*Indicates unconfirmed information. Figures in brackets after English team names indicate all appearances made and goals scored in competitive matches for Football League clubs from 1888 onwards. For Scottish League clubs the figures show details of all competitive appearances and goals scored from 1946/47 onwards.
Tommy Whitnell
Appearances: 41+5 Goals: 11
Date / Year of birth: 12th October 1988
Position: Striker
Season of first appearance: 2012/13
Season of last appearance: 2012/13
Also played for: Millwall (0), Cray Wanderers, Welling United, Maidstone United, Croydon Athletic, Thamesmead Town, Dulwich Hamlet and Tonbridge Angels
Striker who started his career in Millwall's Academy. Tommy played in the Lions' Under-16's side during the 2004/05 campaign and spent three seasons with the club before being released at the end of 2006/07.
In the summer of 2007 he joined Cray of the Isthmian League Division 1 South and Tommy scored four goals from 13 league outings (eight as sub) during the 2007/08 campaign. He also found the net twice in cup ties.
Tommy stayed with Cray for 2008/09 and scored 11 goals from 27 Division 1 South appearances (six as sub) as they won promotion via the play-offs. His tally included a hat-trick in a 5-2 home win over Croydon Athletic on 20.9.08.
In July 2009 Tommy featured as a substitute for Dover as they took on Tilbury in a friendly and he scored in an 8-0 win before joining Welling for the 2009/10 season.
Tommy went on to score 15 goals from 27 Conference South starts for the Wings during the campaign but he struggled to get regular games at the start of 2010/11 and in September 2010 he was released.
Tommy immediately linked up with Maidstone where he scored three times in 22 Isthmian League Premier Division outings (seven as sub) before moving on to Croydon Athletic in March 2011.
He made eight Premier Division appearances for Croydon and scored four goals before the end of the 2010/11 season as the club were relegated.
In the summer of 2011 Tommy returned to Cray and he scored 25 goals from 48 outings in all competitions during 2011/12. His tally included a strike in a 2-1 defeat at Margate in the Kent Senior Cup on 11.10.11 and a hat-trick in a 4-1 home win over Tooting & Mitcham in February 2012. Tommy also scored twice in a 3-1 win at Margate in the Isthmian League Premier Division on 9.4.12 - his last goals for Cray.
In June 2012 Tommy signed a one-year contract with Margate and the club's Chief Executive Officer Cliff Egan told the Isle of Thanet Gazette "Tommy is a proven goal scorer at this level and that is why we have brought him in. Getting a goal scorer at this level is absolutely vital and they can be very difficult to find."
Tommy scored twice in friendlies ahead of the 2012/13 campaign and made his competitive debut in a 2-0 win over Hendon at Hartsdown Park in the Isthmian League Premier Division on 18.8.12. On 25.8.12 he got his first goals for Margate with a double in a 3-3 draw at Kingstonian and the Thanet Times said one of Tommy's efforts was an "expertly dispatched" header from a Dan Stubbs cross. He then scored in his next outing as Margate lost 2-1 to visitors Lowestoft on 27.8.11 and manager Chris Kinnear told the Isle of Thanet Gazette "Tommy is starting to rattle them in now."
He'd started the first eight games of the season before being injured in the pre-match warm-up ahead of an FA Cup tie at Aveley on 22.9.12. Tommy had to sit out the match but returned in a 2-1 home defeat against Maidstone in the FA Trophy on 29.9.12. On 10.11.12 he ended a run of 11 starts without a goal by finding the net in a 2-0 win at Harrow and the Isle of Thanet Gazette said Tommy "wonderfully volleyed home" with his left foot after a long Laurence Ball free-kick sent him clear of the home defence. He then made it back-to-back goals by heading home his fifth of the season in a 3-1 win over visitors Bury on 17.11.12.
In its report on a 0-0 draw at East Thurrock on 4.12.12 the Isle of Thanet Gazette said Tommy "really put in a shift up front" and he continued to be a fixture in Margate's attack for the next few months. Tommy's long run of starts ended after a 2-1 home win over Hampton & Richmond on 23.2.13 marked his 11th game without a goal and he only featured as a substitute in the next two matches.
Tommy was back in the side for a home game against Bognor Regis on 9.3.13 and scored twice in a 3-0 win. His first goal was hooked over his shoulder from a tight angle and after the match Tommy told Margate's website "It has been a while so it's a bit of a relief for them (the goals) to come finally. First one; the ball's come to my chest. I've just popped it up in the air and thought why not and had a crack." Tommy then described his second goal and said "There was no one around me; I beat the offside trap. I had to take my time; I saw the gap so I thought why not and just put it in there and I was glad to see it go in."
During the closing weeks of the season Tommy sometimes found himself playing as a wide midfielder but he found some goalscoring form when featuring in his favoured role up front. On 26.3.13 he was on target in a 4-2 defeat against Wealdstone at Hartsdown Park and Tommy also scored in his next outing on 29.3.13 as Margate beat visitors Thurrock 3-1. He then endured another barren run of five games without a goal up to and including a 2-1 home defeat against Metropolitan Police on 13.4.13. Tommy was dropped to the bench for Margate's next match - against Kingstonian at Hartsdown Park on 16.4.13 - but came on to score his tenth goal of the campaign in a 2-1 defeat.
After one more outing as a substitute he was back in the starting line-up for a Kent Senior Cup tie against visitors Ebbsfleet on 23.4.13 and Tommy scored in a 4-2 defeat. He then played in a 0-0 draw with Harrow at Hartsdown Park on 27.4.13 - the final day of the season - and that turned out to be Tommy's last appearance for Margate. His 11 goals from 46 outings (five as sub) had made him the club's top goalscorer but in June 2013 Tommy rejoined Cray.
He left Cray at the start of January 2014 and joined their fellow Isthmian League Premier Division club Thamesmead.
In March 2014 Tommy was on the move again, this time signing for Premier Division promotion-chasers Dulwich. He scored on his debut - a 4-3 defeat at Maidstone on 15.3.14 - but didn't find the net again from a total of six appearances (one as sub).
Early in June 2014 Tommy moved on to Tonbridge, newly-relegated to the Isthmian League Premier Division.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
ILC |
KSC |
| |
|
2012/13 (MFC) |
41 (50) |
5 |
11 |
ISTHMIAN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (9TH OF 22) |
3QR |
1QR |
2R |
QF |