Peter Whittingham

Infobox Football biography
playername = Peter Whittingham


fullname = Peter Whittingham
height = height|ft=5|in=10
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1984|9|8
cityofbirth = Nuneaton
countryofbirth = England
currentclub = Cardiff City
clubnumber = 7
position = Winger/Left Back
youthyears =
youthclubs = Aston Villa
years = 2003–2007
2005
2005
2007–
clubs = Aston Villa
→ Burnley (loan)
→ Derby County (loan)
Cardiff City
caps(goals) = 66 0(1)
07 0(0)
11 0(0)
70 (10)
pcupdate = 18:35, 2 October 2008 (UTC)
nationalyears = 2004–2007
nationalteam = England U21
nationalcaps(goals) = 17 (3)
ntupdate = 21:39, 21 August 2007 (UTC)

Peter Michael Whittingham (born September 8, 1984 in Nuneaton) is an English footballer and left-sided midfielder. He is currently playing for Cardiff City in the Football League Championship.

Early life

Whittingham was born in Nuneaton, Warwickshire in 1984 and attended school at King Henry VIII, Coventry.

Club career

Aston Villa

Whittingham was part of the FA Youth Cup winning side of 2002 and signed a four-year professional contract in October 2002.

He made his first team debut on April 21, 2003 against Newcastle United, a second-half substitution for Gareth Barry, and made an immediate impact, seeing a powerful shot pushed over the bar by Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given, which earned plaudits from his team-mates. He went on to make 32 appearances in his first full season at the club, season 2003/4, scoring his first goal against Wycombe Wanderers in the League Cup on September 23, 2003. He was rewarded with a one-year extension of is contract.

He failed to hold down a regular first team place in the Villa side over the next three years despite gaining a reputation as a skillful winger with a fierce shot. He was loaned out to both Derby County [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/derby_county/4246214.stm "Whittingham completes Derby move"] BBC Sport retrieved on 3 October, 2007] and Burnley [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/burnley/4265315.stm "Burnley bag Villa's Whittingham"] BBC Sport Retrieved on 3 October, 2007] to get some first team games.

Cardiff City

In January 2007 after making just 4 appearances for Villa since the start of the season he was transferred to Cardiff City for a reported fee of £350,000 as he had become surplus to requirements at Villa Park and was out of contract in the summer [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/cardiff_city/6248971.stm "Whittingham secures Cardiff move"] BBC Sport Retrieved on 3 October, 2007] . He quickly established himself in the side and was a first team member until the end of the year with midfield competition Joe Ledley moved to left-back due to a small squad. However the summer 2007 arrival of Tony Capaldi meant that Ledley was no longer needed to cover in defence and went back to his normal position of left midfield meaning Whittingham has started the season on the bench.

But by mid-November Cardiff found themselves just above the relegation zone which prompted a minor reshuffle from boss Dave Jones involving Chris Gunter and Whittingham returning to the starting line-up. HIs return to the side saw him moved to an unfamilar role on the right side of midfield but he soon settled into the role and started the majority of the remaining matches of the season, as well as being the clubs top scorer with 3 goals during their FA Cup run which saw Whittingham score in matches against Chasetown, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Middlesbrough eventually losing 1-0 to Portsmouth in the final.

International career

Whittingham is a full England under-21 international and was part of the squad that competed in the 2007 European under-21 championships in Holland. He made one substitute appearance in the tournament coming on late in a 2-2 draw with Italy.

Whittingham has three goals for the under-21 side. He scored his first two in a match against the Wales under-21 squad before scoring his last goal in a match against Norway in February 2007.

Club statistics

As of 18 May, 2008

Honours

;Cardiff

*

References

External links

*soccerbase|id=34921|name=Peter Whittingham
* [http://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10335~23544,00.html Peter Whittingham player profile] at cardiffcityfc.co.uk
* [http://www.football.co.uk/aston_villa/players/peter_whittingham_101707.shtml Peter Whittingham player profile at football.co.uk]
* [http://www.4thegame.com/club/cardiff-city-fc/player-profile/3959/peterwhittingham.html Peter Whittingham player profile at 4thegame.com]
* [http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/PlayerProfiles/0,,10265~23544,00.html Peter Whittingham player profile] at avfc.co.uk