Prutton: David Thomas Michael (David)

2007-2010 (Player Details)

Midfield

Born: Hull: 12-09-1981

Debut: Macclesfield Town (a): 14-08-2007

6’1” 11st 6lb (2007)

Prutton was educated at Hymers College Hull and represented England at Youth level. He was once considered a future England star and had represented England at Under-Twenty-one level twenty-five times. He initially came through the hugely successful Nottingham Forest youth system and made one hundred and fifty-five appearances for the club, including two as a substitute. Having starred for Forest and in the England Under-Twenty-one squad, the versatile midfielder was signed by Southampton, then of the EPL, on the final day of the transfer window on 31st January 2003 for £2.5 million. Prutton played across the midfield and at right-back for Southampton, and despite being a very important player in the 2002-03 season, he missed out on the FA Cup Final as he was cup-tied, having played for Forest against West Ham in the Third Round. In the 2003-04 Prutton featured heavily for Southampton, playing thirty games and scored one goal, against Charlton Athletic, on the last day of the season. However, the 2004-05 campaign was one to forget, despite scoring two goals and playing twenty-eight games in all competitions. Following Southampton's home game with Arsenal on 26th February 2005, Prutton was charged by the FA on two counts for the events following his red card for a tackle on Robert Pires. The first was for his failure to leave the field of play promptly following his dismissal and for attempting to remonstrate with the assistant referee, during which he pushed the referee on at least one occasion. The second charge related to his threatening words and/or behaviour towards a match official. Prutton was handed a ten-match ban and fined £6,000 after admitting the two charges of improper conduct. Prutton returned on the final day of the season for Southampton's game against Manchester United, which they needed to win to stay in the Premiership. Southampton lost the game 2-1 and were relegated to the Football League Championship. In 2005-06 the midfielder's season was marred by a broken metatarsal which he picked up in September against Queens Park Rangers. A lack of first team opportunities forced him to look elsewhere and in January 2007 he left Southampton to return to Forest. In total he played ninety-four games for the Saints, nineteen as a substitute, scoring five goals. Narrowly beating the transfer deadline, Prutton re-joined his old club in January 2007 on loan until the end of the season, with a view to a permanent move if Forest were promoted. Prutton scored his first Forest goal since returning to the club against Brentford in a League match, heading in the first of Forest's four second half goals to inspire a fightback that would win Forest the game 4-2, despite being 2-0 down after fifty minutes. He was sent-off in the ninetieth minute of the League One play-off Semi-Final second leg match against Yeovil Town on 18th May 2007, leaving Forest with ten-men for extra-time. With no offer from Forest forthcoming, after his thirteen games, two of which were from the bench, he was released by Southampton on 23rd May 2007. Prutton joined Leeds United on trial during pre-season 2007 and officially joined the club on 7th August 2007. Prutton scored his first goal for Leeds against Swansea City on 22nd September 2007 in a 2-0 victory as Leeds notched up their seventh consecutive victory. Prutton generally played in a right midfield role during Dennis Wise’s rule at the club. When Gary McAllister became manager, Prutton was moved to his natural centre midfield role and put in several ‘man of the match’ performances. He was one of Leeds' most consistant performers in the 2007-08 campaign having started in over forty matches. In August 2008 he signed a contract extension until June 2010. After Simon Grayson became Leeds United Manager Prutton became a peripheral figure in Leeds United's first team squads, but made the bench regularly and came on as a substitute in some of Leeds' games in the 2009-10 season. On 26th January 2010 he was allowed to join Colchester United on loan for one month. He was released from his contract by Leeds on 1st February 2010 and joined Colchester on a permanent basis, until the end of the season. He scored three goals in eighteen League starts and one from the bench. On 5th July 2010 he signed for Swindon Town on a two year contract. He joined up once more with former Leeds players David Lucas and Jonathan Douglas.