Batty: David

1985-1993 & 1998-2004 (Leeds Player Details)(Player Details)

Central Midfield

Born: Leeds: 02-12-1968

Debut v Swindon Town (h): 21-11-1987

5’6” 10st 5lb (1987)

#14 in 100 Greatest LUFC Players Ever

Educated at Allerton Grange School, he represented the city at schoolboy level and had trials with England. He signed apprentice forms in July 1985, joining from Tingley Athletic. He was tipped for first team football but this was delayed as he broke his ankle. Batty made his debut for Leeds on 21st November 1987 in a 4–2 win over Swindon Town at Elland Road, and he soon clinched a regular spot, missing only two games, as he made twenty-two starts and one game from the bench in that initial season. He quickly earned a reputation as a fiercely competitive midfielder and was often likened to Leeds legend Billy Bremner. He was called up to the England Under-Twenty-One team, making his debut as a substitute in a 1-1 draw against Switzerland in Lausanne on 28th May 1988 and by October 1989 he had totalled seven Caps at that level. He also gained England “B” honours, debuting on 14th November 1989 in a 1-0 win over Italy at Brighton and by March 1992 had five caps at that level. He starred in United’s promotion as Champions of Division Two in 1989-90, in which he started thirty-nine games and was a substitute on three other occasions. A superb ball-winner he established himself in the England team under Graham Taylor, making his debut as a substitute at Wembley on 21st May 1991 in a 3-1 win over the USSR. His full debut came four days later, when England drew 2-2 with Argentina at Wembley. He was a leading light and a member of the strong Strachan/ Batty/McAllister/Speed midfield which was instrumental in Leeds winning the First Division Championship in 1991-92. He had become a tireless and sometimes ruthless forager of the ball, adept at making clean incisive passes which started many counter-attacks for Leeds. His only weakness was his lack of goals, scoring only four in his entire Leeds career. He had scored four times in two hundred and eleven League games, of which ten were as a substitute, and made twelve starts in the F.A. Cup, seventeen in the League Cup and seventeen games in Europe without scoring, when he left Leeds in a surprise £2.75 million sale in October 1993, to emerging Blackburn Rovers, where he finished player of the year in his first season. However, Batty unfortunately suffered a serous injury which ruled him out of Blackburn’s winning title campaign in 1995. He refused a medal at the end of the season stating that his contribution was minimal. By the following season Batty was available to help Blackburn’s ECL campaign, although the team was already a spent force. They struggled in that competition and eventually bowed out, but not before a bizarre moment during a game against Spartak Moscow, when he and Graham Le Saux, Batty's team-mate, were involved in an altercation. Le Saux lashed out at him on the pitch and fisticuffs ensued! Batty made fifty-three League starts and one substitute appearance and scored just one goal and he also made five starts in the F.A. Cup, and six starts in each of the League Cup and European Cup, before he moved on from Ewood Park in March 1996 to Newcastle United and Kevin Keegan for £3.75 million. With Batty providing "balance" to the Newcastle midfield, they were able to challenge the dominant Manchester United. The Geordies finished runners up twice in the League and Kevin Keegan surprisingly resigned as their manager. Batty's club performances during this period ensured his selection for England’s campaign for the 1998 World Cup. He made limited starts in the four matches England competed in and was notable for his missing a penalty which prevented the team from advancing to the quarter-finals. Batty struggled with injury for the next few months after the tournament. In December 1998, Newcastle United accepted an offer of £4.4 million for Batty to rejoin his hometown team team. At St James’ Park Batty made eighty-one League starts and two substitute appearances and scored three goals. He also scored once in nine starts in the F.A. Cup and played six times in the League Cup and sixteen times in European games without scoring. Leeds had not been doing well since Batty had left, but under Manager David O’Leary, and with up and coming young talent, Leeds were resurgent. O'Leary wanted Batty for his proven record, and with his old team he was considered a "successful buy". Batty was not a regular player for Leeds after O'Leary was sacked in 2002 but also suffered from injuries. Indeed he sustained a rib injury in his return debut against Coventry City at Elland Road, which ruled him out for fifteen games. He needed pain-killers to cover up a heart problem brought on by that injury and was inspirational to the young team upon his return. That continued until an Achilles tendon problem kept him out for for more than a year and serious doubts were held about his ability to play first-class football. After being out of favour with most of the Leeds Managers subsequent to David O'Leary, he was released by the club when his contract ended in June 2004. In his second spell with Leeds he did not add to his goal tally and started seventy-nine League games together with another eleven games as a substitute and also featured in four starts in both of the F.A. Cup and League Cup and played in eighteen European games, including two as a substitute. He now lives in Boston Spa and is vice-president of Harrogate Town. He was capped forty-two times by England, ten of which were as a substitute.