Jack Whitham

Infobox Football biography
playername = Jack Whitham


fullname = John Whitham
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1946|12|08|df=yes
cityofbirth = Burnley
countryofbirth = England
dateofdeath =
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
height = height|ft=6|in=0
position = Forward
youthyears = 0000–1964
youthclubs = Holy Trinity F.C.
years = 1964–1970
1970-1974
1974–1975
1975–1976
clubs = Sheffield Wednesday
Liverpool
Cardiff City
Reading
caps(goals) = 63 0(27)
15 00(7)
14 00(3)
19 00(3)
nationalyears = 1968
nationalteam = England U23
nationalcaps(goals) = 01 (0)

Jack Whitham was a professional footballer who played for Sheffield Wednesday, Liverpool, Cardiff City and Reading. He was a Centre Forward who only started 111 league games in a nine year career between 1967 and 1976, scoring 40 goals. He made one appearance for the England under 23 team against Wales in 1968.

Whitham was born in Burnley on December 8th 1946, his grandfather Thomas Whitham of the Coldstream Guards had won the Victoria Cross in 1917 for attacking single-handed an enemy machine gun post. He played amateur football for Holy Trinity F.C. before signing for Sheffield Wednesday in October 1964.

Playing career

heffield Wednesday

Whitham made his debut for Wednesday on May 6th 1967 as a substitute against his home town club Burnley and scored twice in a 7-0 victory. Whitham’s time as a Wednesday player was marred by injury problems, his brave style of play meant that he spent long periods on the treatment table and he never played 20 league games in any season. He scored 10 goals in 10 games at the start of the 1968-69 season but never scored again that season as injury took its toll. He still ended up as top scorer that season, his tally included a hat-trick against Manchester United in a memorable 5-4 win on August 31st 1968 which was the highlight of his time at Hillsborough. In the following 1969-70 season he was top scorer again with 11 goals in all competitions as Wednesday were relegated to Division Two. In April 1970 he was transferred to Liverpool for a sum of £57,000. In his time with Wednesday he scored 31 goals in 62 starts, an excellent record of a goal every other match."The Men Who Made Sheffield Wednesday Football Club", Tony Matthews, ISBN 978 0 7524 4156 6, Page 266 Gives biographical information.] [http://www.adrianbullock.com/swfc/stats/play0653.htm The Sheffield Wednesday Archive.] Gives details of Sheffield Wednesday career.]

Liverpool

Whitham was signed by Liverpool as a potential replacement for Roger Hunt who had left to join Bolton Wanderers in December 1969. However his injury problems continued and he failed to get an extended run in the team. The arrival of John Toshack at Anfield in November 1970 further hindered his chances of first team football. He did well towards the end of 1971 when he scored two late goals in an away win at Coventry City and then scoring a hat-trick in a home 3-2 win against Derby County on December 11th 1971. In four years he played 15 games for Liverpool scoring seven goals. [http://www.lfchistory.net/player_profile.asp?player_id=444 www.lfchistory.net.] Gives details of Liverpool career and mor.] [http://www.ynwa.tv/news/index.php/2007/September/2425 www.ynwa.tv.] Gives details of Liverpool career and more.]

Latter Career

Whitham joined Cardiff City for the 1974-75 season, after being invited to a trial by then manager Frank O'Farrell, scoring three goals in 14 appearances before moving to Reading for the following season making 19 appearances as they were promoted from Division Four, his three goals that season all came in the same match against Hartlepool United. Whitham returned to non-League football in 1976 playing for Worksop Town, Hallam F.C. and then Oughtibridge in the local Sheffield league before retiring. [http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player/jackwhitham.htm Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Database.] Gives statistical details.]

After football

After retiring from football, Whitham ran the “Wadsley Jack” a public house in the Wadsley area of Sheffield for a few years. He then became the steward of the South Yorkshire Police Social Club in Wadsley Bridge.

References