Biography

Support striker Kamel Ghilas joined Hull City in August 2009 for a £1.7 million fee, shortly after a similar move to Blackburn Rovers broke down. Ghilas signed a four year deal from Spanish side Celta Vigo and was one of several signings designed to consolidate Hull City’s Premier League place after a topsy-turvy first top flight season. He made his debut on the first day of the 2009/10 season and scored his only goal for the club a week later, a vital winner against Bolton Wanderers. But it quickly became apparent that his impressive goalscoring feats in Portugal and Spain were not going to be repeated in the English top flight and by the end of October 2009 he had drifted out of manager Phil Brown’s first team plans. His final game for the Tigers came in January 2010 in the grand surroundings of Manchester United’s Old Trafford ground – Kamel played the last twenty minutes and watched Wayne Rooney net four times as the Tigers were defeated heavily.
The combination of Ghilas’ long and lucrative contract, plus Hull City’s relegation to the Championship, spelled financial trouble for the club and for the next two seasons Ghilas was loaned out to save money. In June 2010 he joined newly-promoted French Ligue 1 side Arles-Avignon on a season long loan, debuting in August 2010 against FC Sochaux but soon dropping out of the side only to return in January 2011 and score his first goal for the club in a February 2011 draw against Stade Brestois. Kamel ended the season with two goals in 20 appearances as Arles-Avignon suffered an immediate relegation back to Ligue 2. In August 2011 Ghilas returned to France and joined Ligue 2 side Stade de Reims on another season long loan. Scoring on his August 2011 debut against AS Monaco, Ghilas bagged an impressive fourteen goals in 36 appearances and champagne corks popped in Reims when they won promotion to Ligue 1 in May 2012.
This successful season for player and club led to Ghilas signing permanently for Stade de Reims in July 2012, ending his contract with Hull City a year early. He was a first team regular during the 2012/13 season as Reims consolidated their place in the French top flight, but in the 2013/14 season he added only one further appearance – in October 2013 against Valenciennes – that took his tally for the club to fourteen goals in 61 appearances. At the end of January 2014 Kamel joined Belgian top flight side Royal Charleroi SC and in the remainder of the season he made 5 appearances. In the 2014 close season Ghilas retired from the professional game at the age of 30, though he did make a brief return in the early months of 2016 when he joined UAE side Dubai CSC.
Kamel Fathi Ghilas was born in the Southern French city of Marseille and came through the youth system at nearby FC Martigues, also assisting local non-league side SC Vitrolles. In July 2003 he joined Championnat National side AS Cannes and made his debut for French Riviera side in a January 2004 Coupe de France tie against AS Ernolsheim, netting twice in a 3-0 victory. At the start of the 2004/05 season Ghilas won a regular first team start for Cannes and he remained at the club for two seasons, scoring an impressive 26 goals in 72 appearances.
In July 2006 Ghilas joined Portuguese second tier side Vitoria de Guimaraes, after scoring on his August 2006 debut against Vizela his twelve goals for the season helped his side win promotion to the Primeira Liga. He found goals harder to come by in Portugal’s top flight and by the end of the 2007/08 season he had scored eighteen goals in 61 appearances. In July 2008 he switched to Spanish Segunda Division side Celta Vigo and he again scored regularly, netting thirteen times in 33 appearances. It was this form that attracted the attention of English Premier League clubs and led to his transfer to Hull City in August 2009.
Although born in France, Ghilas qualified to play international football for Algeria through his parent’s heritage. He made his senior international debut for Algeria in June 2007 against Cape Verde and scored his first goal for his country against Mali in November 2007. He added further goals in March 2008 against DR Congo and February 2009 against Benin. His final cap was won in March 2012 against Niger, which took his tally to three goals in 19 international appearances, the last six of which were earned while on the books at Hull City.
Details
Nationality: Algeria
Date/Place of Birth: 9 March 1984, Marseille (France)
Hull City First Game: 15 August 2009, Chelsea A (Premier League), 25 years, 159 days old
Hull City Final Game: 23 January 2010, Manchester United A (Premier League), 25 years, 320 days old
Clubs
FC Martigues (2000-2003), SC Vitrolles (2001-2002, loan), AS Cannes (2003-2006), Vitoria de Guimaraes (2006-2008), Celta Vigo (2008-2009), Hull City (2009-2012), Arles-Avignon (2010-2011, loan), Stade de Reims (2011-2012, loan), Stade de Reims (2012-2014), Royal Charleroi SC (2014), Dubai CSC (2016)
Hull City Record
Career: 16 apps, 1 goals
Kamel GhilasSeason | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2009/10 | 6 (7) | 1 | 1 (0) | 0 | 1 (1) | 0 | – | – | – | – |
2010/11 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
2011/12 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |