Jon Gittens

Playing career

Southampton Born in Moseley, Gittens started his career with Midlands Combination side Paget Rangers whilst taking a two-year course in menswear tailoring when he was spotted by Southampton.

Gittens joined the Saints in October 1985 for a fee of £10,000. At the time of his signing he was raw but had pace and was considered one for the future. He made his league debut in a 2–0 victory at Birmingham City on 19 April 1986 and retained his place for the next three games. In the following season he was in and out of the team, making 14 appearances, usually as a replacement for Mark Wright or Kevin Bond.

In July 1987 he became a free agent and, having found it difficult to hold down a regular place in the Southampton side, he moved to Swindon Town for a fee of £40,000. The fee was fixed by tribunal, the first Saints had been involved in as a selling side. (but was only sent off twice). His two red cards came in a 4–0 defeat at Leeds United on 23 September 1989 and a year later in a 5–1 defeat at Barnsley.

During his four seasons with Swindon, the club reached the play-offs twice (in 1988–89 and again in 1989–90), but failed to gain promotion to the First Division. Swindon Town won the Second Division playoff final in 1989–90 but Sunderland were promoted instead after the Swindon board admitted a series of financial irregularities.

In March 1991, after 126 games for the Robins, Chris Nicholl re-signed him for Southampton, and he returned to The Dell a day before the transfer deadline, this time for a fee of £400,000. the following season, under new manager Ian Branfoot, he only made eleven appearances, generally as cover for Richard Hall.

Having again failed to establish himself at The Dell, he joined promotion chasing Middlesbrough on loan in February 1992.

Middlesbrough With promotion to the new Premiership duly achieved he made the permanent move to Middlesbrough in July that summer for a fee of £350,000.

Torquay United In August 1996, after a total of 99 games for Pompey he joined Torquay United on a free transfer, one of Kevin Hodges' first signings. Despite achieving national attention by allegedly punching West Ham United's Romanian international Florin Răducioiu in a friendly later that month He had an unsuccessful time with Nuneaton, joining Dorchester Town on a three-month loan deal in January 2001.

Coaching and management career Gittens joined the coaching staff at Fareham Town in December 2001 and was appointed as manager in June 2002. Whilst manager at Fareham, he was charged with misconduct for using "foul" language against a referee's assistant on Easter Monday 2004. Gittens was sent to the stands for calling the assistant a "chicken nugget". Gittens resigned in late July 2004.

After leaving Fareham he Managed and coached the successful Solent University side Team Solent in the Southampton League. In May 2007, he was named as the manager of Wessex League Division 1 team, Blackfield & Langley. They clinched promotion in April 2009 to the Wessex Senior League. His position as manager was terminated in late August 2010.

Gittens was a UEFA "A" licensed coach who worked part-time as Coach Educator whilst studying at Bournemouth University.

Death and legacy Gittens died on 10 May 2019, at the age of 55.

Career statistics + Appearances and goals by club, season and competition