I know three "Battys". Nora, the Hepworth Battyes and David. Not all spelt the same, but obviously from a similar "name" root. The name has a link to Bartholomew which appears to mean "having many furrows"....that is "rich in land". I suspect there may be other derivations.
David Batty, the footballer, was born in Leeds on December 2nd 1968, so he is knocking on 52 today. He does not have a lot to do directly with football these days, but has been known to turn out for the odd charity match. Beware that you don't get a good kicking if he's got a shirt on at your club. Batty was combative in the midfield and played as a "shield" mainly. If you consider that, he played 438 first class matches, he scored 8 goals. Crowds would shout "SHOOT" when ever he got possession. Lads!!
For England, Batty made 32 starts, 10 subs and scored NIL goals! In 1995, he was selected against Brazil at Wembley in the Umbro tournament, only to be replaced by Paul Gascoigne-England lost 1-3. Chalk and cheese.
Against Poland in September 1999, he was sent off when playing for his country, in a 0-0 draw in Warsaw. He never played for his country again. Kevin Keegan was his manager for this European Championship qualifier. We did qualify for the tournament, some how, but having played 8 won 3 and drew 4 scoring 14 and conceding 4, on the way to the finals, the Lions were not going to set Europe alight. They didn't roar in the finals, going out of the tournament with a whimper in their group: P3 W1 D 0 L2 F6 A3.....mind you we did beat Germany who themselves, only managed ONE POINT! Portugal and Romania were first and second in the group.
Gary Speed in his book "The Last Champions", suggested that Batty didn't like football and would approach every match with a carefree attitude. Billy Bremner, in charge of him at Leeds, would give him raw egg and sherry before he trained to "build him up". It worked as Batty was a driving force in the Leeds' team, that went from mediocrity in the "old" Second Division to the First Division title between 1987-92. (211 apps) He had two seasons in the Premier Division and then was sold to Blackburn Rovers, when Howard Wilkinson wanted to "rebuild" his Leeds team. He then stayed at Rovers for three seasons 71 apps; 1 goal.
During 1994-5, he was injured, limiting his appearances, so when Rovers won the Premier League title, he rejected a medal, saying that he didn't deserve it, having only played 5 games.
There was a famous clash with Graeme Le Saux, fighting each other in a European game against Spartak Moscow. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i45UwGeX3d8
Batty then went to Newcastle with with Keegan, Dalglish and Gullit between 1995-9 and returned to Leeds shortly after, with David O'Leary, who was sacked in 2002. With a variety of managers and following an injury gained against his old club Newcastle Utd, Batty was soon to realise this match would be his last serious appearance on January7th 2004. (116 apps 0 goals). I could write a paragraph on his "scraps" but well, you know.....
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