[6] Sutton started his career as a professional footballer at Norwich City, initially as a centre-half before being converted into a striker by manager Dave Stringer.
[7] In Stringer's final season as manager, 1991–92, when Norwich reached the FA Cup semi-finals, Sutton gradually broke into the first team.
Sutton featured in 38 Premier League games that season, scoring eight goals, which made him the club's second-highest scorer behind Mark Robins.
[7] In the autumn of 1993, Sutton was part of the side that eliminated Bayern Munich from the UEFA Cup, while he scored 25 Premier League goals in the 1993/94 season.
[10] In his first season at Ewood Park, he developed a partnership (known as 'SAS') with Alan Shearer and scored 15 Premier League goals, helping Blackburn Rovers to secure their first top-league title since 1914.
Sutton regained his form over the next three seasons, achieving joint highest goalscoring place in the Premier League in 1997–98, by scoring 18 times.
Late in the game, with The Gunners leading by a single goal, the ball was kicked out of play by Arsenal to allow an injured teammate to receive treatment.
[29] Sutton holds the record for the quickest goal ever in an Old Firm clash, scored at Ibrox in 2002, hitting the net inside of 18 seconds.
[30] Sutton's nature came to the fore again at the end of the 2002–03 season when he accused Dunfermline Athletic of "lying down", in order for Celtic to lose the title.
He received for the non-apology statement a one-match ban to add to the four-match suspension he was serving for abusing match officials on the same day.
On occasion, Sutton was fielded in his original position of centre-half, notably against Rangers in a league game on 4 October 2003, which Celtic won 1–0.
Sutton joined Premier League club Birmingham City in January 2006,[38] but injuries restricted him to just eleven appearances and one goal, scored in the derby defeat to Aston Villa in mid-April.
[39][40] One of a number of players on high wages subjected to criticism by club owner David Sullivan, Sutton was released at the end of the season following Birmingham's relegation to the Championship.
[41][42] In October 2006, Sutton signed until the end of the 2006–07 season with Birmingham City's arch rivals Aston Villa, managed by former Celtic boss Martin O'Neill.
Sutton's form for Blackburn won him an England cap on 15 November 1997, when he came on in the 79th minute against Cameroon, although he was left out of the World Cup squad after a fall-out with national manager Glenn Hoddle.
[49] On 28 September 2009, Sutton was appointed manager of League Two side Lincoln City, succeeding Peter Jackson who was dismissed earlier in the month.
Football League survival was confirmed on 24 April 2010 when Sutton guided the Imps to a 1–0 victory over promotion-chasing Bury at Sincil Bank, with two games remaining.