Gone too soon – RIP ‘Whitts’
PETER WHITTINGHAM’S ability made him a reluctant hero at Cardiff.
Blessed with a wand of a left foot, he hated the spotlight but his talent meant he was deserving of the adulation he received.
“Nobody did it better,” the club said in a statement confirming his passing yesterday.
“He does what he wants,” was the chant from the fans about a playmaker so good he could choose what to do on the field – and when.
The 35-year-old’s death has left Cardiff to dissect a second tragedy in just over a year, after striker Emiliano Sala lost his life in a plane crash in January 2019. “Peter was a family man and somebody who could light up a room with his sense of humour, warmth and personality,” said the club. “He excelled with talent, ease, grace and humility.”
The player known as ‘Whitts’ by his team-mates made more than 450 appearances, scoring 98 goals, during a 10-year spell with the Bluebirds that ended in 2017.
He had been in critical condition in a Cardiff hospital after a fall at a pub in Barry on March 7.
Former striker Michael Chopra said: “Football has lost a great guy and player. Gone too soon. RIP Whitts.”
Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey, who burst on the scene as a teenager with Cardiff, added: “I will forever be grateful for you taking me under your wing.You were one of the most technical and gifted players I played with.”
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who managed Whittingham at Cardiff, said: “It’s hard to believe he has been taken from us at such a young age.”
Whittingham, who leaves behind a pregnant wife and a son, began his career with Aston Villa and had spells at Burnley, Derby and Blackburn. He won 17 caps for England Under-21s.