by James Oddy
In this semi regularly feature, I’ll be re-examining the careers of great players who fizzled out, great players who made odd career choices, or great players who have been forgotten about in the modern age.
Growing up, David Batty was my favourite player. It wasn’t Ronaldo, Del Piero, Zidane. It wasn’t even that Leeds era of flair players, the Kewells and the Smiths and the Vidukas. It was the slight, defensive midfielder playing for his hometown club. While Alan Smith was most kid’s favourite, mixing that combative style with goals, Batty`s unflustered, tough tackling skills constantly appealed to me. While Smith seemed so desperately trying to prove his grit and toughness, it just seemed effortless to Batts.
Even when he missed that penalty at the world cup, and the fickle kids in the playground slagged him off, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. To me, the fact he put his hand up to take one, despite knowing full well he couldn’t shoot for toffee, deserved it`s own grudging respect. In retrospect, his quiet disappointment at missing, compared to the latter day histrionics of the likes of John Terry, also is deserving of admiration.
As I got older, I admired him more. He was the missing link, the man who seemed to bridge all of Leeds greatest teams. He was blooded by Bremner in a poor second division team. He was a key component of the last Leeds team to win a title alongside Speed, Strachan, and McAllister. He was then sold, an aberration, replaced by Carlton Palmer as Wilkinson’s grand project began to near its end moving on to winning a title with Blackburn (although he apparently refused a medal, feeling he didn’t deserve it) and nearly attaining another with Newcastle.
And he returned as Leeds briefly looked as if they belonged alongside the AC Milans and Barcelonas of the game. He was the wise old head; helping to sustain a young team fuelled by exuberance (and, as it turned out, astronomical wages). Under Terry Venables, as the end of that period drew close, he was dropped and injured. When he finally made it back onto the pitch, the team was hurtling towards relegation, the youth team graduates replaced by French loanees that nobody can remember the name of. He limped off against Newcastle, the injury ending his season which proved to be his last, as the wheels finally fell off that unsustainable team.
To my mind he was prototype Makelele or Nigel De Jong, capable of breaking up play and then playing an accurate, well timed pass to a player more willing to try some fancy tricks. Yet despite all these qualities, and his presence in so many successful sides, he is all but forgotten now. Leeds fans will always retain a certain soft spot for him, but on a wider level, he is rarely, if ever, mentioned. He never appears as a pundit, or pens a ghost written article in the press. He hasn’t had a go at management or coaching. He wrote an autobiography, sure, but oddly for someone in the public eye that has served as his only real statements on his career and what he witnessed. It`s a far cry from David Beckham’s endless tomes, or Robbie Savage appearing on Strictly Come Dancing.
The Last Champions, Dave Simpsons excellent profile of Wilkinson’s title winning team, perhaps sheds a light on what`s happened to him. In a poignant early chapter, Gary Speed mentions how Batty actually didn’t like football at all. He got into it because his dad was a fanatical fan, and as such he played with an abandonment and care free attitude which was way beyond his years, something which Speed was envious of. Once Batty retired, that was that. He no longer held much interest in the sport. It explains his almost reclusive persona now, unseen, unheard, and largely forgotten about. So perhaps, after all, he`s quite glad we don’t really know whatever happened to him.
Simple and to the point….just like the man himself
He was a true LUFC legend, one of my favourites of all time. Always gave 100% and had a cult following amongst Leeds fans.
I share your admiration of this great, unsung hero of a previously successful Leeds team. It is a shame that he has not become part of the backroom staff at ER. His no nonsense approach to the game may well have helped to eliminate some of our defensive frailties in such a disappointing season. The last time I saw Batty was just after Gary Speed’s death when he appeared at the start of a commemorative match.
I support the bit about him not liking football. I was a box with him when we played 1860 munich (the game of the century) which got us into the champs league. he sat on the floor and played with his kids the whole match and wasn’t remotely interested. nice guy.
I was at school with Batty – Allerton Grange HS Leeds – and he was quite a ‘laugh’ at school. Incidently, Briane Deane was also at the same school.
Excellent writing and commentry. Having played most positions my competitive playing life until 55, I always enjoyed the hard tackling center half and always silently accepted little to no thanks When the biggest egotist, Venables took over and discarded Dacourt, that was the biggest mistake (among so many) he made and the last nail. Same type as Batty
Jonno
Batty was the man. Whenever he got within 25 yeards of goal I remember the cries of SHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT. He was steel, the iron in the side. Afterwarad came Dacourt, jsut as hard but not as composed. Not as calm, considering and deliberate. A good West Yorkshire lad with grit…loads of grit. Good on ya Batty, you gave a lot of people a lot of good times.
privileged to see all his Leeds goals. I get laughed at when I tell people this was Englands greatest midfielder. every team, in every job, needs a Batty. more than a legend to me
so, you dont know what happened to batts then? pointless!
Quite simply one of the greatest players to pull on the white shirt of leeds
Hmmmmm…lots of good stuff there but one thing in particular is missing. You have waxed lyrical about how good Batty was and then completely failed to answer the question posed in the title. At least I never felt as disappointed with a Batty performance as I did at the end of this article. The title hinted at revealing an interesting answer to an interesting question. But no, it was just an excuse to get people to read a bit of self-indulgent nostalgia without any attempt to satisfy the reader’s curiosity (please read my blog everyone…please, please, please!). If it had been called Why I Loved Batty, I would probably have not read it it, because I know why people loved him. And what’s with the ‘simple and to the point’ signature? Try simple, vague and failing to deliver? I can’t believe you have compared yourself to our Batts! You sir, are a cad and a bounder!
You do realise that the ‘simple and to the point’ remark was a comment by a reader?
He spends time at his caravan in Filey!
Batty was fantastic and the backbone of some good Leeds sides. He had a lot of tenacity and was a reliable performer. David Batty is not forgotten he is remembered with respect and affection. God, I wish Leeds had a David Batty today! Where ever you are David, God Bless!
Shoooot!!!
Toatally agree was one of my fave Leeds players quite unassuming use to see him at Bannatyns gym in Wakefield several years ago said hi to him a couple of times but that was it he use to walk in, get on an exercise bike read a book (was Ricky Tomalinsons auto biog) whilst peddling steady away finish up walk out drive off no fanfare no drana no look at me.
Top Man
Its true he didn’t like football. I knew someone who lived in his street and he told me the same thing.
I understand he is well into motor bike racing now and that it has always been his passion.
Great player. Win the ball and pass it simple. He never complicated things.
Thanks everyone for the feedback, both positive and negative. Appreciate people taking the time out to read my writing.
Batty was and still is my all time Leeds great. David Batty. Legend. Our greatest midfielder ever, he was the master that allowed everyone else freedom.
To David Batty…. wherever you are mate and whatever you are doing, you deserve to enjoy it. That penalty… well, anyone else would’ve missed it too, we’re England FFS, we don’t do penalties!! 😀
Great player,but also remember he was the one who also refused a wage deferral when the sh**e was hitting the fan,
I’m with mark in this one, hell of a player but in the end left Leeds to rot refusing the wage deferral. Als had a big bust up with Eddie grey when he was manager, over riding his motorbike to work. Eddie said while you play for this club you shouldn’t put yourself in harms way. Next day he came to TA on the bike again and was told to leave and not come back.
Sour ending to a legends carrier, when he came back he showed he never cared for Leeds and I haven’t been able to think of him as the hero I once did ever since.
I didn’t start watching Leeds until 1986, so I never saw the legends from the “Glory Years” such as Bremner, Charlton, Hunter and co. play in the flesh. I was however, privileged to see Batty and Speed break into the first team at Elland Road and for me, these two also deserve to be regarded as Leeds Legends.
With regards to refusing a wage deferral, I can’t comment about that – there were quite a few stories doing the rounds at that time regarding what was happening at the club financially and I really don’t know how accurate any of them were.
I think that Batty ended up training to be a butcher and that he had his own shop(s) but I don’t know if that’s still the case. I also know that he liked motorcycle racing.
Remember watching him holding the ball and toying with this shrewsbury defender by the corner flag…he was awesome…legend you are batts.
Leeds fan all my life ,now approaching 50, i know exactly where he lives and in respect he deserves to be left alone if thats his choice. Just remember he no nonsense tackling.
leeds legend batty, bremner would turn in his grave ,goodness only knows what giles was if batty was a legend ,very limited at best.
Before Batts moved to Burton in about 2005, he lived in Robin Hood, Wakefield. We had a chat over a cuppa in his house in 2004. Batts was having his house renovated then. He is superbly down to earth, is shy and a pure gentleman. Though he was not my favourite player, he is a very sensible lad.