Des English

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
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
  • 2 x VFL premierships: 1981, 1982
  • 1x VFL Team of Year: 1983
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]

References
  1. Walls, Robert (17 August 2003). "Ramanauskas' illness will turn Dons into tighter unit". The Age. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
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