Don Hutchison
Encyclopedia
Donald Hutchison is a Scottish
ex-football
er who generally played in midfield but sometimes as a forward. He was a much travelled player with spells at both Liverpool
and Everton
as well as Sheffield United
, Sunderland
and West Ham United
twice. He earned 26 full caps for the Scottish national team
and scored six international goals.
as a trainee. He was a member of the Promotion winning squad of the 1990-91 season. However he left long before the season's end with his last game being on 24 November 1990, a 2-0 win against Scarborough.
under Kenny Dalglish
. Hutchison said of his time at Anfield, "I got on well with Graeme Souness
and I think he quite liked my style of play because I got a stuck in."
for two seasons. He broke the club's record transfer fee - £1.5 million - when he signed for this spell at the club in August 1994.
where he flourished under the management of Howard Kendall
. Hutchison enjoyed good form, so much so that when Kendall left to manage Everton, he made Hutchison one of his signings.
and Everton
, after joining the Toffees in March 1998 after Kendall had switched to Goodison. Kendall said after Hutchison impressed in the 1-0 win over Blackburn (14 March 1998) in which Hutchison's passing showed an impressive range and vision in the face of some typically robust challenges by Tim Sherwood
and Billy McKinlay
, "I've given Don a role and he's got the opportunity to show people in the Premiership how good a player is," the Everton manager said. "I thought he was outstanding. Word will get round and I'm sure it will reach Craig Brown."
He was an important player and team captain.
for £5 million for again a club record transfer fee, this time in August 2001. Hutchison sustained an anterior cruciate ligament
injury in February 2002, only months after his return to Upton Park. When he finally regained full fitness, he found himself out of favour, having missed most of the 2003-04 season through injury, and was unable to force his way back into the first team in the 2004-05 season.
in August 2005 after being released at the start of the 2005-06
season by West Ham. He spent barely three months at the New Den
, during which time he struggled to hold down a regular place in the starting XI. He left Millwall by mutual consent in November 2005 and signed for Coventry City
, saying"I have left because of a lack of first-team football. At my age I need to be playing regularly."
said of him, "There's a saying that class is permanent and that applies to Don. He may not have the legs he had when he was younger but he possesses a fantastic ability to read the game."
He was released by Coventry at the end of the 2006-07
season after an ankle injury restricted his appearances for the first team.
against Northampton
, he was released at the end of the season and refused to take his final 2 wage packets from cash-strapped Luton Town, instead offering to sponsor two youth team players from the 2008–09 season.
.
Hutchison's first game for Scotland was a B international against Wales in Wrexham
in 1994. However Hutchison had a disappointing game and was substituted prompting an international exile of five years. He later said, "That night at Wrexham was a bit of an anti-climax, but I never thought that was the end of it."
Hutchison debuted for Scotland under Craig Brown coming on as a sub in the Euro 2000
qualifier at Celtic Park
while Hampden Park
was under reconstruction. The result was a 2-1 won for the Czech republic
. In his next game he scored the only goal of the game to give Scotland a 1-0 victory against Germany
in Bremen
.
Hutchison scored in the Euro 2000 qualifier 2-1 win against Bosnia Herzegovina in Sarajevo along with Billy Dodds
. Hutchison also scored in the 3-0 home win against Lithuania in the same competition. He scored at Wembley in the Euro 2000 1-0 play-off second leg win over England
in November 1999. Hutchison recalls. “I remember Christian Dailly playing a good pass to Neil McCann
and him delivering a great cross. I finished it off and nothing was going to stop me celebrating a goal in front of the Tartan Army at Wembley.” Scotland lost the tie 2-1, their quest to reach three consecutive major tournaments unravelled by a Paul Scholes
first leg double at Hampden. Brown lobbied hard for a postponement of the Old Firm derby the week before. His fears were confirmed when Paul Lambert
sustained a fractured cheekbone. As Brown said, “The SPL went ahead with an Old Firm game a week before. I was furious because they did not legislate for a play-off, especially not for one against England. Predictably, we get a major injury and my holding midfielder, who performed with such distinction in the Champions League final for Borussia Dortmund
, cannot play. Barry Ferguson played brilliantly but he was not a holding midfielder. Scholes scored two goals and that was the guy Paul Lambert was going to pick up …”
Hutchison said in 2003, "My father died recently and he was my biggest fan. I cried when they played the national anthem before the Iceland game because Flower of Scotland was played at my dad's funeral. The happiest I ever saw him was when we beat England at Wembley thanks to my goal." He added, ""Playing for Scotland for my dad was something I really wanted to do because it made him feel proud. I will never forget his face when we played England at Wembley."
Hutchison's next international goal was in Dublin in a 2-1 friendly win against Republic of Ireland. His last international goal was in a World Cup qualifier away to San Marino. Scotland won all six games in which Hutchison scored for them.
Craig Brown said of Hutchison, "Don has the all-round game to make things happen, he is good in the air, has an excellent touch and is a terrific passer, lacking only pace. But he makes up for this by being tough and determined. He is a fierce tackler who can mix it, and so is a real presence in any team."
saying ‘come on, if David Weir is getting a game at 39 there is hope for me yet’.”
Hutchinson was recently featured on the "Going for Glold" feature on the fun football show The Football Ramble
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
ex-football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
er who generally played in midfield but sometimes as a forward. He was a much travelled player with spells at both Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
and Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
as well as Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
, Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
and West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
twice. He earned 26 full caps for the Scottish national team
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
and scored six international goals.
Hartlepool United
Hutchison started his career at Hartlepool UnitedHartlepool United F.C.
Hartlepool United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Hartlepool that currently play in League One. The team won promotion to League One in the 2006–07 season...
as a trainee. He was a member of the Promotion winning squad of the 1990-91 season. However he left long before the season's end with his last game being on 24 November 1990, a 2-0 win against Scarborough.
Liverpool
His talents were quickly spotted by the big guns and he moved to LiverpoolLiverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
under Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish
Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and...
. Hutchison said of his time at Anfield, "I got on well with Graeme Souness
Graeme Souness
Graeme James Souness is a Scottish former professional football player and manager.Souness was the captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s and player-manager of Rangers in the late 1980s as well as captain of the Scottish national team. He also played for Tottenham Hotspur,...
and I think he quite liked my style of play because I got a stuck in."
West Ham (first spell)
He then moved on to West HamWest Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
for two seasons. He broke the club's record transfer fee - £1.5 million - when he signed for this spell at the club in August 1994.
Sheffield United
Hutchison next moved to Sheffield UnitedSheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
where he flourished under the management of Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall is an English football manager and former player. He is most famous for his connection to Everton, a club that he both played for and managed. His uncle Harry Taylor played for Newcastle United and Fulham in the 1950s....
. Hutchison enjoyed good form, so much so that when Kendall left to manage Everton, he made Hutchison one of his signings.
Everton
He is one of a small group of players that have played for both LiverpoolLiverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
and Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
, after joining the Toffees in March 1998 after Kendall had switched to Goodison. Kendall said after Hutchison impressed in the 1-0 win over Blackburn (14 March 1998) in which Hutchison's passing showed an impressive range and vision in the face of some typically robust challenges by Tim Sherwood
Tim Sherwood
Timothy "Tim" Sherwood is an English former professional footballer who was captain of Blackburn Rovers' Premiership title-winning side...
and Billy McKinlay
Billy McKinlay
William Alexander McKinlay, better known as Billy McKinlay , is a Scottish former footballer and current development squad manager of Fulham.-Career:...
, "I've given Don a role and he's got the opportunity to show people in the Premiership how good a player is," the Everton manager said. "I thought he was outstanding. Word will get round and I'm sure it will reach Craig Brown."
He was an important player and team captain.
Sunderland
He was sold to Sunderland for £2.5 million in July 2000 after failing to agree to a new contract with Everton. His good form continued and was a key player with the Wearsiders, so much so that he was the subject of another big offer.West Ham (second spell)
Hutchison signed for West Ham UnitedWest Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
for £5 million for again a club record transfer fee, this time in August 2001. Hutchison sustained an anterior cruciate ligament
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
injury in February 2002, only months after his return to Upton Park. When he finally regained full fitness, he found himself out of favour, having missed most of the 2003-04 season through injury, and was unable to force his way back into the first team in the 2004-05 season.
Millwall
Hutchison joined MillwallMillwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
in August 2005 after being released at the start of the 2005-06
2005-06 in English football
The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether...
season by West Ham. He spent barely three months at the New Den
New Den Stadium
The Den , is a football stadium and the home of Millwall FC. It is situated in South Bermondsey, South East London, almost directly adjacent to the railway line between London Bridge and New Cross Gate, plus the SELCHP incinerator. It is under a quarter of a mile away from original Den...
, during which time he struggled to hold down a regular place in the starting XI. He left Millwall by mutual consent in November 2005 and signed for Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
, saying"I have left because of a lack of first-team football. At my age I need to be playing regularly."
Coventry City
In January 2006, he was given a contract until the end of the 2006-07 season, and signed a new one-year deal in June 2006. Manager Micky AdamsMicky Adams
Michael Richard "Micky" Adams is an English former professional footballer turned football manager who is in charge of League Two side Port Vale. As a player he was a full back, and made a total of 438 league appearances in a nineteen year professional career in the Football League, including five...
said of him, "There's a saying that class is permanent and that applies to Don. He may not have the legs he had when he was younger but he possesses a fantastic ability to read the game."
He was released by Coventry at the end of the 2006-07
2006-07 in English football
The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five...
season after an ankle injury restricted his appearances for the first team.
Luton Town
Hutchison signed for Luton on a one year deal in July 2007. After scoring once for Luton in the Football League TrophyFootball League Trophy
The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
against Northampton
Northampton Town F.C.
Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season...
, he was released at the end of the season and refused to take his final 2 wage packets from cash-strapped Luton Town, instead offering to sponsor two youth team players from the 2008–09 season.
International career
Although born in Gateshead Don Hutchison consistently stated his passion of playing for Scotland citing the strong relationship he enjoyed with his Scottish father as the reason behind this. Hutchison's father, a miner for 35 years, was from NairnNairn
Nairn is a town and former burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It is an ancient fishing port and market town around east of Inverness...
.
Hutchison's first game for Scotland was a B international against Wales in Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
in 1994. However Hutchison had a disappointing game and was substituted prompting an international exile of five years. He later said, "That night at Wrexham was a bit of an anti-climax, but I never thought that was the end of it."
Hutchison debuted for Scotland under Craig Brown coming on as a sub in the Euro 2000
2000 UEFA European Football Championship
The 2000 UEFA European Football Championship, or Euro 2000, was the 11th UEFA European Football Championship, which is held every four years and organized by UEFA, association football's governing body in Europe....
qualifier at Celtic Park
Celtic Park
Celtic Park is a football stadium in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which is the home ground of Celtic FC. Celtic Park, an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 60,832, is the largest football stadium in Scotland and the sixth-largest stadium in the United Kingdom, after Murrayfield, Old Trafford,...
while Hampden Park
Hampden Park
Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...
was under reconstruction. The result was a 2-1 won for the Czech republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
. In his next game he scored the only goal of the game to give Scotland a 1-0 victory against Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
in Bremen
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
.
Hutchison scored in the Euro 2000 qualifier 2-1 win against Bosnia Herzegovina in Sarajevo along with Billy Dodds
Billy Dodds
William "Billy" Dodds is a Scottish former professional footballer, he was assistant manager at Dundee, but was made redundant when the club went into administration in October 2010, one of his former clubs...
. Hutchison also scored in the 3-0 home win against Lithuania in the same competition. He scored at Wembley in the Euro 2000 1-0 play-off second leg win over England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
in November 1999. Hutchison recalls. “I remember Christian Dailly playing a good pass to Neil McCann
Neil McCann
Neil Docherty McCann is a Scottish professional footballer who is currently playing for Partick Thistle-Club career:...
and him delivering a great cross. I finished it off and nothing was going to stop me celebrating a goal in front of the Tartan Army at Wembley.” Scotland lost the tie 2-1, their quest to reach three consecutive major tournaments unravelled by a Paul Scholes
Paul Scholes
Paul Scholes is a retired English footballer, a one-club man who played his entire professional career for Manchester United.Born in Salford, but later moving to Langley, Scholes excelled in both cricket and football in school. He first trained with Manchester United at the age of 14 after being...
first leg double at Hampden. Brown lobbied hard for a postponement of the Old Firm derby the week before. His fears were confirmed when Paul Lambert
Paul Lambert
Paul Christopher Lambert is a Scottish football manager and former player who is the manager of Norwich City. He won numerous trophies as a player, winning the Scottish Cup with St...
sustained a fractured cheekbone. As Brown said, “The SPL went ahead with an Old Firm game a week before. I was furious because they did not legislate for a play-off, especially not for one against England. Predictably, we get a major injury and my holding midfielder, who performed with such distinction in the Champions League final for Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund
Ballspielverein Borussia Dortmund, commonly BVB, are a German sports club based in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. Dortmund are one of the most successful clubs in German football history. Borussia Dortmund play in the Bundesliga, the top league of German football...
, cannot play. Barry Ferguson played brilliantly but he was not a holding midfielder. Scholes scored two goals and that was the guy Paul Lambert was going to pick up …”
Hutchison said in 2003, "My father died recently and he was my biggest fan. I cried when they played the national anthem before the Iceland game because Flower of Scotland was played at my dad's funeral. The happiest I ever saw him was when we beat England at Wembley thanks to my goal." He added, ""Playing for Scotland for my dad was something I really wanted to do because it made him feel proud. I will never forget his face when we played England at Wembley."
Hutchison's next international goal was in Dublin in a 2-1 friendly win against Republic of Ireland. His last international goal was in a World Cup qualifier away to San Marino. Scotland won all six games in which Hutchison scored for them.
Craig Brown said of Hutchison, "Don has the all-round game to make things happen, he is good in the air, has an excellent touch and is a terrific passer, lacking only pace. But he makes up for this by being tough and determined. He is a fierce tackler who can mix it, and so is a real presence in any team."
International goals
Scotland goals listed first| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Result | Competition | Scored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 April 1999 | Weserstadion Weserstadion The Weserstadion is a multi-purpose stadium in Bremen, Germany. The stadium is scenically situated on the north bank of the Weser River and is surrounded by lush green parks . The city center is only about a kilometer away... , Bremen Bremen The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is... |
1-0 | Friendly match | 1 | |
| 2 | 4 September 1999 | Olympic Stadium Asim Ferhatovic Hase Stadium Asim Ferhatović Hase Stadium is a stadium owned by the city of Sarajevo. It is also known as Koševo Stadium and formerly Olympic Stadium. Koševo Stadium is located in the Koševo neighborhood of Sarajevo and it is used mostly by FK Sarajevo.... , Sarajevo Sarajevo Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans.... |
2–1 | Euro 2000 qualification | 1 | |
| 3 | 9 October 1999 | Hampden Park Hampden Park Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland... , Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands... |
3–0 | Euro 2000 qualification | 1 | |
| 4 | 17 November 1999 | Wembley Stadium, London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... |
1–0 | Euro 2000 play-off | 1 | |
| 5 | 30 May 2000 | Lansdowne Road Lansdowne Road Lansdowne Road was a stadium in Dublin owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union that has been the location of a number of sports stadiums. It was used primarily for rugby union and for association football matches as well as some music concerts... , Dublin |
2–1 | Friendly match | 1 | |
| 6 | 7 October 2000 | Stadio Olimpico Stadio Olimpico (San Marino) Stadio Olimpico is a multi-purpose stadium in Serravalle, San Marino. It is currently used mostly for football matches. It is the national stadium of San Marino, and is also used by the club San Marino Calcio, which plays in the Italian football league. The Stadio Olimpico was also used by... , Serravalle |
2–0 | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification A total of 199 teams entered the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds, competing for a total of 32 spots in the final tournament. and , as the co-hosts, and , as the defending champions, qualified automatically, leaving 29 spots open for competition.... |
1 |
After playing
Hutchison has forged a new career with Al Jazeera and TalkSport. In his retirement from playing he commented, "I still text Ally McCoistAlly McCoist
Alistair Murdoch "Ally" McCoist, MBE ; 24 September 1962) is a Scottish football manager and former player. He is the current manager of Rangers in Scotland....
saying ‘come on, if David Weir is getting a game at 39 there is hope for me yet’.”
Hutchinson was recently featured on the "Going for Glold" feature on the fun football show The Football Ramble
The Football Ramble
The Football Ramble is a podcast about football, produced in London by The Football Ramble Ltd. Originally provided fortnightly, this was increased to a weekly show at the beginning of the 09/10 football season, mainly due to repeated listener requests....
.
External links
- Don Hutchison Official Website at Icons.comIcons.comIcons.com, founded by James Freedman, was initially a football website that provided regular diary updates from many of the world's top footballers and also guest interviews from some of the biggest names in the football world...
- Photos and stats at sporting-heroes.net
- Don Hutchison Scottish FA profile