[14] In November that year, having been nearly ever-present during the opening stages of the campaign,[8] he signed a contract that would have lasted until 2007. "They are at the forefront of our thoughts and, on their behalf, we ask for their privacy to be respected at this unfathomably cruel and difficult time. Peter Whittingham pictured playing for Cardiff in October 2015. [82], In March 2021, Pontypridd Coroner's Court recorded a verdict of accidental death, concluding that Whittingham was intoxicated and engaged in "horseplay" with friends before falling through a fire door and down a flight of stairs. Whittingham was taken to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. Peter Whittingham started his career at Aston Villa before joining Cardiff FC in 2007, The midfielder played for Cardiff until 2017, Tributes left outside Cardiff City stadium for Peter Whittingham. Former Cardiff City midfielder Peter Whittingham died after falling down stairs at a pub following a drunken "play fight" with friends, an inquest has been told. Peter Whittingham's wife speaks publicly for the first time in moving [61] Whittingham scored his first Premier League goal in nine years against Hull City. It was here he started to take the first steps on a journey that would see him score 98 career goals. Coroner Graeme Hughes reached a verdict of accidental death, before telling the courts: On March 7, 2020, he [Peter] attended a pub in Barry with friends and relatives. 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Whittingham said that he was fully committed to Cardiff, stating: "I'm happy here and until the gaffer [Malky Mackay] wants to sell me I'm here. Whittingham, 35, suffered . "I was the first person there and offered him my hand thinking he would just take it and he would get up on his feet. He absolutely loved playing football. Amanda was pregnant with their second child when Whittingham tragically died in March 2020 after falling down a flight of stairs at a pub in Barry following a day out with friends. [48] At the end of the season, Cardiff failed to gain promotion for a second year running and Whittingham was heavily linked with a move away from Cardiff City Stadium, being linked with newly promoted Norwich City and Portsmouth. Did you encounter any technical issues? The exact cause of Whittingham's death has not yet been confirmed, but he was being treated for a head injury. Solskjaer said: Peter was a fantastic footballer and an incredible human being. To play so many games, the majority in the top two divisions in England, was quite an achievement. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was 35 when he joined Cardiff and says: Peter set up most of my goals and we didnt even work on it on the training ground. We love you Pete and your memory will eternally stay with us., READ: Borussia Monchengladbach players offer to give up their salaries. "[58] On 28 August 2012, Whittingham signed a new 3-year deal at Cardiff, ending speculation on his future. What was Peter Whittingham's cause of death and how old was he? Thoughts are with his family and friends pic.twitter.com/VnbPieSlrX. I really cannot remember anything much of what happened.. "Then, as a professional footballer - as a Bluebird - he excelled with talent, ease, grace and humility. Im proud to have played alongside you and will always remember the young vs old games and you just running the show. Whittingham collected a winner's medal as Cardiff lifted the Championship trophy following April's home encounter with Bolton Wanderers. Whittingham, 35, suffered a traumatic head injury at the Park Hotel pub in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, on 7 March 2020, and died in hospital 11 days later after failing to regain consciousness. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. The 35-year-old was . Mr Davison said: "All of us were pretty drunk at that point.". (Photos: Getty Images; design: Sam Richardson). [13], Taylor was replaced by David O'Leary ahead of the 200304 season, with the Irishman being quick to praise Whittingham's potential. Wittingham started his career with Aston Villa before joining Cardiff in 2007. A Warner Bros. What Whittingham was really looking forward to, though, was family time and fatherhood. One of the reasons he stayed at Cardiff for so long was because of his wife, Amanda, who he met after relocating from the West Midlands to Wales. [56] He was later named in the PFA Team of the Year for the Championship. [32], In the first match of the 200910 season, Whittingham converted a penalty during a 40 win over Scunthorpe United in the first ever competitive match at the Cardiff City Stadium[33] and scored in consecutive rounds of the League Cup in wins over Dagenham & Redbridge[34] and Bristol Rovers. "We love you Pete and your memory will eternally stay with us.". Soccerbase has incorrect stats for the 200809 season having missed a substitute appearance in a match against Queens Park Rangers on 25 February 2009, Football League Championship Player of the Month, "Club list of registered players: As at 19th May 2018: Blackburn Rovers", "Former Coventry City Academy player Peter Whittingham dies aged 35", "Viduka set to leave Leeds after new row", "Games played by Pete Whittingham in 2002/2003", "O'Leary predicts golden future for Whittingham", "Games played by Pete Whittingham in 2003/2004", "Whittingham could be central to Clarets plans", "Games played by Pete Whittingham in 2004/2005", "Games played by Pete Whittingham in 2005/2006", "FA Cup final: Kanu punishes Cardiff to win Cup", "Peter Whittingham Pays Penalty for Misses", "Peter Whittingham is central to my Cardiff City plans, insists Malky Mackay", "Peter Whittingham extends Cardiff City contract", "Cardiff City reject West Ham's Peter Whittingham approach", "Cardiff's Whittingham nominated for Championship player award", "Peter Whittingham in a league of his own according to FourFourTwo magazine", "Peter Whittingham named Cardiff City Player of the Year", "Arsenal striker Robin van Persie named PFA Player of the Year", "Peter Whittingham committed to Cardiff despite Premier interest", "Cardiff City: Peter Whittingham praises recovery after losing start", "Cardiff City: Peter Whittingham agrees new contract extension", "Winners announced for The Football League Awards 2015", "Cardiff City Transfer News: Bluebirds reject TWO Peter Whittingham bids and promise to get him back to his best", "Peter Whittingham can be Cardiff City kingpin this season, says Russell Slade", "Peter Whittingham enjoying new Cardiff City role as he overtakes John Toshack on all-time goals list", "Cardiff City: Paul Trollope to succeed Russell Slade as first-team boss", "Peter Whittingham: Blackburn midfielder regrets no Cardiff City fans farewell", "Peter Whittingham: Blackburn Rovers sign Cardiff City midfielder", "Blackburn Rovers announce signing of Cardiff City stalwart Peter Whittingham", "League One round-up: Blackburn beaten by Southend", "Under-21 2007 History England-Italy Lineups ", "Under-21 2006 History Wales-England Lineups ", "Football: England U21 3 1 Norway U21 | Football", "Peter Whittingham's pub stairs fall death 'accidental', "Former Cardiff star Peter Whittingham suffers head injuries in fall", "Peter Whittingham dead: Cardiff City confirm death of former footballer, aged 35", "Peter Whittingham latest tributes after former Cardiff star dies, aged 35", "PETER WHITTINGHAM FOUNDATION - Charity 1193833", "Aston Villa make Cardiff City promise as Emery gives Kamara verdict", "Games played by Pete Whittingham in 2006/2007", "Games played by Pete Whittingham in 2007/2008", "Games played by Pete Whittingham in 2008/2009", "Games played by Pete Whittingham in 2009/2010", "Games played by Pete Whittingham in 2010/2011", "Games played by Pete Whittingham in 2011/2012", "Games played by Pete Whittingham in 2012/2013", "Games played by Pete Whittingham in 2013/2014", "Games played by Pete Whittingham in 2014/2015", "Games played by Pete Whittingham in 2015/2016", "Games played by Pete Whittingham in 2016/2017", "Games played by Pete Whittingham in 2017/2018", "Games played by Pete Whittingham in 2018/2019", "Gareth Bale wins PFA Player of Year and Young Player awards", "The Football League announces its Team of the Decade", 200910 Football League Championship PFA Team of the Year, 201112 Football League Championship PFA Team of the Year, 201213 Football League Championship PFA Team of the Year, The Football League Team of the Decade (20052015), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Peter_Whittingham&oldid=1150195907, People educated at King Henry VIII School, Coventry, England under-21 international footballers, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, *Club domestic league appearances and goals, This page was last edited on 16 April 2023, at 20:37. Ill never forget it and he was such an easy guy to talk to. On 7 March 2020, Peter Whittingham joined his in-law Robert Williams and his friend Ryan Taylor at a Pub in South Wales to watch Wales v England in the Six Nations. But Peter wouldnt want us to mope around so we have to soldier on.. The death of former Aston Villa and Cardiff City star, Peter Whittingham was subjected to a coroner inquest recently and the argument was that the death of the former England under-21 star was an accident. The English Football League, The Football Association of England and the Football Association of Wales also issued messages of condolence. Heartfelt tributes have been paid to Cardiff City legend Peter Whittingham after he tragically passed away at the age of 35.. Slade, his final manager at Cardiff, recalls an afternoon when they met for a chat to discuss the future after Whittingham had retired. Whittingham is congratulated by Rickie Lambert after scoring a free kick against Sheffield Wednesday. His wife, Amanda, gave birth to his second son two months after his death. 2023 Cable News Network. Some people might say that he stopped playing a little early (aged 35) but he had played a lot of games and his body was almost telling him it was time. He became a brilliant player. At Villa, it was me and Whitts down the left. Nevertheless, he was named Villa's young player of the season for the campaign. [19][21] Having featured predominantly as a left-sided player during the early stages of his career, Burnley manager Steve Cotterill hoped Whittingham would make an impact as a central midfielder at the club, and hoped that he would do as well as Gary Cahill, another young player they had taken on loan from Villa. Over the course of the afternoon/evening he has consumed a quantity of alcohol that has likely impacted his demeanour and steadiness. An ex-Cardiff City player hit his head and died after falling down stairs at a pub in a pretend fight with friends, an inquest heard. His primary position was as a central midfielder, although he operated as a winger on both the left and right, as well as a second-striker. [65], Cardiff rejected two bids from unnamed clubs for Whittingham in the summer of 2015 and he was described as the club's kingpin, by manager Russell Slade. Visit CNN.com/sport for more news, features, and videos. There were also discussions with staff at Cardiff about returning as a coach. By mid-November Cardiff found themselves just above the relegation zone; this prompted a minor reshuffle from boss Dave Jones that involved Chris Gunter and Whittingham returning to the starting line-up. Whittingham sustained a head injury on March 7 2020 after going out to watch England play Wales in the Six Nations, and died 11 days later in hospital. He left the club in 2017 as the seventh on the list of all-time appearances and the 9th all-time highest goalscorer of the club. The former Cardiff City midfielder Peter Whittingham died after falling down stairs at a pub following a drunken "play fight" with friends, an inquest has been told. He did not regain consciousness and died in . [23] Whittingham started all nine matches of his loan spell, seven in the league and two in the FA Cup,[19] before returning to Villa in late-March, despite Cotterill's hopes of extending the deal. Williams said he found Whittingham lying at the bottom of the steps beyond a fire door in the pubs corridor with his face to the side, and tried to lift him up only to find his body limp. One wrote on Twitter: "Incredibly sad news. Whittingham, 35, suffered a traumatic head injury at the Park Hotel pub in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, on March 7, and died in hospital 11 days later after failing to regain consciousness. [52], On 30 December 2011, Mackay revealed that the club had rejected a bid, thought to be around 3million, from West Ham United for Whittingham. His performances were praised by manager Dave Jones. Theres a largely untold story about how Whittingham found his way into the team that would go on to win the FA Youth Cup in 2002. He reportedly got to the Pub in the afternoon and drank alcohol until the evening of that day. Im still shaken up by what happened to him. He signed for Blackburn Rovers in June 2017, and made 24 appearances for the club before his contract was terminated by mutual consent in August 2018. The latest rumours and stories from around the world of football. He scored his first two in a match against Wales[78] before scoring his last goal in a match against Norway in February 2006. But his real success came after transferring to Welsh side Cardiff City for 350,000 ($412,000) in 2007, according to the BBC. Footballer Peter Whittingham fell and died after 'play fight', inquest He just lacked a little bit of self-belief at the time, but Graham thought he could be a top Premier League player. [18], The following season, Whittingham began the campaign as a regular substitute and scored his only league goal for Villa on 6 November 2004, opening a 30 win over Portsmouth at Villa Park. He said: "During a period of horseplay with a friend and a relative he appeared to have lost his balance, travelled through or caused to open the fire door, fallen, and as he did so his head has come into contact with the steps. I played in front of him for the whole time, says Foley. The first is not well known. [81] He died from his injuries on 18 March[80] at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, aged 35. Peter Whittingham Dead After Suffering Head Injury - People Football unites in grief as Cardiff legend Peter Whittingham dies It was a trial at Villa that changed Peters fortunes, though. A tribute to Peter Whittingham at Cardiff City Stadium last June. [70] As it was expected that his contract would expire at the end of the season, he received a standing ovation when substituted in his final home match, against Newcastle in 2017. The loss of Peter will be painfully felt by our city, supporters and indeed all who ever had the pleasure of knowing him. Read about our approach to external linking. An ex-Cardiff City player hit his head and died after falling down stairs at a pub in a pretend fight with friends, an inquest heard. Staff would watch in awe as he rarely misplaced a pass. It was one of those moments where we spoke about life and football. Ex-Premier League footballer Peter Whittingham dies at age 35 - CNN "The thoughts . throughout" after reviewing CCTV footage of . Burnley, where Whittingham played on loan in 2005, said in a statement: "Burnley Football Club is deeply mannered by the death of former player Peter Whittingham, aged just 35. He died at University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, police said. Coroner Graeme Hughes recorded a verdict of accidental death at the inquest at Pontypridd Coroner's Court. But there was nothing we could do as we quickly realised it was very unlikely that he was coming back.. Whittingham, Peter Frederick, 60, late of Pembroke Pines, FL and Portland, Jamaica, passed away on Wednesday April 29, 2009. It was there they had their first child, who is nearly five years old and started school this year. Mr Taylor said he remembered people wanting to take pictures with Mr Whittingham in the corridor but also had no memory of play fighting or the fall. I just know he had hit his head on the small step on the stairs. The Championship club were ready to welcome their hero back with open arms. The ticket sales for that match at the Cardiff City Stadium raised money for the PW7 Foundation.[86]. Peter Whittinghams wife, Amanda told the court that his late husband left the house in a hurry to catch up with the rugby game involving Wales and England. "They are at the forefront of our thoughts and, on their behalf, we ask for their privacy to be respected at this unfathomably cruel and difficult time.". Former team-mate and Bluebirds captain Mark Hudson said he had been "blessed" to play alongside Whittingham. Flicking through highlights of Peter Whittinghams brilliant career, his brother James is recalling the time when the midfielder decided to hang up his boots and retire from professional football. [77], Whittingham scored three goals for the under-21 team. He wouldnt open his mouth to anybody, Jim OConnor, his former Villa team-mate, and current assistant manager at Kidderminster Harriers, recalls. Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan offered his own tribute to Whittingham. For me he would be up there with the best Cardiff City player. "First and foremost, Peter was a family man - and somebody who could light up a room with his sense of humour, warmth and personality," Cardiff's statement added. Former Premier League footballer Peter Whittingham has died at age 35 nearly two weeks after sustaining a head injury in an accidental fall at a pub, according to South Wales police. Whittingham hung up his boots after a season at Blackburn Rovers in League One. [63], In July 2014, Whittingham signed a new three-year deal keeping him till in the Welsh capital until 2017. He was taken to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff but his condition deteriorated and he died on 18 March. He always remained quiet but became famous for his one-liners. "Then, as a professional footballer - as a Bluebird - he excelled with talent, ease, grace and humility. Former Cardiff City midfielder Peter Whittingham died after falling . He recalls the early days when Whittingham was taking the first steps in his successful career. The unfairness of it all is incomprehensible. He used to just laugh it off.. Politics latest updates: NHS 'on the brink' says nursing union; 10% His 50th league goal for Cardiff came on 22 November against Coventry City. He was on life support for almost two weeks. A cultured central midfielder who played more than 400 times for Cardiff, the Nuneaton-born star spent six seasons of h New data released by Ipsos this morning has shown that around 55% of Britons expect the Tories to lose seats on Thursday, with 45% expecting Labour to pick up support. 2. He suffered a traumatic head injury and died in hospital 11 days later after failing to regain consciousness. Politics latest updates: Half of Britons think Tories will lose seats Everything you need to know to make sure you never miss a moment. After the hearing, Coroner Graeme Hughes concluded that the former Cardiff City center-midfielder was not murdered but died by accident. CCTV captured Whittingham engaging in "horseplay" in a corridor, before he appeared to lose his balance, walk through a fire door off-camera and fall down eight steps and hit his head. His loyalty would also become one of the main reasons why the fans loved him. However, the former England Under-21 international died almost two weeks later. Whittingham's recall saw him moved to an unfamiliar role on the right side of midfield, but he soon settled into the role and started the majority of the remaining matches of the season, as well as being the team's top scorer (with three goals) during their FA Cup run. James, who has since carved out a successful career as a director in investment banking, would go on to achieve an Oxford University Blue (the highest honour granted to an individual sports person at the university)in rugby and represented England Students in 2004-05. Mr Taylor said Mr Whittingham's eyes were "wide open and were almost completely white" having rolled to the back of his head. What a player Peter Whittingham was.Gone far too soon. Cardiff said they were "heartbroken" in a statement on their website. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. It'll be devastating for his family and everyone he's come in contact with. [27] He quickly established himself in the team and was a first-team member until the end of the year, despite competition from Joe Ledley on the left-hand side. Nicholas Davison, a friend of Whittingham and his brother-in-law Robert Williams, said the group drank "between six and 10 pints" and had a "round of shots" at . We both lived in the same town in Cardiff and I remember once when the season was over we had a drink together at a pub. 35-Year-Old Soccer Star Peter Whittingham Dies from Head Injury - Yahoo There was no stage too big for Whitts because he didnt take life too seriously but I think thats how he was so good, because everything he did was so relaxed., Danny Gabbidon, who worked as a player-coach at Cardiff in 2014-15, added: Technically one of the best players Ive seen. The pair settled on the outskirts of Cardiff, where Amanda was originally from. Updated I havent stopped thinking about it. [62] Despite the bright start, Cardiff were eventually relegated after just one season. Managers came and went first Jones then Malky Mackay, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Russell Slade, and Paul Trollope but Whittingham remained a constant, driving the team forward from midfield. The game will also be used to officially launch the PW7 Foundation established in memory of the midfielder, but also to provide his sons with a tangible legacy for their father. ", Another commented: "Sending love and best wishes to Peter's family and to all of you that enjoyed watching him play.". [26] He made his debut for Derby three days later in a 22 draw with Southampton, making a total of 11 appearances without scoring before returning to Villa in November 2005. For more information and to buy tickets for the game, visit here. It's tragic. Peter Whittingham died in March 2020 after spending 11 days in hospital, Former Aston Villa player Peter Whittingham died with head injuries after suffering a fall, Peter Whittingham spent 10 years at Cardiff, racking up 413 league appearances. However, he didnt die on the spot, he was rushed to the hospital for treatment. Cardiff City retired his No 7 shirt and have continued to provide support to his family.