When Chris Sutton signed for Celtic, I just wish in hindsight that I was 19 like I am now and twitter was as popular as it is now. I have absolutely no doubts the signing of Chris Sutton, especially for as much as £6M still a club record, would have split that famous Celtic support in two. Half remembering his time at Blackburn and another half remembering his horrible season at Chelsea. I know which side I would have been on. Fortune probably scored more in his 6 months at WBA than Sutton did in his season at Chelsea, it would have been today’s equivalent of a ‘Lawwell signing’
Why pay £6m for a dud? Well it took the big chap less than 90 minutes to show he was going to be a Celtic legend.
Larsson was returning from his leg break and he need a partner to break the Rangers dominance that was threatening to re-emerge despite the famous stopping of the ten in a row. Martin O’Neill wanted Sutton, he made no bones about it. Sutton was signed and immediately stated his intentions ‘I’m here to put Rangers in their place.’
His competitive debut came at Tannadice and in a real tense affair after Henrik Larsson’s sublime opener on his return was cancelled out, Sutton prodded home after a good old fashioned ‘stramash’ after Celtic threw the kitchen sink at the Dundee United goal. Sutton carried on his good form into his first old firm game, and bhoy did he make an impact.
It only took 47 seconds for Chris Sutton to score against Rangers, he scored the first and last in a comprehensive 6-2 victory. It wasn’t just his goals though, his link up play with Larsson was really beginning to come along but the most important thing, he knew what it meant to play in an Old Firm game. He probably showed as much joy as anyone when each of the 6 goals went in. That is what meant the most, we’d had a shoddy 10 years and you just had the feeling with Big Sutton up front we weren’t going to face any more despair.
The treble followed and talk of an England call up as well as a return to the premiership began to surface, but theres no way Sutton was for leaving. A world class total striker’s performance in Amsterdam which featured the best bullet header I have ever seen in my life helped Celtic to a 3-1 win to put us on the brink of our first appearance in the group stages of the champions league. With the introduction of John Hartson to the strikeforce it only made Sutton up his game and another title followed. Sutton’s second season is probably most remembered for his stunning left footed volley against Juventus in that amazing 4-3 game.
Sutton was instrumental in the Seville season and would have been very right to think he deserved more for his efforts that season, he spent the first month of the new season out suspended after his infamous ‘Dunfermline lay down’ comments. He was a sore loser, and he played like a sore loser. Sutton was dominant in the 03/04 season, by far his best season as a Celt. A domestic double as well as a very creditable run in the champions league then dropping down into the Uefa Cup. Sutton would destroy Rangers’ hearts when they believed tha that prevented the ‘whitewash’ Sutton delightfully chipped Stefan Klos to send Celtic Park wild.
18 months followed since the departure of Larsson and it was truly like Sutton had lost his right arm. Hartson and Sutton were too similar to work efficiently up front and although put up good goalscoring numbers there was a badness about to follow and despite the introduction of Bellamy, Sutton was pushed back into the midfield. The badness came in Motherwell and we all know what happened there. Sutton left Celtic after breaking his collarbone in a freak accident in that dreadful night in Artmedia after a collision with the now gaffer Neil Lennon.
Brief spells at Birmingham then Martin O’Neill’s Aston Villa followed before Sutton hung up his boots. A short unsuccessful spell as Lincoln City manager followed after a few years away from the game.
He wasn’t the flair player with outrageous skill that put people on their feet. Chris Sutton was a monster, no matter the opposition he looked them straight in the eye and believed he was better than them. He always proved himself right as well.
My first ever proper Celtic hero. Raise a glass for Chris Sutton
Sutton was indeed a colossus, brought the right spirit when it was needed. I suppose any Dumbarton St. Pat’s bhoy would say that though.
Haha we know a real man when we see one!
He was a complete hero, no doubt about it but at the time of his signing there was certainly no debate over his quality or the wisdom of buying him. He was pretty much a sure thing.
If you want a modern day comparison you need only look once again to Chelsea.
How would you react if we signed Torres?
Would you be thinking “cows arse, banjo” or would you be thinking about the unstoppable guy in the Liverpool shirt?
The man said he was here to put Rangers in their place and he did!
I have recently read his book and enjoyed it.