Get an in-depth look into Sutton’s newest recruit, Toby Byron.
Toby Byron has proven to be the epitome of someone who has utilised the non-league pyramid, having completed his rise from Step Three to Step One in less than a season; his move to Gander Green Lane being a notable milestone in his career as it sees him rejoin a side he briefly spent his academy years with.
Hailing from Watford, Byron’s path to the National League began in the youth setup at Luton Town, where he rose up to the Under-18s where he was a regular, notably during the 2018/19 campaign, and was rewarded with senior exposure away from Kenilworth Road, joining Hitchin Town on a work experience loan during the backend of the season.
Then just 17-years old, Byron arrived at Top Field with Mark Burke’s Canaries sat 18th in Evo-Stik Southern Premier League Central, having also reached the first round of the Emirates FA Cup earlier on the campaign, and spent a month in North Hertfordshire.
He subsequently exited Bedfordshire at the end of his scholarship while still a teenager, with the Hatters opting against offering him a pro deal. Byron instead made the decision to make a permanent switch into non-league, initially joining the youth setup at Sutton in the 2019/20 campaign following a successful trial in which he was spotted by scouts from the U’s. After playing in one first team pre-season friendly against Sutton Common Rovers, the U’s winning 4-2, he got the opportunity to train and travel with Matt Gray’s first team, before appearing competitively for the first time in the Surrey Senior Cup.
Byron formed an assured central defensive partnership with Jeremiah Gyebi against Horley Town, with Tommy Wright returning after ten months on the sidelines to put the finishing touches on a 3-0 win over the Clarets, alongside a brace from current Yeovil Town forward Aaron Jarvis, and followed this up with another first team call-up in the subsequent round against Leatherhead. He was notably involved in almost a bizarre second goal for the home side when a through ball squirmed out of Christian Mbeta’s grasp under a challenge from Ezra Ikebuasi, whose cross was then almost turned in to his own net by Byron, the ball hitting the outside of the post, with the Tanners otherwise eliminating the U’s from the competition with a 3-0 win of their own.
This otherwise proved to be his only contributions in amber and chocolate, having joined Hendon on a dual-registration deal prior to his two competitive appearances for Sutton. He subsequently embarked on his first taste of consistent senior football with the Isthmian League stalwarts, quickly becoming a favourite amongst supporters with his all-action performances at left back in his five appearances for the club, having debuted at home to Salisbury, before departing Silver Jubilee Park for Hertford Town in November 2019.
He remained at Hertingfordbury Park until the end of the campaign before rejoining Hendon in September 2020, with Lee Allinson boosting his defensive options ahead of a clash with Walton Casuals, and saw Byron continue to impress at centre half and full back, leading to his displays seeing him rewarded with a new deal, putting pen to paper on terms for the 2021/22 season.
This was followed by a brief switch to Colney Heath, and later a venture abroad, moving to Greece with a year at Ermis Meligous, before spending six months with French side US Ivry, where he continued to develop his game with valuable experience in different styles and environments while expanding his exposure to European football.
A tough-tackling and aerially dominant central defender who is equally adept at left-back, the 24-year old later returned to England with Hornchurch in July 2023, contributing a bit-part role in the Urchins’ promotion out of the Isthmian League Premier Division as champions to secure a place in the National League South for the first time since their reformation in 2005, last competing in the sixth tier – then the Conference South – as Hornchurch AFC in 2004/05. Byron spent just a few months in Upminster before exiting the club in November 2023 to join Folkestone Invicta, a place he would call home for the remainder of the campaign, before enjoying perhaps his best season on a personal note with Wingate & Finchley the following year.
Having become one of the first signings made by Ahmet Rifat ahead of 2024/25, Byron went on to enjoy an excellent season which saw him claim the Supporters’ Player of the Season and Manager’s Player of the Season awards, and in total made 45 appearances for the Blues, contributing to eight clean sheets and scoring his only goal for the club in a 3-1 win over Whitehawk.
As such, Wingate accepted an undisclosed fee from National League South side Worthing last summer, with Agutter describing him as a young, hungry and talented footballer with the right mentality, and led to the 24-year old going to play a key role in the Rebels’ title challenge.
He opened his account with a goal in the 5-0 mauling of then-leaders Hornchurch on the last Saturday in November, powering in a header at the back post from a left-side corner to extend their lead to 3-0, before turning provider when he found space on the flank before picking out Brad Dolaghan, who shifted the ball onto his left and drove a low shot across goal beyond Arthur Nasta to make it four.
Byron went on to be nominated for the Enterprise National League South Player of the Month Award in December, and ended 2025 with another impressive goal against Farnborough, dancing his way in from the left hand side before slotting past Jack Turner from the edge of the box with his weaker right foot, with his display against the Yellows seeing him named in the division’s Team of the Week after a goal and a clean sheet.
He was subsequently named as Worthing’s Player of the Month for December, and has gone on to appear 38 times in all competitions, before opting to make the decision to leave the title chasing Rebels for Sutton ahead of this Thursday’s transfer deadline.
