Sean Graham

Jim Platt is remembered fondly by many fans up and down the UK. He played international football for Northern Ireland, picking up 23 caps. At club level Platt enjoyed a lengthy spell with Middlesbrough making a massive 481 appearances for the North East club. Platt also went into management, his longest spell being with Northern Ireland’s Coleraine from 1985 to 1991. He also managed in Sweden, taking charge of Ayssriska.

Inside Futbol’s Sean Graham travelled to meet Platt and speak a little about his eventful career.


As a former Middlesbrough player, Jim, what were the highlights of your time at the club?

The highlights of my time at Middlesbrough were winning the old Second Division in 1973/74. We only lost four games all season and won the league by 15 points amassing a huge 75 points (I think!). This was when it was two points for a win. In our first year in the First Division we finished a respectable 7th only missing out on a European place by a couple of points.

From a personal point of view I saved three penalties at Anfield and one at Old Trafford.


Who were the characters and entertainers in your time with Boro?

We had some great players – Graeme Souness, Eric McMordie, Stuart Boam, Willie Maddren, David Armstrong, John Hickton, Craig Johnston and many more.


Football was different in the 70s and 80s as indeed was life; would you have preferred to be playing in your day or nowadays?

A difficult question as the money nowadays is huge. I mean ordinary players can earn up to £20,000 a week. We earned that in a year! But I wouldn’t change things. I have happy memories of my playing career both at Middlesbrough and Northern Ireland. I enjoyed two World Cups with Northern Ireland in Spain ‘82 and Mexico ‘86.


You made nearly 500 appearances for the club [Middlesbrough] and enjoyed 23 international appearances with Northern Ireland. Do you think that players have the same commitment to clubs these days?

There can’t be the same commitment after “freedom of contract” came in. I mean players are always going to move on if they are offered better money and they all have agents touting them around to clubs.


It seems that football these days has been ruled by TV especially for the big clubs. Do you think that is right?

I do think the big clubs should get the lion’s share of the money from TV as they are the ones people pay to watch. But I think they should help the smaller clubs by giving them a larger slice of the money coming in.


It seems that the amounts of money spent on players has gone through the roof too, with fees going as high as the £80M that Real Madrid paid Manchester United for Ronaldo. Did you ever think when Trevor Francis became the first £1M player back in 1979 that things would spin this far out of control?

I think it is horrendous that Real Madrid have just paid £80M for Ronaldo. Where does it end? Our own player David Mills was the first half million pound player and then Trevor Francis the first million pound player. There wasn’t the same amount of money coming in then and the fee was seen as huge, but nothing like the fees that are paid today. Football clubs in general have been living beyond their means.


You must see a huge difference between the average pay for Middlesbrough players back in the 1970s and 1980s in comparison to what players get in the modern game?

The average wage in the 1980s I suspect was £400 per week – £20,000 a year. Even allowing for inflation etc. the wages today are much, much more than we got.


You are part of the Middlesbrough Former Players Association along with ex-Boro players Gordon Jones, Alan Peacock and Frank Spraggon. How did this all come about and why did you set it up in the first place?

We set up the Middlesbrough Former Players Association to first of all keep in touch with everyone and have regular get-togethers, but we have moved on from that and now raise money to help the older players who may have financial difficulties or just need help. Alan Peacock is chairman, Gordon Jones is treasurer and I am secretary.


Do plenty of the older players still meet up and go to the matches?

We invite older players to the matches and pay for their expenses. Alan, Gordon and I work in the hospitalities suites on match days and the club provide meals for us and the old players.


If any former player reading this or maybe fans from the other clubs thought that their club could do something similar, how would they get in touch?

There are moves afoot to set up a National Former Players Association similar to the one that they have in Spain. Meetings have been arranged and I was present at the first one at Everton’s ground. If anyone is interested in setting up one write to Harry Ross at Everton.


What events do you have coming up for in the current season?

We have a dinner coming up before Christmas. The date is to be arranged. We have one every 10 years when we invite all of our former players and partners free of charge. If any one of Middlesbrough’s former players read this and are not on our mailing list please get in touch. I send out a newsletter every two months. We also have an annual golf day.


Obviously still being involved with the club, did you feel disappointed at their relegation from the Premier League last season and do you think that they can bounce straight back up again?

It was a huge disappointment when we were relegated last season and I feel we need an influx of new blood to bounce straight back. I am optimistic.


Do you keep an eye on the progress of former players, for example Paul Ince and Tony Mowbray now at MK Dons and Celtic respecitvely? Mowbray was such a huge favourite in his time with Boro. How do you think he will do as manager at Celtic Park?

Tony Mowbray has supported our Former Players Association and has helped us whenever he can. He was a Boro legend and the fans still speak fondly of him.


You took up management yourself. What did you prefer, the playing or the management side?

You can never beat playing but management gives you the chance to run the team the way you want to run it.


Finally, if you were the manager at Middlesbrough how would you sell the club to any player thinking of coming to play for the team?

That’s difficult because players will come if they get enough money or if they are offered more at Middlesbrough than anywhere else, but we have a beautiful stadium and a magnificent training ground. The fans are loyal and will love you if you perform on the field.


Thanks for your time, Jim, and all the best with the MFPA.

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