Former Chelsea star John Sitton turned down a return to Arsenal and a move to Manchester United after being released by the Gunners as a teenager due to a debilitating growth injury.
Sitton, 66, came through the youth ranks at Arsenal and looked set to star for his boyhood club, playing two age groups up. However, his dream was ended by Osgood-Schlatter disease, which causes inflammation of the patellar tendon below the kneecap.
Speaking exclusively to Daily Star Sport, Sitton said: “I was at Arsenal in the academy but I got a debilitating growth injury. I was 12 and I was with the under 14s and I got Osgood-Schlatter. So I got the dreaded letter, 'we're letting you go.'”
Rejecting Arsenal and United
Despite being released, Sitton played through the pain barrier and soon had options. He said: “Within a few months I had the option of signing for 10 clubs. I was coming up to the age when you signed associated forms, so no other club could lay claim to you.”
“And Arsenal were one of the 10 clubs that wanted me, they wanted me back. But I had a look around the various clubs. I said no, they had their chance.”
The clubs interested included “more or less every London club, plus at the time, Man United, Aston Villa and Colchester, funnily enough.”
Choosing Chelsea
Reflecting on the chance to join United, Sitton admitted: “It was too far. It was too much for me. Some people might find it hard to believe, but I was very shy, insular, an introvert, very much a home person. I was very much a mummy's boy, but maybe I needed to go and grow up.”
He added: “They said they kept sending representatives down to Middlesex games before I went on to England school boy trials which I attended at Loughborough.”
“Aston Villa, maybe a bit arrogant like, they introduced themselves once to me and then they just sent a booklet down showing a hostel where out of town apprentices would be based because obviously that's the next step.”
“But I went to Chelsea and fell in love with it. They had quite a successful four or five year period and the coaching was really fantastic. The atmosphere was fantastic.”
Career After Chelsea
Sitton spent three years in the youth team at Chelsea before making his senior debut in 1977. He remained with the Blues until 1980 when he joined Millwall after falling out with then-Chelsea boss Geoff Hurst.
The tough-tackling defender later went viral during his time as manager at Leyton Orient for an infamous half-time bust-up. In October 2016, he released his autobiography ‘A Little Knowledge is a Dangerous Thing – A Life In Football’, which is still available to buy on Amazon. Sitton also hosts the ‘John Sitton Podcast: Football Uncensored’ featuring Rob Kirton on YouTube.
