Danny Shittu
A powerful, nomadic defender whose journey from non-league football to the Premier League embodied perseverance and physical presence.
Born 1980 (age 46)·Nigerian footballer·Birthday: September 2·Generation X
Biography
Danny Shittu's path to professional football was unconventional. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, he moved to London as a child and was playing for non-league side Dulwich Hamlet when his raw power and aerial dominance caught a scout's eye. His professional breakthrough came at Charlton Athletic, but it was at Queens Park Rangers where he became a fan favorite, a colossal center-back whose thunderous tackles and goals from set-pieces defined his game. Shittu's career was one of constant movement, featuring spells at Watford, Bolton, and Millwall, with his physical style making him a formidable opponent in England's lower tiers. While he earned 32 caps for Nigeria, his club story is one of a reliable, hard-working journeyman who maximized his talents through sheer determination, leaving a mark at every stop with his commitment and strength.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Danny was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Danny Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Danny's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Made over 190 appearances for Queens Park Rangers across two spells, becoming a key defensive pillar for the club.
- Earned 32 caps for the Nigerian national team, representing them at the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations.
- Helped Watford gain promotion to the Premier League via the playoffs in the 2005-2006 season.
- Scored a memorable long-range goal for Millwall in the 2013 FA Cup semi-final against Wigan Athletic.
Did You Know?
He studied Business at the University of Hertfordshire while playing non-league football for Dulwich Hamlet.
He is a licensed FIFA football agent after retiring from playing.
He played in the same Nigeria national team as his younger brother, Azubuike Shittu, though Azubuike did not earn a senior cap.
He was named in the PFA Championship Team of the Year for the 2007-08 season while playing for Watford.
“I always gave everything on the pitch, for my club and for my country.”
