Scott Wootton
Scott Wootton | |
|---|---|
| Born | Scott James Wootton September 12, 1991 Birkenhead, England |
| Occupation | Professional footballer |
| Years active | 2005–present |
| Known for | Defender for Perth Glory, former England U17 international |
Scott James Wootton (born 12 September 1991) is a professional footballer from England who currently serves as a defender for Perth Glory in the A-League. He has also represented the England U17 team on three occasions.
Manchester United
Originating from Birkenhead, Wootton started his football journey with Tranmere Rovers before transferring to Liverpool at the age of 13. After making his first appearance for the under-18 squad at just 14, he moved to Manchester United two years later. During the 2009–10 season, he captained the academy team and became a consistent figure in the reserves throughout 2010–11.
On 30 September 2010, Wootton was loaned to Tranmere Rovers for one month, marking his debut with a goal in a 1–1 draw against Brighton. He participated in five matches before returning for a second loan stint on 25 November, where he netted his first confirmed league goal versus Leyton Orient on 11 December.
Wootton’s senior debut for Manchester United came in May 2011 during Gary Neville's testimonial match, entering as a substitute in the 85th minute. On 1 July 2011, he joined fellow player Ryan Tunnicliffe on loan at Peterborough United. His first appearance was on 20 August in a commanding 7–1 victory over Ipswich Town. This loan was cut short on 23 January 2012.
On transfer deadline day, 31 January 2012, Wootton secured another loan move, this time to Championship side Nottingham Forest until the conclusion of the season.
Sporting the number 31 jersey, Wootton made his official competitive debut for Manchester United’s first team on 26 September 2012 during a League Cup match against Newcastle United, which ended in victory. Shortly thereafter, on 2 October, he made his first appearance in the UEFA Champions League, coming off the bench in a win over CFR Cluj. On 31 October, he was part of the starting lineup for a League Cup fixture against Chelsea, where he conceded a late penalty that led to extra time.
On 9 January 2013, Wootton returned to Peterborough United on loan alongside teammate Davide Petrucci. He scored on his debut but sustained a hamstring injury that prematurely ended his loan period, resulting in an early return to Manchester United.
Leeds United
Wootton transferred to Championship club Leeds United on 20 August 2013, signing a three-year deal valued at £1 million.<ref> Assigned the number 22 shirt for the 2013–14 campaign, he remarked that joining a club of Leeds' stature "was an easy decision".<ref> He made his debut on 27 August in the League Cup, scoring in a 3–1 victory over Doncaster Rovers.<ref> His league debut followed on 31 August against Queens Park Rangers.
After summer departures including Tom Lees, Wootton fell to fifth choice centre-back behind new additions Giuseppe Bellusci, Liam Cooper, and Dario Del Fabro, as well as captain Jason Pearce. On 27 November 2014, he went on loan to Rotherham United until January 2015.<ref> Despite impressive performances during this spell, Leeds owner Massimo Cellino blocked a permanent move on 15 January, leading to Wootton's return to Leeds where he immediately re-entered the starting eleven.<ref>
In the following season, Wootton became Leeds' regular right-back in their preferred 4–2–3–1 setup. He extended his contract by one year on 23 February.<ref> For the 2015–16 season, he was given the number 4 shirt.<ref> On 12 August, under manager Uwe Rösler, Wootton played as a defensive midfielder during a League Cup tie against Doncaster that ended with Leeds losing on penalties after a 1–1 draw; he conceded a penalty in the first half.<ref>
On 20 February 2016, Wootton scored an own goal in a narrow FA Cup exit against Premier League side Watford, which knocked Leeds out of the tournament.<ref> His final appearance for Leeds came on 7 May in a match that finished 1–1 against Preston North End.<ref>
Reports emerged on 10 May that Wootton would be released amid uncertainty surrounding his contract extension signed in February 2015; although it was believed to extend until 2017, it was never officially completed.<ref>
Milton Keynes Dons
On 5 August 2016, Wootton committed to a two-year contract with League One outfit Milton Keynes Dons. He made his first appearance on 9 August 2016, captaining the side as a centre back in a 3–2 triumph over Newport County in the EFL Cup. Later, on 20 August, he netted a decisive goal in the 95th minute, securing a 1–0 league win against Rochdale.
Unfortunately, on 30 August 2016, during an EFL Trophy fixture versus Barnet, Wootton sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which ruled him out for an estimated nine months. He made his comeback on 5 August 2017 facing Wigan Athletic, though he was sent off in a narrow 1–0 loss.
Plymouth Argyle
After departing Milton Keynes Dons, Wootton inked a deal with League One club Plymouth Argyle on 1 July 2018. Despite an injury-affected debut season and the team’s relegation, the 2019–20 League Two campaign saw a significant improvement in his performances. Assigned the number 5 jersey, he established himself as a vital right-sided centre half within a 3–5–2 system, scoring his inaugural goal for Argyle in a 2–2 draw against Oldham Athletic on 7 September 2019.
Plymouth achieved promotion by finishing third in League Two based on points per game (PPG). Wootton renewed his contract with the club on 25 June 2020. Subsequently, on 1 February 2021, he moved to League One side Wigan Athletic on loan until season’s end. During this spell, he scored a stoppage-time winner in a 2–1 success over Bristol Rovers on 23 February. At the conclusion of the 2020–21 season, Plymouth Argyle released him.
Morecambe
On 10 August 2021, Wootton agreed to a one-year contract with League One team Morecambe. His contract was mutually terminated on 7 January 2022 at his and his agent’s request.
Wellington Phoenix
Following his departure from Morecambe, Wootton signed with A-League club Wellington Phoenix on 7 January 2022 for the remainder of their campaign. He scored his first goal for Wellington Phoenix in a commanding 3–0 victory over Brisbane Roar on 16 February 2022. On 24 March 2022, the club extended his contract by three seasons.
Perth Glory
In May 2025, Wootton relocated to Australia by signing a two-year deal with Perth Glory. He made his debut against his former club Wellington Phoenix during the Round of 32 in the Australia Cup 2025.
International career
Wootton represented England at under-17 level, earning three caps during the 2007 Nordic Championships.
Career statistics
...| Club | Season | League | National cup | League Cup | Other[lower-alpha 1] | Total | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||||||||||
| Manchester United | 2010–11 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||
| 2011–12 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||
| 2012–13 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |||||||||||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| Tranmere Rovers (loan) | 2010–11 | League One | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 1 | ||||||||||
| Peterborough United (loan) | 2011–12 | Championship | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 14 | 0 | |||||||||||
| Nottingham Forest (loan) | 2011–12 | Championship | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 13 | 0 | |||||||||||
| Peterborough United (loan) | 2012–13 | Championship | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 1 | |||||||||||
| Leeds United | 2013–14 | Championship | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 23 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2014–15 | Championship | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 25 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2015–16 | Championship | 23 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 26!! | Total !66 | 3 | 5 | 1 | — | 74 | 1 | ||||||
| Rotherham United (loan) | 2014–15 | Championship | 7 | — | 7 | |||||||||||||||||
| Milton Keynes Dons | 2016–17 | League One | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | |||||||||||||
| 2017–18 | League One | 38 | 3 | 2 | 42 | |||||||||||||||||
| Total | 39 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 46 | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| Plymouth Argyle | 2018–19 | League One | 24 | 2 | 26 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2019–20 | League Two | 35 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 42 !!1 | |||||||||||||||
| 2020–21 | League One | 10 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 16 | ||||||||||||||||
| Total | 54 | 1 | 5 | ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ !5 | ¯ !5 | ¯ !84 | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| Wigan Athletic (loan) | 202021 Wigan Athletic FC Season | League One | 13 !!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!! !!!! | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career total | 316 | 9 | 20 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 364 | 10 | ||||||||||||
Honours
- Individual Achievements
- Included in the PFA A-League Team of the Season for the 2023–24 campaign
- Selected as an A-Leagues All Star participant in the 2024 A-Leagues All Stars Men game
External links
- Official Profile on ManUtd.com
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- Pages with script errors
- Articles with short description
- Articles with hCards
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- 1991 births
- Living people
- People educated at St. Anselm's College
- Footballers from Birkenhead
- English men's footballers
- Men's association football defenders
- England men's youth international footballers
- Liverpool F.C. players
- Manchester United F.C. players
- Tranmere Rovers F.C. players
- Peterborough United F.C. players
- Nottingham Forest F.C. players
- Leeds United F.C. players
- Milton Keynes Dons F.C. players
- Plymouth Argyle F.C. players
- Wigan Athletic F.C. players
- Rotherham United F.C. players
- Morecambe F.C. players
- Wellington Phoenix FC players
- Perth Glory FC players
- English Football League players
- A-League Men players
- A-League Men All-Stars
- English expatriate men's footballers
- Expatriate men's soccer players in Australia
- English expatriate sportspeople in Australia
- 21st-century English sportsmen
- Pages with reference errors