David Platt
A midfielder with a predator's instinct for late runs into the box, he turned crucial goals for England into a personal trademark.
Born 1966 (age 60)·English footballer and manager·Birthday: June 10·Generation X
Biography
David Platt’s career is a study in timing, both on and off the pitch. Emerging from the Manchester United youth system only to be released, he forged his path through lower divisions before a transformative move to Aston Villa catapulted him into England contention. Platt wasn't a flashy playmaker; he was a relentless, intelligent midfielder who specialized in arriving unseen into the penalty area to volley or head home decisive goals. His spectacular last-minute winner against Belgium in the 1990 World Cup finals is etched in English football lore, defining his clutch mentality. After successful spells in Italy with Bari, Juventus, and Sampdoria, he returned to England as a high-profile player-manager at Arsenal, though his managerial career never quite matched the heights of his playing days, which were marked by precision and dramatic impact.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
David was born in 1966, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When David Was Born
The biggest hits of 1966
#1 Movie
The Bible: In the Beginning
Best Picture
A Man for All Seasons
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
David's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1966Born
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Started school
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1979Became a teenager
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Could drive
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Could vote
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Turned 21
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1996Turned 30
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 40
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 50
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 60
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Scored a dramatic volley in extra time to give England a 1-0 win over Belgium in the 1990 FIFA World Cup knockout stage.
- Won the Serie A title with Juventus in the 1994-95 season during his time in Italian football.
- Captained the England national team on multiple occasions and earned 62 caps, scoring 27 goals.
- Led Arsenal to a UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final in 1995 as a player-manager.
Did You Know?
He began his professional career with Crewe Alexandra after being released by Manchester United as a teenager.
He was the first English player to be signed for a transfer fee of £5 million or more when he moved from Aston Villa to Bari.
After retiring, he worked as a pundit for the BBC and Sky Sports.
He owned a stake in and served as chairman of non-league club Stockport County.
“The run into the box is a gamble, and I liked the odds.”
