Bobby Whitehead
English footballer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Robert Whitehead (born 22 September 1936) is an English former footballer who made 73 appearances in the Football League playing as a right back for Newcastle United and Darlington in the 1950s and 1960s. He also played in the Southern League for Cambridge City.[1]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Robert Whitehead[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 22 September 1936[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Ashington, Northumberland,[2] England | ||
| Position | Right back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| Fatfield Athletic | |||
| 1954–1960 | Newcastle United | 20 | (0) |
| 1960–1962 | → Cambridge City | ||
| 1962–1964 | Darlington | 53 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Football career
Whitehead was born in Ashington, Northumberland,[2] and played for local club Fatfield Athletic before turning professional with Newcastle United in December 1954.[1] He made his first-team debut on 28 September 1957 in the First Division match against Burnley, during an influenza epidemic, and played twice more in December 1958.[3][4] He had a run of games at the end of the 1958–59 season and the start of the next, but his 20th appearance, on 26 December 1959 in a draw with Chelsea, was his last senior match for the club.[3]
He spent time with Southern League club Cambridge City, before returning to the Football League with Darlington of the Fourth Division in 1962.[1] He quickly established himself in the first team, partnering the long-serving Brian Henderson at full back. On 4 January 1964, he was making his 53rd league appearance for the club, at home to Stockport County, when he was stretchered off the field with a broken leg. Within minutes, the same thing happened to Henderson. Neither man played professionally again.[5]