 Butler in 2011 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Andrew Peter Butler[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1983-11-04)4 November 1983 (age 42) | ||
| Place of birth | Doncaster, England | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Scunthorpe United (manager) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Scunthorpe United | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2002–2008 | Scunthorpe United | 134 | (15) |
| 2006 | →Grimsby Town (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2008–2010 | Huddersfield Town | 53 | (4) |
| 2010 | →Blackpool (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2010–2014 | Walsall | 159 | (14) |
| 2014–2015 | Sheffield United | 0 | (0) |
| 2014 | →Walsall (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2014–2015 | →Doncaster Rovers (loan) | 9 | (1) |
| 2015–2019 | Doncaster Rovers | 184 | (14) |
| 2019–2020 | Scunthorpe United | 18 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | Doncaster Rovers | 20 | (0) |
| 2021 | Boston United | 0 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | Farsley Celtic | 39 | (2) |
| 2023–2024 | Scunthorpe United | 0 | (0) |
| Total | 634 | (50) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2020–2022 | Doncaster Rovers Belles | ||
| 2021 | Doncaster Rovers (caretaker) | ||
| 2024– | Scunthorpe United | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 19:01, 3 May 2024 (UTC) | |||
Andrew Peter Butler (born 4 November 1983) is an English football coach and former player who is first team manager atNational League sideScunthorpe United.
Born inDoncaster, Butler was adefender in a playing career that lasted from 2002 until 2021. He played forScunthorpe United,Grimsby Town,Huddersfield Town,Blackpool,Sheffield United,Walsall,Doncaster Rovers,Boston United andFarsley Celtic. Butler is also a qualified referee,[2] and has had two interim spells as Doncaster Rovers manager.
Butler started his career atScunthorpe United. He made his debut forthe Iron, then in theThird Division, on 20 September 2003 as a 34th-minute substitute in a 1–1 draw withLeyton Orient atBrisbane Road. His full debut came three days later, a 2–3 defeat toBurnley atGlanford Park in the third round of the2003–04 League Cup. Midway through the season Butler signed a four-year contract.[3]
On 7 February 2004 he scored his first goal in a 2–2 home draw withDoncaster Rovers. He made a total of 42 appearances, scoring two goals in the2003–04 season. Thefollowing season he scored ten goals in 37 league games as Scunthorpe finished second inLeague Two and were promoted toLeague One. His goal tally that season included scoring twice in a 3–2 home win overLincoln City on 21 August 2004 and two goals in a 3–1 victory overRushden & Diamonds atNene Park on 18 December. He suffered a serious injury in early 2005 before returning to action later in the season. At the end of the season he won four different honours at the club's annual awards.[3]
The2005–06 season saw Butler suffer a string of injuries. On 14 January 2006 he was injured in a 1–1 draw withBristol City atAshton Gate and was ruled out for the rest of the season.[3]
Prior to the start of the2006–07 season Butler was injured again, dislocating his shoulder in a pre-season friendly withLeeds United. He was out of action until October 2006 when he joinedLeague Two sideGrimsby Town on loan, in order to build up his match fitness. He made five appearances for the Mariners. On his return to Scunthorpe he was unable to break back into the first team until later on in the season as the Iron won promotion to theChampionship as League One champions.[3]
In the2007–08 season Butler made 36 league appearances, scoring two goals as the Iron finished 23rd in the Championship and were relegated back to League One. In May 2008 he appeared onSoccer AM's Crossbar Challenge onSky Sports 1 dressed asWonder Woman.[4][failed verification] Butler left Scunthorpe in June 2008, turning down a new three-year contract offer,[5] so he could move to a club that would be more suitable for his family needs.[citation needed] In six years with the club, Butler made a total of 153 appearances scoring 13 times, playing for them in all three divisions ofThe Football League.
On 2 July 2008 Butler joinedLeague One clubHuddersfield Town on a three-year deal.[5] Along with five other players, he made his Huddersfield debut in a 1–1 draw withStockport County at theGalpharm Stadium on 9 August 2008. His first goal came in a 3–2 home win overCrewe Alexandra on 1 November 2008. He made a total of 45 appearances in the2008–09 season, scoring four goals. Butler began the2009–10 season as a first team regular. However, Terriers managerLee Clark started usingPeter Clarke andNathan Clarke as the club's regular centre back pairing.
On 7 January 2010, after not making an appearance for two months, Butler joined Championship sideBlackpool on loan until the end ofthe season.[6] On the move up a division Butler said,"I'm really happy with the move. It's a weird one because I've gone a step up, but it's something I'm hoping to thrive on. It looks a good club and I'm happy to be here. Hopefully I can play as many games as I can and help this club where it wants to go, which is thePremiership I suppose."[7] He made his debut two days later in a 1–1 draw withCardiff City at theCardiff City Stadium.
After helping Blackpool reach thePremier League, Butler returned to the Galpharm, but had the remainder of his contract paid up on 23 June 2010. In October 2010 Butler joinedRochdale on a trial basis but failed to agree a contract.
On 12 November 2010, Butler joinedFootball League One sideWalsall on a contract until the end of the season. Butler was signed byChris Hutchings, who was sacked on 4 January 2011—the day after a 4–1 defeat to Peterborough United—following a run of poor League form since the beginning of the season, which had seen Walsall sink to the bottom of League One. He was appointed captain afterDean Smith, the club's Head of Youth, took charge of the first team, and scored his first goal for Walsall in a 3–3 draw against fellow strugglers Tranmere Rovers on 8 January 2011. An impressive second half of the season earned Butler Walsall's Player of the Season and Players' Player of the Season awards. On 13 May 2011, Butler signed a new two-year contract, keeping him at the club until June 2013. In early May 2014, Butler was offered a new contract with Walsall,[8] however, he rejected new terms with Walsall on 22 May; he made 176 appearances in total for the West Midlands club.[9]
On 5 June 2014, Butler signed a two-year deal withSheffield United on a free transfer after rejecting the offer of a new deal with Walsall.[10] On 13 August 2014, Butler scored on his début againstMansfield Town in theLeague Cup. On 11 September 2014, Butler was loaned to former clubWalsall on a one-month loan deal after finding first team football hard to come by at United.[11] Butler returned to Sheffield United on 20 October 2014.[12]
On 23 October 2014, Butler went out on loan to home-town clubDoncaster Rovers until January 2015.[13] On 6 January 2015, Butler signed permanently for Doncaster Rovers for an undisclosed fee on a two-and-a-half-year deal, having made 13 appearances during his loan spell.[14]
He went on to play in 222 games and scoring 17 goals for the club. ManagerDarren Ferguson made Butler theClub Captain at the beginning of the 2016–17 season,[15] a position he retained until leaving Doncaster.[16][17] Butler was one of the four nominees forEFL League One Player of the Month in both January 2015[18] and December 2017, "Led the defence by example with a superb goal-line clearance against Oldham and then headed Rovers in front in the same game – one of two goals he scored in December".[19]
He was named as PFA Player in the Community for the 2016–17 season in recognition of his community work in and around his hometown of Doncaster.[20]
In 2017, Butler became a member of themanagement committee of the PFA.[21]
He was offered a new contract, a one-year deal including coaching, by Doncaster at the end of the 2018–19 season however this was on greatly reduced terms by then manager Grant McCann.[22]
He decided to make a return to Scunthorpe United.[23]
On 11 September 2020 he was signed by Rovers on a contract until January 2021.[24] On 1 March 2021, Butler was placed in charge of Doncaster following the departure ofDarren Moore until the end of the season.[25] Butler returned to the Belles dugout after his short managerial tenure with Doncaster Rovers concluded.
In July 2021, Butler dropped into non-league for the first time when he signed a contract forNational League North sideBoston United[26] before leaving the club after just two months.[27]
In July 2022, Butler joined National League North clubFarsley Celtic.[28]
On 16 January 2020, Butler was appointed manager of women's teamDoncaster Rovers Belles.[29] This was a role held by Butler until September 2022 when he resigned in order for a full-time role at Scunthorpe United.[30]
Several months after signing for Boston, Butler was appointed as a first team coach atPeterborough United with Boston claiming this move was a breach of contract.[27]
Peterborough announced on 29 December 2021 that Butler had left his coaching role and was back with Doncaster Rovers assisting their first team.[31]
On 5 October 2022, Butler was appointed as Youth Development Phase Coach at former club Scunthorpe United.[32]
On 3 May 2024, Butler was appointed manager of Scunthorpe United, promoted from his previous role of first-team coach.[33] An unbeaten start to his time in charge of the club saw him named the National League North Manager of the Month for August 2024.[34]
Butler led Scunthorpe to promotion from the National League after a 2–1 win against Chester on 18 May 2025.[35]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Scunthorpe United | 2003–04[36] | Third Division | 34 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3[a] | 0 | 42 | 2 |
| 2004–05[37] | League Two | 37 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 10 | |
| 2005–06[38] | League One | 16 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 22 | 1 | |
| 2006–07[39] | League One | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2007–08[40] | Championship | 36 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 37 | 2 | ||
| Total | 134 | 15 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 153 | 15 | ||
| Grimsby Town (loan) | 2006–07[39] | League Two | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Huddersfield Town | 2008–09[41] | League One | 42 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 45 | 4 |
| 2009–10[42] | League One | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 13 | 0 | |
| Total | 53 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 58 | 4 | ||
| Blackpool (loan) | 2009–10[42] | Championship | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Walsall | 2010–11[43] | League One | 31 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 4 |
| 2011–12[44] | League One | 42 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 48 | 5 | |
| 2012–13[45] | League One | 41 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 46 | 3 | |
| 2013–14[46] | League One | 45 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 50 | 2 | |
| Total | 159 | 14 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 176 | 14 | ||
| Sheffield United | 2014–15[47] | League One | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Walsall (loan) | 2014–15[47] | League One | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Doncaster Rovers | 2014–15[47][b] | League One | 9 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 13 | 1 |
| League One | 24 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 2 | ||
| 2015–16[48] | League One | 40 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 47 | 4 | |
| 2016–17[49] | League Two | 44 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 3 | |
| 2017–18[50] | League One | 36 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | 43 | 4 | |
| 2018–19[51] | League One | 40 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3[d] | 1[e] | 48 | 3 | |
| Scunthorpe United | 2019–20[52] | League Two | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Doncaster Rovers | 2020–21[53] | League One | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| Total | 213 | 15 | 17 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 255 | 17 | ||
| Career total | 595 | 48 | 37 | 1 | 19 | 1 | 22 | 1 | 673 | 51 | ||
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | |||
| Doncaster Rovers (caretaker) | 1 March 2021 | 17 May 2021 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 022.2 |
| Scunthorpe United | 3 May 2024 | Present | 76 | 40 | 21 | 15 | 052.6 |
| Total | 94 | 44 | 24 | 26 | 046.8 | ||
Scunthorpe United
Doncaster Rovers
Individual
Scunthorpe United
Individual
