| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jeffrey Whitley | ||
| Date of birth | (1979-01-28)28 January 1979 (age 46) | ||
| Place of birth | Ndola, Zambia | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1989–1996 | Manchester City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1996–2003 | Manchester City | 116 | (6) |
| 1999 | →Wrexham (loan) | 9 | (2) |
| 2002 | →Notts County (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2002–2003 | →Notts County (loan) | 12 | (0) |
| 2003–2005 | Sunderland | 68 | (2) |
| 2005–2007 | Cardiff City | 34 | (1) |
| 2006 | →Stoke City (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2007 | →Wrexham (loan) | 11 | (1) |
| 2008 | Wrexham | 11 | (0) |
| 2009 | Woodley Sports | 7 | (0) |
| 2009–2010 | Northwich Victoria | 2 | (0) |
| Total | 279 | (12) | |
| International career‡ | |||
| 1998–2000 | Northern Ireland U21 | 17 | (1) |
| 1997–2005 | Northern Ireland | 20 | (3) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 11:40, 8 April 2009 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 22:35, 8 August 2008 (UTC) | |||
Jeffrey Whitley (born 28 January 1979) is a former professionalfootballer who now works for theProfessional Footballers Association as a player wellbeing executive.
As a player he was amidfielder who notably played in thePremier League forManchester City. He also played in theFootball League forWrexham,Notts County,Cardiff City,Stoke City andSunderland, as well as for non-league sidesWoodley Sports,Northwich Victoria andDroylsden. Born inZambia, he was the first black player to representNorthern Ireland, earning 20 caps.
Whitley was a product of the Manchester City youth scheme[1] which he joined as a ten-year-old and began his club career as a trainee in 1996, making over 120 league and cup appearances for the first-team.[2] He had a two-month loan spell atWrexham in the 1998–99 season.[2] and in March 2002, having fallen out of favour at Manchester City, joinedNotts County on loan for the remainder of the 2001–02 season.[3] He had a three-month loan spell at Notts County in the 2002–03 season, returning to Manchester City in January 2003[4] but was released by the club in March 2003 as he did not feature in managerKevin Keegan's plans.[5]
After a trial[6] and impressing in pre-season, he signed a contract withSunderland in August 2003.[7] He made over 70 league and cup appearances for Sunderland,[2] helping the club to theFootball League Championship play-offs at the end of the 2003–04 season. In the play-off semi final againstCrystal Palace, Whitley attempted aPanenka during the penalty shootout which was saved. Crystal Palace converted the following spot kick to defeat Sunderland and reach the play-off final.[8][9] Whitley later helped Sunderland to theFootball League Championship title in 2005.[10] In July 2005, he joinedCardiff City on a free transfer[11] and made 38 league and cup appearances for the club in the 2005–06 season,[12] scoring once against Watford in the league.[13] Whitley joinedStoke City on loan in August 2006[14] but made only four appearances[15] in an unsuccessful loan spell.[16] Cardiff made him available for transfer but he did not take up offers to talk withMillwall andRotherham[16] and joinedWrexham in February 2007 on loan for the remainder of the 2006–07 season.[17] He scored the winning goal againstBristol Rovers in a 1–0 away victory in March 2007.[18] He was released by Cardiff and signed for Wrexham on non-contract terms in January 2008[19] but was released by Wrexham in May 2008 following the club's relegation to theFootball Conference.[20] He joinedNorthern Premier League Division One North sideWoodley Sports in an effort to gain match fitness, before signing forNorthwich Victoria on 7 March 2009.[21]
Despite being Zambian born, due to Whitley living in England since he was a child, he was eligible to, and played for theEngland under-17 team. As his father was born inBelfast, he was also eligible to play forNorthern Ireland and made his debut for them in 1997,[22] becoming the first black player to play for Northern Ireland.[23]
His brother,Jim was also a professional footballer, with both brothers playing for Manchester City at the same time; Jeff wore his full name on the back of his shirt for a time to differentiate between the two, who also shared the same initials.
Whitley has spent time at theSporting Chance clinic after becoming addicted to alcohol and drugs. It affected him greatly and said "at times I would just be praying just to die".[24] Whitley previously worked as a car salesman in the Stockport area whilst training to become a qualified Counsellor. He now works for the Professional Footballers' Association.[25]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other[A] | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Manchester City | 1996–97 | First Division | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 1 |
| 1997–98 | First Division | 17 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 1 | |
| 1998–99 | Second Division | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 13 | 0 | |
| 1999–2000 | First Division | 42 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 4 | |
| 2000–01 | Premier League | 31 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 1 | |
| 2001–02 | First Division | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 116 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 133 | 6 | ||
| Wrexham (loan) | 1998–99 | Second Division | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 |
| Notts County (loan) | 2001–02 | Second Division | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 2002–03 | Second Division | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 0 | |
| Total | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 0 | ||
| Sunderland | 2003–04 | First Division | 33 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 42 | 2 |
| 2004–05 | Championship | 34 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 2 | |
| Total | 67 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 76 | 4 | ||
| Cardiff City | 2005–06 | Championship | 34 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 1 |
| 2006–07 | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 34 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 1 | ||
| Stoke City (loan) | 2006–07 | Championship | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Wrexham | 2006–07 | League Two | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| 2007–08 | League Two | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
| Total | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 1 | ||
| Career Total | 269 | 14 | 11 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 302 | 14 | ||
Source:[27]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Ireland | 1997 | 2 | 0 |
| 1998 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1999 | 1 | 1 | |
| 2000 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2001 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2003 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2004 | 8 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 4 | 0 | |
| Total | 20 | 2 | |
