Danny Shittu

Early career

Shittu started his career at Charlton Athletic, after a trial at Norwich City as a teenager. Two years after joining Charlton Athletic, Shittu signed a contract extension with the club, keeping him until 2003. Soon after signing a contract extension with the club, he was loaned out to Blackpool and scored on his debut on 22 February 2001, in a 2–0 win over Lincoln City. He then scored his second goal for the club on 30 April 2001, in a 3–2 win over Barnet. At the end of the season, Shittu appeared two times for the side in the Football League Third Division play-off before returning to his parent club, having "met the maximum number of days allowed" at Blackpool and the club was promoted after beating 4–2 Leyton Orient in the play-off finals. During his time there, he became a first team regular at Blackpool and became the club's fan favourite. In the summer of 2001, Shittu was linked with a move away from Charlton, with Blackpool keen on signing him, but the move never materialised. But instead in October 2001, he was loaned out to 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. His first goal came away at Chesterfield on 15 December 2001 in a game in which he was again sent off. QPR acquired his services permanently for £350,000 in January 2002. He was bought by…

In March 2001, Shittu, just 19 at the time, received his first call up by the Nigeria for a friendly against Libya, but did not play. Shittu made his international debut for Nigeria against Paraguay on 26 March 2002, coming on as a second-half substitute, in a 1–1 draw. After several years absence from the international commitment, Shittu was called up by the national team for the first team in years. 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 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. Despite making no appearances for Bolton Wanderers in the 2009–10 season, 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. After appearing two times against South Korea and Madagascar, Shittu was eventually dropped from the squad in September 2010. Although he was called up by the national team a year later,…

Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Shittu moved to England when he was seven years old and raised in the "tough area of London's East End". Growing up as "one of seven brothers and sisters", Shittu started out his football career in the youth team of Carshalton Athletic of the Isthmian League, but struggled and was released. Shittu grew up idolising former England and Arsenal defender Sol Campbell, who Shittu grew up just down the road from in the East End. Shittu was a childhood friend of rapper Dizzee Rascal, who described Shittu as "like a big brother". When he was seventeen years old, Shittu was on the verge of going to university, studying computer science for a degree. However, Shittu decided against going to university, having realised that: ‘I can't work in an office all my life – I'm going to be a footballer’’ and had ambitions by becoming a professional footballer. Shittu wrote letters to over 92 clubs for a trial, but three clubs responded with a no. But Charlton Athletic gave him a one-week trial after convincing the club's academy that he was good enough in a "20 minutes phone call". Eventually, his one-week trial at Charlton Athletic turned into a six-week trial, leading him to sign a one–year professional contract with them and begin to play football seriously.

In addition outside of football, Shittu has run Eastside Academy in London since 2002. Shittu also has interests in business, which he inherited from his family and is trying to make it as an entrepreneur. In 2010, Shittu also responsible for opening a project called 'Dan Shittu's Soccer Star Football Talent Hunt', stating that he wanted to "see Young Stars live their dream". During his time at Millwall, Shittu also spoke out against racism on two occasions.