Gavin Whyte

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Gavin Whyte

| image = Gavin Whyte, CZE-NIR 2019-10-14 (2) (cropped).jpg

| caption = Whyte playing for Northern Ireland in 2019

| fullname = Gavin Whyte{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/contentassets/d29fb86f37b0462589f320b680f6787d/efl-professional-retain-list---2020-21.pdf |title=Club list of registered players: Cardiff City |publisher=English Football League |page=13 |accessdate=29 July 2021}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|1|31|df=y}}

| birth_place = Belfast, Northern Ireland

| height = {{convert|1.70|m|order=flip}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/teams/first-team/midfielder/gavin-whyte/|title=Gavin Whyte|publisher=Cardiff City F.C.|accessdate=31 July 2019|archive-date=31 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190731095436/https://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/teams/first-team/midfielder/gavin-whyte/|url-status=dead}}

| position = Winger, forward

| currentclub = Derry City

| clubnumber = 11

| youthyears1 = 2009–2014

| youthclubs1 = Crusaders

| years1 = 2014–2018

| clubs1 = Crusaders

| caps1 = 132

| goals1 = 43

| years2 = 2018–2019

| clubs2 = Oxford United

| caps2 = 36

| goals2 = 7

| years3 = 2019–2023

| clubs3 = Cardiff City

| caps3 = 45

| goals3 = 1

| years4 = 2021

| clubs4 = → Hull City (loan)

| caps4 = 20

| goals4 = 4

| years5 = 2021–2022

| clubs5 = → Oxford United (loan)

| caps5 = 31

| goals5 = 1

| years6 = 2023–2024

| clubs6 = Portsmouth

| caps6 = 29

| goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2025–

| clubs7 = Derry City

| caps7 = 10

| goals7 = 2

| nationalyears1 = 2015–2018

| nationalteam1 = Northern Ireland U21

| nationalcaps1 = 7

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2018–

| nationalteam2 = Northern Ireland

| nationalcaps2 = 30

| nationalgoals2 = 5

| club-update = 09:09, 6 May 2025 (UTC)

| nationalteam-update = 08:59, 2 October 2022 (UTC)

}}

Gavin Whyte (born 31 January 1996) is a Northern Irish professional footballer who plays for League of Ireland Premier Division club Derry City and the Northern Ireland national team.

Club career

=Crusaders=

Whyte's Crusaders team won three league titles in four years between 2015 and 2018 and he attracted interest from Scotland and England, most notably in trials with Premier League side Everton and Scottish side Celtic during the summer of 2016.{{cite news|last1=O'Keeffe|first1=Greg|title=Everton trialist Gavin Whyte extra determined after Finch Farm spell|url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/everton-trialist-gavin-whyte-extra-9277689|accessdate=20 May 2018|work=Liverpool Echo|date=18 May 2015}}

Whyte received the Player of the Round after his performance in the Scottish Challenge Cup quarter-finals in a game against defending champions Dundee United, when he netted an injury-time winner to send Crusaders into the semi-finals against Inverness Caledonian Thistle.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41906002|title=Dundee United 1–2 Crusaders|date=11 November 2017 |work=BBC Sport|accessdate=3 January 2018}}{{cite news|first=Paul |last= Chalk|date=14 November 2017 |url=http://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/Sport/Football/Its-Inverness-Caley-Jags-v-Crusaders-in-Irn-Bru-Cup-semis-14112017.htm|title=It's Inverness Caley Jags v Crusaders in Irn-Bru Cup semis|work=Inverness Courier|accessdate=3 January 2018 }}

During the 2017–18 season he scored 24 goals in 49 games, winning his third NIFL Premiership league title{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43936642 |title=Irish Premiership: Crusaders are crowned champions |work=BBC Sport |date=28 April 2018 |access-date=13 July 2018 |quote=Crusaders' title triumph was their third in four seasons and the seventh in the Seaview club's history.}} and also the County Antrim Shield{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42774788 |title=County Antrim Shield final: Ballymena United 2-4 Crusaders |work=BBC Sport |date=23 January 2018 |first=Lyle |last=Jackson |access-date=13 July 2018}} with Crusaders, and was voted the Ulster Footballer of the Year award for 2017–18{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43873554 |title=Gavin Whyte: Winger named Ulster Footballer of the Year |work=BBC Sport |date=23 April 2018 |access-date=13 July 2018}} and also the Northern Ireland Football Writers' Association Player of the Year award for 2017–18.{{cite news |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/irish-league/gavin-whyte-scoops-player-of-the-year-double-at-ni-football-awards-36880484.html |first=Gareth |last=Hanna |title=Gavin Whyte scoops Player of the Year double at NI Football Awards |newspaper=Belfast Telegraph |date=7 May 2018 |access-date=13 July 2018}}

=Oxford United=

On 13 July 2018, Oxford United announced the signing of Whyte on a three-year deal, for an undisclosed transfer fee.{{cite news |url=http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/16353646.oxford-united-sign-winger-gavin-whyte-for-undisclosed-fee/ |first=Mark |last=Edwards |title=Oxford United sign winger Gavin Whyte for undisclosed fee |newspaper=Oxford Mail |date=13 July 2018 |access-date=13 July 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44824085 |title=Gavin Whyte: Oxford United sign Crusaders winger for undisclosed fee |work=BBC Sport |date=13 July 2018 |access-date=13 July 2018}} He made his debut as an 82nd-minute substitute in Oxford's opening league match of the season, a 4–0 away defeat at Barnsley.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44989248 |title=Barnsley 4 Oxford United 0 |work=BBC Sport |date=4 August 2018 |access-date=14 August 2018}} His first start, and first goal, came in the first round of the EFL Cup against Coventry City ten days later; Whyte scored the second goal in a 2–0 win for Oxford.{{cite news |url=http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/16418676.oxford-united-2-browne-39-whyte-50-coventry-city-0/ |first=David |last=Pritchard |title=Oxford United 2 (Browne 39, Whyte 50), Coventry City 0 |newspaper=Oxford Mail |date=14 August 2018 |access-date=14 August 2018}} His first league goal followed in the next game, when he scored the opener in a 2–3 home defeat to Accrington Stanley.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45178100 |title=Oxford United 2 Accrington Stanley 3 |work=BBC Sport |date=21 August 2018 |access-date=28 August 2018}} On 22 April 2019, Whyte scored his first hat-trick for the club, in a 2–3 away win against Shrewsbury Town. By the end of his first and only season with Oxford, he had scored 9 times in 47 appearances (7 of them in League One matches).

=Cardiff City=

On 30 July 2019, Whyte signed for Championship club Cardiff City for an undisclosed seven-figure fee.{{cite news|title=Done Deal Gavin Whyte joins the Bluebirds|url=https://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/news/2019/july/done-deal--gavin-whyte-joins-the-bluebirds/|access-date=30 July 2019|work=Cardiff City F.C.|date=30 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190730134245/https://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/news/2019/july/done-deal--gavin-whyte-joins-the-bluebirds/|archive-date=30 July 2019|url-status=dead}} He made his debut on the opening day of the 2019–20 season as a substitute in place of Josh Murphy during a 3–2 defeat to Wigan Athletic.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49135732 |title=Wigan Athletic 3–2 Cardiff City |work=BBC Sport |date=3 August 2019 |access-date=3 August 2019}}

Whyte joined League One club Hull City on a six-month loan deal on 14 January 2021.{{cite news |url=https://www.hullcitytigers.com/news/2021/january/gavin-whyte-arrives-on-loan/ |title=Gavin Whyte Arrives On Loan |publisher=Hull City A.F.C. |date=14 January 2021 |access-date=14 January 2021}} He made his debut on 16 January 2021 in a 1–1 draw at home to Blackpool.{{cite news

| url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55598496

| title = Hull City 1-1 Blackpool Town

| date = 16 January 2021

| work = BBC Sport

| publisher = BBC

| accessdate = 16 January 2021}} The following match on 19 January 2021, he scored in the 3–0 home win against Accrington Stanley.{{cite news

| url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54700598

| title = Hull City 3–0 Accrington Stanley

| date = 19 January 2021

| work = BBC Sport

| publisher = BBC

| accessdate = 19 January 2021}}

On 31 July 2021, Whyte signed a one-year loan deal with Oxford United.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58039993|title=Gavin Whyte: Oxford United re-sign Cardiff City striker on loan|date=31 July 2021|work=BBC Sport|accessdate=31 July 2021}}

=Portsmouth=

Whyte joined EFL League One club Portsmouth in the summer of 2023,{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66080590|title=Gavin Whyte and Kusini Yengi: Portsmouth announce signings of winger and striker|publisher=BBC Sport|date=2 July 2023}} making his debut in the opening match at home against Bristol Rovers. In his first season he played 33 matches, with his only goal coming in the EFL Trophy.

On 30 August 2024 Whyte departed Portsmouth by mutual consent.{{cite news|url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/gavin-whyte-leaves-portsmouth-mutual-29846314|title=Gavin Whyte leaves Portsmouth by mutual consent|last=Fullerton|first=Gareth|date=31 August 2024|work=Belfast Live|accessdate=6 September 2024}}

=Derry City=

On 11 January 2025 Whyte signed a three-year contract with Derry City.{{citeweb|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c7vevy2g77do|title=Derry City sign NI internationals Boyce and Whyte|publisher=BBC Sport|date=11 January 2025}}

International career

File:Gavin Whyte, CZE-NIR 2019-10-14 (4).jpg in 2019]]

On 14 March 2018, after impressing for Crusaders, Whyte was called up the Northern Ireland U21 squad by Manager Ian Baraclough for matches against Spain U21s and Iceland U21s in the European Under-21 Championships qualifying group stage fixtures.{{cite news |title=Bailey Peacock-Farrell continues magnificent March with international call-up|url=https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/leeds-united-news-peacock-farrell-14411638 |newspaper=Leeds Live |date=14 March 2018|access-date=15 March 2018}} He impressed on 26 March 2018, as Northern Ireland U21 played out a goalless draw with Iceland.{{cite news|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/whyte-impresses-again-but-northern-ireland-u21s-draw-a-blank-against-iceland-36746943.html|title=Whyte impresses again but Northern Ireland U21s draw a blank against Iceland|newspaper=Belfast Telegraph |access-date=27 March 2018|issn=0307-1235}}

On 16 May 2018, after impressing at club level and for the U21s, Whyte was named in Northern Ireland's squad ahead of friendlies against Panama and Costa Rica.{{cite news|url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/northern-ireland-squad-summer-tour-14664778|title=Northern Ireland Announce Squad of Central America|work=Belfast Live|accessdate=16 May 2018}}

On 11 September 2018 Whyte scored on his Northern Ireland senior debut, scoring after 108 seconds in a 3–0 win against Israel at Windsor Park.{{cite news|url= https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/45404025 |title=Northern Ireland 3 Israel 0 |first=Richard |last=Petrie |work=BBC Sport |date=11 September 2018 |accessdate=12 September 2018}}

Career statistics

=Club=

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|National Cup !colspan="2"\|League Cup !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="6"\|Crusaders \|2013–14{{cite web \|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/gavin-whyte/338063/ \|title=G. Whyte: Summary \|website=Soccerway \|publisher=Perform Group \|accessdate=24 September 2018}} \|NIFL Premiership \|1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
2014–15 \|NIFL Premiership \|34	9	2	1	1	0	0	0	37	10
2015–16 \|NIFL Premiership \|27	3	3	0	0	0	1Appearance(s) in NIFL Charity Shield	0	31	3
2016–17 \|NIFL Premiership \|34	10	1	0	0	0	2One appearance in UEFA Champions League, one in NIFL Charity Shield	0	37	10
2017–18 \|NIFL Premiership \|36	21	1	1	2	1	5Two appearances in UEFA Europa League, three appearances and one goal in Scottish Challenge Cup	1	44	24
colspan="2"\|Total	132	43	7	2	3	1	8	1	150	47
\|Oxford United	2018–19 \|League One \|36	7	4	0	3	2	4Appearances in EFL Trophy	0	47	9
rowspan=4\|Cardiff City \|2019–20 \|Championship \|24	0	4	1	1	0	1{{efn\|Appearances in Championship play-offs}}	0	30	1
2020–21 \|Championship \|7	0	0	0	0	0	colspan=2\|–	7	0
2022–23 \|Championship \|14	1	1	0	1	0	colspan=2\|–	16	1
colspan="2"\|Total	45	1	5	1	2	0	1	0	53	2
Hull City (loan) \|2020–21 \|League One \|20	4	0	0	0	0	colspan=2\|–	20	4
Oxford United (loan) \|2021–22 \|League One \|37	1	1	0	1	0	colspan=2\|–	39	1
rowspan=3\|Portsmouth \|2023–24 \|League One \|29	0	1	0	0	0	3	1	33	1
2024–25 \|Championship \|0	0	0	0	1	0	colspan=2\|–	1	0
colspan="2"\|Total	29	0	1	0	1	0	3	1	34	1
Derry City \|2025 \|LOI Premier Division \|10	2	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	10	2
colspan="3"\|Career total !309	58	18	3	10	3	16	2	353	66

=International=

{{updated|match played 26 March 2023}}{{NFT player |id=72000 |name=Whyte, Gavin |accessdate=24 September 2016}}

National team\|\|Year\|\|Apps\|\|Goals
class=wikitable style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year
rowspan=6\|Northern Ireland \|2018	4	1
2019	5	0
2020	6	1
2021	6	1
2022	7	2
2023	2	0
colspan=2\|Total\|\|30\|\|5

:Scores and results list Northern Ireland's goal tally first.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
class="wikitable sortable" \|+ List of international goals scored by Gavin Whyte
align=center \| 1	11 September 2018	Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland	{{fb\|ISR}}	align=center \| 3–0	align=center \| 3–0	Friendly
align=center \| 2	4 September 2020	Arena Națională, Bucharest, Romania	{{fb\|ROU}}	align=center \| 1–1	align=center \| 1–1	2020–21 UEFA Nations League B
align=center \| 3	30 May 2021	Wörthersee Stadion, Klagenfurt, Austria	{{fb\|MLT}}	align=center \| 0-2	align=center \| 0-3	Friendly
align=center \| 4	25 March 2022	Stade de Luxembourg, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg	{{fb\|LUX}}	align=center \| 0-3	align=center \| 0-3	Friendly
align=center \| 5	24 September 2022	Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland	{{fb\|KOS}}	align=center \| 1–1	align=center \| 2–1	2022–23 UEFA Nations League C

Honours

Crusaders

NIFL Premiership: 2014–15,{{cite web|url=https://www.glenavonfc.com/2015/04/25/latest-crusaders-0-0-glenavon-6/|title=Match Report|publisher=glenavonfc.com|date=25 April 2015|accessdate=2 April 2023}} 2015–16,{{cite web|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/irish-league/cliftonville-1-3-crusaders-crues-join-the-greats-with-premiership-double/34639001.html|title=Cliftonville 1-3 Crusaders: Crues join the greats with Premiership double|publisher=News Letter|date=19 April 2016}} 2017–18{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44038284|title=NI Football Awards: Crusaders' Gavin Whyte wins top honours|publisher=BBC|date=8 May 2018}}
County Antrim Shield: 2017–18{{cite web|url=https://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/football/crusaders-lift-co-antrim-shield-after-seeing-off-ballymena-united-1053825|title=Crusaders lift Co Antrim Shield after seeing off Ballymena United|publisher=News Letter|date=23 January 2018}}

Hull City

EFL League One: 2020–21{{cite news| url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56869267| title = Hull City 3–1 Wigan Athletic| date = 1 May 2021| work = BBC Sport| publisher = BBC| accessdate = 1 May 2021}}

Portsmouth

EFL League One: 2023–24{{cite news |date=16 April 2024 |title=Portsmouth 3–2 Barnsley: Pompey seal promotion to Championship with dramatic win |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/portsmouth-vs-barnsley/report/484077 |access-date=17 April 2024 |website=Sky Sports}}

Individual

Ulster Footballer of the Year: 2017–18{{cite web|url=https://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/football/crusaders-gavin-whyte-named-ulster-footballer-of-year-1035939|title=Crusaders' Gavin Whyte named Ulster Footballer of Year|publisher=News Letter|date=24 April 2018}}
NIFWA Player of the Year: 2017–18