Blackburn Rovers Born in
Manchester, Butterworth began his career with the club he supported,
Manchester United, before he joined
Blackburn Rovers on a scholarship midway through the 2015–16 season. He turned professional upon signing a two-year
contract in October 2017 after he scored 16 goals in 36 appearances for
Damien Johnson's development squad. He made his senior debut at
Ewood Park on 28 August 2018, coming on as a 72nd-minute
substitute for
Danny Graham in a 4–1 victory over
Lincoln City in the
EFL Cup. He signed a new long-term deal in March the following year, keeping him at the club until June 2022. He made his
Championship debut on 22 April, playing the last 14 minutes of a 1–0 home win over
Bolton Wanderers. He featured just once in the next two seasons, playing as a substitute in a 1–0 defeat at
Stoke City on 19 December 2020.
Manager Tony Mowbray said that Butterworth "will burst onto the scene in the next year and everyone is going to think 'wow, who's that?'" He made his first start in the
English Football League on 19 October 2021, in a 1–0 defeat at
Queens Park Rangers. On 31 January 2022, he joined
League One side
Fleetwood Town on
loan for the remainder of the
2021–22 season. He scored his first goal in senior football in a 3–2 defeat at
Burton Albion on 12 March, scoring with his first touch after entering the game as a substitute. He made five starts and seven substitute appearances for
Stephen Crainey's "Cod Army", helping Fleetwood to retain their third tier status with a 20th-place finish. Manager
Darrell Clarke compared him to the club's number nine,
James Wilson, for his link up play. On 29 October, he scored his first goal for the club to secure a 1–0 victory over
Lincoln City at
Vale Park. He scored his second league goal of the campaign on 19 November, the club website describing how he "produced a beautiful second half solo goal" to beat
Charlton Athletic 1–0. Butterworth said after the game that "this is the best I have felt in a long time". Blackburn Rovers released him at the end of his contract after seven years with the club.
Carlisle United On 14 July 2023, Butterworth joined newly-
promoted League One side
Carlisle United on a
free transfer, signing a two-year deal. He scored four goals from 33 games in the
2023–24 season as the club were relegated. He then told manager
Paul Simpson he wanted to leave in order to find first-team football. Upon leaving
Brunton Park, he stated that his spell in
Cumbria did not go well due to "things behind closed doors".
Swindon Town On 30 August 2024, Butterworth signed for fellow League Two club
Swindon Town on a two-year deal. He said he joined the club because he felt wanted by manager
Mark Kennedy. He scored his first goal for the "Robins" on 7 September, where his 98th-minute equaliser secured a 1–1 draw at
Barrow. After Butterworth claimed his fourth goal of the season in a 5–1 win at
Carlisle United on 1 February, new manager
Ian Holloway said he was "so instrumental when we're attacking.... if he gets more consistent he'll get picked more consistently". He ended the
2024–25 campaign with six goals in 40 games. However, he was sidelined four months after he picked up a hamstring injury in October. He underwent surgery, with Holloway explaining that "one of the three strands has completely ruptured, the other two are still intact". He suffered a setback in his recovery in February. He underwent a second operation the following month. ==Style of play==