City fans' fury over arrival of 'anti' Platt.

Byline: BILL MILLS

MANCHESTER CITY are facing a fans' backlash over one of their new signings - David Platt.

The appointment of Platt to Roberto Mancini's backroom staff has been greeted with fury by the club's supporters.

One fans' website called for a petition to be raised to vent opposition to Platt's arrival. It is based on a perceived anti-City agenda the former England midfielder had during his time as a radio and TV pundit.

Chadderton-born Platt began his career at Manchester United and is known to have been a fan of the Old Trafford club.

But it is the ultra-critical comments about City that Platt often voiced in the media that have prompted the widespread bad feeling about his arrival at Eastlands ahead of the start of the new season.

One City fan told Sunday Mirror Sport: "Platt may be an old friend of Roberto Mancini.

"But this is a PR own goal. And the only way it could have been worse was if he had appointed Gary Neville as a coach.

"Every City fan knows from Platt's comments as a pundit he has no respect whatsoever for the club - but now he is happy to take our money."

Platt, 44, became close to Mancini when they were team-mates at Sampdoria.

But he has been out of football since losing his job as England Under-21 boss in 2004.

Platt is remembered for his disastrous time as Nottingham Forest's playermanager between 1999 and 2001.

CAPTION(S):

COACHING: Platt on England Under-21 duty

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Title Annotation:	Sport
Publication:	Sunday Mirror (London, England)
Date:	Jul 4, 2010
Words:	251
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