Sutton United Confirm Surprise Exit

Sutton United narrowly avoided relegation from the National League, following a rocky season under Chris Agutter – and their retained list suggests the club are aiming to avoid a repeat next time around.

Agutter’s side finished the campaign in 19th, five points above the relegation zone though they ended with a run of just one victory within their remaining nine fixtures. Similarly, Sutton haven’t tasted a home league victory since they beat Wealdstone 3-0 back in February.

Since the 2025/26 season came to an end, several sides including Aldershot Town and Forest Green Rovers have already published their retained/release lists – with the club now becoming the eighth side to reveal theirs. You can check out the full list of all National League teams by clicking here.

Within Sutton’s, there is one exit in particular that appears to have generated the most noise.

Sutton United confirm shock exit

Throughout the National League release lists so far, there have been some surprise exits including Boston United‘s Matty Carson and Eastleigh’s Lloyd Humphries, and Sutton are no exception.

Despite their struggles on the pitch, the likes of loanee Kai Jennings and breakout star Charlie Bell have brought positivity to Agutter’s side, but the standout player this season has been midfielder Lewis Simper.

The 25-year-old has featured 47 times across all competitions for Sutton this season, three more than in the previous campaign. However, despite only playing three extra games, Simper has contributed to seven more goals – meaning his tally of contributions for the 2025/26 season is 20.

Unfortunately for Sutton, despite the improvement in his attacking output this season, Simper and the club will go their separate ways at the end of the campaign once his current deal comes to an end. This was confirmed via the club’s website, though no specific wording was given regarding the midfielder’s exit.

Simper has spent the last two seasons with Sutton United, contributing to double figures for goals and assists. Though it isn’t confirmed, the midfielder likely had his sights on trying to return to the EFL for the first time since leaving Cambridge United in 2024.

The midfielder is one of 12 players that has been released by Agutter’s side this summer. The full list is as follows;

• Siju Odelusi, Lewis Simper, Davide Rodari, Dillon De Silva, Eduino Vaz, Jack Wadham, David Aziaya, Jayden Harris, Alex Woodyard, Nana Boateng, Ashley Nadesan & Aaron Jones

Three other players have been transfer-listed whilst another two remain in talks regarding the possibility of a new contract.

How big of an exit is this for Sutton?

As mentioned, the 2025/26 season was a tough one for Sutton United, having undergone a managerial change as well as dealing with injuries to key players at key moments of the campaign – causing them to struggle building momentum.

Their longest unbeaten league run was only five matches long and that was back in November, something manager Chris Agutter is likely to want to improve on next season.

Simper was one of the club’s standout performers, earning his side 10 points alone which in itself would have been enough to see the club relegated to the National League South.

Losing him is likely to be a big setback for the club, but losing him without a fee makes the damage feel even worse. Even if his goal contributions are placed to the side, Simper has still featured in 44 of the 46 league matches, starting in 42 of those – becoming a key part of Agutter’s side.

Fortunately, the departure has occurred off-season, which gives Sutton the opportunity to recruit a replacement with time on their side – which is highly likely to soften the blow.