Sam Sutton
{{short description|New Zealand footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Sam Sutton
| image = Sam Sutton.jpg
| image_size = 200px
| caption = Sutton playing for the Wellington Phoenix in 2024.
| full_name = Sam Harry Sutton{{cite web |url=https://fdp.fifa.org/assetspublic/ce158/pdf/SquadLists-English.pdf |title=Men's Olympic Football Tournament Paris 2024: Squad list |page=11 |work=FIFA |date=24 July 2024 |access-date=25 July 2024 }}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|2001|12|10}}
| birth_place = Auckland, New Zealand
| position = Left-back
| currentclub = Wellington Phoenix
| clubnumber = 19
| youthyears1 = –2016
| youthclubs1 = East Coast Bays
| clubs1 = Wellington Phoenix Reserves
| years1 = 2016–2022
| caps1 = 44
| goals1 = 3
| clubs2 = Wellington Phoenix
| years2 = 2019–
| caps2 = 92
| goals2 = 3
| nationalyears1 = 2021–
| nationalteam1 = New Zealand U23
| nationalcaps1 = 7
| nationalgoals1 = 1
| nationalyears2 = 2024–
| nationalteam2 = New Zealand
| nationalcaps2 = 5
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| club-update = 19 March 2025
| ntupdate = 18 November 2024
| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's football}}
{{MedalCountry|{{fb|NZ}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|OFC Nations Cup}}
{{Medal|W|2024 Fiji/Vanuatu|}}
}}
Sam Harry Sutton (born 10 December 2001) is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as a left-back for A-League Men club Wellington Phoenix.
Club career
=Wellington Phoenix Reserves=
Sutton joined the Wellington Phoenix as part of their academy in 2016{{cite web|title=Sam Sutton joins WPFA|url=http://wpfa.org.nz/news/sam-sutton-joins-wpfa|website=Wellington Phoenix Football Academy|accessdate=2 March 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170630193436/http://wpfa.org.nz/news/sam-sutton-joins-wpfa|archivedate=30 June 2017}} after moving down from Auckland. He started playing for the Wellington Phoenix Reserves in the New Zealand Football Championship in the 2016–17 season, making 4 appearances with 2 starts.{{cite web|title=Sam Sutton Profile|url=https://us.soccerway.com/players/sam-sutton/468088/|website=Soccerway|accessdate=22 March 2018}} His debut in the national league was two weeks before he turned 15 when he came on in their away game against Southern United with the team leading 1–0 and looking for their first back-to-back wins in the reserve team's history.
=Wellington Phoenix=
Sutton started training with the first team players during pre-season July 2019.{{cite news |last1=Voerman |first1=Andrew |title=Sam Sutton relishes first start for Wellington Phoenix as he eyes a professional contract |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/122324410/sam-sutton-relishes-first-start-for-wellington-phoenix-as-he-eyes-a-professional-contract |accessdate=29 October 2020 |publisher=Stuff |date=4 August 2020 |language=en}} On 21 December 2019, Sutton made his A-League debut as a stoppage time substitute in the Phoenix 2–2 draw against Sydney FC in Sydney.{{cite news |title=Ulises Davila miss proves costly in Wellington Phoenix's Sydney FC stalemate |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/118391877/ulises-davila-miss-proves-costly-in-wellington-phoenixs-sydney-fc-stalemate |accessdate=21 December 2019 |work=Stuff |language=en}} He followed that up with another 25 mins and his Sky Stadium home debut against Western Sydney Wanderers
Sutton got his first start on the 25 July 2020 in a 1–1 draw with Adelaide United{{cite news |last1=Rollo |first1=Phillip |title=Wellington Phoenix held by Adelaide United after Ulises Davila misses late penalty |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/122248971/wellington-phoenix-held-by-adelaide-united-after-ulises-davila-misses-late-penalty |accessdate=29 October 2020 |publisher=Stuff |date=26 July 2020 |language=en}} playing for 60 minutes in an attacking midfield role. With young teammates Callan Elliot and Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi also starting alongside Sutton, the starting XI in this match was the youngest in club history, with an average age of 25.02 years.
On the 29 October 2020, Sutton signed a three-year deal with the Phoenix, his first professional contract with the club.{{cite news |last1=Francis |first1=Ben |title=A-League: Wellington Phoenix re-sign midfielder Sam Sutton on three-year deal |url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2020/10/a-league-wellington-phoenix-re-sign-midfielder-sam-sutton-on-three-year-deal.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101004321/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2020/10/a-league-wellington-phoenix-re-sign-midfielder-sam-sutton-on-three-year-deal.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 November 2020 |accessdate=29 October 2020 |publisher=Newshub |language=en}} On 21 March 2022, Sutton extended his contract with the Phoenix for a further two years until the end of the 2024–25 season.{{cite news|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/128114099/wellington-phoenix-secure-form-leftback-sam-sutton-for-next-three-seasons|title=Wellington Phoenix secure form left-back Sam Sutton for next three seasons|date=21 March 2022|accessdate=21 March 2022|author=Rollo, Phillip|website=Stuff}}
=Personal life=
Sutton grew up on Auckland's North Shore and played for East Coast Bays as a junior. He was spotted by Wellington Phoenix's Academy Director Paul Temple at 12 years old and was asked to attend the Academy.{{cite news |title=A-League: Rising Wellington Phoenix star Sam Sutton could be New Zealand football's next next big thing |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/a-league-rising-wellington-phoenix-star-sam-sutton-could-be-new-zealand-footballs-next-next-big-thing/AYDETWRWA66KXNHHLYA64MHQOY/ |url-access=subscription |accessdate=2 November 2020 |work=The New Zealand Herald |publisher=New Zealand Herald |date=9 July 2020 |language=en-NZ}} After moving to Wellington with his family, Sutton enrolled at Wellington College while training with the Phoenix academy.{{cite news |last1=Rollo |first1=Phillip |title='Now I'm on the other side': Sam Sutton goes from Phoenix fan to player |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/118406573/now-im-on-the-other-side-phoenix-fan-sam-sutton-makes-aleague-debut |accessdate=29 October 2020 |publisher=Stuff |date=23 December 2019 |language=en}}
International career
On 12 July 2021, Sutton made his debut for the New Zealand U23's in a pre-Olympic friendly against Australia.{{cite news |last1=Voerman |first1=Andrew |title='A real shot of confidence': OlyWhites beat Olyroos for boost ahead of Tokyo Olympics |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/olympics/125739108/a-real-shot-of-confidence-olywhites-beat-olyroos-for-boost-ahead-of-tokyo-olympics |accessdate=24 March 2023 |publisher=Stuff |date=13 July 2021 |language=en}} Sutton scored his first goal for the New Zealand U23's from the penalty spot, in a 2–0 win over China on 23 March 2023. He was also named captain for this first time during this game.{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Logan |title=New Zealand U-22s impress as they beat China 2-0 at Mt Smart Stadium |url=https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2023/03/23/new-zealand-u-22s-impress-as-they-beat-china-2-0-at-mt-smart-stadium/ |accessdate=24 March 2023 |publisher=friendsoffootballnz.com |date=23 March 2023 |language=en}}{{cite news |title=All Whites draw with China |url=https://www.nzfootball.co.nz/newsarticle/126417 |accessdate=26 March 2023 |publisher=New Zealand Football |date=23 March 2023 |language=en}}
Career statistics
=Club=
{{updated|match played on 18 May 2024.|{{cite web |title=S. Sutton |url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/sam-sutton/468088/ |website=Soccerway |publisher=Perform Group |access-date=16 November 2021}}}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||
| rowspan=2|Club
!rowspan=2|Season !colspan=3|League !colspan=2|Cup !colspan=2|Others !colspan=2|Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan=6|Wellington Phoenix Reserves
|rowspan=4|NZFC |4 | 0 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 4 | 0 | |||
| 2017–18
|14 | 0 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 14 | 0 | |||
| 2018–19
|18 | 0 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 18 | 0 | |||
| 2019–20
|7 | 2 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 7 | 2 | |||
| 2022
|1 | 1 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 1 | 1 | |||
| colspan=2|Total
!44||3||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||44||3 | ||||||||
| rowspan=6|Wellington Phoenix
|rowspan=2|A-League |4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2020–21
|12 | 0 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 12 | 0 | |||
| 2021–22
|rowspan=3|A-League Men |21 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1{{efn|Appearance in A-League Men Finals}} | 0 | 26 | 1 | |
| 2022–23
|15 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 1 | |
| 2023–24
|20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 23 | 0 | |
| colspan=2|Total
!72||2||8||0||3||0||83||2 | ||||||||
| colspan=3|Career total
!116||5||8||0||3||0||127||5 |
{{notelist}}
=International=
{{updated|match played on 30 June 2024.}}{{NFT player|id=95233|accessdate=27 June 2024}}
| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year | |||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan=1|New Zealand
|2024 | 3 | 0 | |
| colspan=2|Total||3||0 |
Honours
New Zealand
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{Soccerway|sam-sutton/468088}}
{{Wellington Phoenix FC squad}}
{{Navboxes
| title = New Zealand squads
| bg = black
| fg = white
| bordercolor = black
| list =
{{2020 New Zealand Olympic team}}
{{New Zealand men's football squad 2020 Summer Olympics}}
{{New Zealand squad 2024 OFC Men's Nations Cup}}
{{2024 New Zealand Olympic team}}
{{New Zealand men's football squad 2024 Summer Olympics}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sutton, Sam}}
Category:New Zealand men's association footballers
Category:Wellington Phoenix FC players
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:People educated at Wellington College, Wellington
Category:Association footballers from Auckland
Category:Footballers at the 2020 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic association footballers for New Zealand
Category:New Zealand Football Championship players
Category:2024 OFC Men's Nations Cup players
Category:OFC Nations Cup–winning players