I think anyone who watched the game yesterday would have realised what an integral part of our team & recent success young Dele Alli has been.
His movement, strength & power were definitely missed as the team looked a little devoid of energy in the match.
Anyway onto the title of this post. Why give credit to David Pleat??
Well apparently Pleat virtually had a season ticket at StadiumMK, attending every home game & a good number of the away matches, just to watch Dele and his progress.
His recommendation persuaded the club & Poch that this lad was the real deal & I for one want to give David Pleat a big vote of thanks
Pleat has had a chequered career and was intially our manager from 1986-87 when we finished 3rd in Division 1, got to the FA Cup Final playing some of the best football you will ever see in English football.
Unfortunately his tenure finished when he left Spurs by mutual agreement over "disclosures about his personal life proclivities".
He has been associated with Spurs in various roles since 1998 which include 3 stints as caretaker manager & these days as a scout.
Well if the result is more discoveries like Alli, then he has definitely been earning his salary.
Whilst clubs like United, Chelsea & Liverpool dithered over signing Alli (& yes they all had him watched) we took the plunge & signed him for what is now looking like daylight robbery at only £5m.
Even estimating conservatively, I would suggest Alli is now in the £30m bracket and this will only go up as he gains more experience.
Pleat could have been one of the best ever managers at WHL if it wasn't for his human frailities outside of work, certainly he was in my mind a "Tottenham" style manager, wanting to play attractive football & winning in style!
Well Done David Pleat!
posted on 30/11/15
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posted on 30/11/15
I rated kieron dyer. quality player, just an absolute crock which is a shame.
fought lee bowyer too, what is not to like ?
posted on 30/11/15
Bellamy would off been decent at the time though
posted on 30/11/15
comment by NotSoMagicJuande (U1913)
posted 39 minutes ago
Always seems a lovely bloke Pleat. The kind of guy that is good to have associated with the club.
What were the issues around his personal life?
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Yeah, it was kerb crawling, remember it was like yesterday. Old Bill sting operation if memory serves. Rooney can dangle his junk in a pensioners bucket, couple of dodgy headlines and all forgiven but a division one manager drives slowly by a rozzer in a wig and asks for directions and gets done for KC!
posted on 30/11/15
Yeah curb crawling in Luton as I remember!
Laaaaad.
posted on 30/11/15
Pleat does indeed still work for us on a less formal basis than usual. In fact he never really left after his d.o.f role!
Has held the role several times as head of european scouting. Has been an advisor to Daniel Levy and has a hand in lots of deals during the years especially the devlopmental ones.
He is now a consultant for us, as is former head of our scouting network Ian Broomfield. They are a massive key part of our scouting network that was for a years the joke of English football. I think Pleat works informally for Luton Town aswell.
Aswell as Alli broomfield and Pleat also brought in Eric Dier for our developmental squad to replace former expereinced u21 defender Grant Hall. Look what happened there!
As for the other names during the years off the top of my head, Fryers, Rose, Blondel (ok lol), ziegler, lennon.
Great part of the club, if not the best at pronouncing names!
posted on 30/11/15
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 30/11/15
There was talk of pleat looking for his daughter who had got involved in either prostitution or drug taking and took the charge of kerb crawling rather than have the tabloid headlines involving his daughter.
Loved watching us play with pleat in charge,Clive Allen scored 49 goals in the 86/87 season and we played some really good stuff.
Shame we lost the f a cup final that season
posted on 30/11/15
Comment Deleted by Article Creator
posted on 30/11/15
comment by hounslows-finest (U6180)
posted 2 hours, 23 minutes ago
There was talk of pleat looking for his daughter who had got involved in either prostitution or drug taking and took the charge of kerb crawling rather than have the tabloid headlines involving his daughter.
Loved watching us play with pleat in charge,Clive Allen scored 49 goals in the 86/87 season and we played some really good stuff.
Shame we lost the f a cup final that season
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Honest M'Lud, I was looking for my daughter...
37 times to be precise...