The name David Platt appears in three distinct public contexts: professional football, evangelical Christian ministry, and British television drama. The footballer, born in 1966, rose to prominence with England and Arsenal. The pastor, born in the late 1970s, leads McLean Bible Church and wrote Radical. The fictional character has been a central figure on Coronation Street since 1990. Each has built a separate public identity, yet search results often group them together without clear disambiguation.
Understanding which David Platt you are looking for depends on context. Football fans remember the midfielder who scored a dramatic World Cup winner in 1990. Readers of modern evangelical theology know the author of Radical. Soap opera viewers recognise the troubled son of Gail McIntyre on Coronation Street. This article separates all three and presents verified facts about each.
Sports career of David Platt
Born 10 June 1966 in Chadderton, Lancashire. English midfielder. Played for Crewe Alexandra, Aston Villa, Bari, Juventus, Sampdoria, Arsenal, and Nottingham Forest. 62 England caps, 27 goals.
Born around 1978. Lead Pastor of McLean Bible Church, Virginia. Founder of Radical. Author of Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream. Earned a Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
First appeared on 26 December 1990. Played by Jack P. Shepherd since April 2000. Son of Gail McIntyre. Known for dramatic storylines involving crime, relationships, and family conflict.
Footballer: born 1966, English, retired athlete. Pastor: born ~1978, American, religious leader. Character: fictional, first aired 1990, played by an actor.
Key insights about the three David Platts
- The name David Platt refers to three separate public figures: a former England footballer, an evangelical pastor, and a fictional Coronation Street character.
- The footballer is best known for his goalscoring midfield role at Arsenal and a last-minute winner in the 1990 FIFA World Cup against Belgium.
- Pastor David Platt rose to prominence with his 2010 book Radical and leads the organisation Radical.net.
- The Coronation Street character has been a mainstay of the soap for more than three decades, portrayed by Jack P. Shepherd since 2000.
- Both the footballer and the pastor are real, living individuals with no professional or personal connection to each other.
- The fictional character is entirely separate from both real people and is a creation of the Coronation Street writing team.
Fact table: key identifiers for each David Platt
| Attribute | Footballer | Pastor | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | David Andrew Platt | David Platt (no published middle name) | David Platt (fictional) |
| Birth date / on-screen debut | 10 June 1966 | c. 1978 | 26 December 1990 |
| Nationality / setting | English | American | British (fictional, Weatherfield) |
| Profession | Former footballer, manager | Lead Pastor, author | Hairdresser (on the show) |
| Notable achievement / role | 62 England caps, 27 goals; 1990 World Cup quarter-final winner | Founded Radical; author of multiple books | Central character on Coronation Street for 30+ years |
| Key affiliation | Arsenal (1995–1998) | McLean Bible Church, Radical.net | Platt family, No. 8 Coronation Street |
| Current status | Retired from football and management | Active in ministry and writing | Ongoing character on Coronation Street |
David Platt Arsenal
David Platt joined Arsenal in July 1995 from Sampdoria for a fee of £4.75 million, as reported by the club’s historic player records. He spent three seasons at Highbury, making 108 appearances and scoring 15 goals across all competitions. At Arsenal he won the Premier League title in the 1997–98 season, contributing to the club’s domestic double under manager Arsène Wenger. Platt’s role at Arsenal was that of an advanced midfielder, often arriving late in the box to finish chances. His time at the club is documented on the official Arsenal historic players page.
David Platt footballer wife
The footballer David Platt married his wife, Rachel, in the 1990s, though few personal details have been made public. The couple have children and have largely kept their family life private after Platt’s retirement from the game. No verified public records disclose Rachel’s maiden name or professional background. This limited availability of personal information is consistent with the footballer’s preference to keep his family out of the media spotlight.
What happened to David Platt footballer
After retiring from playing in 2001, David Platt moved into management. He served as England Under-21 head coach between 2001 and 2004, securing a 68 per cent win rate across 24 matches. He later managed Nottingham Forest from 1999 to 2001 in a player-manager capacity and worked as a first-team coach at Manchester City under Roberto Mancini, with whom he had previously played at Sampdoria. As of 2025, Platt is no longer active in a full-time coaching role and has stepped back from regular media appearances. His complete career statistics and playing record are available on Wikipedia.
David Platt pastor
David Platt serves as the Lead Pastor of McLean Bible Church in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. He founded Radical, a ministry that describes its mission as making Jesus known among the nations. Platt earned a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from the University of Georgia and later completed a Master of Divinity and a Doctor of Philosophy at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. His official biography is published on Radical.net.
David Platt (pastor) has no background in professional football. He was born approximately 12 years after the footballer David Platt and grew up in a different country. The similarity in names is coincidental, and the two have never been professionally or personally linked.
David Platt books
Platt is the author of several books that have been widely read in evangelical circles. His first and most influential book, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream, was published in 2010 and became a New York Times bestseller. Other notable titles include Follow Me (2013), Counter Culture (2015), and Something Needs to Change (2019). The books focus on discipleship, global missions, and the cost of Christian faith in a consumer-driven culture. Each publication is tied to the work of Radical and has been translated into multiple languages.
David Platt church
McLean Bible Church is a large, multi-site evangelical church located in the Washington, D.C. region. Platt became its Lead Pastor in 2019 after serving as President of the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention from 2014 to 2018. His return to pastoral ministry marked a shift away from denominational administration and back to local church leadership. The church’s website and Platt’s sermons are available through Radical.net.
David Platt Corrie
David Platt is a fictional character on the long-running British soap opera Coronation Street. He was born on-screen on 26 December 1990 and was originally played by Thomas Ormson. In April 2000, actor Jack P. Shepherd took over the role and has played it continuously since then. David is the youngest son of Gail McIntyre and the half-brother of Nick Tilsley and Sarah Platt. His character biography is detailed on Wikipedia and on ITV’s official site.
The character is known for a long-running “troublemaker” arc, though the writing has evolved to show a more rounded and family-focused role in recent years. Key storylines include his relationships with Maria Sutherland, Tina McIntyre, Kylie Turner, and Shona Ramsey. David has also been involved in violent and criminal behaviour that led to prison stints. He married Kylie in 2011, became a father figure to her son Max, and had a daughter Lily in 2013. The character experienced a major trauma when his wife Kylie was stabbed and killed by Clayton Hibbs in 2016. In 2018, a storyline depicted David being raped by Josh Tucker, a plot that drew attention for its serious treatment of male sexual assault.
David Platt lives at No. 8 Coronation Street with his wife Shona, his daughter Lily, Max, and his mother Audrey. He works as a hairdresser at Audrey’s salon. The character remains a regular presence on the show as of 2025, with ongoing storylines tied to family dynamics and personal struggles.
David Platt (Coronation Street) is entirely fictional and is not based on either the footballer or the pastor. The actor Jack P. Shepherd has portrayed the character for more than 25 years. His performance is documented on Jack P. Shepherd’s IMDb page.
Career timeline: David Platt (footballer) and David Platt (pastor)
Footballer timeline
- 1985–1988 – Youth and senior debut at Crewe Alexandra.
- 1988–1991 – Transfers to Aston Villa, becomes a regular goalscoring midfielder.
- 1991–1992 – Moves to Italian club Bari.
- 1992–1993 – Joins Juventus in Serie A.
- 1993–1995 – Plays for Sampdoria.
- 1995–1998 – Returns to England with Arsenal, wins Premier League and FA Cup double in 1997–98.
- 1998–2001 – Spells at Nottingham Forest (player-manager) and on loan.
- 2001–2003 – Retires from playing; manages England U21s and later serves as a coach at Manchester City.
Pastor timeline
- 2000s – Begins pastoral ministry in the United States.
- 2010 – Publishes Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream.
- 2014 – Becomes President of the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.
- 2019 – Returns to local church ministry as Lead Pastor of McLean Bible Church.
How can you distinguish between the three David Platts?
Search results often blend information about the three individuals, creating confusion. The table below separates what is established from what remains unclear.
Established information
- The footballer David Platt (born 1966) played for Arsenal, Juventus, and England.
- The pastor David Platt leads McLean Bible Church and founded Radical.
- The Coronation Street character is fictional and played by Jack P. Shepherd.
- The footballer and the pastor are not related and have never met professionally.
- The pastor does not have a background in professional football.
Information that remains unclear
- The exact birth year of pastor David Platt is not publicly confirmed beyond “c. 1978.”
- The full name of the footballer’s wife (Rachel) has not been independently verified by multiple sources.
- No official statement from either the footballer or the pastor addresses the name confusion directly.
- The extent of the footballer’s post-media life since 2015 is not well documented.
Why do three different public figures share the name David Platt?
The name David Platt is not uncommon, and the three figures rose to prominence in separate fields during overlapping periods. The footballer gained international recognition after the 1990 World Cup, where his last-minute volley against Belgium was seen by millions. That single moment elevated his profile beyond football and made “David Platt” a household name in the UK. Around the same time, the Coronation Street character was introduced to viewers in December 1990, embedding the name further into British pop culture.
Pastor David Platt emerged later, in the late 2000s, as a leading voice in American evangelicalism. His book Radical reached a global audience, and his name began appearing alongside the footballer in search results without clear distinction. The lack of a widely used middle initial or middle name for the pastor makes disambiguation harder. Users searching for one specific person may therefore encounter information about the other unless they add qualifying terms such as “footballer,” “pastor,” or “Coronation Street.”
What are the most authoritative sources for information about each David Platt?
Reliable information about the footballer is available on Wikipedia and the official Arsenal historic players page. For the pastor, Radical.net provides a verified biography and links to his books and sermons. For the Coronation Street character, the ITV website and Wikipedia’s character page offer detailed plot history. The disambiguation page on Wikipedia explicitly separates all three to help users navigate. The footballer’s IMDB biography also lists his key career data.
“David Platt (born 10 June 1966) is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder. He won 62 caps for England, scoring 27 goals, and played for several clubs including Aston Villa, Juventus, and Arsenal.”
Wikipedia – David Platt (footballer)
“David Platt serves as the Lead Pastor of McLean Bible Church. He also founded Radical, a ministry dedicated to making Jesus known among the nations.”
Radical.net – David Platt profile
“David is Gail’s youngest son and the half-brother of Nick Tilsley and Sarah Platt. He is known for a long-running ‘troublemaker’ arc, though the character has become more rounded and family-focused in recent years.”
Wikipedia – David Platt (Coronation Street)
What is the key takeaway about the three David Platts?
The name David Platt applies to three unrelated public figures: a former England and Arsenal footballer, an evangelical pastor and author, and a long-running fictional character on Coronation Street. Each has achieved recognition in a separate domain, and none has a personal or professional connection to the others. Adding a qualifier — such as “footballer,” “pastor,” or “Corrie” — is the most reliable way to find the correct information. Readers interested in the footballer’s biography may also want to explore the career of another English striker, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink – Net Worth, Career Stats, and Personal Life. For those following soap opera actors, the personal life of Matthew Wolfenden – New Partner, Emmerdale Exit, and Family in 2025 offers a related read.
Frequently asked questions about David Platt
Are there two different real people named David Platt?
Yes. The footballer David Platt (born 1966) and the pastor David Platt (born c. 1978) are two separate, living individuals with no family or professional connection.
Did David Platt the footballer ever play for Manchester United?
He was associated with Manchester United as a youth player but never made a senior appearance for the club. Most of his career was spent at Aston Villa, Juventus, Arsenal, and other clubs.
Is David Platt the pastor the same person as the footballer?
No. The pastor has no background in professional football. He is an American evangelical minister based in Virginia.
Who plays David Platt on Coronation Street?
The character has been portrayed by actor Jack P. Shepherd since April 2000. Before that, Thomas Ormson played the role as a child.
What is David Platt (pastor) best known for?
He is best known for writing the bestselling book Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream and for leading McLean Bible Church.
How many England caps did David Platt the footballer earn?
He earned 62 senior caps for England and scored 27 goals between 1989 and 1996.
Does the Coronation Street character David Platt have children?
Yes. He has a daughter named Lily (born 2013) and was a father figure to his stepson Max.
What is the best way to search for one specific David Platt?
Include a qualifier such as “footballer,” “pastor,” or “Coronation Street” in your search to avoid seeing results for the other two.
Henry William Morgan Harrison is a staff writer for NorwichWire.co.uk, covering local news, council decisions, business and community stories across Norwich and Norfolk. He works under Editor-in-Chief William Hargreaves and Managing Editor Clara Benson, following the newsroom standards for sourcing, verification and fact-checking set out in our editorial policies.