[3] He was educated at Thornton Grammar School, Bradford and Borough Road College, London, where he qualified as a teacher.

He played in the second leg of the 1943–44 Challenge Cup final as Bradford beat Wigan 8–0 (winning 8–3 on aggregate) at Odsal Stadium on 22 April 1944.

[6] In between Kitching played in both legs of the 1944–45 Challenge Cup final as Bradford lost 13–9 on aggregate to Huddersfield.

[12][13] In June 1948 Kitching accepted an offer to become manager at new club, Whitehaven who were about to start their inaugural season in the league.

[21] He was buried at St Giles Church, Scartho along with his two-year old granddaughter Mishka, who had died from cerebral palsy on the same day.