80 Third Division 7 1
1980–81 Third Division 15 3
1981–82 Fourth Division 38 15
1982–83 Fourth Division 26 10
Coventry1983–84 First Division 19 3
Walsall1983–84 Third Division 10 3
1984–85 Third Division 10 4
Portsmouth1983–84 Second Division 4 1
Trelleborgs FF1985 Allsvenskan 4 1
Swindon1985–86 Fourth Division 23 9
1986–87 Fourth Division 42 9
1987–88 Fourth Division 41 13
Watford 1988–89 Second Division 18 3
Stoke1988–89 Second Division 23 6
1989–90 Second Division 20 2
Hull1989–90 Second Division 19 3
1990–91 Second Division 9 2
Blackpool 1990–91 Fourth Division 23 17
1991–92 Fourth Division 42 26
1992–93 Second Division 24 13
1993–94 Second Division 22 4
1994–95 Second Division 2 0
Career total: 436 games, 148 goals