Dean Whitehead, born on January 21, 1982 in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, is an English football midfielder. He started his football career with the youth club of Abingdon Town; however, in 1999, Dean Whitehead moved on to the youth team of Oxford United, where he developed his skills of tackling and passing the ball. In December 1999, he made his debut for the club as a substitute for Joey Beauchamp in the LDV Vans Trophy’s 3-1 winning match against Luton Town. Dean Whitehead moved up the ranks, established himself as a first-team regular and was named the Player of the Year for the 2003-04 season at the club. He gave quality performances in 122 appearances during his five seasons with Oxford United.
Impressed by his playing, Mick McCarthy, the manager of Sunderlands, signed Dean Whitehead in June 2004 for a transfer fee of £150,000. He debuted for the club in a match against Coventry, and in October 2004, he made his first goal, the winner in the 1-0 victory against Rotherham United. He became an important member of the first-team and was instrumental in the club’s promotion to the Premier League during the 2004-05 season. He helped his club win the Football League Championship in the 2004-05 season, and at the end of the season, the team chose Dean Whitehead as the Players’ Player of the Year. In the 2005-06 season, he signed a new contract with Sunderland for three years, and later that season, he scored a memorable 30 yard free-kick goal in the match against Tottenham Hotspur. The following season, after Steven Caldwell moved to Burnley, he was named the captain. Dean Whitehead was then chosen as the joint winner of the North-East Football Writers’ Player of the Year award. During his presence, Sunderland reached the number one position in the 2006-07 Premiership. After staying out of action during the season 2007-08 due to an injury, he returned to playing the right-back position in late 2008. Following a 1-year extension, he signed another contract to stay with the Sunderland Club until 2011.
Dean Whitehead is capable of skillfully passing the ball both over short as well as long ranges. He is adept at launching attacks, and at the same time, he is a tough-tackling midfielder who can score goals. Maintaining his cool under pressure, Dean Whitehead has developed into a vital player for his club.
