15 Years of Pitman (Part Two)

It's August 2002 and Jamie Pitman was the man of the match in the first game of the season against Farnborough after scoring twice on his come-back debut for the Bulls.

By the end of August he was top scorer with four goals and was a regular in the starting eleven. He added to his tally in the home against Halifax in mid-October but a week later then collected his fifth yellow card in a FA Cup-tie against Arlesey so had to miss the home game against Southport.

One game of particular note took place on December 14th. Pitman's former club Woking were the visitors to Edgar Street and the Bulls sent them packing with a 5-0 win although on this occasion Pitman wasn't one of the scorers.

That season Pitman made 37 Conference starts for the Bulls and scored 6 goals. In fact the mid-fielder was joint-third highest scorer behing Steve Guinan with 14 and Paul Parry with 12.

Pitman was offered a new deal by Graham Turner at the end of April. It wasn't long before it was accepted.

The 2003/04 season started well for both Pitman and the Bulls. Three wins in a run put them top of the Conference.

"We're delighted with the start we've had," Pitman told BBC Hereford and Worcester.

"Our workrate on the pitch is what gets us our results," he continued. "We've worked hard over the summer and it's starting to show in the games."

One setback occured against Leigh RMI on November 1st when he was sent off for two yellow cards.

"Unfortunately we had a sending off," coach Richard O'Kelly told BBC H&W. "There was a couple of mass confrontations with the referee. As he sorted it all out which seemed to take forever, and then the linesman got involved with something that he had spotted out of the corner of his eye which nobody else did and it ended up with Jamie Pitman being sent off."

However although he continued to be in the starting eleven for most games, it took until November 29th for him to score his first Conference goal of the season in the game against Farnborough.

Three weeks later he scored in the 7-1 win at Forest Green but also collected a fifth yellow card.

"It was a good run by Paul Parry and it came off the post and I gambled really," he told BBC H&W. "It was a tap-in really."

The Bulls came second in the Conference and faced Aldershot in the Play-offs. Pitman played in both games.

Another contract followed so another season at Edgar Street for Pitman.

He featured in the Bulls first nine games of the 2004/05 season but against Aldershot received a knock from Aaron McLean which appeared to affect his back. He was out for a month and returned for an away match at Carlisle when Ben Scott had his only Conference League start for the Bulls in goal.

Even in mid-November Pitman wasn't back to full fitness.

"The injury kept me out for a month and it put me back a little bit. I've just started getting back to my normal self and I've played a couple of games here and there," he told the Evening News.

"It's a squad game now and there's always somebody that's good enough to take your place. I will have to be patient and keep my head down because my time will come.

"It's not pressure but good competition and in that respect I have to perform to a higher level to get back in."

A goal at Gravesend for Pitman on December 18th won the game.

"Luckily for me I was the one who scored the goal at the end," he told BBC H&W.

"I saw Adam pick it up wide and luckily for me it came across the box and I just managed to get something on it.

"I told the gaffer that once I'd scored one I would be a goal machine!

Not quite but he did add to his total against Leigh RMI ten days later.

Jamie Pitman sustained what, at the time, looked like a shoulder or collarbone injury midway through the first half. A stretcher was called for but thankfully was not needed. Ryan Green was announced as a substitute for Pitman.

However as soon as Pitman reached the dugout he clearly felt able to carry on so Green stayed on the bench. The midfielder shyed away from tackles for five or so minutes but then popped up and scored the second Hereford goal.

Later manager Graham Turner praised Pitman.

"He dislocated his shoulder, it popped out, in the game against Leigh RMI but the doctor manipulated it back on the pitch into place and he carried on. He has missed training but we expect him to be fit," Graham Turner told BBC H&W.

"Knowing Jamie, he is the sort of player that even with a bit of pain he will play through it."

Pitman continued to play in mid-field but Graham Hyde took his place a few times.

For the second season running the Bulls reached the play-offs. Pitman played in the first leg against Stevenage which was drawn 1-1 but was dropped for the second game which the Bulls lost 1-0. Had Pitman played, well we'll never know.

Graham Turner still had faith in him as he offered him another one year deal which Pitman had agreed by May 11th.

Pitman's last season as a player with the Bulls was the one which, at last, they acheived promotion back to the Football League. However that season the midfielder was more of a squad player making just 14 Conference starts, the first of which didn't come until September 17th at Edgar Street against Morecambe, partly because of injuries.

At the end of October Pitman scored at Kidderminster, a game which was drawn 1-1.

The travelling army of Bulls fan's were sent into raptures with no more than six minutes gone, when Jamie Pitman broke the deadlock. He found himself with a clear run at goal twenty five yards out, but hesistated and a recovering tackle sent the ball airbound. However, it bounced perfectly and Pitman hit a spectacular volley into the roof of the net.

A knee problem kept Pitman out of the side for some weeks in February and March. And when he returned to full fitness he had to be content with a place on the bench until April 4th when he started at Morecambe.

For the third year running the Bulls reached the play-offs, this time against Morecambe. Pitman came on as a sub in the second leg. And then the play-off at Leicester.

Again Pitman had to be content with a place on the bench but late in the game came on in place of Andy Ferrell. And Hereford United were promoted at last.

However Pitman couldn't join in the initial celebrations.

Jamie Pitman had to wait what seemed an eternity before he joined the after match dressing room party on Saturday. He was asked to provide a urine sample but was so dehydrated after the game it took him two hours.


"The celebrations on the pitch were terrific," Pitman told the Worcester News. "Unfortunately, I got drug-tested after the game, about 10 minutes after we got presented with the trophy.

"I was straight in to give a sample and I was there for about two hours, because I was a bit dehydrated afterwards.

"It was so frustrating because I was sat in another room for two hours while everybody else was celebrating.

"It's been a great occasion for me. It's nice for me to get back into the Football League. I've waited quite a long time and it's special to do it with Hereford."

Part Three of 15 years of Pitman will be published later in the week.

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