Stephen Laybutt (3 September 1977 – 13 January 2024) was an Australian footballer.[2]
 Laybutt training with Newcastle Jets | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Stephen John Laybutt | ||
| Date of birth | 3 September 1977 | ||
| Place of birth | Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia | ||
| Date of death | 13 January 2024 (aged 46)[1] | ||
| Place of death | Cabarita Beach, New South Wales, Australia | ||
| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2+1⁄2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre Back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1994–1995 | AIS | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1995–1997 | Wollongong Wolves | 29 | (2) |
| 1997–1999 | Brisbane Strikers | 68 | (6) |
| 1999 | Bellmare Hiratsuka | 10 | (0) |
| 1999–2000 | Parramatta Power | 7 | (1) |
| 2000–2002 | Feyenoord | 0 | (0) |
| 2000–2001 | →RBC Roosendaal (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2001 | →Lyn Oslo (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2002 | Sydney Olympic | 12 | (1) |
| 2002–2003 | Brisbane Strikers | 22 | (1) |
| 2003–2004 | Excelsior Mouscron | 30 | (1) |
| 2004–2007 | Gent | 70 | (1) |
| 2007–2008 | Newcastle Jets | 10 | (0) |
| 2009–2010 | Dandaloo FC | ||
| International career‡ | |||
| 1998–2000 | Australia U-23 | 14 | (1) |
| 2000–2004 | Australia | 15 | (1) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17 January 2008 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17 September 2007 | |||
Playing career
Laybutt was released by Dutch side Feyenoord in January 2002 to return to Australia, following a loan spell at Lyn Oslo, due to a lack of first team opportunities.[3]
In January 2008, Laybutt suffered an achilles tendon rupture, ruling him out for the remainder of the 2008–09 A-League.[4]
Personal life
Following his playing career, Laybutt came out as gay. As of 2021, Laybutt worked in the rehab unit at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney. There, he met patient Ian Pavey, to whom he donated a kidney.[5]
Laybutt was reported missing on 13 January 2024 when he could not be contacted after having last been seen the previous night.[1] Police discovered his body on 14 January 2024 in bushland near Cabarita Beach, New South Wales.[1]
Club statistics
| Club performance | League | Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Japan | League | Emperor's Cup | J.League Cup | Total | ||||||
| 1999 | Bellmare Hiratsuka | J1 League | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Total | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | ||
National team statistics
| Australia national team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2000 | 8 | 1 |
| 2001 | 2 | 0 |
| 2002 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 1 | 0 |
| 2004 | 4 | 0 |
| Total | 15 | 1 |
- Australia score listed first, score column indicates score after each Laybutt goal[7]
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 23 February 2000 | Üllői úti stadion, Budapest, Hungary | 4 |  Hungary |
1–0 | 3–0 | Friendly | [7] |
Honours
With Australia:
With Sydney Olympic:
- NSL Championship: 2001-2002
References
- ^ a b c Green, Eli (15 January 2024). "Body of missing ex-Socceroo found in NSW bush after frantic search". news.com.au. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
- ^ Valentine, Renee (7 September 2007). "Dutchy urges understudies to seize the moment". The Newcastle Herald. p. 68.
- ^ "Feyenoord en Stephen Laybutt uit elkaar" [Feyenoord and Stephen Laybutt separate]. Feyenoord (in Dutch). 8 January 2002. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
- ^ Gardiner, James (15 January 2008). "Laybutt tear exposes Achilles heel at back". The Newcastle Herald. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
- ^ Webster, Andrew (10 December 2021). "'I want to give you a kidney': The gay Socceroo whose text message saved a life". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
- ^ Stephen Laybutt at National-Football-Teams.com
- ^ a b "Australia smash Hungary 3–0". Socceroos. 25 February 2000. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
External links
- Oz Football profile
- Stephen Laybutt at National-Football-Teams.com
- Stephen Laybutt at J.League (archive) (in Japanese)
