Members News: CCFPA Sends Birthday Greetings For Today To Former Sky Blue Ian Butterworth

CCFPA member, former Sky Blue defender from the 1980s, Ian Butterworth is celebrating his 54th Birthday Today. Congratulations to him from all at CCFPA!

Born in Nantwich, Cheshire on 25th January 1964 Ian was another product of the excellent Sky Blue youth set-up of the time, moving from apprentice to a professional contract in August 1981. Sky Blue manager Dave Sexton planned to groom Ian as a future central defender for the club but due to competition for the centre half role Ian played many of his games at right back or in the midfield.

In four seasons with CCFC Ian clocked up 101 appearances in all competitions for the Sky Blues without ever finding the net.  Because City’s gaffer Don Mackay considered (now fellow CCFPA members) Trevor Peake and Brian Kicline had effectively locked up City’s central defensive positions Ian was allowed to move across the Midlands to Nottm. Forest in May 1985 for £200k. The Sky Blues gained the benefit of future England player Stuart Pearce coming the other way from the Trentsiders.

After a season at the City ground Ian then moved onto Norwich City in 1986 (after a loan spell at Carrow Road) and was a fixture there for eight years playing for the Canaries during arguably some of their best seasons mostly as captain.  Ian clocked up 293 appearances for the Canaries (4 goals). Norwich supporters subsequently voted him into the club’s Hall of Fame. A knee injury forced Ian to retire from the game at Norwich in 1994 (and an attempt to resurrect his career the following year at King’s Lynn failed).  Ian tried again, this time in the States, with Colorado Rapids in 1996 playing a score of games for them before moving back to Europe with a spell at IK Brage in Sweden where he became player-manager in 1997.

Returning to the UK Ian played for a time with Stafford Rangers (1997) and Cobh Ramblers the following year before moving into management in May 1998, joining Darlington as assistant gaffer, then taking up a similar role as deputy to Lenny Lawrence with Cardiff City from October 2000-04.  A stint as coach at Bristol Rovers and for the Football Association followed before joining Hartlepool as Manager of their Reserves (2006). In 2009 Ian became Assistant manager to Bryan Gunn back at Carrow Road once more and was briefly caretaker on Gunn’s departure later that year. Since leaving the Canaries in August 2009 Ian has reportedly helped out Stuart Pearce when England U21 by scouting their opponents and still puts himself up for managerial vacancies from time to time.

As far as we are aware Ian has been a rare visitor to the Ricoh and we would love to see him attend CCFPA events – maybe Legends Day next March? In the meantime we wish him a ‘Very Happy Birthday’ today!