Neil Whatmore
Encyclopedia
Neil Whatmore is an English former footballer who played as a striker
. He made 449 appearances in the Football League
and scored 150 goals, playing for Bolton Wanderers
, Birmingham City
, Oxford United
, Burnley
and Mansfield Town
. He is perhaps best known for his four separate spells at Bolton Wanderers in the 1970s.
, Cheshire
. He made his debut for Bolton in what was then the Football League Third Division
as an amateur, after coming through the club's youth system. He scored twice in this game, an away game at Swansea City. Bolton secured the divisional title that year and he scored thirty one goals four years later
in promotion to the First Division
.
On promotion to the top division, Bolton's first choice forward line became Alan Gowling
and Frank Worthington
and Whatmore played in midfield for a season before being pushed forward again, scoring eighteen goals although Bolton were relegated.
Birmingham City
signed him for £350,000 to reunite him with Worthington, but the pair failed to gel, and Whatmore played only rarely. When Ron Saunders
took over as manager, both players fell from favour, but Whatmore stayed another year, some of which he spent on loan at Oxford United
and for three months at Bolton, before being sold to Oxford United. The emergence of John Aldridge
meant Whatmore was surplus to requirements after a season and, after a second loan spell at Bolton, he joined Burnley
in a part-exchange deal with Billy Hamilton
before moving on to Mansfield Town
a few months later. When he was released after two-and-a-half years he spent his fourth and final spell at Burnden Park
, an anonymous fan coming up with his wages, but he did not make the team and re-signed for Mansfield Town on a non-contract basis as reserve team
coach and occasional player. In 1988 he moved into non-league football
with Worksop Town
, and later coached in South Africa
.
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
. He made 449 appearances 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...
and scored 150 goals, playing for Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
, Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
, Oxford United
Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...
, Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
and Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town F.C.
Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910...
. He is perhaps best known for his four separate spells at Bolton Wanderers in the 1970s.
Career
Whatmore was born in Ellesmere PortEllesmere Port
Ellesmere Port is a large industrial town and port in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It is situated on the south border of the Wirral Peninsula on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal, which in turn gives access to the River...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
. He made his debut for Bolton in what was then the Football League Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
as an amateur, after coming through the club's youth system. He scored twice in this game, an away game at Swansea City. Bolton secured the divisional title that year and he scored thirty one goals four years later
1977-78 in English football
The 1977–1978 season was the 98th season of competitive football in England, from August 1977 to May 1978:-First Division:Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest side took on the First Division by storm, by winning the League Cup on 22 March and confirming themselves as league champions the following month...
in promotion to the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
.
On promotion to the top division, Bolton's first choice forward line became Alan Gowling
Alan Gowling
Alan Edwin Gowling is a former English footballer who played as a forward for many clubs in the north of England.-Football career:...
and Frank Worthington
Frank Worthington
Frank Stewart Worthington is a former English footballer. Frank was born into a footballing family in Shelf near Halifax, West Riding of Yorkshire. Both of his parents had played the game and his two older brothers, Dave and Bob, became professional footballers, both began their careers with...
and Whatmore played in midfield for a season before being pushed forward again, scoring eighteen goals although Bolton were relegated.
Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
signed him for £350,000 to reunite him with Worthington, but the pair failed to gel, and Whatmore played only rarely. When Ron Saunders
Ron Saunders
Ron Saunders is a retired English football player and former successful manager. He remains the only manager to have taken charge of Aston Villa, Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion, normally bitter rivals....
took over as manager, both players fell from favour, but Whatmore stayed another year, some of which he spent on loan at Oxford United
Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...
and for three months at Bolton, before being sold to Oxford United. The emergence of John Aldridge
John Aldridge
John William Aldridge is a former Republic of Ireland international footballer and football manager...
meant Whatmore was surplus to requirements after a season and, after a second loan spell at Bolton, he joined Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
in a part-exchange deal with Billy Hamilton
Billy Hamilton (footballer)
William Robert Hamilton is a former Northern Ireland international footballer who played as a forward.At club level, Billy played for Linfield, QPR, Burnley, Oxford United, Limerick, Sligo Rovers, Coleraine and Distillery...
before moving on to Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town F.C.
Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910...
a few months later. When he was released after two-and-a-half years he spent his fourth and final spell at Burnden Park
Burnden Park
Burnden Park was the home of English FA Premier League football club Bolton Wanderers who played home games here between 1895 and 1997. As well as hosting an FA Cup Final replay it was the scene of one of the greatest disasters in English football and the subject of an L. S...
, an anonymous fan coming up with his wages, but he did not make the team and re-signed for Mansfield Town on a non-contract basis as reserve team
Reserve team
Large professional sports clubs often have far more players under contract than could possibly play in a match. As a result, many of these clubs create second teams composed of players who need playing time, but have little hope of playing on the first team. The players on this second team are...
coach and occasional player. In 1988 he moved into non-league football
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
with Worksop Town
Worksop Town F.C.
Worksop Town Football Club are a semi-professional English football club from Worksop, Nottinghamshire who play in the Northern Premier League Premier Division...
, and later coached in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
External links
- Player stats at UK A–Z Transfers