Reds legend John recalls his Showgrounds days

colerainefc.com catches up with former player and Cliftonville legend John Platt as the two teams meet this weekend at Solitude…

By: Michael Anderson

John Platt may be Coleraine through and through but it’s fair to say he remains a legend at Cliftonville!

And the former Millburn Primary School Headmaster will be glued to the screen when the teams meet this Saturday (kick off 5.30pm).

A Solitude Hall of Famer (he was inducted in May 2919), John was once one of the Irish League’s most feared strikers.

His striking prowess over six seasons for the Reds – he scored 99 goals in 190 appearances – remains the stuff of legend amongst the Red Army.

Although he only spent one season at the Showgrounds, John certainly made his mark, banging in 13 goals in 22 appearances under manager Victor Hunter.

John began his Irish League career at Ballymena United where he had a brief stint.

He then joined brother David at Larne but it was his move to Solitude that propelled him to become one of the most feared strikers in the business.

An accidental clash with fellow Hall of Famer and team mate Peter McCusker resulted in an an eye injury which ended his career.

A goalscorer in the 1979 Irish Cup win over Portadown, he was awarded a testimonial against Middlesbrough in 1982 when Gerry Armstrong and Martin O’Neill guested for the North Belfast outfit.

“We were a very average team when I joined but by the end of ’78 we were starting to reach our peak,” recalled John.

Cliftonville stormed to success and also won the Gold Cup in ’79 beating Linfield 3-1 in the final.

“That was on the Wednesday. We played them again on the Saturday in the league and I remember this bright blue envelope arriving for me on the Friday.

“Inside was a letter saying I was a disgrace as a Protestant playing for Cliftonville and that I’d be shot!

“I remember walking on the pitch looking up at the stand and my team mate behind me telling me to start moving about a bit as he was next in line!”.

John enjoyed his time with hometown Coleraine too.

“What an awesome player Dessie Dickson was,” he recalls.

“He had phenomenal pace. Another thing that struck me was how quick he could strike a ball on the turn.

“I would always have tried to run in to the edge of the box but Dessie hit them from anywhere.

“I remember one day at Seaview running flat out to get on the end of a cutback and looking up to see the ball in the back of the net from about 30 yards,” he laughs.

“I enjoyed playing for Victor, one of the game’s nice guys.”

As his two former clubs prepare to clash in Belfast on Saturday, how Coleraine supporters would relish a striker of John Platt’s capabilities in their ranks!