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Fullname: Benjamin Lloyd Phillip Hutchinson
aka: Ben Hutchison, Benjamin Hutchinson
Born: 27 Nov 1987
Birthplace: Nottingham, England
Height: 5′ 11” (180cm)
Signed: 31 Jan 2008
Left: 5 July 2011
Position: Forward
Debut: Celtic 3-0 Hearts, Premier League, 16 Feb 2008
Squad No.:
Internationals: n/a
Biog
For a while Ben Hutchinson looked to have missed the boat as a professional footballer. After knock-backs from Derby County and Notts County as a schoolboy he resolved to combine his job working at McDonald’s with playing in midfield for Nottinghamshire minnows Eastwood Town.
However, a summer 2005 move to Arnold Town facilitated a switch to a striking role which proved to be the making of the then seventeen year old. As he went nap in the early rounds of the FA Youth Cup he came to the attention of scouts from Premiership side Middlesbrough, who duly swooped with a deadline-day deal in January 2006.
After a spell in ‘Boro’s U18s, Hutchinson moved up to the reserve team the following season. He also spent part of 2006/07 loaned out to non-league Billingham Synthonia.
But it was in the early part of 2007/08 that injuries to Middlesbrough’s entire contingent of first choice hitmen – Mido, ex-Celt Jeremie Aliadiere, Lee and Tuncay – afforded Hutchinson his top team opportunity with the Teesiders.
A handful of promising performances, underscored by his prolific goalscoring in the reserves, prompted Celtic to offer a pre-contract which was accepted in January 2008. This was much to the consternation of Middlesbrough, who nevertheless allowed their man to move immediately for an undisclosed fee in the region of £250,000.
Meanwhile, despite Hutchinson’s eligibility for the Jamaican national team, the ‘Reggae Boyz’ manager John Barnes resisted the urge to call him up.
He won his debut in Gordon Strachan’s third season as manager, in a comfortable 3-0 victory, coming on as a late substitute. Thereafter he won only a handful of match appearances but always coming off the bench, too late to make any genuine impact. Albeit he did play in some notable fixtures, most notably in a 1-1 draw with Manchester Utd in the Champions League group stages at home. He also played in a 4-2 defeat v Rangers in August 2008, which in retrospect was a defeat that was to set the tone for what was to be a dire season for Celtic.
Ben Hutchinson battered in 15 goals in 13 reserve games in 2008/09 but was sent out on loan by incoming manager Tony Mowbray on the eve of the new season. Along with Simon Ferry he headed to Swindon Town but – unlike Ferry – he endured an unproductive spell in Wiltshire.
He returned to Celtic on 26 January 2010 with his future looking decidedly uncertain and was eventually loaned to Dundee on 1 February 2010. One goal in nine games followed as the Dark Blues’ promotion challenge faltered.
At the start of the 2010/11 campaign Hutchinson seemed a long way off a first team spot at Parkhead and a move away from the Hoops appeared increasingly inevitable. Must be added that Celtic were in a bit of a state which didn’t help.
On 18 August Chris Sutton took him to Lincoln City on a season-long loan. This after he had scored twice in a scratch Celtic side’s 4-1 pre-season friendly win over the English League Two minnows. This loan spell was no more successful than his previous loan spells at Swindon Town and Dundee, and it was reported that Lincoln attempted to end his loan spell early on several occasions.
In the summer of 2011 it looked likely that Ben Hutchinson’s long-term career lay away from Celtic Park, and in July 2011, it was announced Hutchinson had joined Kilmarnock on trial after being released by Celtic.
We wished him the best, he did fine in the reserves but wasn’t able to make the full step-up to the senior side.
He never reached any heights, and after a brief time at Kilmarnock he moved to Mansfield Town before moving into the lower tiers outwith of the Football League divisions.
Playing Career
| CLUB | FROM | TO | FEE | LEAGUE | Scottish Cup/FA Cup | LGE CUP | OTHER | ||||
| APPS | GLS | APPS | GLS | APPS | GLS | APPS | GLS | ||||
| Lincoln | 18-Aug-10 | 31-May-11 | Loan | 26 (10) | 4 | 2 (1) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 |
| Dundee | 01-Feb-10 | 31-May-10 | Loan | 5 (4) | 1 | 1 (0) | 1 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 |
| Swindon | 27-Aug-09 | 31-Dec-09 | Loan | 6 (4) | 1 | 2 (1) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 2 (0) | 0 |
| Celtic | 31-Jan-08 | 05-Jul-11 |
Signed | 0 (5) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 |
| Middlesbro | 01-Jul-07 | 31-Jan-08 | Trainee | 0 (8) | 1 | 1 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 |
Honours with Celtic
Scottish Premier League
Pictures
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Articles
By Nathan Jackson
February 4 2011
Today’s Lincolnshire Echo has revealed that despite several attempts to send him back, Celtic have refused to accept City’s request to cut short Ben Hutchinson’s loan spell. The striker hasn’t featured in recent squads following numerous poor performances.
Hutchinson has never won over the fans. He lack of goals, combined with what many deem to be a lack of effort bought a lot of negative attention his way, and it was safe to say it was never likely he would end up coming to Lincoln permanently.
He joined on a year long loan after scoring twice against the Imps in a friendly at Sincil Bank, and much like many Chris Sutton signings, it was a good signing on paper that inevitably turned out not to go as planned. Just four goals all season hasn’t been the return many had hoped and he has scored just eight goals in 63 games for us, Middlesbrough, Celtic, Swindon and Dundee, a record not too dissimilar to that of Lenell John-Lewis.
The striker last featured in the 2-1 defeat to Wycombe three weeks ago. Without him in the squad, the Imps have won the last four games.
Steve Tilson has tried sending him back to Celtic but Neil Lennon is refusing to take him back, saying he wants the striker to see out his loan spell at Sincil Bank. To be fair, it doesn’t benefit anyone with him staying here as the only way he’s going to play is if all the other strikers are injured.
from http://www.thefootballnetwork.net/main/s261/st166139.htm
Kilmarnock offer Ben Hutchinson further chance to impress Kilmarnock will take the former Celtic striker on their tour to Northern Ireland, to allow them to further examine the player.
Ben Hutchinson played 40 times for Lincoln City last season on loan, scoring four times for the English club.
The 23-year-old Englishman has been offered use of the training facilities at Rugby Park, but will be allowed further opportunity to win a deal with the club when they face Linfield, Ballamena and Coleraine in Kenny Shiels’ home country.
The Kilmarnock boss told the Daily Record: “I’m looking forward to working with Ben. I believe he has something to offer.
“We are trying to build up his fitness and get the best out of him. He has the potential.
“He will get the chance to show what he can do during the three games and there may also be another trialist joining us later in the week.”
Hutchinson was brought to Celtic from Middlesbrough as a highly rated 20-year-old, but made only five appearances for the club and was sent on loan spells to Swindon Town, Dundee and Lincoln City. He was released by the Hoops at the end of the 2010/11 season.