Kenny Wharton

Infobox Football biography
playername = Kenny Wharton


fullname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1960|11|28
cityofbirth = Newcastle upon Tyne
countryofbirth = England
height =
position = Left-back/midfielder
currentclub = Newcastle United (Academy Coach)
youthyears = 1975–1978
youthclubs = Newcastle United
years = 1978–1989 1989–1990 1989–1990 1989–1990
clubs = Newcastle Carlisle United Bradford City Berwick Rangers Total
caps(goals) = 290 (26) 001 0(0) 005 0(0) 002 0(1) 298 (27)
nationalyears =
nationalteam =
nationalcaps(goals) =
manageryears =
managerclubs =

Kenny Wharton (born November 28, 1960 in Newcastle upon Tyne) is an English former professional footballer, who is academy coach for Newcastle United.

Playing career

Wharton left school at 15 and captained Newcastle Schoolboys before joining his hometown club Newcastle United on a part time basis in 1978, turning professional a year later when Bill McGarry was in charge. Wharton went on to make 290 league appearances—335 in all competitions—and also scored 26 goals.cite web
url=http://www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Academy/0,,10278~1330267,00.html
title=Reserves/Academy: Kenny Wharton
publisher=nufc.co.uk
accessdate=2008-07-29]

In 1989, he was transferred to Carlisle United. He also played five times for Bradford City before ending his playing career with Berwick Rangers. [cite web
url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player/kennywharton.htm
title=KENNY WHARTON
publisher=neilbrown.newcastlefans.com
accessdate=2008-07-29]

Coaching career

In 1989, a knee injury cut short his playing career and Wharton worked for a short period in the Probation Service before getting the opportunity to get back into football with St. Johnstone, working under John McCleland.

Middlesbrough then offered Wharton a part time job as coach to their first team, this later became full time and he graduated to their under 19s, working very successfully with a number of players who later were to progress to the first team.

Wharton returned to Newcastle in 1999 and worked in tandem with former academy director Alan Irvine. In 2002, Wharton was promoted from assistant academy director to academy director, taking over from Alan Irvine who left to join Everton as assistant manager to David Moyes.

In October 2004, following restructuring of the academy personnel, John Carver took over as academy director and Wharton assumed the role of academy coach. During the 2003–04 season, Wharton also joined the reserve team coaching staff.cite web
url=http://www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Academy/0,,10278~1330267,00.html
title=Reserves/Academy: Kenny Wharton
publisher=nufc.co.uk
accessdate=2008-07-29]

References