Welcome to Last Word on Football’s ‘Families in Football’ series. Over the next few weeks, we take a look at siblings, cousins and even parents and children that have played the beautiful game. Some have played cup finals together while others have been on opposing sides. Today, we focus on Shaun and Damian Batt.
Families in Football: Brothers Shaun and Damian Batt
Damian Batt
Defender Damian Batt spent much of his career in non-league football, with his biggest and most successful spell coming during his time at Oxford United.
Damian came through the Norwich City academy and scored the opener as the Canaries won 2-1 against Aston Villa in the FA Youth Cup. However, after eight years with the club, Batt was released.
The right-back eventually joined Conference National side Barnet and was part of the Bees side that won promotion to League Two. Despite making 22 league appearances in the fourth tier, Damien was released before dropping down a division to join St Albans City. However, a string of impressive displays caught the attention of Stevenage but he was loaned back to the Saints and Woking.
After a short spell with Grays Athletic, Batt joined Oxford United in a move that would be hugely successful for the club and the player. The defender spent four-and-a-half years at Grenoble Road, scoring three times from 180 appearances and winning promotion to League Two for a second time in his career.
Batt spent six months in Canada with the Vancouver Whitecaps before returning to England, where he spent a season at Eastleigh and Dagenham & Redbridge respectively.
Shaun Batt
Younger brother to Damian, Shaun Batt also spent much of his career around the lower leagues. The forward came through the academy with Stevenage Borough but made just one senior appearance for the club.
Loan spells followed either side of a transfer to Dagenham & Redbridge before the striker eventually joined Conference South side, Fisher Athletic. 11 goals from 33 appearances for the Fish led to a move to League One club, Peterborough United.
Shaun spent two seasons at London Road and made 60 appearances before joining Millwall following a successful loan spell.
Injury hampered his time in South London and further loan spells with Crawley Town and Leyton Orient followed before the forward joined the O’s on a permanent basis.
Spells at Barnet, Chelmsford City and East Thurrock United followed before announcing his retirement.
Despite numerous injuries and loan spells, Shaun Batt won back to back promotions to the Championship with Peterborough and Millwall respectively.
Games That the Brothers Played Together
Throughout their careers, Shaun and Damian Batt never played on the same team, and they only faced each other on opposing sides in one match. That came in Damian’s final season in football at Dagenham & Redbridge with Shaun providing an assist in a 2-0 win for Leyton Orient.
Interesting Facts
Following his retirement from football, Damian Batt went on to become the president of his charity, Alexander Du’bel Wish Foundation. However, it is not registered with the Charity Commission.
And the drama didn’t stop there. The Charity Commission claimed that the company had misled the public as it planned to raise £3.5 million for granting dying children’s wishes. Parties were held to raise money, but Batt admittedly owed £60,000 to debtors.
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