Manchester United is deeply saddened to learn that Jeff Whitefoot, a former Busby Babe, has passed away at the age of 90.
There were few more perceptive and precise passers of a football in England than Jeff during the mid-1950s.
The Cheshire-born wing-half, who became United’s youngest league debutant in April 1950 when he ran out to face Portsmouth at Old Trafford at the age of 16 years and 105 days, played the game with a cool, seemingly casual grace which masked a sharp competitive edge.
One of the original Busby Babes, Jeff had joined the Reds straight from school in the summer of 1949 as an office boy-cum-midfield schemer, rapidly emerging as competent at the former task, exquisitely promising at the latter.
A beautifully balanced athlete whose ball control was deliciously assured with either foot, Jeff was almost serene in style, a rare quality in a young player. He read the action intelligently and specialised in shrewd interceptions; he tackled briskly and was exceedingly competitive in the air for a player small in stature.
The Cheshire-born wing-half, who became United’s youngest league debutant in April 1950 when he ran out to face Portsmouth at Old Trafford at the age of 16 years and 105 days, played the game with a cool, seemingly casual grace which masked a sharp competitive edge.
One of the original Busby Babes, Jeff had joined the Reds straight from school in the summer of 1949 as an office boy-cum-midfield schemer, rapidly emerging as competent at the former task, exquisitely promising at the latter.
A beautifully balanced athlete whose ball control was deliciously assured with either foot, Jeff was almost serene in style, a rare quality in a young player. He read the action intelligently and specialised in shrewd interceptions; he tackled briskly and was exceedingly competitive in the air for a player small in stature.
After turning plenty of heads on his senior entrance, Whitefoot spent most of the next three seasons consolidating his craft before nailing a regular berth in a classy half-back line alongside veteran stopper Allenby Chilton and teenage prodigy Duncan Edwards in 1953/54.
He continued to progress during the following campaign as Busby’s breathtakingly exhilarating side composed mainly of exceptionally talented rookies edged towards greatness, then made enough appearances in the no.4 shirt in the opening months of 1955/56 to earn a League Championship medal.
A stellar future with United seemed assured for the England Under-23 international, but suddenly there was a snag. That autumn yet another bewitchingly brilliant tyro, Eddie Colman, stepped up to claim the right-half slot and Whitefoot, who had barely put a foot wrong, found himself unexpectedly on the sidelines.
He continued to progress during the following campaign as Busby’s breathtakingly exhilarating side composed mainly of exceptionally talented rookies edged towards greatness, then made enough appearances in the no.4 shirt in the opening months of 1955/56 to earn a League Championship medal.
A stellar future with United seemed assured for the England Under-23 international, but suddenly there was a snag. That autumn yet another bewitchingly brilliant tyro, Eddie Colman, stepped up to claim the right-half slot and Whitefoot, who had barely put a foot wrong, found himself unexpectedly on the sidelines.
Though it rapidly became obvious that ‘Snakehips’ Colman was a fixture in the team, Matt Busby was still keen to keep a player of Jeff’s quality at the club, but understandably enough he became restive, persuaded the manager to sanction a move and in November 1957 was reunited with his old comrade Chilton, by then boss of Grimsby Town in the Second Division.
However, Whitefoot clearly needed and deserved top-flight football and in July 1958 he joined Nottingham Forest, for whom he proved massively influential as they won the FA Cup in 1959. Thereafter he remained at the City Ground until 1967/68, tallying nearly 300 games for the East Midlands club.
A delightfully unassuming character, Jeff helped his wife Nell to run a bookmaker’s while still playing, later enjoying a spell as a greengrocer before taking over The Wheatsheaf pub in the pretty Leicestershire town of Oakham. With his cherubic smile and effortless patter, he was the epitome of the genial country landlord.
May he rest in peace, with a special place in club folklore long since assured.
However, Whitefoot clearly needed and deserved top-flight football and in July 1958 he joined Nottingham Forest, for whom he proved massively influential as they won the FA Cup in 1959. Thereafter he remained at the City Ground until 1967/68, tallying nearly 300 games for the East Midlands club.
A delightfully unassuming character, Jeff helped his wife Nell to run a bookmaker’s while still playing, later enjoying a spell as a greengrocer before taking over The Wheatsheaf pub in the pretty Leicestershire town of Oakham. With his cherubic smile and effortless patter, he was the epitome of the genial country landlord.
May he rest in peace, with a special place in club folklore long since assured.