The Managers: David Pleat, 1987-1991

[davieG]

https://www.lcfc.com/news/915635/the-managers-david-pleat-1987-1991

 

In December 1987, with recently relegated Leicester City in 23rd position in the Second Division, David Pleat replaced Bryan Hamilton as manager.

Pleat’s managerial record prior to arriving at Filbert Street was impressive.

An England schoolboy and youth international winger, he had played for Nottingham Forest, Luton Town, Shrewsbury Town, Exeter City and Peterborough United before moving to Southern League Nuneaton Borough in 1971 as player-manager. A year later he became a youth coach at Luton Town, before becoming chief coach in 1997 and manager two years later.

An advocate of attacking and attractive football, Pleat guided Luton Town to the top flight in 1982. Narrowly beaten by Everton in the 1985 FA Cup semi Final, Pleat’s Luton finished ninth in the old First Division the following season.

With a burgeoning reputation as an innovative manager receptive to new ideas, he replaced Peter Shreeves as Tottenham Hotspur’s manager in May 1986. Playing some of the most attractive football seen at White Hart Lane for years, his side finished third in the First Division and reached the FA Cup Final.

He left Tottenham Hotspur in October 1987 for non-footballing reasons. 

His impact at Filbert Street was immediate. He soon had Leicester City playing his trademark attractive football. Results improved dramatically and Leicester finished the season in 13th place.

Unfortunately, this promise was not maintained. Installed as pre-season promotion favourites the following season, Pleat’s Leicester City finished the campaign in a very disappointing 15th position.

Matters got worse. The next season started terribly. After the first 12 games, Leicester City were bottom of the ‘old’ Second Division with one win, eight losses and only six points. Things improved in November, with the loan arrivals of Arsenal teenager Kevin Campbell and Tottenham Hotspur’s attacking midfielder Paul Moran. Their three-month loans spells included seven wins. When they left Filbert Street, David Oldfield was signed from Manchester City. In March 1990, Pleat paid £300,000 for West Ham striker David Kelly whose impact was immediate. He scored seven goals in his first seven games, helping Leicester achieve a final position of 13th.

The decline continued at the start of the 1990/91 season. After a victory in the first game, Leicester City lost their next seven league games, a sequence culminating in a 6-0 defeat at Middlesbrough. Pleat was sacked January 1991 with Leicester City near the foot of the table. 

First-team coach Gordon Lee, who had managed Newcastle United and Everton became manager, initially on a caretaker basis. Club captain Ali Mauchlen became player-coach.

As for David Pleat, he managed Luton Town again, before moving to Sheffield Wednesday and then back to Tottenham Hotspur for three separate spell as caretaker manager. He has since worked extensively in the media.

[Izzy]

Pleat - OUT!

[1972 Fox]

Thread should be renamed The Managers: David Pleat out, 1987-1991.

[stripeyfox]

OUT!

 

[stripeyfox]

I suppose his pedigree was pretty good and on paper a good appointment. His Spurs side were fabulous in 86-87 when Clive Allen scored 1000 goals in season in a side with Waddle and Hoddle creating the chances whilst Mabbutt and Gough kept them out at the other end and Spuds should have won a treble, but in true Spuds fashion won fcuk all.

 

Some decent (relatively speaking) signings whilst he was here too, but I imagine the tight budget (compared to Tottenham) made it a pretty impossible task

 

 

 

 

[Otis]

He was the manager when I first started to go and watch City in 1989

 

I remember getting home from school and my dad telling me he had been sacked.

[stripeyfox]

5 minutes ago, Otis said:

He was the manager when I first started to go and watch City in 1989

 

I remember getting home from school and my dad telling me he had been sacked.

what did your dad get sacked for?

 

[FilbertFrog]

He died ?

[Otis]

Just now, stripeyfox said:

what did your dad get sacked for?

 

Badly wording comments on forums

[TrentFox]

His son used to live next door to me in Buckinghamshire. DP often used to park outside my house!!!! The temptation to put  a “pleat out” banner in the window was absolutely overwhelming !!!!! ??

[RODNEY FERNIO]

The only people sorry to see him go were the ladies of the night that patrolled the Highfields area back in the day.

[Izzy]

56 minutes ago, TrentFox said:

His son used to live next door to me in Buckinghamshire. DP often used to park outside my house!!!! The temptation to put  a “pleat out” banner in the window was absolutely overwhelming !!!!! ??

 

I was shopping in Aylesbury Tesco a few years ago and there was some old fella behind me in the queue. I looked down at the ground first and this bloke was wearing shoes that were bordering on being slippers. Then I heard him talk to his wife and I thought "I know that voice".

 

Most bizarre, he was just like a old pensioner doing his shopping and nobody knew who he was.

[Max Wall]

5 minutes ago, Izzy Muzzett said:

 

I was shopping in Aylesbury Tesco a few years ago and there was some old fella behind me in the queue. I looked down at the ground first and this bloke was wearing shoes that were bordering on being slippers. Then I heard him talk to his wife and I thought "I know that voice".

 

Most bizarre, he was just like a old pensioner doing his shopping and nobody knew who he was.

Including him I imagine.

Edited 19 November 2018 by Max Wall

[Max Wall]

Pleat was the opposite of King Midas.

Edited 19 November 2018 by Max Wall

[murphy]

2 hours ago, stripeyfox said:

I suppose his pedigree was pretty good and on paper a good appointment. His Spurs side were fabulous in 86-87 when Clive Allen scored 1000 goals in season in a side with Waddle and Hoddle creating the chances whilst Mabbutt and Gough kept them out at the other end and Spuds should have won a treble, but in true Spuds fashion won fcuk all.

 

Some decent (relatively speaking) signings whilst he was here too, but I imagine the tight budget (compared to Tottenham) made it a pretty impossible task

 

 

 

 

Now that IS impressive!  

Edited 19 November 2018 by murphy

[Paninistickers]

We were marvellous for his first six months. Shrewd signings of relative unknowns Nicky cross and peter weir.  We really thought we'd walk the league the following season. But apart from a fine home performance in a full blooded league cup 5th round tie against forest (who, kids, were a good team at the time. Unbelievable, eh?), the season was a massive let down.

 

I always think of this era as the example of managers given time to build. The buffoon had four years before sacking. Four years of misery waiting for the upturn! Four years! 

 

An arrogant man. Who had a very decent career, apart from us. He largely blamed the board at the time for his lack of success. He may have had a point. 

 

 

Edited 19 November 2018 by Paninistickers
Typo

[Corky]

Remarkable to think that he managed to finish in the bottom half of the Championship four years in a row and now, 28 years later, we've had the same amount (plus one third tier season) since.

 

Leicester City finishing in those areas of the pyramid is just not good enough by a long stretch.

[stripeyfox]

20 minutes ago, murphy said:

Now that IS impressive!  

They were a great side. I think they finished 3rd in the League (Everton champs), got to the semis of the League Cup and lost in the final of the FA Cup. Couldn't be more Tottenham!
 

[katieakita]

Remember bringing in Ricky over the hill because he had a lot of experience, about 5 years too much mind 

[Vacamion]

 

I’m going to drive very slowly past this thread and maybe, allegedly, proposition it...

 

 

 

 

[TrentFox]

1 hour ago, Izzy Muzzett said:

 

I was shopping in Aylesbury Tesco a few years ago and there was some old fella behind me in the queue. I looked down at the ground first and this bloke was wearing shoes that were bordering on being slippers. Then I heard him talk to his wife and I thought "I know that voice".

 

Most bizarre, he was just like a old pensioner doing his shopping and nobody knew who he was.

Sounds right. We lived half way between Aylesbury and Thame ! ??

[Paninistickers]

It didn't help that Pleat had his apologist/propagandist at the mercury, the appalling Bill Anderson (a vile spurs supporting jock)

 

Anderson despised City fans. And took great glee in a 'I know more than you' nose tapping style of journalism .. At the same time, curry favour with Pleat by briefing him that City fans were the great unwashed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TrentFox]

1 hour ago, Izzy Muzzett said:

 

I was shopping in Aylesbury Tesco a few years ago and there was some old fella behind me in the queue. I looked down at the ground first and this bloke was wearing shoes that were bordering on being slippers. Then I heard him talk to his wife and I thought "I know that voice".

 

Most bizarre, he was just like a old pensioner doing his shopping and nobody knew who he was.

What the hell were you doing there? Is that wherw you’re based? 

[Vacamion]

1 minute ago, Paninistickers said:

It didn't help that Pleat had his apologist/propagandist at the mercury, the appalling Bill Anderson 

 

aka Hans Christian Anderson, because he wrote fairy stories every week

[Izzy]

9 minutes ago, TrentFox said:

Sounds right. We lived half way between Aylesbury and Thame ! ??

Cuddington/Haddenham?