My posts on here are, nearly always, long, sometimes too long, but this one won’t be. I posted this on the messageboard I use on Tuesday within minutes of what turned out to be an incorrect report of Peter Whittingham’s passing appearing and it still comes very, very close to how I feel now – in many ways, I don’t want to elaborate on it;-
“There’s the current greatest peacetime crisis in decades, floods during a terrible, wet winter and now, for Cardiff City fans, a blow to go alongside Emiliano Sala from just over a year ago and, not to forget, Chris Barker around Christmas – it’s bad enough that we’re having to go through the current situation, but this feels like someone is enjoying kicking us when we’re down.
RIP Whitts, our best player of this century.”
I say “very, very close” because, although I don’t think anything I said was wrong, I’m selling Whitts short there – he was the best Cardiff City player I’ve seen bar none. Yes, we’ve had bigger names and better players in the past fifty seven years if you go by their whole careers, but we’ve never had anyone who was better than him over what was a considerable period while playing for the club.
If the means existed to compile a video compendium of all of the exceptional things every player to represent the club in the period 1963 -2020 did in his time as a Cardiff City player, Whitts’ would last hours longer than anyone else’s. Even when the game was terrible and he wasn’t playing that well, there would still be one or two “Whitts moments” to savour which were simply too good for the Championship.
That’s why he’s the best player I’ve seen play for City – the fact that he was so cool that he didn’t celebrate his goals helped as well!
I can’t imagine any City fan reading this who is not familiar with what Whitts was all about, but if there are any, have a look at this – it’s not the compendium I talked about earlier, but you’ll have no trouble seeing what I was on about.
Hearing the awful news of the tragic death of Peter Whittingham has left this City fan stunned. What an absolute tragedy. My condolences go to his wife Amanda and his family who have to try to come to terms with this impossible news.
As a player he gave City fans so much pleasure, scoring ridiculous goals with consummate ease. He was, in the correct sense, a true Cardiff City legend.
During his decade at City I nicknamed him, ‘Dick,’ after the pantomime character. But he was not confined to displaying his talents at the lower end of his profession, rather he made the best look leaden-footed when at his prime. Towards the end of his City career age was beginning to catch up with his legs but he will always be remembered as a true gent, a true sportsman and a true Cardiff City legend.
I trust the attached clip will bring back some of Peter’s sublime talents and ridiculous goals to our memory.
RIP: Peter ‘Dick’ Whittingham.
https://youtu.be/gqIN__uBXW8
Devastating news. Nothing to add. This family’s thoughts are with his wife and young family.
RIP Whitts
Very sad news.
I wasn’t a season ticket holder when Whitts was at his best but it was very easy to see, and hear, the admiration that the City faithful had for him.
35 is much too early to depart, condolences to family and friends.
I’ve just been telling my non-Bluebirds pals that there haven’t many footballers I’ve actually LOVED, but he was one of them.
Profound sadness.
Heartache for his family and loved ones.
Never to be forgotten.
R.I.P.
Thanks all for your replies – you may want to have a look at this, there are some lovely tributes in the thread;-
http://www.ccmb.co.uk/showthread.php?443529-RIP-Peter-Whittingham-Tribute-Thread