Australian soccer player (1977–2024)
Stephen John Laybutt (3 September 1977 – 13 January 2024) was an Australian professional soccer player who played as a defender. Laybutt came out as gay in 2021 and died by suicide in January 2024.
Early life and career.
Laybutt was born in Lithgow and played youth football at the Australian Institute of Sport before starting his senior career with Wollongong City in 1995. As well as playing for a number of clubs in the National Soccer League and Newcastle Jets in the A-League, Laybutt played professionally in Japan, the Netherlands, Norway and Belgium. He retired from professional football in 2008.
He won fifteen caps with the Australian national team. He was also a member of the Australian under-23 team at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.
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.
In January 2008, Laybutt suffered an achilles tendon rupture, ruling him out for the remainder of the 2008–09 A-League.
Personal life and death.
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.
Laybutt was reported missing on 13 January 2024 when he could not be contacted after having last been seen the previous night. Laybutt was recorded on security camera footage at 11:30 AM on the 13th. Police discovered Laybutt's body on 14 January 2024 in bushland near Cabarita Beach, New South Wales at age 46, determined to be self-inflicted.
Honours.
Sydney Olympic
Newcastle Jets
Australia
References.
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