Mike Whitlow
Michael William "Mike" Whitlow ( born January 13, 1968 in Northwich ) is a former English footballer. The left-back who could also be used in central defense and in midfield, won in 1992 with Leeds United English Championship and five years later, with Leicester City to the League Cup.
Sports career
Leeds United (1988-1992)
After Whitlow was in 1985 joined Bolton Wanderers, but then sorted out already in the following year, he hired himself at first division club Witton Albion in the Northern Premier League and went parallel to a " regular job " after. During his time with Albion he was a talented left-back on the active at Leeds United manager Howard Wilkinson, who then next Whitlow also the right-back Neil Parsley " in the package" committed in November 1988. On November 9, 1988, he debuted on the left-back position in the Full Members Cup against Shrewsbury Town ( 3-1 ) and left 17 days later his league debut in the midfield against Stoke City ( 4-0) follow. Overall, he played mainly on the left defensive side, but also occasionally in the middle or in the midfield, in the 1988/89 season for the second division 21 league games and in the following season 1989/90 he contributed 29 league matches for the ultimately successful promotion to the First Division at. He catapulted into the wider circle of the English U- 21 team, but ultimately remained there without international match.
Despite these promising signs Whitlow was but henceforth unable to cement his status in the team. As Leeds United took a surprisingly good fourth place in the 1990/91 season, Whitlow was involved with only 18 league stakes comparatively low in it. To a far greater problem, however, was the obligation of the new left-back Tony Dorigo in the summer of 1991, which he finally landed on the " siding". He came in the 1991/92 season only for ten First Division games before he went in March 1992 for £ 250,000 to the second division Leicester City - his contribution to the championship title for Leeds United after all, brought him an official medal one.
Leicester City (1992-1997)
Together with Simon Grayson, who also moved from Leeds to Leicester in the same month, he found himself in time to fight for the promotion places, and it lost to in the play- off final in late May 1992 in the Blackburn Rovers (0-1). A year later he was once more in Wembley in the final of the playoffs, but lost to Swindon Town (3:4) one more time. In the third round, however, finally succeeded in the longed-for promotion to the Premier League, as the now -team regular matured Whitlow defeated with 31 league operations in the 1993/94 season with his men in the play- off final Derby County 2-1. In the English top division he managed against champions Manchester United ( 1-1) on 28 December 1994 one of his rare goals, missed through injury in the meantime some games and had to end after only one year to transition into the second division compete.
There he contributed in the season 1995/96 his personal highest hit rate of three league goals for direct resurgence in, stayed completely injury-free and completed within five years of his fourth play-off match at Wembley Stadium - Crystal Palace rated 2: 1 beaten. In his second Erstligasaison for Leicester Whitlow came with his team not only a comfortable place in the upper midfield, but also won the League Cup in April 1997. This Whitlow had in November 1996, a victory against Manchester United ( 2-0) still paid dearly with a medial ligament injury and a months-long break before he made his comeback in March and the final victory over Middlesbrough FC (1-0 after a replay ) again part the team was. For £ 500,000 Whitlow changed mid-September 1997 Erstligaaufsteiger Bolton Wanderers, the club with which he was still failed at a young age.
Bolton Wanderers (1997-2003)
Primary obligation as a replacement for the injured Robbie Elliott, he said with quiet and controlled performances in the team structure, but remained with 13 league operations in the 1997/98 season still often " left out". It was not until the following year - Bolton was again relegated to the second division - he sat down permanently through against the competition in the form of Elliott and Jimmy Phillips. Only a torn ligament put him at the end of the season for the remaining games again for a long time out of action. End of April 2000, he scored his first goal for the " Trotters " and qualified once again for the play- off games. There, he lost now in the semis, where he ( 3:5 after extra time ) in the 90th minute einhandelte a red card in the second leg against Ipswich Town. Only far less dramatic his failure in the FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa was the beginning of the same month in the penalty shootout. Barely a handful of games, he completed the following season 2000/ 01, which brought at least the club the awaited return to the Premier League because of persistent groin problem. He was allowed to join one minute before closing the " show," in the successful play-off final against Preston North End (3-0).
Together with the 35 -year-old Icelander Guðni Bergsson formed Whitlow in the Erstligasaison 2001/ 02 an experienced center-back pair and both held despite some reservations, given the relatively high age many Erstligastürmer surprisingly well in check, which was rewarded in the end with the league. In his final season in 2002/ 03 for Bolton Whitlow had again for months struggling with a groin problem and was a total of 14 times in the starting lineup before his contract expired in the summer of 2003. Whitlow, who had endeared himself off the pitch in Bolton for his numerous charitable activities, then left the club in the direction of Sheffield United.
Career finale (2003-2005)
In the second division Whitlow signed a one year contract. Initially planned as a supplement for the defense, he graduated in the fall of 2003, nine matches in a row before he usually found himself in the rest of the season on the bench and after only a year moved on to the next club. In the fourth division Notts County he was the experienced players by coach Gary Mills newly established team and completed 24 league games. Subsequently, he became the club from August 2005 to May 2007 as Kotrainer available. Next engagements followed later for the youth academy of Derby County and from May 2009 as Head of youth department of Mansfield Town. A year later, he took a similar function at the club Burton Albion.
Title / Awards
- English Championship ( 1): 1992
- English League Cup ( 1): 1997