Paul Butler (footballer)

Football player infobox
playername = Paul Butler


fullname = Paul John Butler
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1972|11|2
cityofbirth = Moston, Manchester
countryofbirth = England
height = height|ft=6|in=2
currentclub = Chester City
clubnumber = 6
position = Centre-back
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1991–1996
1996–1998
1998–2000
2000–2001
2001–2004
2004–2007
2006–2007
2007 2007–
clubs = Rochdale
Bury
Sunderland
→ Wolverhampton Wanderers (loan)
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Leeds United
→ Milton Keynes Dons (loan)
Milton Keynes Dons Chester City
caps(goals) = 158 (10)
084 0(4)
079 0(3)
005 0(0)
119 0(3)
099 0(4)
008 0(0)
009 0(0) 035 0(2)
nationalyears = 2000
nationalteam = Republic of Ireland
nationalcaps(goals) = 001 0(0)
pcupdate = 11:00, 10 May 2008 (UTC)

Paul John Butler (born 2 November 1972, in Moston, Manchester) is an English-born footballer who has represented the Republic of Ireland. He is currently at League Two side Chester City, where he had spells as captain and assistant–manager in his first season.

He has previously played in the Premier League for Sunderland and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Career

Butler began his professional career at Rochdale in 1991 and remained with the club for five seasons before joining Bury. Here, he won promotion to the second flight in his first season but the club were relegated after two seasons at that level.

Upon relegation, he moved to Sunderland for £1million and won the First Division championship in his first season. He featured through a full season in the Premier League in 1999/2000, which also saw him make his only appearance for the Republic of Ireland (for whom he qualified via his Irish wife), in a friendly against the Czech Republic on 23 February 2000.

However, he found himself often left out of Sunderland's first team during the following season. To gain playing time, First Division Wolves took him on loan in late 2000, a move made permanent by incoming manager Dave Jones for £1million in January 2001. [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/1146262.stm |title=Wolves seal Butler deal |date=31 January 2001 |publisher=BBC Sport] He was made club captain for the following season which saw the team mount an automatic promotion challenge, only to fall away in the final weeks into the play-offs, where they lost to Norwich. The next year saw Butler win a second promotion to the top flight though, as the club won the play-offs, beating fc|Sheffield United 3-0 in the 2003 final.

He remained with the club for their solitary season in the Premier League but could not agree terms of a new contract afterward and instead joined fellow-relegated side Leeds United in July 2004. [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/leeds_united/3801263.stm |title=Butler set to join Leeds |date=12 June 2004 |publisher=BBC Sport] He was a first choice centre-back during manager Kevin Blackwell's reign and was made captain shortly after signing. The 2005/06 season saw the club almost regain their place in the top division but they lost the play-off final to fc|Watford.

The following season saw new manager Dennis Wise strip Butler of the captaincy, and he was told he was free to leave Elland Road on loan until January then on a free transfer. [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/leeds_united/6136740.stm |title=Leeds tell Butler he can move on |date=10 November 2006 |publisher=BBC Sport] He duly moved on loan to League Two Milton Keynes Dons in November 2006 [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wimbledon/6173334.stm |title=Butler moves to MK Dons on loan |date=22 November 2006 |publisher=BBC Sport] . After returning to his parent club, he was released from his contract with Leeds [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/leeds_united/6225575.stm |title=Leeds release Horsfield & Butler |date=2 January 2007 |publisher=BBC Sport] , and two days later signed a permanent contract with the Dons.

Butler failed to complete the season with the MK Dons though, leaving in March 2007 after only 9 further appearances. He joined Chester City four months later and quickly struck up a strong central defensive partnership with Paul Linwood, later combining playing duties with a role on the coaching staff.

References

External links

* [http://www.chestercityfc.net/Player?playerId=1150437 Chester City Official Website Profile]
*soccerbase|id=1194|name=Paul Butler