Chris Sutton

For other people named Chris Sutton, see Chris Sutton (disambiguation).
Chris Sutton
Personal information
Full name Christopher Roy Sutton
Date of birth (1973-03-10) 10 March 1973
Place of birth Nottingham, England
Height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[1]
Playing position Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1991–1994 Norwich City 102 (35)
1994–1999 Blackburn Rovers 130 (47)
1999–2000 Chelsea 28 (1)
2000–2006 Celtic 130 (63)
2006 Birmingham City 10 (1)
2006–2007 Aston Villa 8 (1)
2012 Wroxham 1 (0)
Total 409 (148)
National team
1992–1994 England U21 13 (1)
1994 England B 2 (0)
1997 England 1 (0)
Teams managed
2009–2010 Lincoln City

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.


Christopher Roy Sutton (born 10 March 1973) is an English former professional footballer and manager.

He played as a forward from 1991 to 2007 for Norwich City, Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea, Celtic, Birmingham City and Aston Villa. Sutton scored over 150 career goals in over 400 league appearances spanning 16 years in the English and Scottish Premier Leagues. He was capped once by England.

Sutton played principally in midfield or attack, although usually in the latter role as a striker. A very physical player, Sutton was a fairly prolific goalscorer throughout his career and was joint top goalscorer (with Dion Dublin and Michael Owen) in the FA Premier League 1997–98 season. He is also known as being one of the foremost exponents of the glancing header. He scored many goals with this technique which made him particularly effective from set-pieces.

In September 2009, Sutton was appointed manager of Lincoln City, but he resigned due to personal reasons twelve months later.[2] In 2012 he came out of retirement briefly and featured for Non-league Wroxham. Lately he manages a small local team holt in the Norwich youth league where he hopes to bring the best out of young players.

Playing career

Norwich City (1991–1994)

He started his career at Norwich City, initially as a centre-half before being converted into a striker by manager Dave Stringer. He made his debut on 4 May 1991 in a 1–0 home win over Queens Park Rangers in the First Division.[3]

In Stringer's final season as manager, 1991–92, Norwich were FA Cup semi-finalists and Sutton gradually broke into the first team. Sutton made 21 league appearances that season, scoring twice.[3]

He quickly found success in his new position as Norwich spent most of the first season of the new FA Premier League, 1992–93, as league leaders, before eventually slipping back to third place under new manager Mike Walker. Sutton featured in 38 Premier League games that season, scoring eight goals – making him the club's second highest scorer behind Mark Robins.[3]

In the autumn of 1993, he was part of the Norwich side which famously eliminated Bayern Munich from the UEFA Cup. He scored 25 Premier League goals that season, but after Walker defected to Everton in January to be succeeded by assistant John Deehan, Norwich slipped out of the top five and finished a disappointing 12th in the final table.

By now, Sutton was being linked with some of the biggest clubs in the country, including Blackburn Rovers, Arsenal[4] and Manchester United.[5]

Blackburn Rovers (1994–1999)

Sutton became the most expensive player in English football in July 1994, when he was transferred from Norwich City to Blackburn Rovers for £5 million.[6] In his first season at Ewood Park he developed a strong partnership (known as 'SAS') with Alan Shearer (who scored 34 times that season) and scored fifteen Premier League goals to help secure the club's first league title since 1914.[7]

A succession of injuries, combined with a loss of form, saw him make just 13 Premier League appearances during 1995–96 and fail to score a single league goal. Shearer's regular strike partner that season was Mike Newell, but at the end of the season both Shearer and Newell left the club, leaving Sutton and Kevin Gallacher as Blackburn's only major strikers.

He regained his form over the next three seasons and was the joint highest goalscorer in the Premier League in 1997–98, scoring 18 times.[3][8]

Sutton was involved in controversy in the final game of the 1996–97 season against Arsenal. Late in the game with the "Gunners" leading by a single goal, the ball was kicked out of play by Arsenal to allow an injured team-mate to receive treatment. Under the unwritten sportsmanship rule, Arsenal would expect the ball to be returned to them unhindered. However, Sutton chased the ball instead of allowing it to be thrown back to Arsenal and won a corner from his efforts. Blackburn scored from this corner and as a result Arsenal missed out on a lucrative place in the Champions League to Newcastle United on goal difference. Following the incident Blackburn's interim manager Tony Parkes described Sutton as "a boy who is sometimes a bit dizzy ... a bit silly",[9] stating "It was against the spirit of the game and he should not have done it".[10] Sutton refused to apologise for his actions.[11]

Although Sutton's 18 goals helped Blackburn finish sixth and qualify for the UEFA Cup in 1998, he managed just 17 league games and 3 goals the following season as they were relegated from the Premier League at the end of 1998–99, just four years after being crowned champions. His absences were the result of a series of injuries. Most notably, he was absent for the penultimate game of the season on 12 May 1999, which Blackburn had to win to keep their survival hopes alive. They could only manage a goalless draw at home to Manchester United, who went on to win the title four days later.

Chelsea (1999–2000)

Sutton was sold to Chelsea for £10 million after Blackburn's relegation.[12][13] His time at Stamford Bridge proved an unhappy one, as he struggled both to live up to the price tag and to adapt to Chelsea's style of play, scoring just one league goal in a 5–0 win against Manchester United[14] in 29 appearances, and three goals in total, the other two coming against Skonto Riga in a Champions League qualifier,[15][16] and Hull City in the FA Cup.[17] He failed to even make the bench for the club's FA Cup Final win against Aston Villa, and was sold to Scottish Premier League side Celtic for £6 million in the summer of 2000.[18]

Celtic (2000–2006)

After his disappointing season at Chelsea, Sutton quickly regained his goalscoring form at Celtic. Sutton scored the winner on his league debut in a 2–1 against Dundee United in July 2000.[19] Sutton further endeared himself to Celtic fans four weeks later in his first Old Firm match against Rangers - scoring the first and last goals in a dramatic 6–2 victory for Celtic.[20] Sutton went on to form a prolific partnership with Swede Henrik Larsson, one which eclipsed his earlier one with Shearer.

Sutton's goals helped Celtic win three SPL titles, three Scottish Cups and one Scottish League Cup, as well as reaching a UEFA Cup final. Indeed, many of Sutton's most memorable goals for Celtic were scored in European competition; Ajax away in 2001,[21] Juventus at Celtic Park the same year,[22] goals away at Blackburn Rovers and VfB Stuttgart during the UEFA Cup run to the final in Seville in 2003,[23][24] and also a thumping volley from close range against Barcelona at Celtic Park in 2004.[25] Sutton also holds the record for the quickest goal ever in an Old Firm Clash, scored at Ibrox in 2002, scoring inside just 18 seconds.[26]

Sutton's acerbic nature came to the fore again at the end of the 2002–03 season when he accused Dunfermline Athletic of "lying down", in order for Celtic to lose the title.[27] He failed to apologise[28] and was charged with bringing the game into disrepute, and received a one-match ban to add to the four-match suspension he was serving for abusing match officials on the same day.[29]

His best season at Celtic was arguably the 2003–04 season, when he scored 19 SPL goals.[30] and was voted SPFA Player of the Year.[31] Indeed, as 2003-04 drew to a conclusion, a superbly struck injury time winner by Sutton against Rangers at Celtic Park gave his side a clean sweep of victories against their old rivals that season (4 league wins and 1 Scottish Cup win).[32]

In his five and half years at Celtic, Sutton showed his versatility on many occasions. Although considered primarily a striker, Sutton was often deployed in central midfield to allow Welsh striker John Hartson - another robust forward - to play up front alongside Larsson. On occasion Sutton was fielded in his original position of centre-half, notably against Rangers in a league game on 4 October 2003. Celtic won 1-0,[33] with Sutton turning in an assured performance in defence.

As Gordon Strachan took up the reins of managing Celtic in 2005-06, Sutton's appearances for Celtic became more sporadic. With doubts about his fitness and rumours of a fractitious relationship with Strachan, it was little surprise when Sutton departed from Celtic on a free transfer in January 2006.

Birmingham City (2006)

He joined Premier League club Birmingham City on a free transfer in January 2006,[34] but injuries restricted him to just eleven appearances, scoring once in the derby defeat to Aston Villa in mid-April.[35] One of a number of players on high wages subjected to criticism by club owner David Sullivan, Sutton was released at the end of the season following Birmingham's relegation to the Championship.[36][37]

Aston Villa (2006–2007)

Sutton signed for Aston Villa in October 2006, until the end of the 2006–07 season, where he linked up with former Celtic boss Martin O'Neill.[38] Sutton scored his first goal for the club with the winner against Everton in November 2006.[39]

However, in a game against Manchester United in December 2006, he suffered blurred vision, and having visited several specialists, did not recover. O'Neill said, "Chris has got a genuine concern. No-one can give him any guarantees about what might be the consequences if he got cracked on the head again. Whatever eyesight Chris has now, he would obviously want to keep, so he must bear that in mind when deciding his whole future and career."[40] On 5 July 2007, Sutton retired from football due to the eye injury.[6]

Wroxham (2012)

In October 2012, Sutton made a surprise return to football with Ryman Division One North side Wroxham. He made his debut for The Yachtsmen on 6 October 2012 against Tilbury, coming on in the 63rd minute, 10 minutes after his goalkeeper son Oliver had also made his debut for the Norfolk side.[41]

International career

Sutton's form for Blackburn won him an England cap on 15 November 1997, when he came on in the 79th minute against Cameroon, although he was left out of the World Cup squad after a fall-out with national manager Glenn Hoddle. Having been relegated to the England B team Sutton refused to play, and Hoddle never selected Sutton for an England squad again.[42][43]

Management career

Lincoln City

Sutton was interviewed in January 2009 by Inverness Caledonian Thistle for the post of manager, but was unsuccessful.[44] On 28 September 2009, Sutton was appointed manager of League Two side Lincoln City, succeeding Peter Jackson who was dismissed earlier in the month. Despite having no managerial experience, Sutton was preferred to more than 70 other applicants. Caretaker manager Simon Clark would take charge of the following day's game, with Sutton and assistant Ian Pearce to take over the day after.[45][46]

His first game as manager came at Sincil Bank against Aldershot Town on 3 October 2009.[47] Lincoln were victorious through a second half Sergio Torres goal to give Sutton a winning start in management. Sutton took Lincoln to the FA Cup third round for the first time since 1999, but lost 4–0 to Premier League outfit Bolton Wanderers.

Football League survival was confirmed on 24 April 2010 when Sutton guided the Imps to a 1–0 victory over promotion-chasing Bury at Sincil Bank, with two games remaining.[48] Sutton left his post as Lincoln City manager on 29 September stating it was due to family reasons.

Media career

Sutton has worked as a pundit for BBC Radio 5 Live (appearing regularly on the Friday Night Football program) and on BT Sport, where he also works as a co-commentator. In January 2015 he attracted criticism for saying that Celtic's Scottish League Cup semi-final against Rangers would be so one-sided that Celtic could win it blindfolded.[49]

Personal life

Sutton was born in Nottingham, the son of Mike Sutton, formerly a footballer with Norwich City.[11] His younger brother John also became a footballer, and has played for a number of clubs in both England and Scotland.[50] As a child he moved from East Leake in Nottinghamshire to Horsford in Norfolk where his parents still live.[51]

As of February 2007, Sutton was married with five children.[52]

After retiring from football, Sutton remained an athlete, playing cricket for Norwich Cricket Club in the EAPL.[53]

In July 2000, Sutton was convicted of two charges of common assault and fined £300 plus costs after an incident outside a restaurant in which he spat in the face of another man.[54]

Career statistics

Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
England League FA Cup League Cup Europe Total
1990–91Norwich CityFirst Division2000000020
1991–92212632000295
1992–93Premier League3882032004310
1993–9441252241605328
1994–95Blackburn RoversPremier League40152243214821
1995–96130003160221
1996–9725112021002912
1997–9835184221004121
1998–99173101110204
1999–2000ChelseaPremier League281410071393
Scotland League Scottish Cup League Cup Europe Total
2000–01CelticPremier League24114032413514
2001–02184202083307
2002–03281510201244319
2003–04251942101474428
2004–0527125300513716
2005–0682001010102
England League FA Cup League Cup Europe Total
2005–06Birmingham CityPremier League101100000111
2006–07Aston VillaPremier League8100100091
Total England 2788524102210222346107
Scotland 1306316592441619986
Career total 408148401531126618535193

Managerial

Team Nat From To Record
PWDLWin %
Lincoln City England 28 September 2009 28 September 2010 50 14 13 23 28.00
Total 50 14 13 23 28.00

Honours

Club

Blackburn Rovers
Celtic

Individual

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Player profile: Chris Sutton". Premier League. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
  2. ↑ "Manager Chris Sutton leaves Lincoln City". BBC Sport. 28 September 2010. Retrieved 28 September 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Chris Sutton - Norwich City FC - Football-Heroes.net". Sporting-heroes.net. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  4. ↑ Winter, Henry (14 July 1994). "Football: Sutton will choose his destination today". The Independent. London.
  5. ↑ "New Straits Times - Google News Archive Search".
  6. 1 2 "Eye injury forces Sutton to quit". BBC Sport. 5 July 2007. Retrieved 5 July 2007.
  7. 1 2 "English football's dying breed of strike partnerships". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  8. 1 2 "Premiership Golden Boot Awards". Golden Boot. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  9. ↑ "Gunners urged to call truce with Sutton". Irish Examiner. 13 December 1997. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011.
  10. ↑ Steggles, Jack (20 April 1997). "S-Platt goes the title!" (reprint hosted at The Free Library). Sunday Mirror. Retrieved 7 January 2013.
  11. 1 2 "Sutton – the facts". BBC Sport. 9 July 2000. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
  12. ↑ "Chelsea seal £10m Sutton deal". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. 5 July 1999. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  13. ↑ Nixon, Alan (6 July 1999). "Sutton joins Chelsea for pounds 10m". The Independent. London: Independent Print Limited. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  14. ↑ "Chelsea maul Man Utd". BBC. 3 October 1999. Retrieved 5 November 2009.
  15. ↑ "Chelsea relief after late goal feast". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. 12 August 1999. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  16. ↑ Tongue, Steve (11 August 1999). "Chelsea 3 Skonto Riga 0 – Sutton seals Chelsea flourish". London: The Independent. Retrieved 5 November 2009.
  17. ↑ "Poyet sparks Chelsea romp". BBC. 11 December 1999. Retrieved 5 November 2009.
  18. ↑ "O'Neill secures Sutton". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 11 July 2000. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  19. ↑ "Celtic new boys off to winning start". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 30 July 2000. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  20. ↑ "Celtic's six of the best". BBC Sport. 27 August 2000. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
  21. ↑ Walker, Michael (8 August 2001). "Fighting fans mar Celtic success". The Guardian. London.
  22. ↑ "Celtic bow out in style". BBC News. 31 October 2001.
  23. ↑ "Celtic win Battle of Britain". BBC News. 14 November 2002.
  24. ↑ "Celtic kill off Stuttgart". BBC News. 27 February 2003.
  25. ↑ "Celtic 1-3 Barcelona". BBC News. 14 September 2004.
  26. ↑ Forsyth, Roddy (9 December 2002). "Celtic lose way after Sutton's fastest strike". The Daily Telegraph. London.
  27. ↑ "Death threat rekindles row". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 4 July 2003. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  28. ↑ "Chris Sutton: Jimmy Calderwood will NEVER get an apology from me.. only he will know why his Pars team put in such a weak display to hand Rangers the title". Daily Record. 27 April 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  29. ↑ "Sutton gets further ban". BBC Sport. 28 July 2003. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
  30. ↑ "Chris Sutton - Celtic FC - Football-Heroes.net". Sporting-heroes.net. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  31. 1 2 "Season review 2003/04". Scottish Premier League. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
  32. ↑ "Celtic 1-0 Rangers". 8 May 2004 – via bbc.co.uk.
  33. ↑ "Celtic take Old Firm spoils". 4 October 2003 – via bbc.co.uk.
  34. ↑ "Birmingham seal Sutton free deal". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 5 January 2006. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  35. ↑ "Aston Villa 3–1 Birmingham". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 16 April 2006. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  36. ↑ "Sutton wants Brum return". The Sun. London. 28 July 2006. Retrieved 16 September 2009.
  37. ↑ "Aston Villa 3–1 Birmingham". BBC Sport. 16 April 2006. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  38. ↑ "Striker Sutton joins Aston Villa". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 3 October 2006. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  39. ↑ McNulty, Phil (11 November 2006). "Everton 0–1 Aston Villa". BBC. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  40. ↑ "Sutton delays decision on future". BBC Sport. 21 May 2007. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
  41. ↑ "Dockers no match for the Suttons". NonLeagueDaily.com. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  42. ↑ Lipton, Martin; Curtis, John (6 February 1998). "Sutton snubs Hoddle by refusing his England B call". The Independent. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  43. ↑ Wyett, Charlie (5 March 2010). "You might regret ditching 3 Lions". The Sun. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  44. ↑ "Butcher named as Inverness boss". BBC Sport. 27 January 2009. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
  45. ↑ "Lincoln appoint Sutton as manager". BBC Sport. 28 September 2009. Retrieved 28 September 2009.
  46. ↑ "Chris Sutton Appointed New Manager". Lincoln City FC. 28 September 2009. Archived from the original on 1 October 2009. Retrieved 28 September 2009.
  47. ↑ "BBC Sport | Football | League Two | Lincoln City 1–0 Aldershot". BBC News. 3 November 2009. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  48. ↑ "Lincoln City 1–0 Bury". BBC News. 24 April 2010.
  49. ↑ "Rangers: Chris Sutton defends 'Celtic will win blindfold' remark". BBC Sport. 31 January 2015. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  50. ↑ Gordon, Phil (8 April 2007). "Rangers wary of the Sutton curse". The Independent. London. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
  51. ↑ Paradise And Beyond: My Autobiography - Chris Sutton - Google Books Retrieved 2016-11-04.
  52. ↑ Fletcher, Paul (14 February 2007). "Sutton to play again, says agent". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
  53. ↑ "Sutton regrets no Norwich return". BBC Sport. 22 May 2008. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
  54. ↑ "Soccer player spat at trainee lawyer". The Daily Telegraph. London. 12 July 2000. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
  55. 1 2 3 4 "C. Sutton". Soccerway. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  56. 1 2 "Premier League Player of the Month Awards". My Football Facts. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  57. ↑ "Norwich City FC Player of the Year 1967 - 2014". My Football Facts. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  58. 1 2 "Scottish Premier League Manager, Player & Young Player of the Month Awards". My Football Facts. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
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