 Wheeldon in 2022 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Thomas Wheeldon Jr. | ||
| Date of birth | (1979-05-03)3 May 1979 (age 45) | ||
| Place of birth | Liverpool, England | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Cavalry FC (head coach) | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| Swindon Town | |||
| Torquay United | |||
| Yeovil Town | |||
| 2002–2004 | Calgary Storm | 28 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2014–2016 | Canada U17 (assistant) | ||
| 2015–2018 | Calgary Foothills | ||
| 2018– | Cavalry FC | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Thomas Wheeldon Jr. (born 3 May 1979) is an English former professionalfootballer and current head coach ofCavalry FC in theCanadian Premier League.
Wheeldon began his playing career in England withSwindon Town before moving toTorquay United.[1]
In May 2002, Wheeldon joined theCalgary Storm of theA-League to play under the management of his father, Tommy Wheeldon Sr.[2] He went on to make 28 appearances for the club across two seasons.[3] During his time as a player, he also worked as a full-time academy coach and soccer camp director for the club.[4]
After theCalgary Storm folded, Wheeldon decided to remain inCanada and help develop grassroots football. After four years as a director for a local soccer academy, he joined theCalgary Foothills as assistant technical director in 2007 and was promoted to technical director a year later. In 2015, Wheeldon was named as head coach as the club joined thePremier Development League. In his second season as head coach, Wheeldon guided the team to an appearance in thePDL Championship Final before losing to theMichigan Bucks.[5] In 2016, Wheeldon received the Jack Buckler Award for outstanding contribution to the sport of soccer within Calgary and area.[6]
After having accepted the role as head coach and general manager of Cavalry FC, Wheeldon led Calgary Foothills to the 2018 PDL Championship, defeatingReading United AC 4-2.[7]
In April 2014, Wheeldon began a two-year spell as assistant coach for theCanada U17 men's national team.[8]
On 18 May 2018, Wheeldon was announced as the first head coach and general manager ofCanadian Premier League clubCavalry FC.[9] Wheeldon signed 12 players from the Foothills to Cavalry, including captainNik Ledgerwood and goalkeeperMarco Carducci.[10] Under Wheeldon's coaching, Cavalry won both the spring and fall seasons in the2019 Canadian Premier League season.[11] Cavalry also made it to the semifinals of the2019 Canadian Championship, where they lost to theMajor League Soccer teamMontreal Impact.[12] Along the way, Cavalry had defeated fellow Canadian Premier League sidesPacific FC andForge FC as well as theVancouver Whitecaps in the quarterfinals, becoming the only CPL team to win against an MLS team.[13] Wheeldon would win the CPL coach of the year for the 2019 season.[14]
During the2023 CPL campaign, Wheeldon led Cavalry to the victory of the regular season, and won his second Coach of the Year Award as a result.[15][16]
Wheeldon was born inLiverpool, England.[17] His father, Tommy Wheeldon Sr, was a professional footballer who representedEverton andEngland Under-18s.[18]
He attended theUniversity of Surrey to study sports science and coaching.[4]
Wheeldon is a lifelongEverton supporter.[19]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Calgary Storm | 2002[3] | A-League | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| 2003[3] | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 | ||
| Total | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | ||
| Team | From | To | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | |||
| Calgary Foothills | 17 May 2015 | 4 August 2018 | 64 | 38 | 16 | 10 | 106 | 60 | +46 | 059.38 |
| Cavalry FC | 17 May 2018 | present | 143 | 75 | 29 | 39 | 207 | 143 | +64 | 052.45 |
| Total | 207 | 113 | 45 | 49 | 313 | 203 | +110 | 054.59 | ||
Calgary Foothills
Cavalry
Individual