Andy Whing

Andrew John Whing (born 20 September 1984) is an English football manager and former professional player who played as a right back.

He is currently the head coach of club Solihull Moors.

Whing was born in Birmingham West Midlands.

He grew up supporting Aston Villa and had trials at Birmingham City and Derby County before joining Coventry City at the age of thirteen.

While progressing at the club's academy, Whing was released and then re-signed.

Whing eventually came through the ranks at Coventry and was appointed captain at the club's academy.

Whing made his first-team debut at Highfield Road in a Division One game against Burnley in February 2003.

Ahead of the 2003–04 season, Whing changed shirt from 40 to 2.

His first goal for Coventry came in a 3–1 home defeat against Nottingham Forest in August 2003.

During the season, he made more first-team appearances, rewarded by a four-year contract and praise from manager Eric Black.

Whing established himself in the first-team squad during the 2003–04 season, in which he made a total of 31 appearances in all competitions.

However, he made fewer starts the following season after a hernia operation and losing his right-back position to new signing Louis Carey.

He did, however, provide a moment that will never be forgotten by Coventry fans in scoring the last ever goal for Coventry at Highfield Road in the 6–2 win over Derby County in the 2004–05 season.

He was the recipient of the goal of the season award and a special award for the historic goal.

His running high-five celebration became the moment that almost all Coventry fans remember him for.

This helped the full-back's return to the regular first-team selection during the first season at the Ricoh Arena, in which he played 36 times in all competitions.

Following a string of first-team appearances, Whing signed his first professional contract, keeping him until 2005.

The 2005–06 season proved to be the high-water mark of Whing's Coventry career.

Some poor performances the following season saw him loaned and then sold to Brighton & Hove Albion, who were managed by his former manager Micky Adams.

After being recalled by Coventry in late December, Whing made his first appearance in a 1–1 draw against Southend United, but was rarely selected for the first team and played in the reserves throughout the season.

At the end of the season, he was among four players to be released by Coventry.

After the announcement of his release, Whing was given a farewell lap of honour after the final home match of the season, having made over 100 appearances for the club.

Whing initially joined Brighton & Hove Albion on loan on 8 October 2006, initially for one month.

He made his Brighton & Hove Albion debut, as a right-back, in a 3–0 loss against Blackpool.

Club and fans alike were impressed by what they saw of Whing and the club extended his spell at the Withdean twice more.

Despite his wishes to extend his loan deal at Brighton, Whing was recalled by Coventry on 27 December, as the team looked to reinvigorate themselves following a run of three straight defeats.

Brighton then tried unsuccessfully to sign Whing on a permanent basis during the January transfer window.

Whing eventually joined Brighton permanently during the summer of 2007 after his contract ended at Coventry.

On signing, Whing said joining the club was an easy decision.

His first game after signing for the club on a permanent basis came in the opening game of the season, a 2–1 defeat to Crewe.

He was sent off two weeks later after a second bookable offence, in a 2–0 loss against Tranmere Rovers.

He remained in the first team throughout the 2007–08 season, making 42 appearances.

Whing retained his starting position at right-back at the start of the 2008–09 season, until he was dropped from the first team for one game in late November following a blunder that resulted a winning goal, in a 1–0 loss against Huddersfield Town.

After making his return against Oldham Athletic, Whing hoped his good performance would keep him in the first team.

Whing went on to make forty appearances for the club and, after helping them avoid relegation, was overwhelmingly voted Brighton's player of the year for the 2008–09 season, receiving 77% of the vote.

With his contract expiring at the end of the 2008–09 season, Whing attracted interest from Walsall and Leeds United, around the same time he was offered a new contract.

After his move to Leeds United stalled, Whing signed a new two-year contract with Brighton.

In the first half of the 2009–10 season, Whing remained in the right-back position for the first seven matches until he suffered a dead leg and was substituted, in a 1–0 defeat to Wycombe Wanderers.

After being sidelined for two months, he made his return from injury for the club's reserves on 11 November 2009 against Millwall's reserves and returned to the first team four days later, in a 3–1 win over Southampton.

However, under new manager Gus Poyet, Whing found first-team opportunities at Brighton very limited; therefore, on 5 March 2010, he was allowed to join League Two side Chesterfield on loan until the end of the season.