Morgan Whittaker Explained

Morgan Whittaker
Fullname:Morgan Reece Whittaker[1]
Birth Date:2001 1, df=y
Birth Place:Holsworthy, England
Position:Winger
Currentclub:Plymouth Argyle
Clubnumber:10
Youthyears1:–2019
Youthclubs1:Derby County
Years1:2019–2021
Clubs1:Derby County
Caps1:25
Goals1:1
Years2:2021–2023
Clubs2:Swansea City
Caps2:33
Goals2:2
Years3:2022
Clubs3:Lincoln City (loan)
Caps3:20
Goals3:5
Years4:2022–2023
Clubs4:Plymouth Argyle (loan)
Caps4:25
Goals4:9
Years5:2023–
Clubs5:Plymouth Argyle
Caps5:40
Goals5:19
Nationalyears1:2017
Nationalteam1:England U16
Nationalcaps1:3
Nationalgoals1:3
Nationalyears2:2017
Nationalteam2:England U17
Nationalcaps2:1
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:2018–2019
Nationalteam3:England U18
Nationalcaps3:9
Nationalgoals3:1
Nationalyears4:2019
Nationalteam4:England U19
Nationalcaps4:2
Nationalgoals4:0
Nationalyears5:2020
Nationalteam5:England U20
Nationalcaps5:1
Nationalgoals5:0
Club-Update:18:37, 14 February 2024 (UTC)
Nationalteam-Update:20:35, 13 October 2020 (UTC)

Morgan Reece Whittaker (born 7 January 2001) is an English footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or right winger for club Plymouth Argyle.

Whittaker began his playing career at Derby County's academy before making his senior debut for the club in August 2019.

Club career

Derby County

On 12 August 2019, Whittaker made his professional debut as an 87th-minute substitute in the EFL Cup for Derby County against Scunthorpe United[2] and made his first start in a 3–0 defeat away to Nottingham Forest in the same competition. He signed a new contract with Derby running until June 2023 on 22 January 2020.[3] Whittaker finished the season with three starts and eighteen substitute appearances and scored his first career goal with the second Derby goal in a 3–1 win away to Birmingham City on the final day.

Whittaker started the 2020–21 season by scoring the winning-penalty in a 3–2 shootout victory over Barrow in the EFL Cup and continued making frequent substitute appearances throughout the course of the season.

Swansea City

On 1 February 2021, Whittaker joined fellow Championship side Swansea City on a four-and-a-half-year deal.[4] Nine days later, Whittaker scored on his debut for the Swans in a 1–3 home defeat by Premier League side Manchester City in the FA Cup.[5] His first league goal came on 1 May 2021 in the penultimate game of the season to equalise in an eventual 2–1 victory over Derby County that kept his former side firmly in the relegation battle.[6]

On 24 August 2021, Whittaker scored a hat-trick in a 4–1 win over Plymouth Argyle in the second round of the EFL Cup.[7] It was the first hat-trick scored by a Swansea player since Scott Sinclair in the 2011 Championship play-off final.

Lincoln City (loan)

On 1 January 2022, Whittaker joined Lincoln City on loan for the remainder of the season.[8] He made his debut against Oxford United on 8 January 2022, starting and scoring in the game.[9]

Plymouth Argyle (loan)

On 20 July 2022, Whittaker joined Plymouth Argyle on a season-long loan deal.[10] Having scored three vital goals and claiming an assist across September 2022, Whittaker was awarded the EFL League One Player of the Month Award with Argyle sitting top of the league.[11]

On 4 January 2023 Swansea City exercised their recall clause in his season-long loan. Whittaker had scored nine goals and created seven assists in 25 third-tier appearances since moving to Home Park in July 2022.[12]

Return to Plymouth Argyle

On 17 July 2023, Whittaker returned to Plymouth Argyle in a deal reported to be worth around £1 million plus add-ons – a record fee for the club.[13]

Whittaker, alongside new record equalling signing Bali Mumba, would go on to score on his debut in a 3–1 win over Huddersfield Town at the time managed by former Plymouth Argyle manager Neil Warnock.

On 23 September 2023, Whittaker scored a hat-trick for Argyle in a 6–2 win against Norwich City.[14]

Whittaker was awarded the EFL Championship Player of the Month award for January 2024, having scored in four out of five of the club's league fixtures.[15]

International career

Having represented England at U16 to U18 level, Whittaker made his U19 debut on 9 September 2019 during a 1–0 defeat to Germany in Haiger.[16]

On 13 October 2020, Whittaker made his debut for the England U20s during a 2–0 victory over Wales at St. George's Park.[17]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupEFL CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Derby County2019–20Championship1613020211
2020–21Championship900020110
Total2513040321
Swansea City2020–21Championship1211100132
2021–22Championship60003393
2022–23Championship1510000151
Total332113300376
Lincoln City (loan)2021–22League One205205
Plymouth Argyle (loan)2022–23League One259101040319
Plymouth Argyle2023–24Championship40193110004420
Career total1433651934016441

Honours

Plymouth Argyle

2022–23[18]

Individual

September 2022

January 2024[15]

2023–24[20]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Notification of shirt numbers: Derby. English Football League . 24 . 5 January 2020.
  2. Web site: Scunthorpe United vs. Derby County – 13 August 2019. Soccerway. 2019-08-13.
  3. Web site: DERBY DUO KNIGHT AND WHITTAKER PEN NEW CONTRACTS . Derby County . 22 January 2020.
  4. Web site: SWANSEA CITY SIGN MORGAN WHITTAKER FROM DERBY COUNTY . Swansea City A.F.C. . 1 February 2021. 1 February 2021.
  5. News: Swansea City 1–3 Manchester City: Pep Guardiola's men go into record books . 10 February 2021 . BBC Sport . 10 February 2021.
  6. Web site: Swansea City 2–1 Derby County. BBC Sport. 1 May 2021.
  7. Web site: Morgan Whittaker scored a late second-half hat-trick as Swansea City overcame League One Plymouth Argyle to reach the third round of the EFL Cup.. BBC. 24 August 2021.
  8. News: Whittaker joins Imps on loan. 1 January 2022 . . 1 January 2022.
  9. News: Whittaker in dreamland after debut strike. 9 January 2022 . . 9 January 2022.
  10. Web site: Whittaker Signs From Swansea and scores a debut hatrick Vs Derby county . www.pafc.co.uk. 20 July 2022. 21 July 2022.
  11. Web site: Schumacher and Whittaker Win September EFL Awards. www.pafc.co.uk. 7 October 2022. 7 October 2022.
  12. News: Swansea recall Whittaker from Plymouth loan . en-GB . BBC Sport . 2023-07-15.
  13. News: Swansea striker makes permanent £1m-plus Plymouth Argyle move. en-GB . BBC Sport . 2023-07-17.
  14. News: Plymouth hit six in impressive win over Norwich . en-GB . BBC Sport . 2023-09-23.
  15. Web site: Morgan Whittaker Named Sky Bet Championship Player of the Month for January. www.pafc.co.uk. 9 February 2024. 9 February 2024.
  16. Web site: Paul Simpson's Young Lions suffer 1–0 defeat against Germany in Haiger. TheFA.com. 2019-09-10.
  17. News: TWO QUICKFIRE GOALS IN THE FIRST HALF SEAL WIN FOR LEE CARSLEY'S YOUNG LIONS AT SGP . Nicholas . Veevers . TheFA.com . 13 October 2020 . 13 October 2020.
  18. Web site: Errington . Chris . 2023-05-15 . Morgan Whittaker getting Argyle League One winners' medal . 2023-07-15 . PlymouthLive . en.
  19. Web site: Pilnick . Brent . 2 April 2023 . Bolton crush Plymouth to win Papa Johns Trophy . 4 August 2023 . BBC Sport.
  20. News: See who made the EFL Team of the Season line-ups . EFL . 14 April 2024 . 14 April 2024.