Dean Whitehead
#18
Centre midfield, Right back
d.o.b: 21/1/82
Signed: July 2009
Games this season: 18/8
Goals this season: 1
Total club games: 87/22
Total club goals : 4
Experienced central midfielder who signed a four year deal for an initial fee of £3m, rising to £5m with add-on's, and has spent three of his five seasons at former club Sunderland playing in the Premier League, winning promotion from the Championship in the other two.
Over 400 career appearances, of which over 100 have been in the top flight, he is not a prolific midfielder but puts himself about and can be classed as an old fashioned box-to-box midfielder.
Was club captain at Sunderland but chose to leave Wearside after the club was taken over and a new manager, Steve Bruce, installed.
Took a while to settle in with the Potters but after clicking into the side, around November time in his first season, he was outstanding and put himself in the running for player of the year for his opening season.
Became one of the first names on the team sheet and continued to be a valuable member of the side as the Potters went from strength to strength. Did lose his place, due to suspension, for the FA Cup quarter final against West Ham and was then forced to sit out the rest of the campaign as his replacement Glenn Whelan played the football of his Stoke career.
Still has a big future at Stoke, especially with Delap hitting 35 this season, and he will no doubt hope to continue doing all the dirty work for City for years to come, a very important, unselfish player.