Stephen A. Buttle (1 January 1953 – 5 June 2012) was an English professional

midfielder A midfielder is an outfield position in association football. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...

who spent six seasons in England, six in the

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 ...

and at least three in the Major Indoor Soccer League. Buttle was born in

Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the See of Norwich, with ...

. In 1971, he began his professional career with

Ipswich Town Ipswich Town Football Club is a professional association football club based in Ipswich, Suffolk, England. They play in League One, the third tier of the English football league system. The club was founded in 1878 but did not turn profession ...

, but never played a first team game before being sent to

AFC Bournemouth AFC Bournemouth () is a professional association football club based in Kings Park, Boscombe, a suburb of Bournemouth, Dorset, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest division of English club football. Formed in 1899 as B ...

in 1973. In 1977, Buttle signed with the

Seattle Sounders Seattle Sounders Football Club is an American professional men's association football, soccer club based in Seattle. The Sounders compete as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS). The club w ...

of the

. In the summer of 1981, he rejected an overture from

Norwich City Norwich City Football Club (also known as The Canaries or The Yellows) is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. The club competes in the EFL Championship following their relegation from the Premier League in the 20 ...

to sign him in order to remain with the Sounders. Ironically, the Sounders released him in 1982. By then he had already spent at least one season with the Pittsburgh Spirit in the Major Indoor Soccer League. During the 1979-1980 MISL season, he scored 35 goals in 28 games. Buttle injured his knee at the beginning of the 1984–1985 season. He spent most of the season on injured reserve. On 9 January 1985, the Pittsburgh Spirit hired Buttle as an assistant coach to replace

Mickey Cave Michael John Cave (28 January 1949 – 6 November 1984) was an English association football, footballer who played as a midfielder. Career Born in Weymouth, Dorset, Cave was studying engineering when he started his career in non-League football ...

, the previous assistant who had died in November 1984. In October 1985, the Spirit released Buttle. In September 1986, the Tacoma Stars hired Buttle as an assistant coach. The Stars fired Buttle, along with head coach

Alan Hinton Alan Thomas Hinton (born 6 October 1942) is an English former footballer who played at the top level of English football from 1961 to 1975. He famously wore white football boots. Playing career Wolverhampton Wanderers Hinton started his career ...

, on 22 February 1988. The Stars were sold to new ownership following the season. The new owners rehired Hinton as head coach and in August 1988 brought Buttle back in as assistant. Hinton and Buttle lasted until December 1989 when they were fired permanently. Buttle died on 5 June 2012 at his home in

, England after a long battle with cancer.

References

External links

Buttle career overview
{{DEFAULTSORT:Buttle, Steve 1953 births 2012 deaths Association football midfielders English footballers English expatriate footballers Major Indoor Soccer League (1978–1992) coaches Major Indoor Soccer League (1978–1992) players North American Soccer League (1968–1984) indoor players North American Soccer League (1968–1984) players Pittsburgh Spirit players Seattle Sounders (1974–1983) players AFC Bournemouth players Ipswich Town F.C. players English Football League players Expatriate soccer players in the United States Footballers from Norwich English expatriate sportspeople in the United States English football managers