Former Portsmouth star Brett Pitman on coaching, management, the AFC Bournemouth success story – and his remarkable move to AFC Portchester

Last October, the former Pompey favourite - playing for Bristol Rovers against Newport in League Two - scored the 181st goal of a superb professional career in the EFL and Championship.

It was to be his last in the top four divisions, with the 34-year-old sent out on loan to National League Eastleigh in January until the end of the season.

Unsurprisingly, Pitman was subsequently released by the Gas - but no-one could have expected his next destination.

Not many players - ok, none at all that I can think of - have ever celebrated promotion to the Premier League and later also won the Wessex title. But Pitman now has the chance to add an AFC Portchester promotion to the three he won as part of AFC Bournemouth’s barely believable rise from the foot of the EFL to the top flight in seemingly the blink of an eye.

Now his professional ship ‘has sailed’, Pitman is now prioritising his coaching career.

Earlier this year, after joining Eastleigh, he started coaching at the Bournemouth academy. His son is part of the Cherries youth set-up and he has remained living in the area since first leaving the club in 2010 to sign for Bristol City for around £800,000.

Regarding his next footballing move, Pitman told The News: ‘I had a decision to take, I wanted to get into coaching more properly, I wanted to travel less, be at home more.’

He wasn’t fussy about where he played. ‘Whatever suited really, as long as it was reasonably local to my home,’ he remarked.

‘I had my B licence from when I was at Pompey, but I haven’t done lots of coaching to be honest. That’s what I would like to do now.

‘One day I’d like to have a go at management in some capacity, but that’s a tough game to get into.

‘I’m coaching at the Bournemouth Academy, it’s not everyday - somewhere between full time and part time.

‘A lot of my time is coaching the under-18s and the under-23s, but I’ve still got time to play Saturdays and train once or twice a week.’

He continued: ‘I still feel I’ve got something to offer at whatever level I’m playing. I’m still enjoying it, that’s the main thing. If I stop enjoying it, that’s an indication that it’s time to stop.

‘At the moment I’d like to carry on for this season and next season.’

Pitman has certainly made an impact at Portchester. He converted two penalties on his pre-season debut against Lymington, headed the only goal in a win at two tiers higher Dorchester, and last Wednesday struck twice in a 6-2 romp at another Southern League Premier South outfit, Salisbury.

Royals boss Dave Carter admits his interest started when Pitman appeared in the Lee Rigby memorial game at Portchester between an ex-Pompey XI and a former Glasgow Rangers XI at the end of May.

‘I played in a charity game in the off-season, one of the players there (Ollie Searle) I knew anyway,’ Pitman recalled. ‘He sent me a message afterwards saying would you mind speaking to the Portchester manager. I said ‘no problems’ and it went from there.

‘I knew about them, I knew about the ground. I was really impressed when I met the manager (Dave Carter), he kind of sold it to me. I said to him about my coaching, that was the path I wanted to go down, and he was understanding of that.’

Asked about coaching at Portchester, he replied: ‘Not at the moment, to be honest I’m just focussed on playing. They want to finish as high as possible, the league is to win the league I guess.

‘Hopefully this year, but only one goes up (automatically) so it’s not going to be easy, but that’s the aim.

‘I don’t know a great deal about the league to be honest, but I’m looking forward to it.

‘Portchester were the only ones to make me an offer. Other clubs did make contact, but I’d already given Portchester my word.

Pitman wasn’t remotely surprised to be released by Bristol Rovers. ‘No, it was pretty obvious once I’d gone on loan. I was delighted they went up, they’re a good bunch of lads, I was pleased for them.

‘I think I could do a job (at EFL level) if I was given an opportunity, but that ship has sailed now. I’m not actively looking to get back to the Football League. Thinking you can still do it (in the EFL) and doing it are two different things. I’m happy with where I’m at.’

Not many players in the ninth tier have ever boasted as glittering a CV as Pitman’s.

He must be happy with his career? ‘I think so, yeah. I scored 195 goals in over 600 games. I don’t think I can be anything but proud of what I achieved. There were four promotions, the Great Escape at Bournemouth. I achieved some good stuff, I’m happy with how it went.

‘Any of the promotions with Bournemouth (as a career highlight), but the ultimate was promotion to the Premier League and playing a big part in that.’

In 2008/09, Pitman was part of the Cherries squad that began the League 2 season on minus 17 points, due to having been in administration. When Eddie Howe was appointed manager in mid-January that season, Bournemouth were second bottom of the entire football league (only Luton, doomed to the drop after starting the season on minus 30 points, were below them). A little over six years later, they were in the Premier League - a rise which started when Pitman belted 26 goals as the Cherries won promotion from the fourth tier in 2009/10.

‘I don’t think you could write it (the AFC Bournemouth story),’ said Pitman.

‘We had no money, no players, on minus 17 points, were going out of the Football League. Then Eddie Howe takes over, we still had no money but we had a chance.

‘It’s an incredible story, an extraordinary story. And Bournemouth being back in the Premier League is good for everyone, for the club, for the Academy where I’m working.’