Alexei Zhitnikov: biography and career of the football player

Alexei Zhitnikov is a football player with a rich football history, and despite his 32 years of experience, the extreme defender's experience is successfully used in the games of the Dolgoprudny club, playing in the Second Division of the Russian Championship.

The Tale of the Premier League

Alexei Zhitnikov is one of those few players who happened almost from the first days of his professional career, in adulthood, to appear in the team playing in the Premier League. At the age of 19, after passing several football schools and youth teams, the Russian signed a contract with the Ramenskoye "Saturn", who was satisfied with the success of the defender in junior football.

However, the fairytale hit in one of the clubs of the championship of the country was not so rosy for the player. The first two seasons defender almost did not go out in the Moscow Region team, just 4 times appeared on the replacement. Nevertheless, the coaching staff of "Saturn" was waiting for progress from the newcomer, and in 2005, Alexei began to gradually approach the base, but more experienced players had no chance to gain a foothold in the first squad. As a result, in January 2007, a young defender was acquired near Moscow "Khimki", who immediately gave him a lease in Belgorod "Salyut-Energia."

In the First Division Alexei Zhitnikov got the desired practice and took part in almost all meetings of the new club, appearing on the field 17 times. Back in the "Himchan", the defender began to fight for a place in the start, but only four times coming on as a substitute, responded to the invitation of the team the league below.

Siberian Hopes

A kind of salvation of the career of the still promising player was the Novosibirsk "Siberia". The team performing in the First Division, Alexei appreciated even on performances for "Salute", and the coaching staff immediately entrusted him the place in the basis. For a year and a half in the Siberian club Zhitnikov took part in 55 games, having issued his first official goal, scoring in the gates of "Ural" the only goal in the home game of "Siberia".

Indicators of the Russians noted Podolsky "Vityaz", agreed with the Siberian club on semi-annual leases. As part of the "heroes" Alexei Zhitnikov spent 14 matches, scoring two goals for the half-season, and also noting one effective transfer. However, after returning to Siberia, he did not negotiate with the club, signing a contract with Rotor for one year.

As part of the Volgograd club defender confirmed his level, regularly appearing on the field, and at the end of the agreement remained in the First Division, moving to the Astrakhan "Volgar". However, after breaking the contract in three months, in the summer of 2011 Alexei signed a contract with Voronezh "Torch", which consisted of 2 years, leaving the team in the summer of 2013.

Care of the second division

A new club of Alexei became the Kursk "Vanguard". But, having played half the season, Zhitnikov did not receive the expected confidence, having concluded an agreement with Moscow Region Dolgoprudny. As part of the team from the same city, Alexey quickly staked a place in the base and now continues to show a consistently high level of the game, due to which the team is fighting hard to enter the First Division, being on the second place in 2016.