Biography
Brian Whitnall was born in Adwick le Street near Doncaster and attended school in Bentley, when he left school in the summer of 1948 he was scouted by Hull City and joined Hull City’s groundstaff on amateur terms in October 1948. Signed as a right winger, he became a versatile full back as his career developed with Hull City’s juniors and the East Riding boys team. He signed professional terms for the club in June 1950, however his National Service – which ended in October 1953 – intervened and meant he had to wait four years for his senior debut, which came on Christmas Day 1954. His second and final City appearance came two days later before he returned to the Reserves.
Whitnall left City in May 1956 and signed for Division Three North side Scunthorpe United, where he made only two senior appearances during the next two seasons, the second of which in October 1957 was against Hull City. he picked up an ankle injury straight after that second appearance and was sidelined for three months, when he returned to fitness in February 1958 he requested a transfer, a plea that was accepted by Scunthorpe’s hierarchy who freed him in May 1958 days after lifting the Division Three North title.
In July 1958 Whitnall headed south-west and signed for Division Four side Exeter City, at St James’s Park he continued to fulfil the role of first team squad player and reserve team stalwart. He had to wait until April 1959 for his Grecians first team debut against Gateshead and ended the 1958/59 season with seven consecutive starts at left back. He began the 1959/60 season in a similar vein but soon dropped out of the first team with an injured ankle and didn’t reappear until September 1960. A regular starter for two months, Brian went back to the fringes of the first eleven in November 1960 and by the time he left Exeter City in the 1962 close season he had compiled 41 senior starts in four seasons.
In July 1962 Whitnall joined Southern League side Bath City but he left the club in April 1963 when handed a free transfer by up-and-coming manager Malcolm Allison. He took work as a lorry driver in the Devon area and in October 1963 he joined Western League side Taunton Town, playing regularly during the 1963/64 season. He was freed by Taunton in May 1964 and played briefly for local league side Clyst Valley before hanging up his boots.
After football Brian settled in the Woolwell area of Plymouth.
Details
Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 25 May 1933, Adwick le Street
Hull City First Game: 25 December 1954, Luton Town A (Division Two), 21 years, 214 days old
Hull City Final Game: 27 December 1954, Luton Town H (Division Two), 21 years, 216 days old
Clubs
Hull City (1950-1956), Scunthorpe United (1956-1958), Exeter City (1958-1962), Bath City (1962-1963), Taunton Town (1963-1964), Clyst Valley (1964)
Hull City Record
Career: 2 apps, 0 goals
Brian Whitnall| Season | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950/51 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1951/52 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1952/53 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1953/54 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1954/55 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1955/56 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |