98: Chris Sutton, Blackburn Rovers, Merlin’s Premier League 98 Official Sticker Collection

Today Mat Jolin-Beech takes a look at man who speaks his mind and has forged an impressive media career after a stint in the SAS, albeit the one that won the Premier League rather than the one that frees hostages or shouts at John Fashanu on Channel 4. His forthright views do set him apart from some of his contemporaries but have also made him a fair few enemies. Over to Mat.

Chris Sutton. The BBC’s most surly pundit-come-presenter. Often heard on Five Live’s Monday Night Club alongside long-suffering partner Alistair Bruce-Ball in what appears to be a hate/hate relationship. The grumpy man of football radio, at least as far as the BBC is concerned, is loved in Norfolk and the Green and White parts of Glasgow, fondly remembered in Blackburn, and probably best not mentioned to those at Stamford Bridge nor anyone in Birmingham.

 

Time for the Wikipedia stat attack:

•          409 club games

•          148 goals

•          7 teams

•          1 Premier League title

•          3 Scottish Premier League titles

•          3 Scottish Cup winner’s medals

•          1 Scottish League cup

 

His prickly demeanour, for which he is known on the airwaves, were part of his career: fallings out with managers, unsportsmanlike conduct, being slammed by club owners, and refusals to play.



At Norwich City, his successful exploits after being converted from a centre-half to a striker, gained him notoriety, a £5m move to Blackburn Rovers and the title of English football’s most expensive player at the time. The SAS combination (Sutton and Shearer to the uninitiated) helped guide Rovers to the 1994/95 Premier League title.  While there, he upset Arsenal fans (don’t we all love doing that?) by winning a corner after a Gunners’ player went down with an injury, resulting in a last-minute equaliser. That unsportsmanlike conduct meant Arsenal missed out on the Champions League and was labelled “a bit silly” by Blackburn boss Tony Parkes.

 

A run of form, blighted only by an injury hit 1995/96 season, saw Sutton bag bucket loads of goals. But his final season at Ewood Park resulted in relegation, and a move to Chelsea for £10m. I’m sure Ken Bates sees this as money well spent. 29 games, three goals and a failure to see eye-to-eye with manager Gianluca Vialli.

 

Chelsea recouped £6m in 2000 when Sutton made the move north and became part of one of the great Celtic teams alongside the likes of John Hartson, Henrik Larsson, Stillyan Petrov, Neil Lennon and Bobo Baldé. This was one of the last great eras of the Scottish Premier League as the Old Firm rivalry spurred the Scottish league to new heights. A European final and titles galore followed. As did another brush with authority when he accused Dunfermline Athletic of “lying down” to allow Rangers to pip Celtic to the league title. That won him an additional one game ban on top of the four-match suspension he was already serving. A fallout with new manager Gordon Strachan saw him leave to Birmingham City, where injuries and a loss of form, and a move to Aston Villa, were the precursor to an eye-injury enforced retirement.

 

For someone as prolific, you’d expect more England caps. But a clash with Glenn Hoddle and a refusal to play for England B, when that was a thing, slammed the door shut on his international career when he missed out on the France 98 squad.

 

A footnote to his playing career is that in 2012, Sutton made a return to football with Isthmian League Division One North club Wroxham, making his debut, and only appearance, ten minutes after his goalkeeper son Oliver made his debut for the side. Now, apart from being miserable on the radio, and Twitter, and probably to anyone who will listen, the main thing that struck me with the second ‘s’ in the SAS, is that he allows his horse in his house. Let that sink in. His Shetland pony roams in the Sutton household like a cat or dog. I’m just glad I don’t have to deal with that litter tray!

 

So, there you have it. Chris Sutton: surly striker, league winner, radio grump, hooped hero, and pony poo cleaner.

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