Such has been Sam's impact on National League One with Rochdale it is
difficult to see why it took until he was 25 years old to be spotted by a
professional club.
Having played at Rochdale Mayfield in the National Conference and for
Kirkholt and Spotland Rangers in the North West Counties Leagues alongside
brother Ben, it was in 2002 when Butterworth started to make headlines as a
real cut and thrust stand-off with sparkling footwork, an eye for the gap
and a touch of the unorthodox.
He moved to Spotland Rangers in 2002 and then on to Mayfield for the start
for the 2003-04 amateur season.
By December, Butterworth had dazzled the competition with his array of
skills and looked set to finish top point scorer as tries and goals came
thick and fast.
With Bobbie Goulding taking on the gargantuan task of restoring Rochdale
Hornets following a close season that had seen Martin Hall depart along with
every player, few tipped Rochdale to recover. How wrong were they to be?
Sam quickly became a Hornets hero, a favourite in the eyes of a crowd that
saw him as one of their own.
In his first season with Hornets he played in 24 games, some at centre, some
at stand-off and 13 from the bench. In total he scored 8 tries, six goals
and a drop goal. His first try for Hornets came in a 60-24 Challenge Cup win
over Dinamo Moscow and he later inherited goal-kicking duties in an Arriva
Trains Cup tie at Hunslet, booting 4 goals and a drop goal in addition to
prompting his side to a 37-6 win alongside John Braddish.
2005 saw Sam score some great tries and he finished the season with 9
touchdowns in 20 appearances, often helping to turn a game from the bench
with a break, pass or kick.
His great enthusiasm is a major asset and last season he scored five tries
(including one in the Centurions narrow 29-28 win at Spotland) and kicked
two goals to take him past 100 points for Hornets.
He returned to Mayfield in October and quickly set Division One of the
National Conference alight with a series of sparkling displays that saw him
amass 7 tries and 22 goals.
With a direct attacking style and a "neat box of tricks" according to former
team-mate turned football manager Darren Shaw, he could prove an ace in
Leigh's squad this season.
