Paul Butler (footballer, born 1972) facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Paul John Butler | ||
| Date of birth | 2 November 1972 | ||
| Place of birth | Moston, England | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1991–1996 | Rochdale | 158 | (10) |
| 1996–1998 | Bury | 84 | (4) |
| 1998–2001 | Sunderland | 79 | (3) |
| 2000–2001 | → Wolverhampton Wanderers (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2001–2004 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 119 | (3) |
| 2004–2007 | Leeds United | 99 | (4) |
| 2006–2007 | → Milton Keynes Dons (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| 2007 | Milton Keynes Dons | 9 | (0) |
| 2007–2009 | Chester City | 35 | (2) |
| Total | 597 | (26) | |
| International career | |||
| 2000 | Republic of Ireland | 1 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Paul John Butler (born November 2, 1972) is a former professional footballer from England. He played as a centre-back, which is a defensive position in football. Paul also played for the Republic of Ireland. He was known for playing in the Premier League for teams like Sunderland and Wolverhampton Wanderers. He was also a captain for Leeds United.
Contents
Paul Butler's Club Journey
Paul Butler was born in Moston, Manchester. He started his professional football career in 1991.
Early Career at Rochdale and Bury
Paul began playing for Rochdale in 1991. He stayed with the club for five seasons. In 1996, he joined Bury. In his first season there, his team won promotion to the second division. This means they moved up to a higher league.
Time with Sunderland and Wolves
After one season in the second division with Bury, Paul moved to Sunderland. This was in 1998, and the transfer cost £1 million. In his first season at Sunderland, he helped the team win the First Division championship. He then played a full season in the Premier League in 1999–2000.
During the next season, Paul sometimes didn't play as much for Sunderland. So, in late 2000, he went on loan to Wolves. A loan means he played for them temporarily. This move became permanent in January 2001. He was made club captain for the next season.
In 2003, Paul helped Wolves win promotion to the top league. They won the play-offs, beating Sheffield United 3–0 in the 2003 final. Play-offs are special games played at the end of the season to decide which teams get promoted.
Moving to Leeds United
Paul stayed with Wolves for their season in the Premier League. After that, he joined Leeds United in July 2004. He became a key defender for Leeds and was made captain soon after joining.
In the 2005–06 season, Leeds almost got back into the top division. However, they lost the play-off final to Watford.
Later Career and Retirement
Later, Paul moved on loan to Milton Keynes Dons in November 2006. After his loan, he signed a permanent contract with the Dons.
In March 2007, he left MK Dons. Four months later, he joined Chester City. He played as a strong central defender there. He also took on a role helping with coaching. Paul left Chester City in February 2009.
Paul Butler's International Career
Paul Butler played one game for the Republic of Ireland. This was in a friendly match against the Czech Republic on February 23, 2000. He qualified to play for Ireland because his step-father's father was from Dublin.
In that game, Ireland was 2–0 down at half-time. Paul was substituted at half-time. Ireland went on to win the game 3–2.
Honours and Achievements
Paul Butler achieved several honours during his football career:
Bury
- Football League Second Division: 1996–97 (Promotion to a higher league)
Sunderland
- Football League First Division: 1998–99 (Won the league championship)
Wolverhampton Wanderers
- Football League First Division play-offs: 2003 (Won promotion to the Premier League)
Individual
- PFA Team of the Year: 1998–99 First Division (Recognized as one of the best players in his league)
See also
- List of Republic of Ireland international footballers born outside the Republic of Ireland
