On Thursday July 1 1999 David Platt was formally unveiled as the new manager of Nottingham Forest. He will officially take charge of the first team affairs on Monday 5 July 1999.

Forest will be David's first managerial role in England. After retiring from Arsenal he decided to take time off, and, at his own expense, travel around the world learning management techniques from the worlds best managers. As usual with these sort of plans things didn't go quite to plan and after four or five months on the road the Sampdoria managers job was offered to him. This was just too big an opportunity to resist, and he took the chance.

The Sampdoria job was to last only seven weeks. Other managers in Serie 'A' started to complain that he had not got the required qualifications to do the job. Therefore, he was not entitled to such a high profile role. The politics and bureaucracy were too much for him, and with results not going for him either, he decided to quit.

His career as a player has been very successful, in both England and Italy. He is very well respected by his peers and comes across in the media as a very genuine and honest person. He broke into the England squad in the late eighties.

At Italia 90, during the second round game against Belgium, he came on as a sub for the injured Bryan Robson. Deep into extra time, with the game only moments away from a penalty shootout, he scored the goal that made him an instant hero to every England Fan.  He became England captain in 1993 and scored 4 of England's 6 goals when they thrashed San Marino.

There were rumours that he was being groomed for the full England managers job when he started to work with Howard Wilkinson on the England under 18 and under 19 squads. He says he will be retaining some contacts in the England camp, but for now his priority is to "first regain Premiership status for Forest. Then to retain it".

We wish him, and the team,  the best of luck for the coming season.

Update - 12 July 2001

David Platt resigned from his post as manager of Nottingham Forest on July 12 2001 to take over the role of England U21 manager. We wish him luck in his new appointment.