Dean Whitehead (born 12 January 1982) is an English football coach and former professional footballer. A midfielder who occasionally played as a right-back, he made 622 league and cup appearances in a 19-year playing career, scoring 29 goals.
Whitehead joined his local non-League club Abingdon Town before he signed for Football League club Oxford United in 1999. He played for Oxford in the Second Division until their relegation into the Third Division in 2001. He was signed by Championship club Sunderland in 2004. He won promotion in his first season with Sunderland, although they were relegated from the Premier League after one season. He was made captain by Roy Keane as Sunderland claimed an instant return to the top flight. After two more seasons in the north-east, Whitehead signed for Stoke City in 2009. He helped Stoke reach the 2011 FA Cup final, where the team finished runners-up to Manchester City. After spending four seasons with Stoke, Whitehead signed for Middlesbrough in 2013. He moved to Huddersfield Town two years later, helping them to get promoted from the Championship in 2017 before retiring in 2018.
He has coached at Huddersfield Town, Shrewsbury Town, Port Vale, Beà Âiktaà  (Turkey), Cardiff City, Watford, Barnsley, Stoke City and Blackburn Rovers.
Born in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, Whitehead started his career with Abingdon Town's youth team, before joining the youth scheme of his local professional Football League club, Oxford United as an apprentice.
He progressed through the ranks, making his first-team debut in a 2âÂÂ0 win over Luton Town in the Football League Trophy on 7 December 1999. This turned out to be Whitehead's only appearance of the 1999âÂÂ00 season, as he spent the rest of the season on the substitute bench. At the end of the 1999âÂÂ00 season, he signed a contract with the club.
In the 2000âÂÂ01 season, Whitehead soon received a handful of first-team appearances for the club by manager Denis Smith. Although he received his first-team opportunities, he found himself in a competition with Matt Murphy and other midfielders for the central role. Despite being sidelined on two occasions, due to suspensions, Whitehead played in 23 matches in 2000âÂÂ01 season, as Oxford suffered relegation to the Third Division. At the end of the 2000âÂÂ01 season, he signed a longâÂÂterm contract with the club.
In the 2001âÂÂ02 season, Whitehead scored his first goal in the Football League against Rushden & Diamonds on 31 August 2001. He was soon a first-team regular in 2001âÂÂ02 season, establishing himself in the midfield position. However, halfway through the season, Whitehead, along with Chris Hackett were subjected to criticism by manager Ian Atkins for unprofessionalism over refusing to do the club's fitness programme, which were denied by the pair, who stated the whole thing was a misunderstanding. Towards the end of the 2001âÂÂ02 season, he began playing in a central midfield role. Despite missing out three matches, he played in 43 fixtures as Oxford United had a poor season, finishing in 21st position.
Whitehead began the 2002âÂÂ03 season as a first-team regular in good form. At the beginning of November, Whitehead's performances against Aston Villa and Rochdale were praised by Atkins. He continued with his impressive displays to the end of the year. Whitehead later scored his first goal of the season on 26 December, in a 3âÂÂ0 win over AFC Bournemouth. However, he found his first-team chances limited between January and March. As a result, he was restricted to 22 appearances in 2002âÂÂ03 as Oxford missed out on a play-off place by a single point.
In 2003âÂÂ04 season, Whitehead reclaimed his place in the team following the departure of Dave Savage. On 27 September 2003, he scored his first goal of the season, in a 3âÂÂ0 win over Northampton Town. He was praised for his performances in his run of first-team football. Whitehead scored his first brace of the season on 18 October, in a 4âÂÂ0 win over Bury. He also scored a free kick on 1 November, helping his team to make a 3âÂÂ1 comeback win over Darlington. As a result, he was offered a twoâÂÂyear contract by the club, which would keep him at the Kassam Stadium until 2006. On 21 February 2004, he scored against Bury for the second time that season, in a 1âÂÂ1 draw. In a 2âÂÂ1 loss against Macclesfield Town on 1 May, Whitehead captained the side for the first time, in the absence of Andy Crosby. By the end of the 2003âÂÂ04 season, he made 47 appearances and scoring seven goals. Whitehead was named the club's Player of the Season.
After playing for the club for five seasons, his contract expired and he turned down the offer of a new one from the club. Manager Graham Rix revealed that Whitehead would have been appointed as Crosby's successor as captain if he signed a new contract with the club.
In June 2004, Whitehead signed for Championship club Sunderland on a free transfer. Upon signing a threeâÂÂyear contract with the club, he revealed that his ambition and desire to play at a higher level was why he joined Sunderland. Sunderland were ordered to pay ã150,000 to Oxford at an FA tribunal, to compensate for the time and money put into his development. Oxford would also receive 25% of any fee should Sunderland sell Whitehead.
Whitehead made his Sunderland debut, coming on as a late substitute for Ben Clark, in a 2âÂÂ0 loss against Coventry City in the opening game of the season. He quickly became a key member of the team, playing regularly despite facing competition from other midfielders. His run in the first-team saw him praised by manager Mick McCarthy. On 25 October 2004, he scored his first goal for the club, in a 1âÂÂ0 win over Rotherham United. He then scored his second goal of the season on 11 December, in a 2âÂÂ0 win over Cardiff City. Whitehead scored three more goals later in the season in games that ended up as Sunderland victories. Following his good performance at Sunderland halfway through the season, he was given a new three-year contract during 2004âÂÂ05. Despite missing out three matches during the season, as he went on to make fortyâÂÂthree appearances and scoring five times in all competitions. He helped Sunderland to win the Championship in 2004âÂÂ05, and was chosen as Players' Player of the Year by his teammates at the end of the season.
In the 2005âÂÂ06, Whitehead continued to establish himself in the starting eleven, with the club playing in the Premier League. Despite the club's struggles in the Premier League at the start of the season, he made a positive impact for the side. His performances earned him comparison to Manchester United's Roy Keane. On 29 October 2005, he scored his first Premier League goal, in a 4âÂÂ1 loss against Portsmouth. Three weeks later, on 19 November, Whitehead scored his second goal of the season, in a 3âÂÂ1 loss against Aston Villa. By November, he began playing in the right-wing position, a more unfamiliar role. On 26 November, Whitehead signed a contract extension with the club, keeping him at the Stadium of Light until 2010. He scored a swerving free kick past then-England goalkeeper Paul Robinson in a 3âÂÂ2 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane on 3 December. Sunderland were eventually relegated to the Championship for the 2006âÂÂ07 season. Despite missing out one match during the 2005âÂÂ06 season, Whitehead went on to make thirtyâÂÂeight appearances and scored three goals in all competitions.
Ahead of the 2006âÂÂ07 season, Reading had a bid of ã1.2 million for Whitehead rejected in July 2006. The following month, Whitehead and teammate Liam Lawrence both signed new contracts. He continued to establish himself in the first-team, under the management of newly appointed manager Roy Keane. Whitehead then scored his first goal of the season against West Bromwich Albion, in a 2âÂÂ0 win during which he was named as man of the match. Then, on 21 October, he scored his second goal of the season, in a 2âÂÂ0 win against Barnsley. During the 2006âÂÂ07 season, Whitehead resigned the captaincy to concentrate on his football but he deputised for the frequently injured Steven Caldwell and was reappointed as captain on a permanent basis after Caldwell was sold to Burnley. At one point during the 2006âÂÂ07 season, Whitehead played in a rightâÂÂback position following the absence of Nyron Nosworthy. The following month, he reverted to his central midfield position. Towards the end of the season, Whitehead scored two more goals. Sunderland finished first in the Championship in 2006âÂÂ07, thus making an instant return to the Premier League. At the end of the 2006âÂÂ07 season, Whitehead was included in the PFA Team of the Year. He also came second in the club's Player of the Year vote. Despite being sidelined during the 2006âÂÂ07 season, Whitehead went on to make fortyâÂÂseven appearances and scoring four times in all competitions.
In the 2007âÂÂ08 season, Whitehead played in the rightâÂÂback position against Tottenham Hotspur in the opening game of the season before sustaining a cruciate knee ligament injury in a match against Wigan Athletic in August, which ruled him out for six months. He made his comeback from injury in earlyâÂÂNovember 2007 and made his first-team return on 24 November, playing every minute of a 7âÂÂ1 loss against Everton. Since returning from injury, he regained his first-team place for Sunderland. He then scored his first goal of the season, in a 2âÂÂ1 loss against Manchester City on 14 April. At the end of the 2007âÂÂ08 season, Whitehead helped Sunderland to avoid relegation by three points. Despite being sidelined during the season, Whitehead went on to make twentyâÂÂeight appearances and scoring once in all competitions. During parts of the season, Whitehead played at right-back, although this ended when Whitehead moved back into central midfield.
Ahead of the 2008âÂÂ09 season, Whitehead was linked to a move away from Sunderland, as newly-promotion Premier League side Stoke City made a ã3 million bid on him. In response, he stated that he wanted to stay at Sunderland. At the start of the season, Whitehead continued to remain in the starting line-up for the side. After a 4âÂÂ1 loss against Bolton Wanderers on 29 November, he was heavily booed by the club's supporters for the performance throughout the match, in what transpired to be Keane's last match as Sunderland manager. Whitehead continued to be linked away from Sunderland throughout the January transfer window. Despite missing out four matches during the season, Whitehead helped the side avoid relegation once again after losing 3âÂÂ2 to Chelsea in the last game of the season as defeats for Newcastle and Middlesbrough meant Sunderland were safe. By the end of the 2008âÂÂ09 season, Whitehead went on to make thirtyâÂÂeight appearances in all competitions. He left Sunderland in August 2009 after making 200 appearances for the club.
Whitehead signed a four-year contract with Premier League club Stoke City on 24 July 2009 for an initial ã3 million fee, rising to ã5 million with add-ons. He stated that Stoke's team spirit was the main reason for his move to the club. He made his debut on 15 August 2009 in a 2âÂÂ0 win over Burnley. Whitehead made a slow start to his Stoke career with a number of anonymous performances. However, following a 0âÂÂ0 draw with Blackburn Rovers, he earned praise from manager Tony Pulis. Whitehead scored his first goal for Stoke when he converted winger Matthew Etherington's cross in the 86th-minute in a 3âÂÂ1 FA Cup fourth-round win over Arsenal at the Britannia Stadium on 24 January 2010. Whitehead was sent off against Tottenham Hotspur in March 2010 in a decision which drew referee Mike Dean heavy criticism from Tony Pulis and Matthew Etherington.
His first Premier League goal for Stoke came against Birmingham City on 9 November 2010, with Whitehead scoring the winning goal in a 3âÂÂ2 victory. He scored his second league goal for Stoke away to Manchester United on 4 January 2011, becoming the first Stoke player to score at Old Trafford since 1980. Towards the end of 2010âÂÂ11, Whitehead lost his place in the starting eleven to a resurging Glenn Whelan, making some cameo appearances from the bench. One of these came at Wembley Stadium in the 2011 FA Cup final defeat to Manchester City.
Ahead of the 2011âÂÂ12 season, Whitehead said he expected to face new competition in the club's midfield section. He then made his 100th appearance for Stoke on 3 November 2011 in a UEFA Europa League match against Maccabi Tel Aviv, scoring the first goal in a 2âÂÂ1 victory. He played in 10 of Stoke's 12 European fixtures in 2011âÂÂ12, and ended the season having played in 47 matches in total. He made a bad start to 2012âÂÂ13, as on the opening day of the season away to Reading, he conceded a 90th-minute penalty. He was sent off after picking up a second yellow card. He remained back-up to Glenn Whelan for the remainder of the season, being used mainly as a substitute, although he was assigned as a stand-in right-back in the absence of Andy Wilkinson and Ryan Shotton. He was released by Stoke at the end of 2012âÂÂ13.
Whitehead signed a two-year contract with Championship club Middlesbrough on 2 July 2013. Manager Tony Mowbray revealed that Whitehead's experience of gaining promotion from the Championship twice was the key reason in signing him. Upon joining the club, he was given a number 18 shirt ahead of a new season. He made his Middlesbrough debut in a 2âÂÂ1 loss against Leicester City in the opening game of the season. Since joining the club, he quickly established himself in the starting eleven in the midfield position. Despite being in the first-team, Whitehead faced strong competition from other midfielders at the Riverside Stadium. After missing four matches between lateâÂÂOctober and lateâÂÂNovember, he returned as a late substitute on 30 November 2013, in a 1âÂÂ0 win over Bolton Wanderers. Whitehead scored his first and what turned out to be only goal for the club in a 2âÂÂ1 loss away to Derby County on 4 December. Two weeks later, on 21 December, he captained Middlesbrough for the first time, in a 2âÂÂ0 win over Millwall. Later in the 2013âÂÂ14 season, Whitehead was suspended on three occasions, including being sentâÂÂoff for dissent, in a 1âÂÂ0 loss against Sheffield Wednesday on 1 March. Despite this, he remained in the first-team, where he captained the side four more times later in the season. Whitehead played 38 times and scored one goal in the 2013âÂÂ14 season, as Middlesbrough finished in 12th-position.
In the 2014âÂÂ15 season, Whitehead continued to feature in the first team at the start of the season, mostly coming on as a substitute. This was due to added competition for the defensive midfield position with Richard Smallwood, Grant Leadbitter and Adam Clayton. However, in a 4âÂÂ0 win over Brentford on 20 September, he was sentâÂÂoff "for an over the top tackle", leading the referee giving him a straight red card. After serving a three-match suspension, he returned to the first-team from suspension, coming on as a late substitute, in a 2âÂÂ0 win over Fulham on 2 October. Whitehead captained the side for the first time in the league, in a 1âÂÂ1 draw against Watford on 25 October. However, throughout the 2014âÂÂ15 season, Whitehead was demoted to the substitute bench. But he did provide cover, playing twice at rightâÂÂback and six times in central midfield. He also captained the side once again this season against Sheffield Wednesday on 28 February, which ended in a 2âÂÂ0 defeat. In the Championship play-offs, Whitehead was featured three times as a rightâÂÂback, including the play-off final at Wembley, where they lost 2âÂÂ0 to Norwich City. Whitehead made twentyâÂÂfive appearances in all competitions. At the end of the season, Whitehead left Middlesbrough as manager Aitor Karanka could not guarantee him game time.
In June 2015, Whitehead signed for Championship club Huddersfield Town on a two-year contract. Upon joining the club, he was given a number four shirt ahead of the 2015âÂÂ16 season. He made his debut in a 2âÂÂ0 defeat against Hull City at the KC Stadium on 8 August. He captained Huddersfield Town for the first time on 11 August, in a 2âÂÂ1 loss against Notts County. Whitehead quickly established himself in the first-team under the management of Chris Powell. He captained the side once again following Mark Hudson's absence for five matches between 12 September and 3 October. Whitehead's performance saw him earned BWF Player of the Month for October and November. However, he suffered a knee injury during a 2âÂÂ0 win over Birmingham City on 5 December and was sidelined for two months. A month later, on 23 January, Whitehead returned to the first-team from injury, coming on as a late substitute in a 2âÂÂ1 loss against Brighton & Hove Albion. Since returning to the first-team, he regained his first-team place in the starting eleven for the rest of the season. By the end of the 2015âÂÂ16 season, Whitehead went on to make thirtyâÂÂsix appearances in all competitions.
Ahead of the 2016âÂÂ17 season, Whitehead turned down a move to Rotherham United and said he would fight for his place in the first-team. He missed the first two matches of the new season after being suspended over his involvement in an incident against Brentford in the last game of the previous season. He made his first appearance of the season on 20 August, where he started the whole game of a 2âÂÂ1 win over Barnsley. However, Whitehead struggled in the first-team under David Wagner, due to strong competition from other midfielders. He captained the side for the first time this season, in a 2âÂÂ1 win over Rotherham United on 27 September. Due to Hudson's absence, Whitehead often stood in as captain, though Tommy Smith was another stand-in captain when Whitehead was not included in the starting eleven. Throughout the January transfer window, he stayed at the Kirklees Stadium after being linked with a move to Wigan Athletic. However, in a 1âÂÂ0 loss against Burton Albion on 1 April, he was sentâÂÂoff for a second bookable offence. Whitehead later featured three times as an unused substitute in the Championship playâÂÂoffs, as he was part of the squad that saw Huddersfield side promoted to the Premier League after beating Reading 5âÂÂ4 in penalty shootâÂÂout after a 0âÂÂ0 draw in the EFL Championship play-off final. By the end of the 2016âÂÂ17 season, he went on to make twenty appearances in all competitions.
Ahead of the 2017âÂÂ18 season, Huddersfield announced that Whitehead had extended his contract with the club until the end of the 2017âÂÂ18 Premier League season, with manager David Wagner stating: "Even if he plays less for us, he is still a very important part of the team and our dressing room." He was included for the 25-man squad for the Premier League. He made his first appearance of the 2017âÂÂ18 season, where he started the whole game, in a 2âÂÂ1 win over Rotherham United in the second round of the League Cup on 23 August. Then, on 30 September, Whitehead made his first Premier League appearance â his first in four years â as a late substitute, in a 4âÂÂ0 loss against Tottenham Hotspur. However, his first-team appearances at Huddersfield Town continued to be restricted to the substitute bench for most of the 2017âÂÂ18 season. On 11 May 2018, Whitehead announced his retirement from professional football at the end of the 2017âÂÂ18 season. He made his last appearance for the club (and his football career), coming on as a late substitute, in a 1âÂÂ0 loss against Arsenal in the last game of the season.
Following his retirement, Whitehead took up a coaching role at Huddersfield Town as part of David Wagner's first-team technical staff, having earned a UEFA A coaching license, and took charge of the club's new Under-17 Academy age group from 1 January 2019. By October, he took charge for Huddersfield Town's Under-17s side.
On 16 November 2019, Whitehead joined Sam Ricketts' backroom staff at League One side Shrewsbury Town, replacing Joe Parkinson as first-team coach. On 25 August 2020, Whitehead was promoted to assistant manager after the departure of Jon Pitts and Graham Barrow. On 25 November, Whitehead and Ricketts were relieved of their duties with the club sitting 23rd in League One with just 9 points from a possible 39.
Whitehead joined the coaching staff at League Two side Port Vale in July 2021 as part of director of football David Flitcroft's summer overhaul; manager Darrell Clarke said that Whitehead "is definitely someone our squad can look up to". Having helped Vale to win promotion at the end of the 2021âÂÂ22 season, he moved to Turkey in July 2022 to coach alongside Adam Murray at Süper Lig champions Beà Âiktaà Â. He left the club when head coach Valérien Ismaël was sacked three months later. He joined Cardiff City as a first-team coach in November 2022. Following the sacking of Mark Hudson on 14 January 2023, Whitehead was placed in interim charge of the first-team at Cardiff City. In the 2023 pre-season, Ismaël was appointed manager at Championship side Watford, and Whitehead moved to work there with him as assistant head coach. He joined Barnsley as a first-team coach in July 2024, working again with Darrell Clarke. He returned to Stoke City in September 2024 to link back up with NarcÃÂs Pèlach. He left his position at Stoke in January 2025. He joined Blackburn Rovers as an assistant head coach the following month after Ismaël was appointed as manager. He departed the club alongside Ismaël on 2 February 2026.
Growing up, Whitehead was raised in a football-loving family and supported Liverpool. He has a brother, Craig. During his time at Huddersfield Town, he was known as 'Whitesey' by his teammate Tommy Smith, who gave him a nickname.
He is good friends with Liam Lawrence, having been Sunderland and Stoke City teammates. During his time at Stoke City and Huddersfield Town, Whitehead resided in Cheshire with his wife, Louise, and their two sons, Olly and Harry.
Sunderland
Stoke City
Huddersfield Town
Individual