Adrian Whitbread
Encyclopedia
Adrian Whitbread is a former professional footballer. He played for Leyton Orient
, Swindon Town
, West Ham United
, Portsmouth
and Reading
before retiring from playing due to a persistent knee injury. He moved into coaching and worked at Barnet
, Brentford
, MK Dons and Leicester City
.
in 1989. He captained the team at the age of 21, and helped Leyton Orient to promotion to the Football League Second Division
in 1992. He made a total of 155 league and cup appearances for Leyton Orient in four seasons, before joining Swindon Town
in July 1993 for £500,000, and made 38 league and cup appearances for Swindon in the 1993-94
season. Following Swindon's relegation from the Premier League, Whitbread joined West Ham United
in August 1994 in part-exchange for Joey Beauchamp.
Whitbread's first-team opportunities at West Ham were limited and he made only 14 league and cup appearances. He went to Portsmouth
on loan in November 1995 and eventually joined them on a permanent basis in October 1996 for £250,000. Following knee surgery in the summer of 2000, he was unable to obtain a regular place in the first-team and requested a transfer. He joined Luton Town
on loan in November 2000, and then went on loan to Reading
for the rest of the season in February 2001, before joining Reading on a permanent basis. He had made a total of 145 league and cup appearances for Portsmouth, in addition to 13 appearances while on loan to Portsmouth in 1995.
Whitbread signed a two-year contract with Reading in July 2001. He made 18 league and cup appearances before a knee injury sustained in training in December 2001 ruled him out of the rest of the 2001-02
season. He had a spell on loan at Exeter City
in early 2003, where he made seven appearances, but a persistent knee injury forced his retirement from playing football in April 2003 without making any further appearances for Reading.
in June 2003 as first-team coach, assisting Martin Allen. He later worked as assistant manager at Brentford
, MK Dons, and Leicester City
, all under Allen. In 2007 Allen and Whitbread lost their jobs at Leicester. Whitbread is currently the Assistant Coach of the Puerto Rico National Team
and the Puerto Rico Islanders
. He qualified for the UEFA Pro Licence in 2008.
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
, Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
, West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
, Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
and Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
before retiring from playing due to a persistent knee injury. He moved into coaching and worked at Barnet
Barnet F.C.
Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet....
, Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
, MK Dons and Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
.
Playing career
Whitbread began his professional career as a trainee with Leyton OrientLeyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
in 1989. He captained the team at the age of 21, and helped Leyton Orient to promotion to the Football League Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
in 1992. He made a total of 155 league and cup appearances for Leyton Orient in four seasons, before joining Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
in July 1993 for £500,000, and made 38 league and cup appearances for Swindon in the 1993-94
1993-94 in English football
The 1993-1994 season was the 114th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:From the start of this season, the FA Premier League would be sponsored by Carling Breweries - an association which would last for eight years...
season. Following Swindon's relegation from the Premier League, Whitbread joined West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
in August 1994 in part-exchange for Joey Beauchamp.
Whitbread's first-team opportunities at West Ham were limited and he made only 14 league and cup appearances. He went to Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
on loan in November 1995 and eventually joined them on a permanent basis in October 1996 for £250,000. Following knee surgery in the summer of 2000, he was unable to obtain a regular place in the first-team and requested a transfer. He joined Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
on loan in November 2000, and then went on loan to Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
for the rest of the season in February 2001, before joining Reading on a permanent basis. He had made a total of 145 league and cup appearances for Portsmouth, in addition to 13 appearances while on loan to Portsmouth in 1995.
Whitbread signed a two-year contract with Reading in July 2001. He made 18 league and cup appearances before a knee injury sustained in training in December 2001 ruled him out of the rest of the 2001-02
2001-02 in English football
The 2001-02 season was the 122nd season of competitive football in England.-Arsenal cruise to title glory:In what had earlier been one of the most closely fought Premiership title races for years, Arsenal won the championship by seven points. Their crown was won in the penultimate game of the...
season. He had a spell on loan at Exeter City
Exeter City F.C.
Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003...
in early 2003, where he made seven appearances, but a persistent knee injury forced his retirement from playing football in April 2003 without making any further appearances for Reading.
Managerial career
After retiring, Whitbread joined BarnetBarnet F.C.
Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet....
in June 2003 as first-team coach, assisting Martin Allen. He later worked as assistant manager at Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
, MK Dons, and Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
, all under Allen. In 2007 Allen and Whitbread lost their jobs at Leicester. Whitbread is currently the Assistant Coach of the Puerto Rico National Team
Puerto Rico national football team
The Puerto Rico national football team is the national team of Puerto Rico and is controlled by Federación Puertorriqueña de Fútbol. Puerto Rico's national football team is a member of the Caribbean Football Union, part of the CONCACAF....
and the Puerto Rico Islanders
Puerto Rico Islanders
Puerto Rico Islanders is a Puerto Rican professional football team based in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. Founded in 2003, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
. He qualified for the UEFA Pro Licence in 2008.