Dean Whitehead

Dean Whitehead (born January 21, 1982 in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, Oxfordshire) is a professional football (soccer). He plays as a midfielder, but has played at right-back. He is currently captain of Premier League team Sunderland A.F.C.

Club career

Oxford United

Whitehead started his career with Abingdon Town F.C.'s youth team, before joining the youth scheme of his local league club, Oxford United F.C.. He progressed through the ranks there, developing a reputation as a tough-tackling midfielder with good passing skills. After playing for the club for around 5 seasons, his contract expired and he turned down the offer of a new one from the club.

Sunderland

In June 2004 he signed for Sunderland A.F.C. on a free transfer. Sunderland were ordered to pay £150,000 to Oxford at an FA tribunal, to compensate for the time and money put into his development. Oxford will also receive 25% of any fee should Sunderland sell Whitehead.

Whitehead quickly became a key member of the first-team as Sunderland won the Football League Championship in 2004-05 in English football, and was chosen as Players' Player of the Year by his team-mates at the end of the season.

Whitehead was given a new three-year contract during the 2005-06 in English football season, in which he scored a swerving 30-yard free kick past then England national football team goalkeeper, Paul Robinson (goalkeeper), in a 3-2 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur F.C. at White Hart Lane.

Sunderland were relegated to the Championship for the 2006-07 in English football season, during which Whitehead was given the captains armband for the second time. During the 2005-06 campaign he had resigned to concentrate on his football but he deputised for the frequently injured Steven Caldwell and was appointed on a permanent basis after Caldwell was sold to Burnley F.C..

After Sunderland finished first in the Championship in 2006-07, Whitehead was injured early on in their 2007-08 in English football Premiership campaign. He sustained a cruciate knee ligament injury in a match against Wigan Athletic F.C., which will keep him out for six months. He made his comeback from injury in November 2007.

Since Sunderland returned to the Premiership Whitehead has found himself playing time spent as a right back, although this was ended when manager Roy Keane signed right backs Phillip Bardsley and Pascal Chimbonda for Sunderland, allowing Whitehead to move back into central midfield. In the summer 2008 transfer market Whitehead has been increasingly linked with a move away from Wearside with clubs such as Stoke City, Fulham & West Brom. However in mid-July his agent denied that Whitehead was leaving the Stadium of Light and said his future remains at Sunderland. He has since kept his place as a first team player and remains an important part of the club's plans.

Honours and Awards

Individual

- North-East Football Writers' player of the year (joint winner): 2007

Club Honours

Sunderland (2004-present)

- Football League Championship - Champion (2): 2004—05, 2006—07