AT LAST! PETER WHITTINGHAM #PW7

Peter Whittingham's family in talks with Cardiff City over building statue
By Glen Williams

For one family in particular, Friday's FA Cup fixture at Villa Park will be very special.

Two clubs which have helped to shape the Whittingham family, Cardiff City and Aston Villa, come together in the fifth round of this prestigious competition, with a spot in the quarter-final on the line.

Villa was the club that reared one fine talent in Peter Whittingham and Cardiff, for whom he went on to become a bona fide legend, will be forever grateful they did.

It's almost half a decade since Peter left us and, as his brother James says, time really does fly. But Friday night will quite rightly be all about Peter, from two fan bases who continue to adore him and all that he did for them.

"It's especially strange with it being five years since his passing," James tells WalesOnline. "It's a bit weird, but it should be a good match on Friday night.

"I'll be there and the family will be there. I wasn't really planning on it, to be honest with you, and then Villa's 1897 Group reached out and they raised some money, got a flag of him, so Villa ended up inviting us. So there will be family there.

"It will be nice for some of my nieces and nephews to go to something like that."

Peter's sons, whom he had with wife, Amanda, are now dyed-in-the-wool Bluebirds supporters and they will also be at Villa Park. Will certainly has his father's inclination for the game, too, as one anecdote including former City defender Tony Capaldi will attest.

"They are growing up fast. Will is seven now, Seb is four, they are big boys now!" James continues.

"Will does some of this soccer school stuff and Tony Capaldi takes some of those sessions - Tony was very good friends with Peter. There was some joke about Will saying, 'I'm going to go in goal', and Tony said, 'You are not going in goal!'

"He's enjoying it. At that age it's all about enjoying it. I think sport is really important these days. One of the big criticisms of kids these days is their perceived lack of resilience and I think sport is so good for that. It teaches you to lose, teaches you to win. It's just a really important trait sport gives you these days.

"Will and Seb go to a lot of Cardiff's games. Will goes to every home game! He loves them - Cardiff and Real Madrid are his two teams, two teams that go hand in hand!"

Quite excitingly, James says, the family have entered discussions with the club over the possibility and viability of erecting a statue of Peter at Cardiff City Stadium.

Whittingham's memory remains incredibly strong among those who were lucky enough to see him wave his left-footed wand in a Cardiff shirt and, for many, he will forever be their favourite player. That's some legacy.

And the club have been proactive in remembering Peter. To their credit, which Omer Riza even alluded to in Thursday's press conference, the club are very good at remembering their own. From retiring Whitts' iconic No.7 shirt to including him in every matchday programme and naming the indoor school at the club's plush new academy site in Llanrumney the PW7 Indoor Arena.

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Great news about the statue.

But it's only initial discussions and really this should have been done years ago.

He's a club legend (overused term but true in this case) and deserves a statue.

You're right to put "at last" in the title. Just hope the club don't try and get out of doing it.

About time
CCFC LEGEND

This is good news.

I also know that the club had suggested this a while ago but the family were sensitive as to having a statue so near after PWs passing, which is entirely understandable.

So good on the club for doing this and I'm looking forward to what will be a fine tribute to a fantastic player and a great guy.

Great news and I hope something like a statue can be sorted.
Peter was a neighbour of mine and I often chatted with him.
A proper legend of our great club.

Our best ever player, that’s my opinion anyway!

This is good news.

I also know that the club had suggested this a while ago but the family were sensitive as to having a statue so near after PWs passing, which is entirely understandable.

So good on the club for doing this and I'm looking forward to what will be a fine tribute to a fantastic player and a great guy.

It is great news, and your point about the family being a bit ‘sensitive’ in the early years after #PW7’ passing are fully understandable and may have not been in the thoughts of many who wanted this to happen ‘yesterday’

As OriginalGrangeEndBlue states above, #PW7 was a proper ‘legend’ at our club and he deserves to be lauded in the form of a statue and maybe/hopefully with the renaming of a stand or the new Academy site, where his excellence can be a spur on for future players!

This is good news.

I also know that the club had suggested this a while ago but the family were sensitive as to having a statue so near after PWs passing, which is entirely understandable.

So good on the club for doing this and I'm looking forward to what will be a fine tribute to a fantastic player and a great guy.

It is great news, and your point about the family being a bit ‘sensitive’ in the early years after #PW7’ passing are fully understandable and may have not been in the thoughts of many who wanted this to happen ‘yesterday’

As OriginalGrangeEndBlue states above, #PW7 was a proper ‘legend’ at our club and he deserves to be lauded in the form of a statue and maybe/hopefully with the renaming of a stand or the new Academy site, where his excellence can be a spur on for future players!

Retiring the number 7 shirt and having Whitts in every matchday programme is a lovely touch by the club and I fully empathise with the family on the timing of a statue, as it's them that really matter in this plus of course Whitts memory and life being honoured. This and a stand renaming would be both appropriate and wonderful for the family, fans and club but it's great news on the statue.

This is good news.

I also know that the club had suggested this a while ago but the family were sensitive as to having a statue so near after PWs passing, which is entirely understandable.

So good on the club for doing this and I'm looking forward to what will be a fine tribute to a fantastic player and a great guy.

It is great news, and your point about the family being a bit ‘sensitive’ in the early years after #PW7’ passing are fully understandable and may have not been in the thoughts of many who wanted this to happen ‘yesterday’

As OriginalGrangeEndBlue states above, #PW7 was a proper ‘legend’ at our club and he deserves to be lauded in the form of a statue and maybe/hopefully with the renaming of a stand or the new Academy site, where his excellence can be a spur on for future players!

Retiring the number 7 shirt and having Whitts in every matchday programme is a lovely touch by the club and I fully empathise with the family on the timing of a statue, as it's them that really matter in this plus of course Whitts memory and life being honoured. This and a stand renaming would be both appropriate and wonderful for the family, fans and club but it's great news on the statue.

Agree 100%

I didn’t know about the programme entry; but that’s a superb touch!

This is good news.

I also know that the club had suggested this a while ago but the family were sensitive as to having a statue so near after PWs passing, which is entirely understandable.

So good on the club for doing this and I'm looking forward to what will be a fine tribute to a fantastic player and a great guy.

Wasn't aware that the family weren't ready at the time, obviously everyone has to go with their wishes.

Pleased they now feel ready to have the initial discussions and hopefully it can be confirmed soon.

This is good news.

I also know that the club had suggested this a while ago but the family were sensitive as to having a statue so near after PWs passing, which is entirely understandable.

So good on the club for doing this and I'm looking forward to what will be a fine tribute to a fantastic player and a great guy.

Wasn't aware that the family weren't ready at the time, obviously everyone has to go with their wishes.

Pleased they now feel ready to have the initial discussions and hopefully it can be confirmed soon.

I think it's great Ned and also that it also would now also be a source of comfort for the family. I'd love to see a stand renamed too, as Whitts is in the DNA of the club and it would also be a fitting tribute.

This is good news.

I also know that the club had suggested this a while ago but the family were sensitive as to having a statue so near after PWs passing, which is entirely understandable.

So good on the club for doing this and I'm looking forward to what will be a fine tribute to a fantastic player and a great guy.

Wasn't aware that the family weren't ready at the time, obviously everyone has to go with their wishes.

Pleased they now feel ready to have the initial discussions and hopefully it can be confirmed soon.

Me neither, Ned. These are the things we sometimes find out ‘after the fact’ that put a little perspective out

Great post and Great news about one of the Greatest Bluebirds ever hopefully looking down on his devoted fan base tonight with Great pride.

I loved Peter whittingham he didn’t just score goals he scored great goals often I watch footage of those goals all the time

There was a great tribute to him at Villa last night.

There was a great tribute to him at Villa last night.

Rightly so!

I’m just a bit surprised this thread hasn’t had a better reaction from those who have wanted it to happen for some years!