Richie Pitt
Encyclopedia
Richie Pitt is a former professional footballer, born in Ryhope
, County Durham
, who played in the Football League
as a defender
for Sunderland
, and was part of the club's 1973 FA Cup Final-winning team.
Pitt was an England schoolboy international, played in Sunderland
's 1969 FA Youth Cup
-winning side, and made his first-team debut in the First Division
as a 17-year-old, on 4 March 1969 in a 3–1 defeat away at Coventry City
. He was part of the Sunderland team, by then playing in the Second Division
, which beat Leeds United
, FA Cup
-holders and in their ninth season as a top-four side, in the 1973 FA Cup Final. After only a few more games, and only 21 years old, Pitt sustained an apparently minor knee injury which proved the end of his professional career. He went on to play for non-league
club Blyth Spartans
, and trained as a teacher. In 2008, he was working as a PE
teacher in Seaham
.
Ryhope
Ryhope is a coastal village along the southern boundary of the City of Sunderland, in Tyne and Wear, North East England. With a population of approximately 14,000, Ryhope is 2.9 miles to the centre of Sunderland, 2.8 miles to the centre of Seaham, and 1 .2 miles from the main A19.The older village...
, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, who played in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
as a defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
for Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
, and was part of the club's 1973 FA Cup Final-winning team.
Pitt was an England schoolboy international, played in Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
's 1969 FA Youth Cup
FA Youth Cup
The Football Association Youth Challenge Cup is an English football competition run by The Football Association for under–18 sides. Only those players between the age of 15 and 18 on 31 August of the current season are eligible to take part...
-winning side, and made his first-team debut in the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
as a 17-year-old, on 4 March 1969 in a 3–1 defeat away at Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
. He was part of the Sunderland team, by then playing in the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
, which beat Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
, FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
-holders and in their ninth season as a top-four side, in the 1973 FA Cup Final. After only a few more games, and only 21 years old, Pitt sustained an apparently minor knee injury which proved the end of his professional career. He went on to play for non-league
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
club Blyth Spartans
Blyth Spartans A.F.C.
Blyth Spartans A.F.C. are a professional football club who play in the Conference North, and are based in the town of Blyth, Northumberland, England. They are often the most Northerly team in whichever league or cup they are playing in. They are managed by former Spartans player Steve Cuggy.They...
, and trained as a teacher. In 2008, he was working as a PE
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
teacher in Seaham
Seaham
Seaham, formerly Seaham Harbour, is a small town in County Durham, situated south of Sunderland and east of Durham. It has a small parish church, St Mary the Virgin, with a late 7th century Anglo Saxon nave resembling the church at Escomb in many respects. St Mary the Virgin is regarded as one of...
.
External links
- League stats at Neil Brown's site