Tom Whittaker

Who was Tom Whittaker?

Thomas James "Tom" Whittaker MBE was an English football player, trainer and manager, chiefly associated with Arsenal Football Club

Whittaker was born at East Cavalry Barracks, Aldershot, Hampshire, but grew up in Newcastle upon Tyne from the age of three weeks. He spent his early football career in the North East of England as a youth player, whilst training as a marine engineer, later working in that role for Hawthorn Leslie & Co of Tyneside. He was called up to the British Army, signing up for the Royal Garrison Artillery, in 1917, moving to Lydd in Kent, before later switching to the Royal Navy. He was demobilised in 1919.

In the meantime, he had continued playing football for his regiment, and after serving his country in World War I, Whittaker forwent his engineering career and joined Leslie Knighton's Arsenal in November 1919. He first played as centre-forward then as wing-half. He signed as a professional in January 1920 and made his debut in a 1–0 defeat away to West Bromwich Albion on 6 April 1920 and became a regular in the side in the 1920s, playing 70 times for the club and scoring two goals.