Dave Whelan

Whelan played 78 times as a left back, scoring three times for Blackburn Rovers and was a member of its 1960 FA Cup Final team, which lost 3–0 to Wolverhampton Wanderers. Whelan himself did not complete the game, a feisty challenge from Whelan on Norman Deeley culminated in the Blackburn man being withdrawn before half time after suffering a broken leg. Whelan's injury is one of many serious injuries suffered by players in the 1950–60 era and was known as the Wembley hoodoo. Following his leg break, Whelan was sold to Crewe Alexandra, where he made his debut on 23 February 1963 in a 4–0 first round League Cup defeat at Port Vale, and notched up 115 appearances through to April 1966. He then retired to concentrate on developing a retail grocery business.

Whelan was born in Bradford and raised in Wigan. His forebears hailed from County Tipperary, Ireland.

As a player

Blackburn Rovers

FA Cup runner-up: 1959–60

As an owner

Wigan Athletic

Football League Second Division: 2002–03 Football League Third Division: 1996–97 FA Cup: 2012–13 Football League Championship second-place promotion: 2004–05 Football League Cup runner-up: 2005–06 Individual

On 30 August 2007 He was awarded the Freedom of the Borough of Wigan by Wigan Borough Council. In July 2015 He was awarded the Honorary degree of Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) by the University of Bolton.