He is a Zambian-born Northern Irish former professional footballer
His brother Jeff is also a former professional footballer
Born in Ndola, Zambia to a Zambian mother and Northern Irish father
Whitley originally wished to become a golfer
At the age of 11, he moved to Wrexham where he attended Ysgol Bryn Alyn
While at the school he became friends with future Wales international Robbie Savage who helped encourage his interest in football
At the age of 15, Whitley signed for Manchester City and, after completing his GCSEs in Wales, he attended Loreto college in Manchester to take A-levels in art and sports studies
Whitley began his career at Manchester City, signing his first professional contract at the age of 18 in 1993
Following his retirement, Whitley began performing as a singer and dancer in stage shows, appearing in productions called Christmas Crooners and The Rat Pack’s Back, taking the roles of Nat King Cole and Sammy Davis, Jr. in the respective shows