David Wheater

Middlesbrough

Wheater was born in 1987 in Redcar, which was then in the county of Cleveland. He is a product of the Middlesbrough youth system, and was promoted to the first team at the age of 17 for the 2004–05 season, after tasting success in the FA Youth Cup. He and teammates Andrew Taylor, Matthew Bates and Adam Johnson were part of the team that won the 2004 FA Youth Cup, and also played the previous season's final with Bates and Taylor, but lost out to Manchester United.

He joined Wolverhampton Wanderers on a three-month loan in September 2006. However, he returned to Middlesbrough on 15 November, after making just one first team appearance. He also had loan spells at Doncaster Rovers, scoring once against Gillingham and Darlington. During the 2007–08 pre-season, Jonathan Woodgate suffered an injury, that allowed Wheater to start in his place during pre-season. Wheater's form in pre-season, earned him a starting XI place for the opening day Premier League fixture – his form then continued, which triggered the transfer of Woodgate to Tottenham Hotspur, as Wheater became the first name on the 'Boro team sheet. Wheater was named in an understrength Middlesbrough side away to Bristol City in the FA Cup third round, when he saved his team with a goal as he burst forward from the back and scored the winner in a 2–1 at Ashton Gate Stadium. He signed a three-and-a-half-year contract extension in February 2008, which tied him to Middlesbrough until June 2011. Wheater…

Wheater represented England at under-16, under-17, under-18, under-19 and under-21 level. He played at the 2004 U17 European Championships and earned his debut under-21 call-up in August 2007 along with the uncapped Adam Johnson after impressing while on loan at Darlington. He was a regular in the 2009 U21 European Championship qualifying. In October 2008 he scored the equaliser against Wales in the first leg of the play-offs and England went on to win 3–2 and 5–4 on aggregate to qualify. He was supposed to be in the squad for the tournament but withdrew after sustaining an injury. On 20 March 2008, Wheater was called up to the England squad by boss Fabio Capello, however he was not included in Capello's final 23. On 15 October 2008, Wheater was called up into the England senior team as a replacement for John Terry when the England captain withdrew due to an injury picked up playing for Chelsea. Wheater's first real taste of senior international football came when he was named as a substitute for the games against France and Trinidad and Tobago in 2008, but he did not leave the bench on either occasion.

After leaving Darlington Wheater, and fellow former footballer Stuart Wise, set up W2 Football Academy for boys and girls aged 5 to 11 with the duo coaching them. Though he had now started coaching, he stated he had not yet decided to end his playing career. It wasn't his first time coaching players, as he had previously done some academy coaching sessions whilst doing his coaching badges when he was a player for Bolton Wanderers. He changed his mind on 1 September however, and officially announced his retirement.

On 4 June 2011, Wheater married Laura Fountain at St Peter & St Paul Church in Stainton, Middlesbrough.