Gareth Whalley
Encyclopedia
Gareth Whalley is an English
born footballer
who qualifies to play for the Republic of Ireland
under the parentage rule.
-born midfielder
who first appeared in the Football League
under Dario Gradi
at Crewe Alexandra
, Whalley spent a successful six years at Crewe before joining Bradford City
, where he featured for the Bantams in both of their seasons in the Premier League.
Whalley had a brief loan spell back at Crewe before signing for Cardiff City
on a free transfer in July 2002. The season started badly for Whalley who suffered a serious knee ligament injury just three months into his spell at the club, ruling him out for 5 months. He returned in April and went on to play an important part in the end of season schedule as Cardiff won promotion to Division One, including supplying the pass for Andy Campbell
to run onto and score during the 1-0 play-off final win over Queens Park Rangers
. The following season Whalley struggled to hold down a first team place, as well as becoming involved in a contractual dispute over a £50,000 appearance bonus, and had his contract cancelled by the club, signing for Wigan Athletic
in September 2004. He only played eight league games as Wigan gained promotion to the English top flight.
The free transfer signing of Whalley in the summer of 2005 was widely regarded as a coup by Swindon Town
manager Andy King
, after he had helped Wigan Athletic reach the Premiership for the first time in their history during the previous season. Whalley signed for the Town despite being offered a better deal by Grimsby Town
, opting for a two year deal on a lower wage, when three years was on offer with the Mariners.
Though his pre-season was interrupted by an hamstring injury that restricted him to just 100 minutes of action in the build up to the new campaign, he took his place in the centre of midfield for the opening match of the season, a 2–0 defeat at Barnsley
. Though he kept his place in the side when available through to the end of October, he failed to meet the expectations of the Town's supporters - perhaps not helped by a series of niggling injuries, such as a knock to the chest picked up on his debut, a toe complaint that forced him to retire during a home game with Southend, and a knee injury that prevented him from taking part in new manager Iffy Onuora
's first two matches in charge at the start of October. During this period, Whalley started twelve games, and was substituted in nine of them - a back injury then kept him out the following week.
After that, Whalley was relegated to the bench on his return and he started just one more league game before the end of the year, in a 1–1 draw at Port Vale
- before yet another injury, this time to his leg, kept him out of the fixtures over the festive period. Seemingly the Town's forgotten man, it was March before he returned to the side - when Onuora experimented with Whalley as the creative influence in a midfield three with wingbacks at Yeovil Town
. Though the Town drew 0-0, Whalley played well, and he kept his place for the remainder of the season - missing just one more match - though he was again substituted in seven of the nine games he played.
In the pre-season of 2006–07
, Whalley suffered a recurrence of a long-standing ankle injury and was out injured for the start of the season.
Whalley made a surprise return from injury in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy game against Wycombe Wanderers
and then appeared on the substitutes' bench the following weekend against Shrewsbury Town
.
Whalley was released following Swindon's promotion on 9 May. He signed for Conference National
club Altrincham
on 2 August 2007 but left in December 2007 after a total of 16 appearances, 14 in the league.
At international level, Whalley was included in a number of Republic of Ireland
senior squads under Mick McCarthy
but never won a full cap
. He was capped at "B" international level.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
born footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who qualifies to play for the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
under the parentage rule.
Career
A ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
-born midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
who first appeared in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
under Dario Gradi
Dario Gradi
Dario Gradi MBE is an Italian-born English football manager and former player, who was serving as manager of the Crewe Alexandra F.C. Academy. He is a former manager of Crewe Alexandra, with whom he has been associated for almost thirty years.Gradi is notable for his 24-year first spell as manager...
at Crewe Alexandra
Crewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
, Whalley spent a successful six years at Crewe before joining Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
, where he featured for the Bantams in both of their seasons in the Premier League.
Whalley had a brief loan spell back at Crewe before signing for Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
on a free transfer in July 2002. The season started badly for Whalley who suffered a serious knee ligament injury just three months into his spell at the club, ruling him out for 5 months. He returned in April and went on to play an important part in the end of season schedule as Cardiff won promotion to Division One, including supplying the pass for Andy Campbell
Andy Campbell
Andrew Paul "Andy" Campbell is an English footballer, who plays for Whitby Town.-Career:Born in Middlesbrough, Campbell started his career with his hometown team Middlesbrough, whom he left for Cardiff City for £1m...
to run onto and score during the 1-0 play-off final win over Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
. The following season Whalley struggled to hold down a first team place, as well as becoming involved in a contractual dispute over a £50,000 appearance bonus, and had his contract cancelled by the club, signing for Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
in September 2004. He only played eight league games as Wigan gained promotion to the English top flight.
The free transfer signing of Whalley in the summer of 2005 was widely regarded as a coup by Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
manager Andy King
Andy King
Andrew "Andy" King is a British Labour Party politician. He was Member of Parliament for Rugby and Kenilworth until 2005, having first won the seat in the 1997 general election...
, after he had helped Wigan Athletic reach the Premiership for the first time in their history during the previous season. Whalley signed for the Town despite being offered a better deal by Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
, opting for a two year deal on a lower wage, when three years was on offer with the Mariners.
Though his pre-season was interrupted by an hamstring injury that restricted him to just 100 minutes of action in the build up to the new campaign, he took his place in the centre of midfield for the opening match of the season, a 2–0 defeat at Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
. Though he kept his place in the side when available through to the end of October, he failed to meet the expectations of the Town's supporters - perhaps not helped by a series of niggling injuries, such as a knock to the chest picked up on his debut, a toe complaint that forced him to retire during a home game with Southend, and a knee injury that prevented him from taking part in new manager Iffy Onuora
Iffy Onuora
Ifem "Iffy" Onuora is a coach a former professional footballer born in Scotland of Nigerian descent.He was recently the head coach of the Ethiopia national team...
's first two matches in charge at the start of October. During this period, Whalley started twelve games, and was substituted in nine of them - a back injury then kept him out the following week.
After that, Whalley was relegated to the bench on his return and he started just one more league game before the end of the year, in a 1–1 draw at Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
- before yet another injury, this time to his leg, kept him out of the fixtures over the festive period. Seemingly the Town's forgotten man, it was March before he returned to the side - when Onuora experimented with Whalley as the creative influence in a midfield three with wingbacks at Yeovil Town
Yeovil Town F.C.
Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
. Though the Town drew 0-0, Whalley played well, and he kept his place for the remainder of the season - missing just one more match - though he was again substituted in seven of the nine games he played.
In the pre-season of 2006–07
2006-07 in English football
The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five...
, Whalley suffered a recurrence of a long-standing ankle injury and was out injured for the start of the season.
Whalley made a surprise return from injury in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy game against Wycombe Wanderers
Wycombe Wanderers F.C.
Wycombe Wanderers Football Club is an English professional football team from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, which has been promoted to Football League One after finishing third in Football League Two in the season 2010–11. The club's nicknames are "The Chairboys" and "The Blues", and they play...
and then appeared on the substitutes' bench the following weekend against Shrewsbury Town
Shrewsbury Town F.C.
Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football...
.
Whalley was released following Swindon's promotion on 9 May. He signed for Conference National
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
club Altrincham
Altrincham F.C.
Altrincham Football Club is an English association football club from Altrincham, Greater Manchester. They currently play in the Conference North, having been relegated from the Conference National at the end of the 2010–11 season.-History:...
on 2 August 2007 but left in December 2007 after a total of 16 appearances, 14 in the league.
At international level, Whalley was included in a number of Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
senior squads under Mick McCarthy
Mick McCarthy
Michael Joseph "Mick" McCarthy is an English-born former Irish international footballer who is currently the manager of Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he has been in charge since July 2006....
but never won a full cap
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
. He was capped at "B" international level.
Honours
With Cardiff CityCardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
- Football League Division Two play-off winner: 1
-
- 2002-03The Football League 2002-03The 2002–2003 season was the 103rd completed season of The Football League.-Football League First Division:Portsmouth won the First Division by some distance, passing manager Harry Redknapp’s old club, West Ham on the way down. Leicester City earned a somewhat controversial promotion, as...
- 2002-03