13th September 1952

Warrington, Lancashire

Full-Back

Originally with Wolves, John Rutter played around thirty league games for Exeter City in the mid-1970s after joining the club from Bournemouth. He left to sign for Stockport County for whom he made over 400 league appearances.

An apprentice at Wolverhampton Wanderers, Rutter signed his first full contract in September 1970 but never played a league game for the club. He had to wait until his move the AFC Bournemouth in August 1973 where he featured in four league games.

Rutter was signed on a free transfer by Exeter City in July 1974 and he made his league debut for the Grecians in a 1-0 defeat at Barnsley on the opening day of the season. He was a regular in the team until he was injured the following February.

Following his release by Exeter City at the end of the 1974-75 season, he wrote to a number of north west clubs asking for a trial. Stockport County took him up on his offer and remarkably he went on to make 404 league appearances (scoring ten goals) during a ten-year stay at Edgeley Park. With his career over he took up a post with a property company but, after just six months, he assumed the role of commercial nanager with Stockport County and remained in the job until June 2008.

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