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‘Massive coup’ – 9th tier club sign ex-EFL player with 112 goals and 14 hat-tricks in two years

9th tier club Baffins Milton Rovers sign ex-EFL player Brett Pitman who has scored 112 goals and 14 hat-tricks in the last two years.

He’s just gone and won promotion with Shaftesbury through the Wessex League Premier Division playoff final against AFC Stoneham, scoring the winner.

But the 36 year old have chosen to remain in the league, even taking a pay cut to join Baffins, who finished 5th in the same division, with 67 points from 38 games, but lost to AFC Stoneham in the playoffs.

Shaftesbury however announce they have to release him. “Unfortunately, we were aware when signing Brett, that should we get promoted, he would not be able to commit in the higher league due to work commitments. Thank you Brett for a great season, and we wish you all the very best.”

CLUB STATEMENT:

Baffins swoop to sign experienced former Football League forward.

The 36-year-old joins Baffins Milton Rovers from Shaftesbury, where the forward had an instrumental role in the club’s play-off winning campaign.

The Jersey-born attacker has a wealth of experience in the Football League, with notable spells at AFC Bournemouth and Portsmouth. Pitman struck 182 goals in the EFL, including a 25-goal haul during his debut campaign for Pompey, finishing second in the League One goalscoring charts.

After departing Fratton Park, Brett enjoyed spells with Swindon Town and Eastleigh (loan) before making a surprise move to AFC Portchester from Bristol Rovers in 2022. The forward scored an impressive 56 league for Shaftesbury goals last term, including the winner in the play-off final triumph over AFC Stoneham, before opting to leave the Dorset-based outfit at the end of the campaign.

Pitman heads back to Portsea Island to link-up with Danny Thompson’s side ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, and his new manager said: “The opportunity to sign a player of Brett’s quality and experience shows the intent and aspirations we have at Baffins this season.

‘Brett’s goalscoring record will be a massive help to our squad – at whatever level he’s played at, he’s scored plenty of goals – and we’re hoping he will continue this with us next season.”

You can watch Brett Pitman’s first match at PMC Stadium on Saturday 13 July as Rovers welcome Hayes & Yeading in a pre-season friendly, 3pm kick-off. The forward’s first league game for the club is on Tuesday 30 July (7:45pm) as newly-promoted Millbrook are the visitors for the curtain-raising clash in PO3.

Everyone at Baffins Milton Rovers would like to welcome Brett to the club and wish him the best for his spell at PMC Stadium.

Brett is proudly sponsored by Versatile Interior Projects (player sponsor) and Carrington West (goal sponsor).

Baffins Milton Rovers boss Danny Thompson said to The News: ‘We tied up the deal over the phone while I was lying on a sun lounger around the hotel pool having a beer!

‘It’s a bit bizarre, but all part of non-league football I suppose. He’s a lovely guy and it’s a massive coup for a little club like Baffins Milton Rovers.

‘I am not going to talk about what Brett is on. He was on a lot of money at his last two clubs, we couldn’t compete with Portchester or Shaftesbury, but he’s taken a wage cut to come here.

‘We offered him a deal, he’s happy with that deal, and full credit to Brett for coming in and agreeing those terms. He still has that hunger and desire to play football, while helping us along the way.

‘People are going to be saying he’s on this, he’s on that, he’s getting a signing-on fee. That is a private matter between us and Brett, but he has taken a pay cut and fair play to him.

‘He had a few clubs at a higher level interested, but he can’t really commit to the travel. There were also a couple of good offers – and they were good offers as well – and if it was about the money, I’m sure he would have gone to those clubs sniffing around him.

‘But it’s not all about that, this suits him for where he is at this moment in time in his life and career.

‘Brett loves the Portsmouth area and still has that enthusiasm for the game. He’s coming to the latter stages of his career having proven it at our level for the last two seasons and in 2019 lifted a trophy at Wembley – now he’s playing at the PMC Stadium!

‘It doesn’t seem real, but it shows our ambition in trying to move forward, not just off the field, but on it as well.’

He also spoke with the BBC, you can listen to the interview below…

Non league club left ‘skint’ as ex-EFL striker scores seven in one game with £75-per-goal bonus

PITMAN’S CAREER:

Youth
First Tower United
1999–2004 – St. Paul’s
2004–2005 – AFC Bournemouth

Senior-
2005–2010 – AFC Bournemouth – 197 games (62 goals)
2010–2013 – Bristol City – 81 games (20 goals)
2012-2015 – → AFC Bournemouth – 104 games (40 goals)
2015–2017 – Ipswich Town – 70 games (15 goals)
2017–2020 – Portsmouth – 99 games (42 goals)
2020–2021 – Swindon Town – 41 games (12 goals)
2021–2022 – Bristol Rovers – 18 games (4 goals)
2022 → Eastleigh (loan) – 17 games (1 goal)
2022–2023 – AFC Portchester – 47 games (50 goals)
2023– Shaftesbury – 62 goals

HONOURS:

AFC Bournemouth
Football League Championship: 2014–15
Football League One: 2012–13
Football League Two: 2009–10

Portsmouth
EFL Trophy: 2018–19

Shaftesbury
Wessex League Premier Division play-off winners: 2023–24

Individual
Football League Two Player of the Month: September 2009
EFL League One Player of the Month: March 2013, September 2017

Twitter users reacted as the 9th tier club sign ex-Prem and EFL player Brett Pitman who has scored 112 goals and 14 hat-tricks in the last two years at non league level…

@megahorn50: Must be some money at Baffins

@SoMoonstruck: Good luck Brett. Once a cherry 🍒….. always a cherry

@3PIAPC: Good luck Brett!

@Antni_b: And goodbye to all the previous goalscoring records at the club and league.

@FootiePrint: You what??! Superb stuff!!!

@FrattonBlue: 60 goals incoming 👏👏

@ALittlecopse: He must be 50 by now. Lad doesn’t want to stop, cracking player and knows where the net is.

@daLoftmeister: Great signing for you! Was amazing for us in Shaftesbury last season.

@Johndriverpomp1: Brilliant

@Noah34272807: The ball goes in when he kicks it 🤷

@AdamBarrett80: Hope you’ve got deep pockets this season

@KevinGa32387527: Best player I’ve ever seen play for Barcelona, leaves with our best wishes tho 🫡

@c_d_b1: Epic signing…

@ashbloke: More clubs than Tiger Woods ….. still hell of a player tho

@CrestFinance: Great guy 🍊

@Mutts83: Good signing for the club, and great for the @WessexLeague that he is still playing at this level. @bigmattp, our vlog will be making a few trips their this season ⚽️

@Machineryrogers: You lot made some decent signings that’s 50 goals in the bag

@MikePompey: Great signing! Would have fit in well at Havant to!

@97coreymcknight: We are so losing to these in pre season in a few weeks 😂😂😂

@PfcKayleigh: Fabulous behind the scenes work gone on here… what a club

@Bunkybowers: Some signing

@Zapbw91: I expect him to rock up at Moneyfields this time next year

@SportcastJersey: Good luck to @brettpitman_11 ⚽👏

@Sam_R_Wade: What a signing for Baffins.

@bigmattp: 😯 amazing…..

@kenziemoore01: Pitman back in PO

@mattitude_29: Pitman’s on a non-league tour 🚌

@HarvMarksy: Return of the 🐐 t

@PompeyNewsNow: 👊 Brett Pitman just keeps going

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