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MORGAN WHITTAKER
Full Name: Morgan Reece Whittaker
Born: 07 January 2001
1. Came from: Swansea City Went to: Swansea City
1. First game: 30 July 2022 Last game: 01 January 2023
2. Came from: Swansea City Went to: Middlesbrough
2. First game: 05 August 2023 Last game: 18 January 2025
Appearances: 103 (90/13) Goals: 33
Whittaker, 21, became the summer of 2022's fifth new face and third season-long loanee at Home Park, or so it seemed, when he signed ten days before the start of the new campaign.
Born in Derby, Whittaker developed through his hometown club's academy system to win honours for England at all levels from under 16 to 20. His 2018-19 season for Derby's junior sides was particularly impressive: a combined total of 37 games for the under-18 and under-23 sides and not only scoring 24 goals but also providing 16 assists.
Whittaker made his Derby County first-team debut in August 2019, aged 18; the first of 32 appearances for the Rams, all but five from the bench. Five months after his senior bow, he was rewarded with a new three-and-a-half-year contract, but a little over a year later, on the last day of the January 2021 transfer window, he signed a four-and-half-year deal with Swansea City for a reported fee of £700,000.
Still only 20, he netted five times in 22 appearances in his first 12 months in South Wales (as at Derby, mostly from the bench), including an FA Cup goal against Manchester City on his debut and a remarkable 11-minute hat-trick against Argyle in the second round of the EFL Cup in August 2021. Incidentally, that hat-trick was the first by a Swansea player since ex-Pilgrim Scott Sinclair bagged three for them ten years before.
Whittaker's hat-trick would never have happened if a planned season-long loan to Lincoln City had gone ahead just a few weeks before, but injuries at the Liberty Stadium delayed the move until the January 2022 transfer window. His time with the Imps was a big success; he scored five times in 20 League One appearances, this time mostly in the starting line-up, and it was this regular selection that the 21-year-old attacker was eager to build on when he arrived at Home Park.
Whittaker's impressive skills made an instant impression on the Home Park faithful, and his nine goals in the first half of the 2022-23 season helped his side to sit seven points clear at the top of the League One (tier 3) table by New Year's Day. However, bad news came the following day: Swansea recalled the talented forward to play a part in their Championship season, although, frustratingly for him, he only made two starts for his parent club in the rest of the campaign.
Despite his absence in the second half of the season, Argyle won promotion as champions, and Whittaker's contribution sparked calls for his return. The good news came in mid-July 2023 when he was signed on a permanent deal for a fee widely reported to make him the Pilgrims' first £1 million player. He immediately hit the ground running during Argyle's first campaign back in the Championship, scoring the first goal in the opening-day win over Huddersfield Town. A first hat-trick in green followed in September in the 6-2 rout of Norwich City as Argyle adapted well to life at a new level. Important goals followed at regular intervals and he became an integral part of a side that was playing free-flowing, attacking football at Home Park.
After Steven Schumacher's departure in December 2023, Whittaker continued to impress, drawing attention from several clubs during the January transfer window, where Argyle reportedly turned down several offers including one from Lazio. He remained with the Pilgrims under new Head Coach, Ian Foster, and scored a number of important goals during his ill-fated tenure. He finished the season with 19 goals to his name as Argyle retained their Championship status with a final-day victory over Hull City.
Transfer rumours abounded once more over the summer of 2024 with Argyle again fighting off bids that were way below their apparent valuation. Whittaker's form never hit the heights of the previous season as Championship rivals stifled his opportunities to influence games. Nevertheless, he still produced moments of magic, conjuring up a vital winner against Blackburn Rovers at Home Park and a late equaliser in the 3-3 draw with Preston in October. Amid a run of poor results and following the dismissal of Wayne Rooney as Head Coach, he also bagged the winner in the third round of the FA Cup as Argyle triumphed over Premier League opponents, Brentford. That goal was to be his last in Argyle's colours. Numerous rumours circulated during the January transfer window and he reportedly 'didn't show up' for the 0-5 home defeat against Burnley, despite being selected. Two days later, Argyle accepted a bid from Middlesbrough for a reported fee of £6 million with a further £2 million in add-ons (and a sell-on clause) to total, by far, the biggest transfer fee the club had ever received.
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APPEARANCE DETAILS [reselect competitions]
The details below reflect appearances in all first-team competitions.
I'm very grateful to many who have helped write GoS-DB's player pen-pictures, and to Dave Rowntree, the PAFC Media Team and Colin Parsons for their help with photos. Thanks also to staff at the National Football Museum, the Scottish Football Museum and ScotlandsPeople for their valuable assistance.
The following publications have been particularly valuable in the research of pen-pictures: Plymouth Argyle, A Complete Record 1903-1989 (Brian Knight, ISBN 0-907969-40-2); Plymouth Argyle, 101 Golden Greats (Andy Riddle, ISBN 1-874287-47-3); Football League Players' Records 1888-1939 (Michael Joyce, ISBN 1-899468-67-6); Football League Players' Records 1946-1988 (Barry Hugman, ISBN 1-85443-020-3) and Plymouth Argyle Football Club Handbooks.
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