Kitchen came to prominence whilst playing for Division Two side Gainsborough Trinity. Though clubs were interested in securing his services, Kitchen signed for Sheffield United in 1909 as part of a £600 deal that also took fellow forward Gee Gee Brown to Bramall Lane. Making his United début aged only 17, Kitchen became a mainstay of the side, scoring regularly throughout his time with the Blades. He scored several goals for Sheffield during their FA Cup campaign of 1915, scoring the third and final Sheffield goal in the final a few minutes from the final whistle. The goal was a solo effort, he picked the ball up just over the centre line, beat two defenders and then slipped past the Chelsea keeper, who had come out to challenge Kitchen, before placing the ball in the empty net.