Sutton Chris - Paradise and beyond : my autobiography

To Sam, Frankie, Oliver, George, James and Harry

There are many people I would like to thank. My wife Sam for her continuous love and support throughout. My parents, Mike and Josie, for their patience, love and guidance, which led to me having a career in football.

Mark Guidi, a man of incredible patience and humour, whose help and input in this book has been exceptional. The work he has put in and the time he has given me are something I will always be grateful for.

Campbell Brown and Alison McBride at Black & White Publishing for giving me the platform to tell my story. John Richardson and Rachel Kuck for their work on the book. Janne Moller for her research on the pictures.

I would like to thank Mike Walker, Kenny Dalglish, Roy Hodgson, Gianluca Vialli and Martin ONeill for taking the time to contribute to my book. I may not have always been straightforward to manage, so I appreciate their time in giving their thoughts.

Henrik Larsson and Ian Pearce for their contributions. These are two people who I have the utmost respect for on and off the pitch.

John Robertson and Steve Walford for their guidance and mentoring through my happiest period in football. I owe them so much. Dave McGhie and Billy Mckinlay for their advice and friendship.

To all football fans, especially the clubs I played for Norwich City, Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea, Celtic, Birmingham City and Aston Villa.

Chris Sutton

Dave Springsteen McGhie many thanks for getting the ball rolling on this.

To Campbell, Alison, John, Rachel and Janne at Black & White Publishing, especially John and Rachel for their patience and understanding. To Gavin Berry for his excellent research. Brian McSweeney for his advice and technical wizardry. And thanks to Jim Duffy and David McKie.

Sam and the boys for making me welcome in their home.

To Chris, many thanks for choosing me to collaborate with you on your book. Your attention to detail and high standards were superb. Whether it was Glasgow or Norfolk, Birmingham or Barcelona, it was always a pleasure.

Mark Guidi

MIKE WALKER INTERVIEW

KENNY DALGLISH INTERVIEW

ROY HODGSON INTERVIEW

GIANLUCA VIALLI INTERVIEW

MARTIN ONEILL INTERVIEW

IAN PEARCE INTERVIEW

18 - A LIFE OF MAKING DECISIONS

BY HENRIK LARSSON

I was introduced to Chris Sutton on a beautiful, sunny day in Copenhagen in July 2000 at Celtics pre-season training camp. Martin ONeill had just been appointed manager, my fifth boss in my three years at the club. As a player, you are always interested in what way the new man will go about it. You always want to know what kind of players he will bring to the club.

Martin signed Chris from Chelsea and he joined up with the squad in Denmark. I was aware of Chris from seeing him play for Blackburn Rovers. I felt he was a quality player. Chris had had a hard time at Stamford Bridge the previous season and admits later in this book he arrived in a fragile state of mind. Well, I would never have known he was short of confidence after our first training session together. We clicked immediately. I knew he was a striker of the highest calibre.

The way he played the ball into my path was first class, perfectly weighted. And he never stood still. He was on the move and gave me options. I could fake a pass in his direction, take the ball on myself or give it back to him. He gave defenders a problem, used space well to receive a pass or leave a gap for a team-mate.

At the end of that session, I felt great and optimistic about the season ahead. I knew we could play together. It brightened up even further what was already a lovely day.

If there was one little doubt in my mind it was what Martin had planned for the team. I had never worked with Martin before and when a new striker arrives, especially someone as good as Chris, it brings a little bit of apprehension into your mind because with him playing in the same position as me, you wonder about your own self-interest, first and foremost. Thoughts such as where does this leave me? and will the manager want to play a lone striker or a partnership? are in your head. But as things shaped up in the days and weeks ahead I could see the manager wanted myself and Chris to play together.

Our first game in the SPL was away to Dundee United and we won 21. We both scored to give the team a perfect start and our partnership a platform to build on. Chris then opened the scoring in the 62 win over Rangers at Parkhead. We both scored twice that day. That was an important victory.

Our partnership was getting better and it was a case of we didnt even need to speak on the pitch, it all came naturally to us. The game that summed it up for me was away to Dunfermline in our first season. A ball was played up and I stepped over it. Chris was behind me and he played a one-touch pass through as I continued my run. I scored. It felt as though our partnership was telepathic.

I really enjoyed my football that season. I had broken my leg the previous season and it was good for me to come back into the team with someone as talented as Chris beside me. He had a great physical presence and was a great shield for me. Our partnership blossomed and the team won the treble in 2001. I only wish we played more often together but Chris was so versatile that he was used as a midfielder in a number of games.

Off the park, we were very friendly. We socialised together with the families. In terms of football, its not vital to have a good relationship away from the pitch, but it certainly doesnt do any harm if you do. I got to know Chris as a person and appreciate his sense of humour. He isnt too bothered what people think about him and you only find that about him once you get to know him.

For some reason he used to love to say to people, Your grasp of the English language is absolutely atrocious. I smile when I think about that. It was a little saying that was a part of his humour. Of course, he never said that to me. He knew better!

He is also a fine family man and nothing else is more important to him than that. I think he is trying to build his own football team, the amount of sons he has. He has taught his sons to play cricket, or rounders as I call it! Im not sure why he wants them to play that sport!

We had four great years together at Celtic. It was a very special time for both of us in our careers. I missed Chris when I joined Barcelona in 2004. When you leave someone behind, its natural that you feel a little bit empty for a period of time. Even though I had a fantastic time at Barcelona and played in a brilliant team, I think it would have been even better for me if Chris was beside me. But that just wasnt possible.

During my career, I was fortunate to play with many good strikers but Chris was undoubtedly the best strike partner I ever had. The best out of all of them. Of that Im absolutely certain.

I thought long and hard about whether to write a book or not. Part of me felt I should but I did have reservations. But after talking with my family, and people in and out of the game, I decided it was definitely worthwhile.

Im not doing this to settle any scores or to put anyone down. Likewise, Im not out to criticise any football club. But I felt strongly about clearing certain things up. If I am critical, it is only me expressing my opinion, being as truthful I can be about any incidents or situations during my career. That is what a book is all about.

Im delighted several of my former managers agreed to be interviewed for the book. They were given freedom of speech and encouraged to be open about what they felt about me as a footballer and a person. Some of them have left a bit on me and I dont have a problem with that.