An inquest heard former Cardiff City footballer Peter Whittingham died in a tragic accident after falling on some stairs leading to a beer garden. Football unites in grief as Cardiff legend Peter Whittingham dies Read about our approach to external linking. THE football world has been left stunned by the passing of Peter Whittingham. [79], At the time of his death, he lived in Dinas Powys, Vale of Glamorgan with his wife Amanda and their son; their second son was born two months after his death. But it was all a test. Police officer DC Steve Jenkins described seeing light-hearted play fighting which evidently involves no malice whatsoever and they are all smiling throughout after reviewing CCTV footage of the incident. He made more than 450 appearances for Cardiff before finishing his career at Blackburn in 2018. [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. 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. Since the news of Wittingham's death, fans have taken to social media to pay tribute to the former midfielder. [6] His mother worked as a teacher. Afterward, he moved to South Wales where he has been living with his wife and son. The difference was phenomenal. 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. [68] Cardiff missed out on the play-offs at the end of the season. We had a good relationship on the pitch, it was a nice understanding. "He was a wonderful player, had the ability to score wonderful goals, could link games, could create, could take games by the scruff of the neck. 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. [25], On 11 January 2007, after making just five appearances for Villa since the end of his loan spell with Derby more than a year previously, Whittingham was transferred to Cardiff City for a reported fee of 350,000. "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.". Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? [29], The start of the 200809 season saw Whittingham continue playing on the right side of midfield, scoring his first goal of the season on 26 August in a 21 victory over Milton Keynes Dons in the League Cup. The ex-Aston Villa player had been in hospital for more than a week after suffering a head injury in a fall in a pub in Barry. Im proud to have played alongside you and will always remember the young vs old games and you just running the show. All rights reserved. [44] After scoring eight penalties in the previous campaign, Whittingham saw his first two penalties saved in this campaign, causing Jones to announce that Whittingham had been taken off penalty duty. 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. His time with Villa includes six managers, three ownership groups, an FA Cup Final, the fatal relegation campaign and an epic return to the Premier League. There were also discussions with staff at Cardiff about returning as a coach. Finally, Whittingham will also get the celebrated send-off he deserves. CCTV captured Whittingham engaging in "horseplay" with the pair in a corridor, before he appeared to lose his balance and walked through a fire door off-camera and fell down eight steps and . What Whittingham was really looking forward to, though, was family time and fatherhood. [85], A tribute friendly was organised between Cardiff City and Aston Villa, which took place on 30 November 2022, during the break in both teams' respective leagues due to the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He had been out watching a Six Nations rugby match between England and Wales when he fell down the stairs of a pub, an inquest was told. appreciated. I had so much respect for him.. [43], Following the loan arrival of Craig Bellamy, Whittingham started the 201011 season in a new central midfield role. Former Cardiff City midfielder Peter Whittingham died from fall - ITVX When I looked more closely at Peter, I could see he wasn't moving and something was wrong," he told the court. Read about our approach to external linking. The club added: "The news of Peters sudden and untimely passing has shaken us to our very foundation. After the game and hours of drinking, Peter Whittingham decided to take a walk through the corridor of the Pub. The 35-year-old was . Peter Whittingham: Inquest into Cardiff City legend's death He would always give it to me and then overlap me. "First and foremost, Peter was a family man - and somebody who could light up a room with his sense of humour, warmth and personality. His memory will live on and I send my love and heartfelt condolences to his dear family. ", Another commented: "Sending love and best wishes to Peter's family and to all of you that enjoyed watching him play.". Whittingham died on 20 March aged 35 after suffering a head injury. Inquest into Whittingham death to be held, Russia launches pre-dawn missile attack on Ukraine, MasterChef Australia host Jock Zonfrillo dies, Air strikes pound Sudan capital as truce extended. Whittinghams wife and mother to their two young boys, Amanda Whittingham, told the hearing he left home at about 3pm without eating since breakfast because he was in a rush to catch the game. That every manager he played for kept him in the team and encouraged the club to reward him with a competitive salary also spoke volumes. Graduate of The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and retired Captain of the [49], Despite the links with a move away from the Welsh capital, new Cardiff boss, Malky Mackay insisted that Whittingham was central to his plans. Former Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay said he was "deeply shocked and saddened" at the death of "an extremely gifted footballer and a great ambassador" for the club. [28], Whittingham began the 200708 season on the bench. VideoThe secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, LGBT troops take love for Eurovision to front line, Why an Indian comedian is challenging fake news rules. [45] However, he did take and score Cardiff's next penalty against Coventry City in a 21 win[46] which added to his first two goals of the season scored from a brace of free kicks scored against Bristol City three days previously. He died at . Whittingham, 35, suffered . 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. "The news of Peter's sudden and untimely passing has shaken us to our very foundation. 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. Peter Whittingham Cause Of Death. [19][20] However, he gradually fell out of favour as the side struggled and, on 14 February 2005, Whittingham signed for Championship club Burnley on a one-month loan having not featured for Villa for nearly two months. I played in front of him for the whole time, says Foley. When I looked more closely at Peter, I could see he wasnt moving and something was wrong.. His loyalty would also become one of the main reasons why the fans loved him. [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. 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. [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. Peter Whittingham pictured playing for Cardiff in October 2015. In a statement read to the hearing, Williams said: I would say that we were all drunk by the night. At Villa, it was me and Whitts down the left. He continued his scoring form with a brace against Watford[37] and goals against Crystal Palace[38] and Coventry City[39] followed by a hat-trick against Sheffield United. He also played a key hand in helping the club win promotion to the Premier League in 2013 for the first time. Look how many players from that group turned pro.. Midfielder Peter Whittingham, 35, who played for the club from 2007 to 2017, suffered a traumatic head injury at the Park Hotel, Barry, on 7 March 2020. The ticket sales for that match at the Cardiff City Stadium raised money for the PW7 Foundation.[86]. He just lacked a little bit of self-belief at the time, but Graham thought he could be a top Premier League player. Cardiff City retired his No 7 shirt and have continued to provide support to his family. Peter Whittingham's effortless style and set-piece prowess made him a fans' favourite at Cardiff. He scored his first two in a match against Wales[78] before scoring his last goal in a match against Norway in February 2006. His four goals in five matches led to Whittingham being nominated for the November Championship Player of the Month. 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. Did you encounter any technical issues? Former Cardiff City midfielder Peter Whittingham sustained a traumatic head injury at the Park Hotel pub on March 7, 2020, and was taken to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff following the fall, but his condition depleted resulting in his demise on March 18, 2020. Previously he spent over a decade at the Birmingham Mail covering West Midlands football. I really cannot remember anything much of what happened.. (modern). Nevertheless, he was named Villa's young player of the season for the campaign. In 2007-08, the midfielder was influential in Cardiffs run to the FA Cup final, eventually won by Portsmouth. Taylor said he recalled people wanting to take photographs with Whittingham in the pub corridor, which led to steps taking guests to an external smoking area, but also said he had no memory of play fighting or Whittingham falling before he noticed him on the ground. [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. In the community he was engaging and approachable. [24], Whittingham started three of Villa's opening four matches of the 200506 season,[25] but returned to the Championship on 15 September, joining Derby County on a three-month loan. It was here he started to take the first steps on a journey that would see him score 98 career goals. In January 2007, he signed for Cardiff City for a fee of 350,000. But alongside brother James, who is two years older than him, the pair started out in Coventrys youth system. Wed put on possession sessions in training and he would never give the ball away.. Our love goes out to his wife Amanda, their young son and family. Breaking through at Villa was far from straightforward though. He underwent an emergency operation after the incident to relieve pressure on his brain while his family waited anxiously in hospital hoping he would pull through. The coroner recorded a conclusion of accidental death. 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. Nobody did it better. As he grew in confidence, so did his stature in the team. [70], In July 2022, two years after Whittingham's death, Cardiff retired the number 7 shirt as a tribute. Last updated on 20 March 202020 March 2020.From the section Cardiff. 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. Obviously he had a great career, but you dont expect to have your life taken away so quickly.. 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. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Tributes to Whittingham continue to pour across social media. 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. The head injury he was suffered came as a result of a fall in a pub in Barry. Mr Whittingham's wife Amanda said he had not eaten since breakfast as he had been in a "rush" to watch the game when he left home at 15:00 GMT. Footballer Peter Whittingham fell and died after 'play fight', inquest . For more information and to buy tickets for the game, visit here. Solskjaer said: Peter was a fantastic footballer and an incredible human being. He wouldnt open his mouth to anybody, Jim OConnor, his former Villa team-mate, and current assistant manager at Kidderminster Harriers, recalls. [51] Whittingham played a big role in Cardiff's centre midfield, producing many impressive performances and scoring several fine goals, including direct freekicks against Peterborough and Crystal Palace as well as a sublime chip from 35 yards away to Reading. RIP. [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. Peter Whittingham dead: Find out how the former Cardiff star died, Peter Whittingham started out at Aston Villa, Peter Whittingham tributes: Football world pays respects, Peter Whittingham dead: Man Utd boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer pays tribute, Peter Whittingham became a club legend at Cardiff City, Peter Whittingham dead: Former Cardiff and Aston Villa midfielder dead, Coronavirus in football: List of confirmed cases, Sports documentaries available on Amazon Prime amid coronavirus crisis. "Our love goes out to his wife Amanda, their young son and family. There was no shortage of interest from other clubs and it can be revealed that on two occasions he came very close to leaving Cardiff but was held back by the love he had for the club. Whitts probably got the toughest treatment because he was one of the best, says Mikey Husbands, who played for Port Vale, before joining the Marines and now working for Network Rail. It is with an immeasurable amount of sorrow that we must inform supporters that Peter Whittingham has passed away at the age of 35. CCTV footage showed him in a pub corridor engaging in "horseplay" before appearing to lose balance and walking through a fire door off camera, where he fell down eight steps and hit his head. 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. As he got older he had to be present, scoring goals, taking set pieces perhaps not winning as many headers as he would have liked or closing his man down quick enough but always doing a job for the team.. 35-Year-Old Soccer Star Peter Whittingham Dies from Head Injury - Yahoo He did not regain consciousness and died in hospital 11 days later. (Photos: Getty Images; design: Sam Richardson). [41] On 24 April, he scored a free-kick during a 32 win over Sheffield Wednesday,[42] and the following day was named in the 200910 PFA Team of the Year for the Championship. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. [17] He finished the season having made 39 appearances in all competitions as a left-sided midfielder, including playing six times in the club's League Cup run where they reached the semi-final before losing to Bolton Wanderers,[15][18] a match in which Whittingham was later branded a "scapegoat" for his side's defeat. Any talented youngster at Villa back then quickly found out that the better they were, the harder the staff were on them. Peter Whittingham's pub stairs fall death 'accidental' - BBC News 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. During a period of horseplay with a friend and relative he appears to have lost his balance and gone through or caused to open the fire door, fallen, and his head has come into contact with the steps.. During a period of horseplay with a friend and a relative he appeared to have lost his balance, traveled through or caused to open the fire door, fallen, and as he did so his head has come into contact with the steps, he added. "He never coasted, he was always at the top of his game; he gave everything he had.". 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. 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At that point, he was said to be unstable due to the influence of alcohol. But his real success came after transferring to Welsh side Cardiff City for 350,000 ($412,000) in 2007, according to the BBC. CCTV captured Whittingham engaging in horseplay with his wifes brother and a friend when he appeared to lose his balance and walked through a fire door off-camera and fell down eight steps and hit his head. After a drop in form, Whittingham was left out of the team towards the close of the season, but managed his eighth and final goal of the campaign with a last-minute penalty at home to Blackburn Rovers on 1 April. [74], Whittingham had his contract with Blackburn terminated by mutual consent on 31 August 2018. [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 also led Cardiff City to win the 2013 Championship.
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