DAVID PLATT - ENGLAND HERO

STUART STEELYARD LOOKS BACK AT THE INCREDIBLE CAREER OF THE GOALSCORING MIDFIELDER...

- STUART STEELYARD

SPOTTED playing at his local side Chadderton, David Platt signed on as an apprentice at Manchester United before turning professional at the age of 18 for the start of the 1984-85 season.

Unfortunately, by February of that campaign, Platt was let go by United without playing a competitive game. It was a tough decision for the manager Ron Atkinson, who didn’t want to lose him, but simply had too many big names in his squad ahead of Platt in the pecking order.

An initial loan move to Crewe Alexandra of the Fourth Division was made permanent not long after, following some heavy persuasion by manager Dario Gradi.

Atkinson himself admits the mistake as he knew Platt was going to make it. As he left Old Trafford, Big Ron said to the midfielder: “When you get an England cap, remember what I told you. Just keep working hard. I’ve always liked you cos you worked hard.” Platt never forgot those words.

For a player to drop three divisions like Platt did must have taken huge belief in his own ability to be back in the top flight one day. He knuckled down and quickly established himself as box-to-box, free-scoring midfielder.

In the 1986-87 season, Platt scored an incredible 22 goals in 43 league games.

By the time he left Crewe – nearly three years to the day since he signed – he had tallied 61 goals in 163 matches in all competitions. Even though there were still three months of the season to go, Gradi got the right offer of £200,000 for his star man. That bid came from Aston Villa, who were going for promotion from the Second Division.