Keith Rutter

{{Short description|English footballer (1931–2021)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}}

{{Use British English|date=June 2016}}

{{infobox football biography

| name = Keith Rutter

| image =

| caption =

| fullname =

| height =

| position = Centre half

| birth_date = {{birth date|1931|9|10|df=y}}

| birth_place = Leeds, England

| death_date = {{death date and age|2021|6|24|1931|9|10|df=y}}

| death_place = Axminster, Devon, England

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 =

| clubs1 = Methley United

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 1954–1962

| clubs2 = Queens Park Rangers

| caps2 = 339

| goals2 = 1

| years3 = 1962–1964

| clubs3 = Colchester United

| caps3 = 63

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 1964–1965

| clubs4 = Romford

| caps4 = 19

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 1965–1966

| clubs5 = Ashford Town

| caps5 = 46

| goals5 = 0

| years6 =

| clubs6 = Hastings United

| caps6 =

| goals6 =

}}

Keith Gregg Rutter (10 September 1931 – 24 June 2021) was an English professional footballer who made 402 appearances in the Football League playing as a centre half for Queens Park Rangers and Colchester United.{{Hugman|17325|access-date=4 December 2021}}{{cite web |url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player1/keithrutter.html |title=Keith Rutter |work=UK A–Z Transfers |publisher=Neil Brown |accessdate=15 September 2009}}

Rutter was born in Leeds on 10 September 1931.{{cite web |last1=Morrissey |first1=Paul |title=Two former Hoops to be inducted on Saturday |url=https://www.qpr.co.uk/news/club-news/two-former-hoops-to-be-inducted-on-saturday-011021/ |website=QPR |access-date=4 December 2021 |date=1 October 2021}} He was a reliable defender, who made his QPR debut in August 1954 against Southend United and went on to play 339 league games, scoring 1 goal. He was ever present for three seasons.{{citation needed|date=September 2009}}

He went on to play non-league football with Romford and Ashford Town (where he was a league ever-present in the 1965–1966 season),{{cite web| url=http://www.nutsandboltsarchive.co.uk/player-Profile.php?ID=619/ |title=Keith Rutter player profile |website=Nuts and Bolts Archive: History of Ashford town / United| accessdate=28 June 2022}} before ending his career as player-manager of Hastings United.{{cite web| url=https://www.indyrs.co.uk/2021/07/in-memory-of-keith-rutter/ |title=In Memory of Keith Rutter |website=Independent R's |date=8 July 2021 |accessdate=28 June 2022}}

Rutter died on 24 June 2021, at the age of 89.{{cite web |title=Keith Rutter RIP |url=https://www.qpr.co.uk/news/club-news/keith-rutter-rip-240621/ |website=QPR |access-date=4 December 2021 |date=24 June 2021}}[https://www.coludata.co.uk/players/keithrutter Keith Rutter]