Alan Whittle
- For the rugby league footballer of the 1960s and '70s for St. Helens, and Barrow, see Alan Whittle
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alan Whittle | ||
| Date of birth | 10 March 1950 | ||
| Place of birth | Liverpool, England | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder/Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1965–1967 | Everton | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1967–1972 | Everton | 74 | (21) |
| 1972–1976 | Crystal Palace | 108 | (19) |
| 1976 | Sheffield United | 0 | (0) |
| 1976–1977 | Orient | 33 | (5) |
| 1977–1978 | Persepolis | 34 | (9) |
| 1979–1980 | Orient | 17 | (1) |
| 1981 | Bournemouth | 9 | (0) |
| 1981–1982 | Preston Makedonia | ? | (?) |
| 1982–19?? | Gravesend & Northfleet | ? | (?) |
| Total | 275 | (55) | |
| National team | |||
| 1972 | England | 0 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). | |||
Alan Whittle (born 10 March 1950 in Liverpool, England) is an English retired footballer who played as a forward or attacking midfielder. He made a total of 241 Football League appearances for Everton F.C., Crystal Palace F.C., Leyton Orient F.C., and A.F.C. Bournemouth, scoring 46 goals. He also spent a season with Iranian side Persepolis F.C. where he made 34 appearances (9 goals).
Club career
Whittle was a product of the Everton F.C. youth academy and debuted for the first-team in 1967 at the age of 17. In 5 years at Everton Whittle only made 74 appearances scoring an impressive 21 goals, but found it difficult to establish himself in such a star-studded team. In December 1972 Whittle was sold to Crystal Palace F.C. for a then large fee of £100,000.[1] Whittle spent 4 years of his career at Crystal Palace F.C., however his stay was dogged by injury and bad form, leading him to fall out of favour with then coach Malcolm Allison, Whittle did make a century of appearances for The Eagles and was a fan favourite. Whittle spent one season at Leyton Orient scoring 6 goals in 50 appearances for the club and coming 2nd in the Anglo-Scottish Cup. Whittle then surprised many by spending one season at Iranian giants Persepolis F.C. in the 1977-78 season where he competed in the Takht Jamshid Cup, however because of the Iranian Revolution and collapse of the national league Whittle had no choice but to leave Iran. Ultimately, Whittle ended his career at A.F.C. Bournemouth at the age of 30 making just 9 appearances for the club. Towards the end of Whittle's career he made a move to Australia where he played for a year before going to non-league side Gravesend & Northfleet in 1982 ending a career for Whittle who as a youngster had much promise but injury and poor form were to block the extent of his success.
International career
In 1972, at the age of 22, he was called up by Sir Alf Ramsey, manager of the English national football team, however did not feature for the side.[2]
Honours
- English championship: 1
- 1969/70, Everton
- Charity Shield: 1
- 1970, Everton
- Anglo-Scottish Cup, Runners-Up
- 1976/77, Leyton Orient
- Takht Jamshid Cup, Runners-Up
- 1977/78, Persepolis
Trivia
- Whittle was the first English footballer ever to play in the Iranian football league system.
- Palace fans would chant "We want Whittle" and "The Roker roar is no more, Whittle showed them how to score".
- Whittle campaigned in Everton's football in the community scheme.
- Now retired, Whittle lives on the The Wirral.
- Whittle's nickname was The Hustler at Everton.