John Sitton

Former footballer; who has played for Chelsea (1977-80), Millwall (1980-81), Gillingham (1981-85), Leyton Orient (1985-91), and Slough Town (1991-92). By the end of his playing career, Sitton played in all of the top five divisions of English football. On retiring as a player, Sitton went into coaching, working with the Leyton Orient youth team until he was given the job of manager in spring of 1994. Sitton saved Orient from relegation, but the club were crippled with financial problems and had only a small squad. The documentary "Orient: Club for a Fiver" chronicled the troubled times at the relegation-bound club during the 1994-95 season, including two angry team-talks given by Sitton after lacklustre displays (which has since gone viral, making Sitton an internet cult figure). After Barry Hearn took over Leyton Orient, he initially considered keeping Sitton on as manager before sacking him and co-manager Chris Turner. After leaving Brisbane Road, Sitton battled depression and had therapy, he then trained coaching at the FA training centre at Lilleshall, alongside such managers as Alan Pardew and Kenny Jackett. Sitton was passed over for many club coaching jobs due to how he was perceived in Club for a Fiver, leaving him very disillusioned. In all, he spent nine years working for the FA Coaching Education Scheme. Sitton had a short spell as assistant manager at Enfield and had two spells at Leyton FC. He also worked at the Press Association, compiling statistics for Arsenal matches for the Actim Index, and had also spent some time as a martial arts instructor. Sitton currently works as a taxi driver, and over 2012-13 did four half-hour interviews with Vernon Grant on YouTube in which he discussed his playing career and his time as Leyton Orient manager. Since February 2013, Sitton and Grant have made regular videos via Skype in which Sitton discusses current events in football, tells anecdotes and makes score predictions. Sitton and Grant are currently collaborating on an autobiography due for release in October 2013. Sitton has a wife and three children. They live in Chingford, London.