 Burton in 2006 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Deon John Burton[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1976-10-25)25 October 1976 (age 49)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Reading, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[1] | ||
| Position | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –1994 | Portsmouth | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1994–1997 | Portsmouth | 62 | (10) |
| 1996–1997 | →Cardiff City (loan) | 5 | (2) |
| 1997–2002 | Derby County | 125 | (25) |
| 1998 | →Barnsley (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2002 | →Stoke City (loan) | 12 | (2) |
| 2002 | →Portsmouth (loan) | 6 | (3) |
| 2002–2004 | Portsmouth | 10 | (1) |
| 2003 | →Walsall (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2003 | →Swindon Town (loan) | 4 | (1) |
| 2004–2005 | Brentford | 40 | (10) |
| 2005–2006 | Rotherham United | 24 | (12) |
| 2006–2009 | Sheffield Wednesday | 116 | (24) |
| 2008–2009 | →Charlton Athletic (loan) | 7 | (1) |
| 2009–2010 | Charlton Athletic | 52 | (17) |
| 2010–2012 | Gabala | 49 | (15) |
| 2012–2013 | Gillingham | 40 | (12) |
| 2013–2015 | Scunthorpe United | 34 | (6) |
| 2014 | →York City (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 2015 | Eastleigh | 12 | (2) |
| 2015 | Brackley Town | 4 | (0) |
| 2015–2016 | Worcester City | 23 | (5) |
| Total | 632 | (148) | |
| International career | |||
| 1997–2009 | Jamaica | 62 | (13) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2019–2020 | West Bromwich Albion U23 (caretaker) | ||
| 2020– | West Bromwich Albion U23 | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Deon John Burton (born 25 October 1976) is a football coach and former professionalfootballer who played as astriker and who is the manager ofEFL Championship clubWest Bromwich Albion's under-23 team. His numerous clubs in English football includedPortsmouth,Derby County andSheffield Wednesday. He representedJamaica internationally, including at the1998 World Cup, and was namedJamaican Sportsman of the Year in 1997.
Born inReading, Berkshire,[1] Burton began his professional career withPortsmouth, with whom he made his debut in the1993–94 season, playing in two games. Burton would play intermittently for Portsmouth over the next three seasons and scored the goal that kept the club in theFirst Division in a 1–0 final day win againstHuddersfield Town in May 1996.[2]
In 1997, former Portsmouth managerJim Smith signed Burton forPremier League clubDerby County in a £1 million move.[3]
Burton would again struggle to establish a starting role at Derby, playing intermittently there withloans at other clubs including Stoke in February 2002,[4] and a second spell at Portsmouth, which began in August 2002.[5] He returned to Derby in September having broken a bone in his foot,[6] but later signed for Portsmouth in December 2002 for a fee rising to £250,000 and Portsmouth were promoted at the end of the season.[3] Burton stayed shortly at Portsmouth, but, unable to establish a starting role, was loaned toWalsall andSwindon Town, where he scored once against Wycombe Wanderers.[7] In July 2004 he signed forBrentford,[8] playing for them in the2004–05 campaign and helping the club to the League One play-off semi-finals against Sheffield Wednesday as their top scorer.
In July 2005 he joinedRotherham United on afree transfer, signing a contract for two years.[9] After scoring 14 goals in the first half of the season, including ahat-trick in a 4–0 victory againstBlackpool,[10] Burton put in a transfer request in December 2005.[11]
Sheffield Wednesday bought Burton from Rotherham United in January 2006 for a fee of £110,000,[12] after he had failed to turn up at the Yorkshire derby between Rotherham andDoncaster Rovers on New Year's Eve.[13] He scored his first goal for Wednesday in March 2006 againstQueens Park Rangers.[14]
He went on to play a crucial part in Sheffield Wednesday's Championship survival and returned to play against his old club Derby County on the final day of the2005–06 season, captaining the Wednesday side to a 2–0 victory with another former Ram,Marcus Tudgay, scoring the first goal.
His good form for Wednesday led to a recall to the international stage. Named as a standby for the friendlies againstGhana andEngland, he was eventually called up as a replacement for Watford strikerMarlon King who was sent home for a breach of discipline.[15] Burton made a second-half appearance as substitute in the 6–0 defeat toEngland.
Despite only scoring one goal with four months of the2006–07 campaign gone, Burton's second half of season form was excellent. He scored 12 more goals, making him the club's joint top scorer for the season, alongsideSteve MacLean.
Burton reached a milestone 100 career goals at club level on 26 December 2007, scoring a penalty against Burnley atTurf Moor. On the last day of the season againstNorwich, with Wednesday needing a win to guarantee survival, Burton cancelled outDarren Huckerby's opening goal with a penalty, before scoring his second, and Wednesday's third, later in the game, which was won 4–1 by Wednesday.[16] These two goals brought his tally for the season to nine goals in all competitions, again making him the club's top scorer for the2007–08 season. Burton scored his first goal of the 2008–09 season on 25 November 2008, in Wednesday's 0–2 away win atBlackpool.
Burton joined Championship sideCharlton Athletic on loan on 27 November 2008 with a view to a permanent move, Wednesday managerBrian Laws citing Burton's poor start to the 2008–09 season for the move as well as not being able to give the player assurances over his long-term future atHillsborough.[17] On 2 January 2009, Burton was named as a permanent Charlton player, joining the club on a free transfer.[18]
In 2010, Burton joinedAzerbaijan Premier League outfitGabala under the management ofTony Adams signing a two-year contract.[19] After two years and 15 goals in the 50 league games, Burton left Gabala at the end of the 2011–12 season.[20]
On 7 August 2012, Burton signed a one-year deal atLeague Two clubGillingham, turning down the offer of a deal at an unnamedLeague One side.[21] He made his debut for Gillingham on 18 August 2012 in 3–1 win overBradford City.[22] He scored his first goal for the club on 25 August in a 2–1 win away toDagenham & Redbridge.[23] While with the Gills Burton scored 13 goals in all competitions and won the League Two title,[24] but was not offered an extension to his contract and left the club.[25]
Burton signed for League Two clubScunthorpe United on a one-year deal on 22 July 2013 after impressing on trial.[26] He joined League Two teamYork City, managed by his former Scunthorpe managerRuss Wilcox, on a one-month loan on 30 October 2014.[27] He made his debut two days later in a 1–0 away win overCheltenham Town, but after being ruled out for two to three months with a medial ligament injury sustained in his second appearance for the club, the loan came to an end on 12 November 2014.[28][29]
Burton was released from Scunthorpe in January 2015 and then joinedEastleigh the following month.[30][31]
After a short spell at Eastleigh, Burton signed forBrackley Town on 8 August 2015.[32] He then moved on toWorcester City in September 2015.[33] He retired from football at the end of the2015–16 season.[34]
Burton now runs a football training company called Deon Burton Training Academy.[35]
In 2018, Burton joinedWest Bromwich Albion as a youth coach.[36] In July 2020, Burton was named as the manager of theU23 team after he had impressed when he took over on a temporary basis whenMichael Appleton left the role to join toLincoln City in September 2019.[37] On 13 May 2022, Burton lead West Brom U23 to victory in the2021–22 Premier League Cup, beatingWolverhampton Wanderers U23s on penalties in the final.[38]
Burton made his debut for theJamaica national team on 7 September 1997 in the latter stages of their1998 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign. He finished with four goals from five games, an exploit which won himJamaican Sportsman of the Year Award for almost single-handedly getting the country to the1998 FIFA World Cup finals. However, he failed to score in France.[39]He also appeared in each of Jamaica's games as they finished fourth in the1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup but he failed to score.[40]He was also in the squad that failed to qualify for the2002 FIFA World Cup and was again included on the roster for the2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup.[41]
He was included in the qualifying squad for the2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup, making substitute appearances[42] but was dropped from the squad after qualification.[43]
Burton had to wait three years for his next international involvement – coming against the country of his birthEngland. Good form forSheffield Wednesday meant that he was recalled for a friendly match againstTrinidad and Tobago on 27 March 2008.[44] He came on as a second-half substitute forMarlon King in a 2–2 draw. He kept his place in the squad for the next friendly game againstSaint Vincent and the Grenadines on 3 June, again coming off the bench for King in the second half, to score his side's fourth goal a minute later and also to cross forRicardo Gardner to score the fifth and final goal in the 87th minute of a 5–1 victory.[45]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Portsmouth | 1993–94[46] | First Division | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1994–95[47] | First Division | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 8 | 2 | ||
| 1995–96[48] | First Division | 32 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 35 | 7 | ||
| 1996–97[49] | First Division | 21 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | 24 | 4 | ||
| Total | 62 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 69 | 13 | ||
| Cardiff City (loan) | 1996–97[49] | Third Division | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | 5 | 2 | |||
| Derby County | 1997–98[50] | Premier League | 29 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 32 | 3 | |
| 1998–99[51] | Premier League | 21 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | 27 | 12 | ||
| 1999–2000[52] | Premier League | 19 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 21 | 4 | ||
| 2000–01[53] | Premier League | 32 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | 37 | 6 | ||
| 2001–02[54] | Premier League | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | 19 | 3 | ||
| 2002–03[55] | First Division | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 7 | 3 | ||
| Total | 125 | 25 | 10 | 3 | 8 | 3 | — | 143 | 31 | |||
| Barnsley (loan) | 1998–99[51] | First Division | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Stoke City (loan) | 2001–02[54] | Second Division | 12 | 2 | — | — | 3[b] | 2 | 15 | 4 | ||
| Portsmouth | 2002–03[55] | First Division | 15 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 4 | ||
| 2003–04[56] | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| Total | 16 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 18 | 4 | |||
| Walsall (loan) | 2003–04[56] | First Division | 3 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | ||
| Swindon Town (loan) | 2003–04[56] | Second Division | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | 4 | 1 | |||
| Brentford | 2004–05[57] | League One | 40 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | 50 | 10 |
| Rotherham United | 2005–06[58] | League One | 24 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 14 |
| Sheffield Wednesday | 2005–06[58] | Championship | 17 | 3 | — | — | — | 17 | 3 | |||
| 2006–07[59] | Championship | 42 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 44 | 13 | ||
| 2007–08[60] | Championship | 40 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | — | 45 | 9 | ||
| 2008–09[61] | Championship | 17 | 1 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 18 | 1 | |||
| Total | 116 | 24 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 2 | — | 124 | 26 | |||
| Charlton Athletic | 2008–09[61] | Championship | 20 | 5 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 5 | ||
| 2009–10[62] | League One | 39 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3[d] | 1 | 44 | 14 | |
| Total | 59 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 67 | 19 | ||
| Gabala | 2010–11[63] | Azerbaijan Premier League | 28 | 9 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 9 | ||
| 2011–12[63] | Azerbaijan Premier League | 21 | 6 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 6 | |||
| Total | 49 | 15 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 54 | 15 | ||||
| Gillingham | 2012–13[64] | League Two | 40 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 13 |
| Scunthorpe United | 2013–14[65] | League Two | 29 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[e] | 0 | 33 | 6 |
| 2014–15[28] | League One | 5 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| Total | 34 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 6 | ||
| York City (loan) | 2014–15[28] | League Two | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| Eastleigh | 2014–15[63] | Conference Premier | 12 | 2 | — | — | 1[f] | 0 | 13 | 2 | ||
| Brackley Town | 2015–16[63] | National League North | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | |||
| Worcester City | 2015–16[63][66] | National League North | 23 | 5 | 4 | 4 | — | 2[g] | 0 | 29 | 9 | |
| Career total | 632 | 148 | 44 | 10 | 24 | 8 | 12 | 3 | 712 | 169 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jamaica[67][68] | 1997 | 9 | 4 |
| 1998 | 13 | 0 | |
| 1999 | 1 | 1 | |
| 2000 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2001 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2002 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2003 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2004 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2006 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2008 | 8 | 3 | |
| 2009 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 62 | 13 | |
Stoke City
Portsmouth
Gillingham
Scunthorpe United
West Bromwich Albion U23
Jamaica squads | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||
