Colin Whitaker
Birth date14 June 1932
Birth placeLeeds, England
Death date1 May 2015 (aged 82)
Death placeEngland
PositionLeft winger
Youthclubs 1Leeds United
Years 11951–1952
Clubs 1Sheffield Wednesday
Caps 11
Goals 10
Years 21953–1956
Clubs 2Bradford Park Avenue
Caps 249
Goals 210
Years 31956–1960
Clubs 3Shrewsbury Town
Caps 3152
Goals 359
Years 41960–1961
Clubs 4Queens Park Rangers
Caps 48
Goals 40
Years 51961–1962
Clubs 5Rochdale
Caps 554
Goals 511
Years 61962–1964
Clubs 6Oldham Athletic
Caps 672
Goals 629
Years 71964
Clubs 7Barrow
Caps 712
Goals 70
Years 81964–
Clubs 8Ashton United
Years 9–1966
Clubs 9Buxton
Clubs 10Heanor Town
Clubs 11Stalybridge Celtic
Totalcaps348
Totalgoals109
Managerclubs 1Stalybridge Celtic
Managerclubs 2Buxton
Manageryears 21970–1974
Managerclubs 3Droylsden
Managerclubs 4Buxton
Manageryears 41978–1982

Colin Whitaker (14 July 1932 – 1 May 2015) was an English footballer who played as a left winger in the Football League.

Football career

Whitaker was a member of the youth team at Leeds United, before joining Sheffield Wednesday during the 1951–52 season.[1] After only one league appearance for Wednesday he signed for Bradford Park Avenue. He went on to play for five other Football League clubs, Shrewsbury Town, Queens Park Rangers, Rochdale, Oldham Athletic and Barrow.[1]

In 1964 he dropped into non-League football, signing for Ashton United.[2] He joined Buxton during the 1965–66 season, and also played for Heanor Town and Stalybridge Celtic,[2] where he was player-manager.[3] He later managed Buxton for two spells between December 1970 and January 1982, in between which he managed Droylsden.[2]

Other sports

He also played cricket for Shropshire in the 1958 Minor Counties Championship.[4]

Personal life

While playing for Rochdale and Oldham, Whitaker worked as sports master at Rochdale High School. He later ran a building business from which he retired at age 59, living between Ashton-under-Lyne and the Costa del Sol in Spain. He died on 1 May 2015 and was cremated at Oldham Crematorium.[3][5]

References

  1. ^
  2. ^ Colin Whitaker Tribute Archived 7 April 2017 at the Wayback Machine Buxton F.C.
  3. ^ Tribute to a sporting all-rounder Oldham Chronicle
  4. ^ "Player profile: Colin Whitaker". CricketArchive. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
  5. ^ "WHITAKER : Obituary". bmdsonline.co.uk. 8 May 2015.