Andrew Butt

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Andy Butt lining up for Beercelona in 2016

(24/11/1991) Andrew Butt is an English soccer player who played as a midfielder for Beercelona in 2015 and 2016 and is planned to come back on loan again in 2017. He is part of the now legendary Class of 2015 and is one of five players to have played in all five Beercelona seasons thus far.

### **Early Life and Youth Career**

Born and raised in Swindon, England at a young age Andrew Butt (Andy) showed no signs of interest in football. It wasn't until the young and impressional age of 6 did he show any signs of wanting a career in the beautiful game. He grew up as a fan of Swindon Town and West Ham united , taking inspiration from his father Nick who was born and bred as a hammer.

It wasn't until the famous World Cup 98 with England being dumped out unceremoniously on penalties to Argentina did he really take an interest in the sport and pursued a career within the game, vowing to take revenge on the cheating Argentine's for getting David Beckham famously sent off.

With a new found love of the game and a sight set on revenge he joined is first 7 a side team Brunel Boys as a defender, with no technical skill, a small concept of the rules and with only size to his advantage he thrived, known for long throws, no nonsense defending and the odd goal. He was known for being quiet and reserved but relied upon to get the job done. Brunel Boys excelled for four seasons, winning leagues, tournaments and trophies before folding before the step up to 11 a side football. During his time there he established himself as a ball playing midfielder with a fierce shot, with rumours persisting at the time of breaking a goal keepers wrist when he saved one of Andy Butt's penalties - although this could not be confirmed or denied at time of writing.

Brunel Boys also offered him the chance for his first 6 week Trial with a professional team his favoured Swindon Town F.C. This trial was an eye opener for the young midfielder and at the age of 10 realised the bureaucratic nature of professional football, constantly being played out of position at centre back, due to his dimensions. He had no chance to impress with other more established people getting more development time. He returned to Brunel Boys after the unsuccessful trial period more determined than ever to succeed in the sport and would not be told what position he should play, just because of his abnormal height.

After stepping up the 11 a side game at the age of 11 he joined Green Baize F.C a new team formed with players from Brunel Boys local rivals, Greenmeadow and featuring a plethora of Swindon Youth players. Throughout the following years he played for Lydiard youth, Lydiard Boys, Old Town FC and Cirencester FC before settling down with Wootton Bassett Town FC, a small town located near Swindon whose main team played 9 tiers below the Premier League. At this stage of his career he had played in many positions, striker, centre back, holding midfield and winger. It was while playing for Wootton Bassett that he was handed his next opportunity to step into what he thought was the big leagues. Reading FC from just down the M4 corridor were plying their trade in the Premier League at the time and offered him a 8 week trial for the Royals. After training and playing in development games for the duration, the coaches at Reading opted again to play him at centre back due to his boisterous height which left little room for him to prove himself. At the age of 16 he was refused to be taken on by Reading but again refused to be typecast as a centre half.

## Age 16-18

After failing to secure his future in sport, questions arose whether he should pursue a different course and after deliberation opted for University doing a computing degree. He carried on playing for Bassett up until he left for University and his youth career was over. He dabbled in Sunday league before he left but found no joy in playing football with a bunch of over weight blokes who were still pissed from a big night out in Swindon the day before. He attempted to join the University of the West of England football team when starting University but attended a trial of 300 lads and had 5 minutes to impress in a 5 a side game in the rain. He was turned away again which began the downward spiral of falling out of love with game, possibly forever....

## Age 20-23

After not playing a drop of football for nearly 2 years, he joined a 6 aside team with some university friends in the local league. He only played a handful of times but an insatiable hunger had arisen one that had not been present for many moons. Something was stirring beneath. A new found love of the sport? No surely not, he had never enjoyed 6 a side football but maybe this was the way to get back into the swing of the things? He didn't get the opportunity to explore the hunger further, after finishing university and moving back to Swindon from Bristol his football options were limited. He had applied that summer for a year long program working at Walt Disney World in Florida and surely there would be no place or time to play football in one of the hottest states in America?

After accepting his place on the program, it wasn't long before packing his bags and making the big move across the pond. Was Disney truly the place where magic happened?....

###

## Beercelona Career

### Season 1

After settling in to his new home in Orlando it was 4 months before the call up for Beercelona came. He had not played any football for over 6 months and was scouted by Leon Elliott and Ryan Buczman who worked in the youth academy at the Rose and Crown. They needed players and fast, they drafted him late one Wednesday to be a sub.In the hot humid heat of a October evening, something magic had happened. Dying, sweating from every orifice and barely able to talk, he felt the spark that had been missing for nearly 4 years. The joy of playing football with mates in a competitive league was something he had not felt in a long time. He was renewed. Every Wednesday from then on he vowed to play every game and give it his all. Beercelona struggled to match the fitness of many other teams and results would just no go their way. However he was part of the legendary team that secured their first point in a draw against Aztecas. He finished the season with most man of the match awards and was voted player of the year by his team mates. In a press release, he thanked his team mates for the honour and reserved special praise for his coach Peter Hannah who had shown faith in him, plucking in from the Rose and Crown academy and allowing him to renew the fire in his belly for football.

### Season 2

After a thrilling first season Butt had set himself the target of ensuring the teams first win. 3 games into the new season that first sweet taste of victory happened. 20th of January 2016 Beercelona vs No New Players needed was the fixture and Butt popped up with 2 goals to ensure a 2-1 victory. It was at this point he new he was back, everything seemed to click and what made football beautiful was understood. Putting blood, sweat and a few tears in to a 6 a side league, playing with mates for fun and the chance for a trophy just made sense. Beercelona won twice more that season and secured another draw. Progress was being made and a real bond was being formed between the team. Butt ended the season with 11 goals and won the award for top goal scorer and after the end of season awards party, plenty of sick on his suit trousers.

### Season 3

Season 3 was the last full season Andy Butt would get to play. After 3 seasons his program was coming to an end but vowed it would not be his last. He would ensure he would pull on the famous green and gold again one day soon. Season 3 was a vast improvement for the team of #3's picking up 5 wins along the way. A crowd funding campaign was set up for Butt and his team mate Conor Murdoch to play the last game of the season against Celebration Red Bulls in the El classico but unfortunately Butt and Murdoch were stranded in Houston. He ended his reign as a permanent Beercelona player during season 3, with 11 goals and 2 man of the match awards to his name for the season.

### Season 4 and 5

After returning home to the UK and the delightfully chavvy town of Swindon he joined a local 11a side and 6 a side team, vowing to never again lose the spark for football. However his heart lay with Beercelona and luckily a pre-booked holiday to Orlando during the month of October 16 allowed him to re-join the green and gold on loan for 3 matches. Allowing him to participate in Seasons 4 and 5. He still had never missed a season for Beercelona. In his final game he gave a post match press conference to the media, expressing his joy in his days playing for the team and how much promise there was in the future. He further spoke about the excellent job coach Peter Hannah was doing, constantly bringing in fresh youth team products and combining them with the experience of the seasoned veterans such as Squibbs and Webber.

### Season 6

After settling into a new job, Andrew Butt almost made an audacious last minute flight out to participate in Beercelona's 6th season to help with a depleted squad. A training course at work scuppered those plans for an emergency loan signing and the 6th season is looking like the first to not have Butt appear on any of the team sheets. Heartbroken.

### Future

The future for Andy Butt and Beercelona looks bright with another 3 game stint booked for the October of 2017 and other potential avenues for an appearance, it doesn't look like the fairy tale is over just yet. Coach Peter Hannah has left the door open for him and other Hall of Famers, signifying that any person that has been a #3 will always be a #3.

## **Beercelona Tally**

Honors: Player of the season, Top Goalscorer