Greg Sutton (born April 19, 1977) is a Canadian former

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

player and broadcaster. He played as a

goalkeeper In many team sports which involve scoring goals, the goalkeeper (sometimes termed goaltender, netminder, GK, goalie or keeper) is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by blocking or intercepting o ...

for several

A-League A-League Men (known as the Isuzu UTE A-League for sponsorship reasons) is the highest-level professional men's soccer league in Australia and New Zealand. At the top of the Australian league system, it is the country's premier men's competiti ...

and

Major League Soccer Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada ...

teams, including the Montreal Impact and

Toronto FC Toronto Football Club (commonly known as Toronto FC or TFC) is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home matches at BMO ...

, as well as the Canadian national team.

Playing career

Youth and college

Sutton was born in Canada, but spent a good part of his adolescence playing soccer in

Bethel, Connecticut Bethel () is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. Its population was 11,988 in 2022 according to World Population Review. The town includes the Bethel Census Designated Place. Interstate 84 passes through Bethel, and it has ...

, United States, where his father was transferred as part of his employment. He played

college soccer College soccer is played by teams composed of soccer players who are enrolled in colleges and universities. It is very prominent in United States, Japan, South Korea, Canada, and as well as in South Africa and the Philippines. The United Kingd ...

at St. Lawrence University in

Canton, New York Canton is an incorporated Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town in St. Lawrence County, New York, St. Lawrence County, New York (state), New York. The population was 11,638 at the time of the 2020 census. The town contains two Administr ...

Professional

During the 2003 season, Sutton helped the Montreal Impact become the USL squad with the lowest goals allowed total and won the Goalkeeper of the Year honor. He had a league-leading 0.73 goals-against average and the most minutes in goal in the league (2463). During the 2004 season with the Impact, the team won the

. On November 29, 2006, Sutton returned to

MLS Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada ...

, having been allocated to the newly formed

for the 2007 season. Sutton was the team's starting goalkeeper until he received a head concussion during

CONCACAF Gold Cup The CONCACAF Gold Cup ( es, Copa de Oro de la CONCACAF, french: Coupe D'or CONCACAF) is the main association football competition of the men's national football teams governed by CONCACAF, determining the continental champion of North Ameri ...

training with

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

in June. Due to recurring symptoms, he did not return until the 2008 season. Sutton was dropped for the 2008 season opener in favour of draft pick Brian Edwards, but made his return against

D.C. United D.C. United is a professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. that competes in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer, the top tier of American soccer. Domestically, the club has won four MLS Cups (league championships), four Supp ...

at RFK Stadium in Toronto's second game. He conceded four goals but made a number of important saves. He retained his position for the next three games, recording three straight shutouts in April. He was named to the 2008 Inactive All Star Roster for his strong performance in the first half of the 2008 season. On June 9, 2009, Sutton was released by Toronto FC, to make room for the acquisition of

Nick Garcia Nick Garcia (born April 9, 1979 in Plano, Texas) is an American former soccer player. Career Youth and College As a junior and senior at Bishop Lynch High School in Dallas, Texas, Garcia helped his high school win their first 2 TAPPS state boy ...

. On March 11, 2010, it was announced that Sutton had signed with the

New York Red Bulls The New York Red Bulls are an American professional soccer club based in the New York metropolitan area. The Red Bulls compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The club was established in October 1994 and be ...

. On April 27, 2010, Sutton officially debuted for New York in a 2–1 victory over

Philadelphia Union The Philadelphia Union are an American professional soccer club based in Chester, Pennsylvania. The Union compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. Founded on February 28, 2008, the club began playing in 201 ...

in a 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup qualification match. On August 11, 2010 Sutton made his league debut for New York recording a 1–0 shutout over his former club

. Sutton began the 2011

season as New York's starting goalkeeper helping the club to a 1–0 victory over

Seattle Sounders FC Seattle Sounders Football Club is an American professional men's soccer club based in Seattle. The Sounders compete as a member of the Western Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS). The club was established on November 13, 2007, and began ...

on March 19, 2011. After the signing of German goalkeeper

Frank Rost Frank Rost (born 30 June 1973) is a German former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He comes from a sporting family background; his father Peter won a gold medal at the 1980 Olympic Games in handball, and his mother Christi ...

, Sutton was loaned out to Canadian

North American Soccer League The North American Soccer League may refer to: *North American Soccer League (1968–1984), a former Division I league *North American Soccer League (2011–2017) The North American Soccer League (NASL) was a professional men's soccer league b ...

team Montreal Impact on July 16, 2011. As part of the loan agreement, Montreal was given the option to acquire Sutton's MLS rights at the end of the season as the club prepared for a move to MLS in 2012. Montreal exercised this option for Sutton's rights but then declined his 2012 contract option, making him eligible for the 2011 MLS Re-Entry Draft. Sutton came to terms on a new agreement with Montreal Impact on December 9, 2011. On October 29, 2012, Sutton announced his retirement from professional soccer after a 14-year career.

International

Sutton made his Canadian national team debut on January 18, 2004 against

Barbados Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands. It occupies an area of and has a population of about 287,000 (2019 estimate). ...

. He was invited to the men's

World Cup A world cup is a global sporting competition in which the participant entities – usually international teams or individuals representing their countries – compete for the title of world champion. The event most associated with the concept i ...

team development camp in July 2004 against Hearts and helped his side to a 1–1 draw. Sutton earned his second senior cap and kept a clean sheet against

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

in February 2005 in a 1–0 win. On January 18 of that year he was called up to the

national team A national sports team (commonly known as a national team or a national side) is a team that represents a nation, rather than a particular club or region, in an international sport. The term is most commonly associated with team sports, for exa ...

roster once again. Sutton competed in the last three Gold Cups and most recently helping Canada reach the Quarterfinals of the 2009 Gold Cup.

Coaching career

From 2002 to 2003, Sutton was an assistant coach with the University de Montreal Carabins. On May 7, 2013, it was announced that Sutton would become the head coach of the Concordia University's men's soccer team. He had been an assistant coach with the team since 2011.

Broadcasting career

Sutton was a match analyst for TSN from 2013 to 2022, primarily covering MLS matches. He joined the commentary team for

Apple TV An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple fruit tree, trees are agriculture, cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, wh ...

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in 2023.

Honours

St. Lawrence University: * 1st Team All-American - 1 (1998) * 2nd team All-American - 2 (1996, 1997) Montreal Impact: *

United Soccer League United Soccer League (USL), formerly known as United Soccer Leagues, is a Association football, soccer league in the United States and Canada. It organizes several men's and women's leagues, both professional and amateur. Men's leagues curren ...

Goalkeeper of the year -4 (2003,2004,2005,2006) *

MVP - (2004) * A-League/USL - 1 (2004) *

Voyageurs Cup The Voyageurs Cup (french: Coupe des Voyageurs) is the domestic trophy for professional soccer in Canada, awarded to the best men's and women's clubs in the country. The Cup was conceived and commissioned by fans of the Canada men's nationa ...

- 5 (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sutton, Greg 1977 births Living people Soccer players from Hamilton, Ontario People from Bethel, Connecticut Anglophone Quebec people Association football goalkeepers Soccer players from Connecticut Canadian soccer players Canada men's international soccer players 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup players 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup players 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup players Canadian expatriate soccer players Canadian expatriate sportspeople in the United States Chicago Fire FC players Cincinnati Riverhawks players Indiana Blast players Lehigh Valley Steam players New York Red Bulls players Montreal Impact (1992–2011) players Toronto FC players CF Montréal players Major League Soccer players USL First Division players North American Soccer League players St. Lawrence University alumni Expatriate soccer players in the United States Chicago Fire FC draft picks