Fratton Park, home of Portsmouth FC

Report names ex-Portsmouth star labelled 'cheat code' after outscoring Erling Haaland in non-league

Dan is a sports writer and broadcaster, who wrote for Breaking Media Limited's club sites including Pompey News between May 2024 and May 2025. Graduating from the University of Huddersfield in 2018 with First Class Honours in Sports Journalism, Dan has worked with several EFL clubs, as well as with BBC Radio, talkSPORT and TNT Sports. He previously resided in Sydney, Australia, where he continued his career as a freelancer in various sports. Dan was born and raised in Portsmouth, comes from a Pompey-supporting family, and was in attendance at both of the club's FA Cup finals in 2008 and 2010.

Published on:

17 Sep 2024, 6:00 am

Former Portsmouth striker Brett Pitman has garnered national media attention following his outrageous scoring exploits this season.

Now with Pompey-based side Baffins Milton Rovers in the ninth-tier Wessex League, the 36-year-old has already hit three hat-tricks since the start of the campaign - one more than Erling Haaland has managed in the Premier League.

The Sun's report on Pitman [16 September] pointed out how he has been branded a "cheat code" at the level he is currently playing, at which many players are regarded amateur and only paid travel expenses; others are on semi-professional deals.

Portsmouth cult hero Brett Pitman prolific in non-league

Pitman's outrageous non-league record - which was touched on over the summer after hammering home over 100 goals for three different clubs since leaving Bristol Rovers in 2022 - demonstrates why more players should prolong their careers in the lower reaches of the pyramid.

David Norris, regular Pompey News contributor, is another of the Portsmouth alumni to extend his career at semi-pro level - albeit higher than Pitman in the sixth tier for Lancaster City - retiring earlier this year at the age of 43.

The Blues' connection to regional non-league clubs has always been strong - clubs such as Havant & Waterlooville, Gosport Borough and Bognor Regis Town all faced John Mousinho's side during pre-season, an annual mark in the calendar.

Portsmouth's Fratton Park home

Players are often loaned to these nearby outfits from Fratton Park, too. New signing Reuben Swann has been lent to Havant for the season, and sometimes moves further afield materialise with goalkeeper Toby Steward at Tonbridge Angels.

The two clubs have respectively picked up youngsters Josh Dockerill and Liam Vincent on permanent deals, as well, who were released by Pompey in the summer.

In other Portsmouth news, a devastating injury lay-off for a player yet to make his debut.

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