Spen Whittaker
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Spencer Whittaker (February 1871 – 16 April 1910) was an English
footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...
, manager and secretary.


Playing career

Whittaker played for hometown club Oswaldtwistle Rovers, before retiring from playing, taking up the chairman and secretary role at the club.


Managerial career

Whittaker was appointed manager of
Burnley Burnley () is a town and the administrative centre of the wider Borough of Burnley in Lancashire, England, with a 2021 population of 78,266. It is north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River B ...
in 1903. His reign as Burnley manager was to come to a tragic end in April 1910. Whittaker was on his way to
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
by train to register the signing of a new player. When the train stopped in
Crewe Crewe () is a railway town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East in Cheshire, England. At the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 census, the parish had a population of 55,318 and the built-up area had a population of 74,120. ...
, it was reported that a man had fallen from a carriage some distance outside the town. When the body was discovered it was found to be that of Whittaker. The fall resulted in the death of the Burnley manager, and a benefit match against
Manchester United Manchester United Football Club, commonly referred to as Man United (often stylised as Man Utd) or simply United, is a professional association football, football club based in Old Trafford (area), Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, Engl ...
at
Turf Moor Turf Moor is an association football stadium in Burnley, Lancashire, England, which has been the home of Burnley F.C., Burnley Football Club since 1883. This unbroken service makes Turf Moor the second-longest continuously used ground in Footbal ...
was arranged for Whittaker's wife and family.


Personal life

Whittaker's brother, Nat, was a professional footballer, manager, secretary and referee, refereeing the 1907 FA Cup Final.


References


External links


Burnley Football Club: 1903-1911
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whittaker, Spen English men's footballers Footballers from Oswaldtwistle English football managers English football chairmen and investors Burnley F.C. managers 1871 births 1910 deaths Association football executives Oswaldtwistle Rovers F.C. players Men's association football players not categorized by position Railway accident deaths in England