Bristol Rovers In March 2017, Dutton was appointed under-23 assistant coach and overseas scout at League One club
Bristol Rovers. before he was appointed assistant manager at
Walsall a week later where he would again be working alongside
Darrell Clarke and
Marcus Stewart. He became Walsall's head coach in February 2021 after Clarke joined
Port Vale. His first match in charge, at home to
Cheltenham Town, resulted in a 1–2 defeat. Dutton inherited the most inexperienced squad in all four English divisions but was particularly commended for the courage he showed by blooding many youngsters into the Walsall team. He gave league debuts to
Sam Perry,
Tom Leak and
Joe Willis. High-profile former Walsall players such as
Elijah Adebayo paid tribute to Dutton and his ability to nurture and develop.
Adebayo was quoted saying "Dutton brought me to the football club and Dutts was the main figurehead, not only in training but off the field stuff, checking up on me, giving me little bits of advice, and telling me how I can make the next step up."
Adebayo spoke of Dutton being a mentor as well as a coach during his time at Walsall. Many aspects of Walsall's game improved under Dutton. Defensively the team's clean sheet ratio went from 1 in 9 games to 1 in 3 games and their goals conceded per game ratio reduced significantly. The lack of firepower from the inexperienced squad was a major issue and eventually cost Dutton his job despite the improvements. On 10 May 2021 Walsall parted company with Dutton with Walsall's Chairman Leigh Pomlett saying, "Chairmen often say, 'I made that decision with a heavy heart' and I'm never absolutely convinced they always mean it, on this occasion I can assure you I do, because Brian stepped up to the plate when he didn't need to when Darrell left. He pretty much achieved a lot of the things I wanted him to achieve, particularly with the young players coming through. With the way he dealt with the players, with the courage he showed and the resilience he showed. A lot of the qualities I looks for in human beings that are part of this football club, Brian Dutton has got. Brian did all that he could possibly do at this football club in the few months that he was here, I have nothing but praise for him and I wish him all the best wherever he goes, and I suspect one day he might surface as quite a force and I certainly hope that he does, we all owe him a debt of gratitude." On 10 May 2021, after the season was concluded,
Walsall announced that they were parting ways with Dutton. In July 2022, Dutton left the club for family reasons.
Salisbury On 14 October 2022, Dutton was appointed manager of one of his former clubs
Salisbury following the departure of long-serving manager
Steve Claridge. Dutton oversaw the remainder of the season with largely the same squad inherited from Claridge, finishing in fifteenth position. In his
first full season in charge, the club finished in third position, defeating
AFC Totton on penalties in the play-off final to earn promotion to the
National League South, their first season at the level since the club's reformation. ==Personal life==