Des English (born 22 January 1956) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Carlton in the Victorian Football League (VFL) during the 1980s. Regarded as a tireless and absolutely reliable team player and defender, English played in the Carlton premiership sides of 1981 and 1982. He was diagnosed with leukemia in 1986 and never played again although he eventually recovered.
| Des English | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Date of birth | (1956-01-22) 22 January 1956 (age 66) | ||
| Original team(s) | Eaglehawk | ||
| Debut |
Round 4, 1980, Carlton vs. South Melbourne, at Princes Park | ||
| Height | 178 cm (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Weight | 86 kg (190 lb) | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1980–1986 | Carlton | 104 (6) | |
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1986. | |||
| Career highlights | |||
| |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Carlton's emphatic return win against Hawthorn in the 1987 Grand Final, played out in record breaking September heat was largely attributed inspirationally and motivationally by the Carlton players to the real-life battles of teammates English, after his cancer diagnosis and Peter Motley, after a career-ending car accident. This moment in 1987 is notable for Peter Dean's words spoken on the dais at the game's end: 'Motts..... Dessie...... you're f--king bloody beautiful!!' The episode is something of a legend in Carlton history, inspiring future generations in similar situations.[1]
Carlton Football Club 1981/82 VFL premiers | |
|---|---|
1981: Carlton 12.20 (92) defeated Collingwood 10.12 (72), at the Melbourne Cricket Ground 1982: Carlton 14.19 (103) defeated Richmond 12.13 (85), at the Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
Coach: Parkin |
Victorian team – 1983 State of Origin | |
|---|---|
South Australia 26.16 (172) defeated Victoria 17.14 (116), at Football Park, 16 May 1983, crowd: 44,521 Western Australia 16.22 (118) d Victoria 16.19 (115), at Subiaco Oval, 12 July 1983, crowd: 44,213 | |
| Both games | |
| vs. South Australia | |
| vs. Western Australia | |