Barry Butler (footballer born 1934)

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For other persons of the same name, see Barry Butler.

Barry Butler (July 30, 1934 - April 9, 1966) was a professional footballer who, after trials with Middlesbrough and Dundee, played for Sheffield Wednesday and Norwich City.

Norwich manager Archie Macaulay paid Sheffield Wednesday a transfer fee of £5,000 for Butler in the summer of 1957, just after he had finished his service in the RAF. He immediately made an impression and established himself as an essential member of the side. In the 1958-59 season, he was a member of the Norwich team that embarked on one of the most famous FA Cup runs of all time. A third division side at the time, they reached the semi-finals (defeating, among others, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United along the way) and narrowly lost the semi-final in a replay at St Andrews against Luton. The following season, Butler played in every match of the campaign as City won promotion to division two of the football league. Two years later, he was a key member of the Norwich team that won the English League Cup for the first time, as they beat Rochdale 4-0 in a two-legged final.

In 1963, Butler was appointed team captain when Ron Ashman relinquished his playing duties to take up the job of managing the team on a permanent basis. He is remembered by his team-mates and supporters as an inspirational captain and outstanding defensive player, and was often referred to as one of the best defenders in the league by opponents.

On 9 April 1966, Butler was killed in a car crash at the age of 31. His funeral was held at St Peter Mancroft church in Norwich. He had played 349 matches for the club. The following year, the Norwich City player of the year award was named 'The Barry Butler Memorial Trophy' in his honour and has been voted for by the supporters every year since then. In 2002, when the club held an on-pitch reunion of former players prior to a match against Harwich & Parkestone to mark the club's centenary, Butler's widow attended to represent him.