Scott Sutter

Scott Lee Sutter (born 13 May 1986) is a former professional footballer who played as a right-back. Previously he spent 14 years playing in the Swiss Super League for Grasshopper Zürich, FC Zürich and Young Boys and in Major League Soccer for Orlando City SC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Born in England, Sutter represented Switzerland at the under-21 and the senior level.

Scott Sutter

Personal information
Full name	Scott Lee Sutter
Date of birth	(1986-05-13) 13 May 1986 (age 39)
Place of birth	Enfield, London, England
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s)	Right-back
Youth career
1996–1998	Millwall
1998–2000	Barnet
2000–2002	Aston Villa
2002–2003	Charlton Athletic
2003	Grasshoppers
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2003–2009	Grasshoppers	62	(2)
2009–2017	Young Boys	185	(5)
2012	→ Zürich (loan)	13	(1)
2017–2018	Orlando City SC	51	(4)
2019	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	16	(1)
International career
2005–2006	Switzerland U21	2	(0)
2010	Switzerland	2	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Early life

Sutter was born in Enfield, and grew up in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire where his family still live. Sutter is the son of an English-born mother of Polish descent^[1] and a Swiss father. He attended Chancellor's School in Brookmans Park, Hertfordshire and was a childhood fan of Tottenham Hotspur.^[2]

Club career

Grasshoppers

Sutter moved to Switzerland in 2002 aged 16 to join Grasshopper Club Zürich. After one year in the U18s and U21s he was called up to the main squad. His first game came aged 18 against Neuchâtel Xamax. He established himself as a first team regular and played in over 80 games including UEFA Cup qualification and group stages in the last two years. At the start of the 2007–08 season Sutter sustained a serious injury to his right ankle and underwent an operation which was successful.^{[citation needed]}

Young Boys

In June 2009 Sutter moved to Young Boys from Grasshoppers, signing a contract until June 2012. He scored his first goal for the Bern club on 29 October 2009, in a 7–1 away league victory over Bellinzona.^[3] He made appearances for Young Boys in the 2010–11 UEFA Champions League, against Fenerbahçe and Tottenham Hotspur.^[4][5]

In January 2012 Sutter was in talks with English club Blackburn Rovers with regards to a possible transfer.^[6] On 14 February 2012 he joined Swiss club FC Zürich on loan till the end of the season.^[7]

Orlando City SC

On 3 March 2017, Sutter was signed by MLS club Orlando City SC.^[8] He made his debut on 1 April, appearing as a substitute away at Columbus Crew before making his first start the following weekend, beating New York Red Bulls 1–0 at home. Sutter's first goal for Orlando and his only one of the 2017 season came on 22 June 2017, heading home a Kaká free kick in stoppage time to earn a 1–1 draw at Seattle. Between 5 August and 2 September 2018, Sutter had a notably productive goal-spell scoring 3 times in 4 games, 2 of which were stoppage time equalizers against New England Revolution and Philadelphia Union respectively. At the end of the 2018 season the club announced they had declined his contract option, making him a free agent.^[9]

Vancouver Whitecaps FC

On 30 January 2019, Sutter joined MLS club Vancouver Whitecaps FC.^[10] He was released by Vancouver at the end of the season.^[11]

International career

In November 2005, Sutter featured for the Switzerland U21s in a UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification playoff match against Portugal and played a further youth friendly against Romania the following April. Despite receiving a call up for the Swiss senior team in late 2006, Sutter stated that he no longer wished to be considered for selection for the Swiss national side as he wanted to play for England: "It hit me when I was in a bar supporting England with all my mates, wearing my England shirt and I knew that the next week I was going to be playing for Switzerland. It just didn't feel right. I was English".^[12]

However, in August 2010 he accepted another call up for the Swiss squad^[13] and made his debut on 3 September as a halftime substitute in a 0–0 friendly draw with Australia after replacing Stephan Lichtsteiner.^[14] "Switzerland has given me so much," Sutter said explaining the decision to play for the Swiss national team. "I went through so much with my injury and they gave me the opportunity to play. I would be stupid to turn it down because at one point I didn't think I would play football again. Switzerland is my home but it is also out of gratitude. It is my way of giving something back."^[15] He featured in one more international match for Switzerland, a 1–0 away defeat to Montenegro in a qualifier for UEFA Euro 2012.

Personal life

Sutter holds a U.S. green card which qualifies him as a domestic player for MLS roster purposes.^[16]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Cup		Continental		Other[a]		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Grasshoppers	2003–04	Swiss Super League	1	0	0	0	—		—		1	0
	2004–05		1	0	0	0	—		—		1	0
	2005–06		27	0	2	0	7	0	—		36	0
	2006–07		30	2	3	0	8	3	4	0	45	5
	2007–08		0	0	0	0	—		—		0	0
	2008–09		3	0	0	0	—		—		3	0
	Total		62	2	5	0	15	3	4	0	86	5
Young Boys	2009–10	Swiss Super League	28	1	4	0	2	0	—		34	1
	2010–11		32	0	1	0	12	2	—		45	2
	2011–12		13	0	2	0	1	0	—		16	0
	2012–13		25	0	3	0	10	0	—		38	0
	2013–14		29	2	2	0	0	0	—		31	2
	2014–15		24	0	2	0	7	0	—		33	0
	2015–16		15	1	1	0	4	0	—		20	1
	2016–17		19	1	3	0	10	0	—		32	1
	Total		185	5	18	0	46	2	—		249	7
Zürich (loan)	2011–12	Swiss Super League	13	1	0	0	—		—		13	1
Orlando City SC	2017	MLS	32	1	0	0	—		—		32	1
	2018		19	3	0	0	—		—		19	3
	Total		51	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	51	4
Career total			311	12	23	0	61	5	4	0	399	17

1. Includes UEFA Intertoto Cup.

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year^[17]

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Switzerland	2010	2	0
	2011	0	0
Total		2	0