Butler: Paul John (Paul)

2004-2007 (Leeds Player Details)(Player Details)

Central Defender

Born: Manchester: 02-11-1972

Debut v Derby County (h): 07-08-2004

6’0” 14st 9lb (2005)

Butler started at Bradford City but never made the first team. However with Rochdale, who he joined on 5th July 1991, he scored ten times in one hundred and fifty-one starts and seven games off the bench in the League, played eight F.A. Cup ties, of which two were as a substitute, made eight starts and one game from the bench in the League Cup and thirteen other appearances of which one was as a substitute before being sold to Bury for £100,000 on 22nd July 1996. There he accumulated almost another one hundred appearances, as he scored four times in eighty-three starts and one game as a substitute in the League, made two F.A. Cup starts, eight League Cup starts and scored one goal in three other games, before taking a step up to Sunderland for £1 million on 10th July 1998. Again he managed almost one hundred appearances, scoring three times in seventy-eight starts and one game as a substitute in the League, played in four F.A. Cup ties and scored once in eleven League Cup starts and one substitute appearance, before, on 17th November 2000, he had a two month loan spell with Wolverhampton Wanderers,in which he played five League games. He was transferred at the end of the loan on 31st January 2001 for £1 million. He became a regular and the club captain, but after being the fans Player of the Year, he was only offered a one year extension at the end of his contract and Leeds stepped in to sign him on a two year contract in June 2004. Including his loan period, he scored three goals in one hundred and twenty-three starts and one substitute appearance in the League, seven games in the F.A. Cup, five in the League Cup and five in other games, while at Wolves. One of Kevin Blackwell's first signings as Leeds boss, Butler brought with him to Elland Road vital experience in the art of promotion. Twice, automatically with Sunderland and through the play-offs with Wolverhampton Wanderers, he had helped to lift his club into the Premiership and Leeds obviously hoped he could complete a unique hat-trick with them. Solid and dependable, Wolves fans were loathe to lose the once capped Irish international after seeing him play the best football of his career at Molineux, and Leeds supporters discovered he was dependable at all times during his first season at the club. Butler was made Club Captain by Kevin Blackwell and he thrived in the role, taking control of situations on and off the pitch and helping to mould together a tight-knit squad. He captain Leeds to the Play-off final and a 0-3 defeat by Watford at the Millenium Stadium, Cardiff in May 2006, when the club came within ninety minutes of regaining their lost EPL status. Things changed after Blackwell left, when Butler and Dennis Wise did not share such a close relationship, and he found himself on the outer. Loaned to Milton Keynes Dons in 22nd November 2006, he signed for them on a permanent basis on 4th January 2007. After just seventeen League and one F.A. Cup appearances he left the club in March 2007. He joined Chester City on 24th July 2007 and became their regular central defender and captain. Butler was given a one year contract in July 2008 but was released by the club in February 2009, after scoring twice in thirty-six League appearances and making one F.A. Cup, two League Cup and one other appearances for the club. While at Chester he assisted in the coaching and was Captain and Assistant Manager, but did not play much after April 2008. He became a free agent after his release on 1st February 2009 and continued working towards obtaining his coaching qualifications. He joined Oldham Athletic as Chief Scout in 2010.