Steve Butler (footballer) explained

Steve Butler
Fullname:Stephen Butler
Birth Date:1962 1, df=y
Birth Place:Birmingham, England
Position:Striker
Years1:1983–1984
Years2:1984–1986
Years3:1986–1991
Years4:1991–1992
Years5:1992
Years6:1992–1995
Years7:1995–1998
Years8:1998–1999
Years9:1999
Years10:1999–2000
Years11:2002
Clubs5:AFC Bournemouth (loan)
Clubs9:Stevenage Borough (loan)
Clubs11:Maidstone United
Caps2:23
Caps3:98
Caps4:70
Caps5:1
Caps6:120
Caps7:121
Caps8:15
Caps10:13
Caps11:?
Goals2:3
Goals3:51
Goals4:9
Goals5:0
Goals6:56
Goals7:22
Goals8:2
Goals10:2

Stephen Butler (born 27 January 1962 in Birmingham) is an English former footballer who played as a striker. During his professional career he played over 400 matches and scored over 150 goals for Brentford, Maidstone United, Watford, AFC Bournemouth, Cambridge United, Gillingham and Peterborough United.

Club career

Butler undertook trials for Gillingham in 1982 and 1983 but the club could not afford to buy him out of the army, where he was working as a vehicle mechanic.[1] He then went on to play for non-league Windsor & Eton and Wokingham Town, before signing for Third Division club Brentford along with Wokingham Town teammate (and fellow soldier) George Torrance in December 1984, with the Griffin Park club paying £400 to buy the pair out of the army.[2]

After failing to hold down a first-team place at Brentford, Butler joined non-league Maidstone United, with whom he won the Conference title and promotion to the Fourth Division in 1989.[3] The Kent side reached the play-offs the following season, but lost to Cambridge United in the semi-finals.[4]

Following a year-spell at Watford, 1992 Butler signed for Second Division side Cambridge United for £75,000 in 1992.[5] He was named as the club's Player of the Season for 1994–95, having scored 18 goals in al competitions.[6]

In December 1995 Butler signed for Gillingham of the Third Division for £100,000, where he remained until leaving for Peterborough United for £5,000 in October 1998.[7] [8]

Butler returned to Gillingham as a coach under Peter Taylor in 1999, having been offered the managerial role himself alongside Andy Hessenthaler. However, he would return to the playing side following injuries to key players including Carl Asaba.[9] In 2000, at the age of 38, Butler scored a 114th minute equaliser in the Second Division play-off final against Wigan Athletic at Wembley, as the Kent club secured its first ever promotion to the second tier of English football.[10]

Butler's playing career ended in non-league football after he returned to former side Maidstone United, where he also served as Director of Football.[11] [12]

Coaching career

Butler served as assistant manager to Peter Taylor, his former manager at Gillingham, during his spells at Leicester City, Hull City and Stevenage Borough.[13]

In June 2007 he was appointed as a first-team coach at Ramsgate.[14]

In October 2010 he returned again to Maidstone United, serving as assistant to Andy Ford in his five month spell as manager.[15] [16]

Butler went on to work as a coach at the Soccer Showcase Elite Training Academy.

Honours

Gillingham

Maidstone United

Individual

1990–91 Fourth Division[19]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Triggs, Roger . The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club . Tempus Publishing Ltd . 2001 . 0-7524-2243-X . 76.
  2. Book: Brentford Official Matchday Magazine versus Camberley Town . 14 November 1998 . 19.
  3. Book: Rothmans Football Yearbook 1989–90 . Queen Anne Press, MacDonald & Co . 1989 . 9780356179100 . Rollin . Jack . London.
  4. Web site: Tucker . Craig . 2014-08-21 . Maidstone United legend Mark Gall remembers the club's Football League debut 25 years on . 2023-04-08 . . en.
  5. Web site: Morgan . John . June 2004 . Steve Butler . 2023-04-08 . . en.
  6. 26 August 1995 . Introducing....Cambridge United . Gillingham Official Programme versus Cambridge United . Queensway Publishing Ltd . 3 . "[Butler] has formed a good partnership with Carlo Corazzin last season which saw him record 18 goals in all competitions and was awarded Supporters Player of the Year.".
  7. News: Hudd . Tony . 17 December 1995 . Touch of class sinks Gills . . All the talk was of Gillingham's £100,000 striker Steve Butler but it was Jim Stannard who won the accolades.
  8. Book: Gillingham Football Club Official Matchday Magazine vs. Oldham Athletic . 10 November 1998 . 17 . "Striker Steve Butler has flown the nest and joined Third Division Peterborough United for £5,000".
  9. Web site: 16 June 2020 . Steve Butler: "The boys thought they could beat anybody" . 2023-04-08 . www.gillinghamfootballclub.com . en-gb.
  10. Web site: Fissler . Neil . 2017-04-11 . Where Are They Now? Gillingham's Division Two play-off winners 1999-00 . 2023-04-08 . The League Paper . en-US.
  11. Web site: 2001-10-25 . Former hero Butler back with Stones . 2023-04-08 . . en.
  12. Web site: 2002-10-14 . Uproar as Butler quits Stones . 2023-04-08 . . en.
  13. Web site: Hoad . Alex . 2007-11-02 . Ex-Gills boss Taylor takes over at Stevenage . 2023-04-08 . . en.
  14. Web site: 2007-06-28 . Ex-Leicester coach joins Rams . 2023-04-08 . . en.
  15. Web site: 2010-10-19 . Maidstone United name Andy Ford as their new manager . 2023-04-08 . . en.
  16. Web site: Hoad . Alex . 2011-03-16 . Jay Saunders in line to become new Maidstone United manager . 2023-04-08 . . en.
  17. Web site: 2012-08-19 . Where are they now? Maidstone United - Double Winning Side 1988-89 . 2023-04-08 . The Non-League Football Paper . en-US.
  18. Web site: Previous Kent Senior Cup Winners . 2023-04-08 . www.folkestoneinvictafc.co.uk.
  19. Book: Lynch . The Official P.F.A. Footballers Heroes . 148.