Sutton

CHRISTOPHER ROY SUTTON

Full Name : Christopher Roy Sutton
Born : 10.03.1973
Born in: Nottingham, England
Nationality : England
Height : 192 cm
Weight : 76 kg

Statistic Career Club

10/2006 - 06/2007 ==> Aston Villa, England
01/2006 - 06/2006 ==> Birmingham City, England
07/2000 - 01/2006 ==> Cetic Glasgow, Skotland
07/1999 - 06/2000 ==> Chelsea FC, England
07/1994 - 06/1999 ==> Blackburn Rovers, England
07/1990 - 06/1994 ==> Norwich City, England

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. In Stringer's final season as manager, 1991-1992, Norwich were FA Cup semi-finalists and Sutton gradually broke into the first team.

He quickly found success in his new position as Norwich spent most of the first season (1992–1993) of the new Premiership as league leaders, before eventually slipping back to third place under new manager Mike Walker.

In the autumn of 1993, he was part of the Norwich side which famously eliminated Bayern Munich from the UEFA Cup. He scored 25 Premiership goals that season, but after Mike 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.

Blackburn Rovers (1994-1999)

He became the most expensive player in English football in July 1994, when he was transferred from Norwich City to Blackburn Rovers for £5 million. In his first season at Ewood Park he developed a strong partnership (known as 'The SAS Partnership') with Alan Shearer and scored fifteen Premiership goals to secure the club's first league title since 1914.

A succession of injuries, combined with a loss of form, saw him make just 13 Premiership appearances during 1995-1996 and fail to score a single league goal. He regained his form over the next three seasons and even won an England cap in November 1997, 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.

Sutton was involved in further 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. From the throw in, Arsenal chose to take the ball into the corner area to run down the clock. However, Sutton chased the ball and his pressure resulted in a corner, from which Blackburn scored. As a result Arsenal missed out on a lucrative place in the Champions League to Newcastle on goal difference. Following the incident Blackburn's manager described Sutton as "a boy who is sometimes a bit dizzy ... a bit silly".

1997/98 season was a success for Sutton as he finished the season as the joint top scorer in the premiership with 18 goals helping Blackburn to finish 6th and qualify for the uefa cup

Blackburn Rovers were relegated from the Premiership at the end of 1989-1999, just four years after being crowned champions and Sutton missed most of the season due to injury

Chelsea (1999-2000)

Sutton was sold to Chelsea for £10 million after Blackburn's relegation. 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 28 appearances, in the 5–0 destruction of Manchester United. 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.

Celtic (2000–2006)

Sutton scored the winner on his debut against Dundee United in 2000, and in his first Old Firm match against Rangers he scored the first and last goals in a dramatic 6–2 victory for Celtic.

Sutton's goals helped Celtic win three SPL titles, two Scottish Cups and two Scottish League Cups as well as reaching a UEFA Final Cup. Sutton formed a prolific partnership with Swede Henrik Larrson, one to rival his earlier one with Shearer.

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. Sutton was voted SPFA Player of the Year for the 2003-2004 season.

At the end of season 2002-2003, Sutton accused Dunfermline of 'lying down' to in order for Celtic to lose the title. He was charged with 'bringing the game into disrepute' and received a four-match ban.

Birmingham City (2006)

He joined Birmingham City on a free transfer in January 2006 but injuries restricted him to just eleven appearances, scoring once in the derby defeat to Aston Villa in mid-April. Following Birmingham's relegation to the Championship and his high wages, he was released.

Aston Villa (2006–2007)

Sutton signed for Aston Villa on 3 October 2006 until the end of the 2006-2007 season. The move saw Sutton link up with former Celtic boss Martin O'Neill. Sutton scored his first goal for the club with a winning goal against Everton on 11 November 2006.

However, in a game against Manchester United in December 2006, he suffered blurred vision, and having visited several specialists, did not recover. O'Neill is quoted as saying:

"Chris has got a genuine concern. His concern is that 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."

On 05 July 2007 Sutton retired from football due to this eye injury