Steve Sutton (footballer)

Stephen "Steve" Sutton (born 16 April 1961) is an English former professional football goalkeeper, currently working as a coach.

Playing career

Sutton was born in Hartington, Derbyshire. He began his career at Nottingham Forest in 1977, rising from youth apprentice to become understudy to legendary England international goalkeeper Peter Shilton. He made his first-team debut, aged only 19,^[1] in 1980, although he only began to play regularly after Shilton's departure from Forest in mid-1982. Following the departure in turn of Shilton's replacement, Netherlands international Hans van Breukelen, in 1985, Sutton became Brian Clough's regular first-choice in goal for Forest until the end of the decade. During this time Sutton was a part of a highly successful team, boasting no fewer than five England international players – including defensive partners Stuart Pearce and Des Walker. Sutton was one of the Forest players who had to cope with the horrors of the Hillsborough disaster, during the opening minutes of their FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool on April 15, 1989. After playing in two victorious League Cup finals for Forest in 1989 and 1990,^[2] Sutton's position increasingly came under threat from promising understudy Mark Crossley. Brief loan periods to Coventry and Luton followed in 1991, before Forest finally sold him for £300,000^[3] to local rivals Derby County in 1992. In his thirteen years with Nottingham Forest Sutton recorded 257^[4] appearances for the first-team, his mustache and lazy right eye making him something of a club icon during the period.

At Derby Sutton again established himself as a regular, if not immediate choice, in the first-team. However, gradually his role became that of regular reserve and in 1996 he was granted a free transfer to Birmingham City.^[3] Following only six appearances,^[5] at the expiry of his single year contract with Birmingham Sutton joined Notts County as cover for their regular goalkeeping line up. With no real prospect of regular match selection Sutton was released from his Notts contract after only four months, to join non-league Grantham Town. As a swansong to his career Sutton went out on something of a high. He played in all but one of Grantham's remaining fixtures in the 1997-98 season, with the team ending the year as Southern League Midlands Division Champions.^[6]

After hanging up his playing gloves Steve Sutton was employed by a number of clubs, including Leeds United and Notts County, as goalkeeping coach, before finding his way back to his alma mater, Nottingham Forest, with the arrival of new manager Colin Calderwood in 2006. As of early 2012 Sutton is employed, part time, as the club's Youth Academy goalkeeping coach.

References