David Pleat

David John Pleat Date of Birth: Jan 15, 1945

Born in Nottingham, David starred for England Schoolboys before being snapped up by Nottingham Forest at 17. Sadly, his early promise did not fully materialise and he made the move to Luton in 1964.

In a poor side, Pleat was a revelation with his genuine speed and skill on the wing until injuries severely restricted his blistering pace.

After spells at Shrewsbury, Exeter and Peterborough, David moved into management with Nuneaton Borough before returning to Kenilworth Road under Harry Haslam, working his way up on the coaching side.

Suddenly catapulted into the hot seat at Luton, David justified the Board’s faith by winning the championship of the old Division Two in 1982 with an attractive side but a

bid from Tottenham in 1986 was too tempting to refuse and at White Hart Lane, David took Spurs to an F.A.Cup final. After a spell at Leicester, David returned to Luton in 1991 and took the side to the F.A.Cup semi-finals three years later.

In recent years, David had become one of the most respected pundits on television and radio.