After his release that summer he signed for Rochdale as team captain and helped the club improve under Danny Bergara after a shaky start.
Sutton was finally given a permanent appointment that summer and crucially, permission to spend the bulk of the £200,000 received from the sale of goalkeeper Keith Welch which meant a mass clear out and the arrival of players such as record signing Andy Flounders and inspirational defender Alan Reeves.
Expensive signings such as Paul Williams and Darren Oliver had not been successful and Reeves and goalkeeper Martin Hodge left the club.
Sutton did not replace them quickly enough and after a run of heavy defeats he left the club by mutual consent at the end of November 1994.
He resigned the post after 18 months, citing work commitments with the market gardening business he ran in partnership with his father.