He left the club later that year for Blackburn Rovers, where he made 20 appearances before leaving in 2018. Dr Christopher Hingston, an intensive care consultant at the hospital, said Whittingham had a Glasgow coma score of three the lowest possible score and meaning he was completely unresponsive during his admission. The head injury he was suffered came as a result of a fall in a pub in Barry. Over the course of the afternoon/evening he has consumed a quantity of alcohol that has likely impacted his demeanour and steadiness. He said: During a period of horseplay with a friend and a relative he appeared to have lost his balance, travelled through or caused to open the fire door, fallen, and as he did so his head has come into contact with the steps. Mr Williams said: I cannot remember any of the specific events of the play fight that is captured in the CCTV footage. Coronavirus Stay At Home challenge: What is it and how do you play? Mr Williams said: "I have no idea what happened to Peter. "Its hard to believe that he has been taken from us at such a young age. Whittingham, who. A truly wonderful player, I was lucky to have spent my time on the grass with you and part of my life enjoying your dry humour. Whittingham's wife and mother to their two young boys, Amanda Whittingham, told the hearing he left their home around 3pm without eating since breakfast as he was in a "rush" to catch the game. It was an act of madness but it somehow worked out. Thoughts are with his family and friends.. However, as has been seen by many powerful media campaigns, the input of a persons family and friends can make all the difference in helping to save others. The official England teams and English Football League Twitter accounts also paid tribute, with the latter describing Whittingham as a @CardiffCityFC and EFL legend. Rest in Peace Peter Whittingham Didnt know him personally but have the biggest respect for his footballing ability and that wand of a left foot which scored so many free kicks which I absolutely loved watching. My thoughts and prayers go out to your family, rest in peace Whitts was too young, Whittingham played under current Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2014, and the Norwegian called him an incredible human being.. She was told he had sustained a bleed to the brain and needed an operation. ", One Sheffield Wednesday fan wrote: "RIP Peter Whittingham, really good player and was always on my signing wish list.". The couple were expecting their second child when Whittingham died, with their newest son born two months after the incident in May 2020. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. ', My post-natal depression was so severe I had to close my business, Emma Jay returned back to work within weeks of having her baby girl and struggled as she tried to juggle it all, The terrace of seven old houses untouched in the midst of a huge development in the heart of Wales' capital, The tiny row of terraced houses is soon to be part of one of Cardiff's biggest city centre developments in decades, A man kept valuable classic cars buried under undergrowth in gardens, Rein Perens, 75, been left devastated after Cardiff council cleared away some of the cars using pest control legislation, The shocking barriers that disabled people face every day in our towns and cities, We should be able to live our lives without having to advocate for our rights and access, The 50 best restaurants in Cardiff in 2023: The best places to eat in the city, With some high profile new entries on the list, its a great time to eat out in Cardiff, London Welsh choir wows Britain's Got Talent judge on Saturday Kitchen, London Welsh Rugby Club Male Choir were back on Saturday Kitchen to celebrate St David's Day after a two-year break, Wales rugby star in tears as he pays tribute to team-mate amid family difficulties, Locked Up: The criminals justice caught up with in February and what happened to them, These 73 people have all been locked up for the most serious crimes bought before the courts in Wales, Swansea City defeat ends in chaos as manager sent off and escorted from pitch, Saturday Night Takeaway viewers say new segment is spoiling their enjoyment of ITV show, The second episode of Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway saw the return of 'Ring My Bell', Minister leading roads freeze has claimed for nearly 12,000 miles of car journeys but only three train trips, Welsh Government deputy minister Lee Waters wants people to take public transport instead of driving, Met Office issues 'disruptive snow' warning for parts of Wales, The Met Office says the forecast is still uncertain but there is a risk of disruptive snow at the end of next week, First look at Pasture's new small plates restaurant and speakeasy bar Parallel, Parallel can be found next door to Pasture on Cardiff's High Street. Peter Whittingham inquest hears former Cardiff and Aston Villa star died after tragic pub accident Whittingham, a former England U21s international, sustained a head injury in a fall at a. He made a second statement after police showed him CCTV from the pubs corridor, in which he confirmed he is seen messing about with Pete and Ryan but still had no memory of the incident. I was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Peter Whittingham, Solskjaer said. Peter Whittingham is said to have suffered an accidental fall at a pub. He also played for England's Under-21s 17 times, as well as Aston Villa. Alan Lewis, general manager of the Park Hotel since October 2019, said March 7 last year was very busy due to the rugby international match. Some time after 9.30pm he was in an area near the toilets and adjacent to a fire door leading to a corridor and steps and outside smoking area. We love you Pete and your memory will eternally stay with us., Were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Peter Whittingham, who made 17 appearances for our Under-21s between 2004 and 2007.Our thoughts are with his friends and family at this difficult time. ", talkSPORT correspondent Laurence Mora pays tribute to Cardiff City legend Peter Whittingham, Peter Whittingham, bottom right, was capped 17 times at England U21 level, The left-footer became a set-piece specialist during his fine career. She is expecting their second child. What science tells us about the afterlife. A statement from Mr Williams was also read out in which he said he had "no idea" what happened to Mr Whittingham but he had seen CCTV footage from the area inside the pub where the incident happened, which was in a corridor leading to the smoking area, and the clip showed a "play fight". The former England Under-21 international made 459 appearances and scored 98 goals for Cardiff before finishing his career at Blackburn in 2018. Bath 2023 BBC. Mr Williams said it showed a play fight and them messing around with Mr Whittingham. He said: "During a period of horseplay with a friend and a relative he appeared to have lost his balance, travelled through or caused to open the fire door, fallen, and as he did so his head has come into contact with the steps. Its a journalists duty to make sure the public understands the reasons why someone has died and to make sure their deaths are not kept secret. The Warwickshire-born star, who represented England U21s 17 times, started his career at Aston Villa in 2003 before moving on to Burnley and Derby. Please refresh the page and try again. Editors actively ask and encourage reporters to speak to the family and friends of a person who is the subject of an inquest. The inquest into his death held at Pontypridd heard that Whittingham underwent an emergency operation to relieve pressure on his brain and was later sent to an intensive care unit. South Wales Police released a statement on Wednesday revealing what happened after social media users had speculated about his condition. They are at the forefront of our thoughts and, on their behalf, we ask for their privacy to be respected at this unfathomably cruel and difficult time. My kids need me.I've got a three year old who is a little whirlwind most of the time, but when I've had a seizure, he sits beside me and he calms down. What was his cause of death? Aston Villa and Blackburn both paid tribute to their former player. The former Cardiff midfielder has died at the age of 35 following a fall 12 days ago.. Whittingham suffered serious head injuries at a pub in Barry from what South Wales Police described as an "accidental fall". My deepest sympathy to your family x Heart broken x pic.twitter.com/HRTVlYwtTU Mark Hudson (@M_Hudson5) March 19, 2020, Leicesters England playmaker James Maddison posted: Rest in Peace Peter Whittingham. "I was the first person there and offered him my hand thinking he would just take it and he would get up on his feet. I dont even remember much of the following day.. The Cardiff City legend, 35, suffered a traumatic head injury at the Park Hotel in South Wales on March 7, 2020. His languid style, his talented left foot former Germany midfielder Dietmar Hamann referred to as one of the best left pegs Ive seen and his uncanny ability to score long-range goals helped Cardiff reach the 2008 FA Cup final and the 2012 League Cup final. The hearing was told how Mr Whittingham had been drinking for hours while watching Wales v England in the Six Nations. The former Cardiff City midfielder Peter Whittingham died after falling down stairs at a pub following a drunken play fight with friends, an inquest has been told. Peter Whittingham hit his head and tragically died after falling down a flight of stairs at a pub in a drunken 'play fight' with friends, an inquest heard. He won his first of 17 England under-21 caps in 2004 prior to loan spells at Burnley and Derby County, but it was at Cardiff where he really hit his stride following a move to the Welsh capital in 2007. Didnt know him personally but have the biggest respect for his footballing ability and that wand of a left foot which scored so many free kicks which I absolutely loved watching. Its hard to believe that he has been taken from us at such a young age.. The loss of Peter will be painfully felt by our city, supporters and indeed all who ever had the pleasure of knowing him. A number of Mr Whittinghams family are listening to the inquest remotely including his wife, brother, and sister. It takes just seconds to sign up - simply click here, enter your email address and follow the instructions. Mr Taylor was out drinking with Robert Williams and Peter Whittingham on the day of the incident in Barry. The loss of Peter will be painfully felt by our city, supporters and indeed all who ever had the pleasure of knowing him. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). He made 16 appearances for Englands Under-21 team in that time, scoring three goals, while featuring in Villas Premier League side. Mr Taylor said Mr Whittingham's eyes were "wide open and were almost completely white" having rolled to the back of his head. "Some time after 9.30pm he was in an area near the toilets and adjacent to a fire door leading to a corridor and steps and outside smoking area. Read about our approach to external linking. Match of the Day: What fans can expect as show returns this weekend. Dr Christopher Hingston, an intensive care consultant at the hospital, said Whittingham had a Glasgow coma score of three - the lowest possible score and meaning he was completely unresponsive - during his admission. Cardiff City legend Peter Whittingham tragically died after falling through a pub fire door and hitting his head, an inquest heard. When is Eurovision and how do you get tickets? Taylor said he recalled people wanting to take photographs with Whittingham in the pub corridor, which led to steps taking guests to an external smoking area, but also said he had no memory of play fighting or Whittingham falling before he noticed him on the ground. A club statement read: "It is with an immeasurable amount of sorrow that we must inform supporters that Peter Whittingham has passed away at the age of 35. Mrs Whittingham said she texted her husband at 9pm but didnt hear back and after she called later there was no answer and she fell asleep. Whittingham is congratulated by Rickie Lambert after scoring a free kick against Sheffield Wednesday. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. I thoroughly enjoyed working with him during my time at Cardiff City. The ex-Villa midfielder, who died last year aged 35 . He was rushed to hospital but failed to regain consciousness, sadly passing away 11 days later. You can also subscribe to tailored content for Swansea, Newport, rugby, Cardiff City FC, Swansea City FC and more. Williams said he found Whittingham lying at the bottom of the steps beyond a fire door in the pubs corridor with his face to the side, and tried to lift him up only to find his body limp. She adds they married in 2015. Mr Lewis said he went to the area and saw someone lying on the floor before calling the emergency services. She said she woke at around midnight to find her mum banging on her door. Another said: "What a tragedy. When I looked more closely I could see he was not moving and something was wrong.. He was also part of the defeated 2012 League Cup final side who took Liverpool to penalties after a 2-2 draw. Former Cardiff City, Aston Villa and Blackburn midfielder Peter Whittingham has died at the age of 35 after suffering a head injury from a fall in a pub earlier this month. "Not only were you a great player and professional you were an amazing human, City loves you more than you know.". To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. A truly wonderful player, I was lucky to have spent my time on the grass with you and part of my life enjoying your dry humour. He was with Mr Whittingham at the Park Pub in Barry. News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. In his statement Mr Taylor said he must have been referring to the play fight. A statement read by Mr Whittingham's wife, Amanda, to members of the press ahead of the formal start of the hearing saw her call for him to be remembered for all he achieved. The dad-of-two fell down a flight of stairs at a pub in Barry on March 7 - the day of England's Six Nations clash with Wales - and was left with devastating head injuries. You will receive a verification email shortly. Tributes have poured in from the world of football following Peter Whittinghams death at the age of 35. It read: "At around 10pm on March 7, South Wales Police were called to a licensed premises in Barry. A statement by Ryan Taylor is now being read to the inquest. The Bluebirds icon was rushed to hospital after an incident on Saturday March 7. Whittingham played in the FA Cup final in 2008 and the Carling Cup final in 2012, and collected a Championship winners medal in 2013 as Cardiff were promoted to the Premier League. But it was with the Welsh side that his talents really shone, becoming one of their most consistent performers between 2007 and 2017. Coroner Graeme Hughes, who recorded a conclusion of accidental death, said Mr Whittingham had "consumed a quantity of alcohol that has likely impacted on his demeanour and steadiness" before he fell. He also played a key hand in helping the club win promotion to the Premier League in 2013 for the first time. RIP". They are at the forefront of our thoughts and, on their behalf, we ask for their privacy to be respected at this unfathomably cruel and difficult time. The former Cardiff playmaker suffered head injuries at a pub in Barry on March 7 from what South Wales Police have described as an accidental fall. The ex-Bluebirds midfielder, who died last year aged 35 and. All Rights Reserved. He said: I dont know if there was some sort of horse play but the next thing I remember was that he fell but I don't know how he got there or how he had fallen. Former Cardiff City midfielder Peter Whittingham has died aged 35. "First and foremost, Peter was a family man - and somebody who could light up a room with his sense of humour, warmth and personality. On Wednesday, South Wales Police had released a statement detailing an accident that had occurred in Barry after rumours of Whittingham's death on social media users began to circulate. Unconfirmed rumours had claimed the former star ended up in hospital following an incident in the Park pub in Barry on March 7 - the same day as England vs Wales in the Six Nations. Peter Whittingham taking a shot for Cardiff City in a Championship clash with Nottingham Forest in April 2017, Coroner records accidental death conclusion, Pub manager 'satisfied there was no fight or any act of aggression', Wife gives brief statement ahead of hearing, Young Wales international now working on a building site after rugby's turmoil leaves him unemployed, This time last term his career in professional rugby appeared to be taking off, but fate wasn't to be kind to the lad from west Wales, The 'biggest rugby hit you will see' sparks huge brawl watched by 300 million, Five players were given their marching orders during the course of the match, Willis Halaholo's tearful tribute to Rey Lee-Lo amid his family difficulties is so special, The Cardiff team-mates are more like brothers, and it has been a difficult time, Swansea City defeat at Luton ends in chaos as Russell Martin sent off and escorted from pitch, The Swans slumped to a 1-0 defeat at Kenilworth Road, with Martin being dismissed late on, Nigel Walker dismisses idea of axing region despite report recommendation, Nigel Walker has dismissed suggestions one of Wales' four professional regions will get cut, Cardiff 20-42 Ulster: Welsh club's URC play-off hopes take massive dent, The Blue and Blacks will have to do things the hard way to make the last eight now, Dragons 20-22 Connacht: 14-men Dragons fail to sign off at home for season with win after late missed drop-goals, The Dragons had opportunities to win their final home game of the season, but ultimately fell short, Ospreys 20-21 Benetton: Comeback falls short as last-gasp conversion misses the mark, The Ospreys threatened to get over the line at the death, but it wasn't to be, UFC 285: Jones v Gane start time, prize money and live stream details, 'Bones' looks to pick up the heavyweight title after Francis Ngannou vacated the belt when his UFC contract expired, Russell Martin defends actions and reveals what happened amid red card chaos, The incident happened in the final few minutes of Saturday's defeat to the Hatters, Met Office maps show exactly where and when snow is expected in Wales, Mum loses custody of six-year-old daughter after 'bleak' neglect, Cardiff family court heard the little girl still drinks milk from a baby bottle, wears pull-up nappies, and is often awake through the night in a room with no lightbulb in what the judge described as a 'bleak picture', Remains of baby in Constance Marten case were found in a plastic bag under nappies in a shed, court told, Constance Marten and Mark Gordon have appeared in court, BBC The Apprentice: Why Bradley Johnson didn't leave in a taxi despite being fired, Bradley Johnson and Avi Sharma were chosen as the next candidates to leave Lord Sugar's boardroom, Mum 'in tears' as family is thrown out of theatre's panto performance, The theatre has now apologised and admitted they got it wrong, Matt Hancock said ousting NHS England chief executive would be massive improvement, The former health secretary reportedly discussed Simon Stevens, now Lord Stevens, with Boris Johnsons then chief adviser Dominic Cummings, 'My kids need me': Mum of four waits three years for surgery to remove a brain tumour, "If I've got a fighting chance, I've got more of a reason to get through it now. The hearing was told how Whittingham had been on an all-day drinking session while watching Wales vs. England in the Six Nations. "Enquiries are continuing into the circumstances of the incident.". Police officer DC Steve Jenkins described seeing light-hearted play fighting which evidently involves no malice whatsoever and they are all smiling throughout after reviewing CCTV footage of the incident at the Park Hotel. The inquest heard that several pints and shots were consumed by the group at the Park pub. First and foremost, Peter was a family man and somebody who could light up a room with his sense of humour, warmth and personality. A statement by Nicholas Davison, a friend of Peter Whittingham and his brother-in-law Robert Williams, said that the trio were in a round together while at the pub. Thoughts go out to his family.". Young guy's life taken so quickly after a freak accident. Whittingham, an ex-England Under-21 international who started his career with Aston Villa, sustained a head injury in a fall at a pub in Barry on March 7, 2020, where he had watched an England vs Wales rugby match with friends. Should journalists shy away from attending inquests then an entire arm of the judicial system is not held to account. He was out with his brother-in-law and a friend when the incident happened just after 21:30 GMT. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. A representative for brewer SA Brain, Richard Otley, is also present on the call. She describes that in the morning on the day of the incident that led to his death they went out for a walk before Peter went out with her brother in Barry. Mr Whittinghams wife Amanda addressed the members of the press ahead of the formal start of the hearing and called for her partner to be remembered for all he had achieved. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Peter Whittingham is critical in hospital, say police, Peter Whittingham is said to have suffered an accidental fall at a pub, Peter Whittingham's greatest goals for Cardiff City, Whittingham spent the best part of his career at Cardiff, The midfielder enjoyed a highly successful playing career, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). He told the inquest: "I don't know if there was some sort of horse play but the next thing, I remember was that he fell but I don't know how he got there or how he had fallen. All rights reserved. To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders, Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications, .css-1diosym{color:black;}@media (prefers-color-scheme:dark){.css-1diosym{color:#fff;}}Published14:44,03 March 2021 GMT@media (prefers-color-scheme:dark){.css-jirzs7{color:#72B97D;}}| Last updated14:56,03 March 2021 GMT. Whittinghams wife and mother to their two young boys, Amanda Whittingham, told the hearing he left home at about 3pm without eating since breakfast because he was in a rush to catch the game. First and foremost, Peter was a family man - and somebody who could light up a room with his sense of humour, warmth and personality. An inquest heard former Cardiff City footballer Peter Whittingham died in a tragic accident after falling on some stairs leading to a beer garden. The press has a legal right to attend inquests and has a responsibility to report on them as part of their duty to uphold the principle of open justice. A subscription makes a thoughtful gift for both family and friends.