Conal Platt

Conal James Platt (born 14 October 1986) is a semi-professional footballer who plays as a forward.

Conal Platt
Personal information
Full name Conal James Platt
Date of birth (1986-10-14) 14 October 1986
Place of birth Preston, England
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
Liverpool
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2005 Liverpool 0 (0)
2006–2007 Bournemouth 0 (0)
2006 → Morecambe (loan) 3 (0)
2007 → Weymouth (loan) 11 (0)
2007–2008 Weymouth 20 (2)
2008 → Rushden & Diamonds (loan) 10 (0)
2008–2010 Forest Green Rovers 80 (10)
2010–2012 Cambridge United 33 (2)
2011 → AFC Telford United (loan) 3 (0)
2011 → Lincoln City (loan) 8 (2)
2012–2013 Lincoln City 7 (0)
2013 Gainsborough Trinity 9 (0)
2013–2014 Stalybridge Celtic 22 (3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23:44, 15 September 2015 (UTC)

Early life

Platt has one older brother and two younger sisters. He is eligible to play for the Republic of Ireland due to his Irish descent from his grandfather, Timothy Bryan. He was discovered by a Liverpool scout whilst playing for Fulwood and Cadley boys football club.

Career

He played for Preston Schoolboys aged 14–15, one of the most successful schoolboy teams Preston ever had. Aged 16 he went on to play for Lancashire Schools, Northwest Counties Schools and was finally selected for the English Schools squad (teams are selected on where you go school not on nationality). He was also an Irish Youth international.

After finishing his high school studies at Our Lady's High School he continued his studies on a scholarship at Liverpool Football Academy. After regular appearances with both the youth team and Liverpool reserves although he was released by Liverpool at the end of the 2005 season, after failing to make the grade.

He joined Bournemouth in May 2006 and made his debut after coming on as a substitute in the 75th minute in a 3–1 defeat to Southend United in the League Cup.[1] He joined Morecambe on loan, initially for a period of one month, in November 2006.[2] Limited to a few appearances at Morecambe, Platt picked up an injury in a match against Southport, and returned to Bournemouth when his loan ended in January 2007, before being loaned again to Weymouth. He was released by Bournemouth in May 2007 and joined Weymouth permanently.

Platt joined Rushden & Diamonds on loan in February 2008 where he made a total of 10 appearances.

On 20 May 2008 it was announced that Platt had joined Forest Green Rovers.[3] He impressed in his first season with Forest Green and earned himself a one-year contract for the 2009–10 season.

Platt joined Cambridge United in June 2010[4][5][6] after featuring in 80 league games for Forest Green, whilst scoring 10 goals in a two-season spell. A compensation fee was agreed by both clubs for the transfer. Platt begun the season well, although an early injury hindered him and he never really regained full form for the rest of the 2010–11 campaign.

Platt joined fellow Conference National side AFC Telford United on loan in September 2011 for a month. He returned to Cambridge United in October 2011.[7]

Platt was then sent out on loan again to Lincoln City and when he returned to Cambridge in January 2012 he had his contract terminated and subsequently signed an 18-month permanent contract at Sincil Bank with Lincoln.[8] On 21 February 2012 he suffered a broken tibia[9] following a 50/50 challenge with James Chambers in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Doncaster Rovers.[10] The injury would keep him out of action for almost a year, with Platt describing the recovery as a mental process as well as a physical one.[11] He returned to action as a late substitute for Nicky Nicolau is Lincoln City's 4-2 Football Conference defeat at Southport on 8 January 2013[12] but this would prove to be his last action for the club as he left the club by mutual consent on 7 March 2013[13] with the club's new manager Gary Simpson reasoning that the club's relegation battle meant that Platt was unable to be given the games needed to regain full fitness.[14] Platt immediately joined Gainsborough Trinity on a free transfer,[15] making nine Football Conference North appearances for the club without scoring,[16] before leaving the club at the end of the season having returned to the North-West to live.[17]

In July 2013 he joined Stalybridge Celtic, linking up with his former boss at Forest Green, Jim Harvey.[18]

References
  1. "Bournemouth 1-3 Southend". BBC Sport. 22 August 2006. Retrieved 21 December 2008.
  2. "Morecambe net Bournemouth's Platt". BBC Sport. 6 November 2006. Retrieved 21 December 2008.
  3. "Two strikers to join Forest Green". BBC Sport. 20 May 2008. Retrieved 21 December 2008.
  4. ""I couldn't turn down move to U's, says Platt"". Cambridge News. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  5. "Left Winger Joins U's". cambridgeunited.co.uk. 17 June 2010. Archived from the original on 13 March 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  6. ""Platt's my boy: Ling praises new signing Conal"". Cambridge News. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  7. "Platt's still in line for Abbey exit". Cambridge News. 27 October 2011. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  8. "Conal Platt agrees Lincoln move and Ryan Charles joins Newport". BBC Sport. 6 January 2012.
  9. "Lincoln City winger Conal Platt receives boostto his recovery from broken leg". Lincolnshire Echo. 23 February 2013. Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  10. "Lincoln City winger Conal Platt suffers a broken leg". Lincolnshire Echo. 21 February 2012. Archived from the original on 27 April 2012. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  11. "Lincoln City's Conal Platt tells of physical and mental recovery from broken leg". Lincolnshire Echo. 27 October 2012. Archived from the original on 29 October 2012. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  12. "Lincoln City manager David Holdsworth delighted with return of Conal Platt after broken leg". Lincolnshire Echo. 9 January 2013. Archived from the original on 12 January 2013. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  13. "Conal Platt leaves Lincoln City by mutual consent". Lincolnshire Echo. 7 March 2013. Archived from the original on 18 May 2013. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  14. "Lincoln City boss Gary Simpson says Conal Platt can train with club, despite signing for Gainsborough Trinity". Lincolnshire Echo. 8 March 2013. Archived from the original on 22 May 2013. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  15. "Conal Platt: Former Lincoln City winger joins Gainsborough". BBC Sport. 7 March 2013. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  16. "C.Platt - Profile with news, career statistics and history". Soccerway.com. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  17. "Trinity duo move to the Iron, but skipper returns". Gainsborough Standard. 4 June 2013. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  18. "Stalybridge sign Platt and McConville". NonLeagueDaily.com. 10 July 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
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