His first coaching position was for Southern League team Nuneaton Borough[7] in 1971,[8] where he was appointed as player-manager on the recommendation of Peter Taylor, who worked alongside Brian Clough at Derby County and Nottingham Forest, and stayed there for two and a half seasons.
A number of players in Pleat's team would receive international recognition, including defender Mal Donaghy (Northern Ireland), midfielder Ricky Hill and forwards Brian Stein, Paul Walsh and Mick Harford (all England).
In 1983, Luton came close to being relegated from Division One, but reached safety after a late goal by Radomir Antić against Manchester City in the final game of the season.
During this season, he played with five in midfield including creative players such as Ossie Ardiles, Chris Waddle and Glenn Hoddle and just one striker – Clive Allen, who scored 49 goals in all competitions.
The team narrowly lost 3–2 after extra time in the FA Cup Final against Coventry City in one of the most exciting matches that Wembley Stadium had witnessed.
He stayed at Filbert Street for more than three years but, hampered by financial constraints and the sale of key players such as Mike Newell, Gary McAllister and Russell Osman,[16] was unable to help them achieve promotion[17] and returned to Luton Town in June 1991 for a second spell as manager of the club.
[18] During his second spell at Luton, he developed a number of players from the youth team including Mark Pembridge, John Hartson, Paul Telfer and Ceri Hughes, who would all go on to leave for large transfer fees.
In 1998, he returned to Tottenham Hotspur with Alan Sugar appointing him as the club's first Director of Football,[14][20] working alongside then manager Christian Gross, who was soon succeeded by George Graham.
[14][22] This was the third of three occasions in which he had been caretaker manager for the club;[14] he had previously fulfilled the role in 1998, before George Graham, during which time the team achieved four wins, two draws, and one defeat.
His ability to unearth young talent continued at White Hart Lane signing the likes of Matthew Etherington, Simon Davies, Gary Doherty and Anthony Gardner from the lower leagues, who would all become regular members of the first team and the latter three represented their respective countries at full national team level, while he was also key in the acquisitions of Frederic Kanoute, Robbie Keane, Jermain Defoe and Paul Robinson.
Pleat left Tottenham in 2004 and took up advisory roles with Portsmouth, West Bromwich Albion and Nottingham Forest [23] before returning to Spurs again in 2010 as a consultant scout.
Starting with Mexico 86, he has covered seven consecutive World Cups as a co-commentator, working on either radio or television, including with the BBC, ITV and UEFA.