Shutt: Carl Steven (Carl)
1989-1993
(Leeds Player Details)(Player Details)
Forward
Born: Sheffield: 10-10-1961
Debut v Bournemouth (h): 01-04-1989
5’10” 11st 10lb (1989)
#77 in 100 Greatest LUFC Players Ever
Shutt began in the Football League at the fairly advanced age of twenty-three. He went to
the same school as Mel Sterland in Sheffield but he had started in August 1984 with Spalding
United, who were managed by Mick Hennigan, before he joined Sheffield Wednesday on a
free-transfer in May 1985. He played his first game for Wednesday in a 1-0 win at Oxford on
31st August 1985 and his final one at Derby County in a 2-2 draw on 19th September 1987. He
maintained a good scoring record with the Owls, scoring sixteen League goals in thirty-six
starts and four games from the bench, together with another five in eight games, including
one as a substitute, in the Cup competitions. However, he moved to Bristol City for £55,000
in October 1987, where he again kept up his scoring average with ten in thirty-nine starts
and seven games from the bench in League games and another twelve from twenty-six games,
including four as substitute, in Cup and other competitions. Howard Wilkinson never forgot
Shutt and came up with a player exchange deal which saw Bob Taylor go to Bristol City for
£200,000 while Shutt took the opposite trip for another £50,000. He became an instant hit
with United fans scoring a hat-trick on debut and his tireless running and willingness to
never give up endeared him to the crowd as he was part of United’s promotion push. Following
promotion and the successful pairing of Lee Chapman and Rod Wallace, Shutt remained a popular
figure and was frequently used as a substitute. Perhaps the defining moment of Shutt's Leeds
career came at the Nou Camp against VfB Stuttgart in 1992, in a replayed European Cup game.
Within a couple of minutes of coming on as a substitute for Eric Cantona, he scored the
winner with only his second touch. His best season was 1990-91, when he forged a useful
partnership with Lee Chapman after a one game loan spell in Sweden with Malmo in August 1990.
He joined Birmingham in November 1993 for £50,000, after two months on loan with the Blues.
His goalscoring touch was not evident as he scored four in eighteen starts and eight games
from the bench in the League and none in five games, including two as a substitute in the Cup.
However, when Barry Fry took over from Terry Cooper at St Andrew’s Shutt was loaned out to
Manchester City in December 1993, making his City debut in 1st January 1994 in a 0-2 defeat
at Newcastle United and his final game in a 2-1 home win over Swindon Town on 26th February
1994, but failed to score in his five starts and one game from the bench. He started the
following season on loan at Bradford City, before joining the Valley Paraders permanently for
£75,000 in September 1994. In three seasons with the Bantams, Shutt scored sixteen League
goals in eighty-nine games of which twenty-nine were as a substitute, before moving on to
Darlington, where again he spent three seasons, scoring nine League goals in fifty-four games,
twenty-six as a substitute. He then joined Conference side, Kettering Town, initially as a
player. In February 2001 he took over as caretaker-Manager. Though unable to avoid relegation,
his position was made permanent and heled them back to the Conference at the first attempt.
In the 2002-03 season, he managed the club through a very difficult period with the club up
for sale and facing administration. It was a losing battle and when relegation was confirmed,
the club decided to terminate his contract in April 2003. As a player he scored five goals in
sixty-nine League games, of which twenty-seven was from the bench. He also scored once in the
F.A. Trophy in four starts and two games as a substitute and also had three games from the
bench in the F.A. Cup, without scoring. In March 2004, Shutt became manager of UniBond Premier
Division side Bradford Park Avenue and managed to steer them to the Conference North league,
via the play-offs. He continued to play in emergencies and scored once in thirteen games.
Unfortunately, after a disappointing season in 2004-05 ended with relegation back to the
Unibond League Premier Division, and his contract was not renewed. He later worked for Thomas
Cook at the Meadowhall Shopping Centre in Sheffield.