Jon-Paul Pittman


Jon-Paul Pittman is an English football coach and former professional player who works as Individual Development Coach at Brentford.

Coaching career

A graduate of the Premier League’s Professional Player to Coach Scheme, he has worked in academy and professional development roles at Exeter City, Forest Green Rovers and Brentford. Pittman’s position at Brentford centres on player-specific performance and progression within the Professional Development Phase, extending a club philosophy of individualised learning first established at senior level under Steven Pressley and, earlier, through Thomas Frank’s integration of the B Team and first team structures.
After retiring through injury in 2019, Pittman gained his UEFA A Licence and the FA Advanced Youth Award before joining Exeter City’s academy staff in 2020. His involvement in the Professional Player to Coach Scheme—a joint initiative by the PFA, Premier League and EFL—was profiled by both the league and the club.
He later joined Forest Green Rovers as Professional Development Phase Coach in 2022, and moved to Brentford in 2023 as Assistant Head Coach of the under-18s, working alongside Lydia Bedford.
Following Bedford’s departure in January 2025, he took interim charge of the team before assuming his current Individual Development Coach role for the 2025–26 season.

Club career

Early career

Pittman was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and raised in England. He began his footballing journey in the Aston Villa academy at the age of eight before moving to Nottingham Forest, where he spent eight years and completed his scholarship. Under manager Gary Megson, he appeared in FA Cup and Football League Trophy fixtures and gained first-team experience through loan spells with Hartlepool United and Bury. He scored his first Football League goal for Bury in August 2006 before leaving Forest later that year. A short-term deal with Doncaster Rovers followed in January 2007.

Crawley Town

Released in the summer of 2007, Pittman joined Crawley Town in the Conference Premier. Over two seasons he became one of the division’s most consistent forwards, scoring 31 goals in 74 appearances across all competitions.

Wycombe Wanderers (first spell)

In February 2009, Wycombe Wanderers signed Pittman for a five-figure fee. He scored the winning goal on his debut at Dagenham & Redbridge and helped Wycombe secure promotion to League One. A hamstring tendon injury required surgery in 2010 but he returned to help the club achieve a second promotion in three seasons, finishing with 17 goals from 82 appearances in all competitions.

Oxford United and Crawley Town (loan)

In May 2011, Pittman signed a two-year contract after meeting with Chris Wilder and Oxford United. He later rejoined Crawley Town on loan during their 2011–12 League Two title-winning campaign, scoring once in four matches. Returning to Oxford, he netted against his former side in a 1–1 draw in January 2012.

Return to Wycombe Wanderers

Pittman left Oxford in 2012 and re-signed for Wycombe Wanderers under manager Gareth Ainsworth. He made 11 appearances during his second spell before moving on at the end of the season.

Grimsby Town

After a successful trial period, Pittman signed for Grimsby Town in July 2014, joining the club in the National League.
He appeared in consecutive finals at Wembley Stadium within twelve months. Pittman featured in the 2015 Conference Premier play-off final, entering as a substitute and missing a penalty in the shoot-out defeat to Bristol Rovers before returning the following season for the 2016 National League play-off final, helping Grimsby defeat Forest Green Rovers 3–1 to secure promotion back to the Football League.
He also played in the FA Trophy final later that season, meaning he made three appearances at Wembley within a twelve-month period — a notable milestone in the club’s modern history.

Harrogate Town

Following his departure from Grimsby, Pittman joined Harrogate Town in May 2016. He scored on his debut and finished the season with 11 league goals from 28 appearances in the National League North.

Torquay United and Truro City

In June 2017, Pittman signed a two-year contract with Torquay United. The following season he joined Truro City on loan for 2018–19. A serious patellar tendon avulsion injury suffered against Welling United in January 2019 required surgery and effectively ended his playing career.

International career

England C manager Paul Fairclough called up Pittman, for whom he gained a cap against Italy in the 2007–09 International Challenge Trophy.

Personal life

Pittman attended Leeds Beckett University and graduated with a master's degree in sports coaching.

Honours

Wycombe Wanderers
Grimsby Town