Former Portsmouth striker Brett Pitman is the highest goalscorer in the top nine tiers of English football

His four goals against Alresford at the weekend took his AFC Portchester tally to a sparkling 28 in just 18 league and cup starts in 2022/23.

Pitman has plundered 14 goals in his last six appearances for the Royals, who play in the Wessex League Premier - the ninth tier of English football.

In all, the 34-year-old has struck 22 goals in 14 Wessex Premier games, netting in all but one of them.

Next highest is former Northampton Town pro Leon Lobjolt, who has struck 26 goals in 21 starts for fellow ninth tier club Leighton Town in the South Midlands Premier League.

Lopjolt is followed by Ryan Harkin and Taylor Rhiney, who have both hit 24 goals respectively for Highgate (Midland League Premier) and Biggleswade United (South Midlands Premier).

In the Premier League, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland is leading the way with 23 goals in all competitions - 17 of them in the top flight.

In terms of the EFL, Bradford City’s Andy Cook is top gun with 15 strikes so far.

In the National League, Notts County’s Macauley Langstaff is the front-runner for the Golden Boot with 18 goals.

But if you include the 10th tier of English football, Pitman drops down to fourth place.

Indeed, he is 10 goals adrift of Aiden Rutledge, who plays for Birtley Town in Division 2 of the Northern League.

Rutledge has so far fired 36 league goals, a sensational effort by mid-November, plus two more in the FA Vase. He has struck four goals in a game twice - as has Pitman - and has three other hat-tricks to his name.

Down in Division 1 of the Combined Counties League, Morrison Hashii has belted 33 goals in only 17 starts for London Samarai Rovers.

And in Division 1 North of the Eastern Counties League - another 10th tier league - Scott Sloots has 29 goals in 19 starts for Suffolk club Cornard United.

All goal statistics from the FA’s Full Time website.