Ipswich Town: Former Portsmouth striker Brett Pitman on scoring goals

The former Ipswich Town striker now plys his trade in the ninth tier of English football, turning out for Hampshire side AFC Portchester since the summer. 

And, incredibly, he’s netted 45 goals in all competitions this season – a tally which has included five hat-tricks. If he continues at this rate, he’ll net more than 60 goals for a side who top the Wessex League Premier Division table and look set for promotion. 

Pitman has been labelled ‘Europe’s top scorer’ as part of an interview with The Sun this week. While that isn’t strictly true, the 35-year-old has netted more goals than Premier League top scorer Erling Haaland, in-form Marcus Rashford, the entire Chelsea team and anyone playing in any of Europe’s leading divisions this season. 

“Compared to when I was playing in the top flights of football, it is pretty easy to score goals,” Pitman told The Sun. 

Brett Pitman, pictured in action for Town (Image: Pagepix Ltd.07976 935738)

"I'm playing for a great team at the moment and that really helps. 

"We have got good players all over the pitch and it's not just me that has been scoring goals. 

"I expected to score a lot of goals when I moved to Portchester, I still feel pretty fit. 

"I've scored a variety of goals this season, headers, tap ins, long rangers. 

"I know what I'm good at now and I've got the experience to know where I should be on the pitch.” 

Pitman played for Town from 2015 to 2017 and spent long spells in the Championship with Bristol City and Bournemouth, before dropping down the leagues with Portsmouth, Swindon, Bristol Rovers and Eastleigh. 

Brett Pitman, pictured celebrating a goal for Ipswich Town (Image: © Copyright Stephen Waller)

Portchester boss Dave Carter told The News in Portsmouth: “We didn’t really know what we were getting when we signed Brett, we took a gamble. 

“He hadn’t really got in the side (on loan from Bristol Rovers) at Eastleigh last season, we didn’t know how fit he was - we didn’t even know how old he was. 

“He doesn’t do any tracking back - we’ve got other players to do that. The whole team is built around Brett, and it’s working - but it’s not all about him.”