Brian Dutton

Brian Dutton (born 12 April 1985) is an English retired footballer who is currently assistant manager of Walsall.

Career

Youth career

Born in Malton, North Yorkshire, Dutton played for his local team Brooklyn as a child, and was invited to join the Scarborough School of Excellence. He also had a trial with Swindon Town. He joined his first senior side, Pickering Town, at the age of 16. He originally played as a Striker but was also capable of dropping back into midfield.

Cambridge United

He had just broken into Pickering's first team when he was spotted by a Cambridge United scout and was invited for a trial in November 2003. He only played for 30 minutes but was offered a contract on the spot. Here he settled into a midfield role.

Pickering Town

Dutton was released by Cambridge and returned to Pickering Town for the start of the 2004–05 season.

Weymouth

Brian Dutton was invited to go on trial with Weymouth manager Steve Johnson signing Dutton, who had decided he wanted to return to the game. He then had his contract extended for another year during which he scored the winning goal in the local derby with Dorchester Town. Dutton was offered a new contract by the club at the end of the 2005–06 season but turned it down and was released.

Eastleigh

Dutton started the 2006–07 with Eastleigh but an injury kept out of the game for three months.

Rejoining Weymouth

Dutton rejoined Weymouth in January 2007. He left at the end of the 2006–07 season and went on trial with York City.

Mangotsfield Town

He joined Mangotsfield United to keep match fitness and signed for Dorchester Town in September 2007. He left the club in October.

Salisbury City

In March 2008 he resigned for Pickering Town. He joined Salisbury City in the Conference National on a one-year contract in August after a successful trial spell.

Harrogate Town

He was signed by Conference North team Harrogate Town on 23 July 2009.

Northwich Victoria

After spending half a season at Harrogate Town, he was signed by Northwich Victoria until the end of the 2009–10 season. At the end of the season Brian was offered an improved contract from Northwich but decided to turn it down and to rejoin his former teammate, and now manager, Darrell Clarke, at Salisbury City.

Back at Salisbury City

He left the club at the end of the season and re-joined Salisbury City under their new manager, Darrell Clarke. He became a utility player for the club, playing in a variety of places all over the pitch, before featuring on a regular basis at centre back – making the position his own. After the temporary departure of Salisbury captain Chris Giles, the Salisbury manager Darrell Clarke gave the honour of club captain to Dutton, who led Salisbury to the Conference South after a play-off final victory against Hednesford Town on penalties. He was rewarded with a new contract and club captaincy, Dutton went on to captain Salisbury to yet another promotion once again via the play offs, the final this time was against Chris Kinnear's Dover Athletic. Salisbury won the final in extra time, which meant Salisbury had earned promotion to the Conference National, the league they had been thrown out of three seasons earlier and Dutton had managed two promotions in the two seasons he was captain at the club.

Havant & Waterlooville

In June 2014, Dutton left Salisbury City to sign for Havant & Waterlooville.

Eastbourne Borough

Dutton signed for Eastbourne Borough on 6 July 2016.

Coaching career

Bristol Rovers

In March 2017, Dutton was appointed under-23 assistant coach and overseas scout at League One club Bristol Rovers.

The 2017-18 season saw Dutton promoted to first team duties in late December 2018, standing in for long-time first team coach Steve Yates.

The 2018-19 season saw Dutton continue with his first team duties, mainly focussing on attacking set pieces. The attacking set piece conversion rate improved vastly in comparison to the 2017-18 season, with Bristol Rovers doubling their conversion rate from corners after only 16 games of the season.

In December 2018, long-time Bristol Rovers manager Darrell Clarke and his assistant Marcus Stewart left the club, being replaced by interim manager Graham Coughlan, assisted by Dutton and Chris Hargreaves.

Walsall

In May 2019, Dutton was announced to have left Bristol Rovers before he was appointed assistant manager at Walsall a week later where he would again be working alongside Darrell Clarke and Marcus Stewart.

Personal life

Dutton attended Norton College prior to pursuing a national certificate in sport at York College. Brian was halfway through completing a National Diploma in Sport at York college before he decided to postpone the qualification and become the first ever footballer from York College Academy to sign professional terms with a league football club. His father is the former jockey Dave Dutton who won the 1981 Scottish Grand National.