The latest episode of The Official Aston Villa Podcast takes supporters on a journey through the stellar career of David Platt.
Our former attacking midfielder, who won 62 caps for England, joined hosts Kate Tracey and Alan McInally at Bodymoor Heath for EP10 of the club's popular podcast, looking back on his three-year spell as a Villan - from signing for Graham Taylor's men to his departure for Italian side Bari in 1991.
Platt spoke about his late arrival into the professional game with Manchester United, making a name for himself at Crewe Alexandra, winning promotion and starring for Villa, and much, much more.
Aston Villa Podcast EP10
Speaking to The Official Aston Villa Podcast, Platt told how he initially questioned his decision to join the club after completing his move from Crewe in February 1988.
“I’d been this player at Crewe that had developed, that was scoring goals and I was the big fish – totally confident when I went on to a football pitch,” he reflected.
“I came into the dressing room and I had to get changed between him (McInally) and Garry Thompson, two monsters. Then you look around the dressing room and Spinksy was a big guy, Kevin Gage was broad, Andy Gray was a big guy, Mark Lillis and Allan Evans.
“I felt like this kid.”
Platt added: “Getting into the hotel room on the Monday afternoon on my own, I was thinking, ‘What am I going to do now? I’m here on my own’. I had to go into training the day after but I didn’t feel confident about going in. I thought, ‘Have I made a mistake here?’.”
Platt scored three times in his first three games as those feelings were quickly left behind and he helped Villa earn promotion back to the First Division in his first few months, finishing as runners-up in the second tier.
His trajectory in claret and blue continued on an upward curve in his second season before he won the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award as Villa pushed Liverpool for the title in 1989-90.
Villa slipped down the table in his final campaign at the club, finishing 17th, before Platt departed for Bari, leaving with a record of 68 goals in 155 games.
“We went to White Hart Lane with a game in hand over Liverpool – there wasn’t that many games left – and we beat Tottenham 2-0 to go five points clear on level games with Liverpool,” he recalled of narrowly missing out on the title.
“It was almost as if we weren’t chasing anymore. I don’t think we in the dressing room had the mentality needed to go on and win the league. With a bit of mentality we would have done.
“We were five points clear, we were flying and playing well and all of a sudden you hit the rails and you lose a few games.”
The Official Aston Villa Podcast is here!
Welcome to our latest regular offering for all supporters, available for free on all your favourite podcast platforms and also in video format on VillaTV+.
Co-hosted by fans’ favourite Alan McInally and VillaTV presenter Kate Tracey, The Official Aston Villa Podcast brings you all things claret and blue.
Whether you're on the move, in the gym or at home, simply search 'Official Villa Podcast' on your podcast app or watch on www.avfc.co.uk/video.
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