neil anthony whitworth born 12 april 1972 is an english former football defenderborn in inceinmakerfield wigan to a former rugby league footballer whitworth began his career at wigan athletic as a trainee he made his senior debut for wigan on 10 february 1990 in a third division match against leyton orient wigan lost the match 20 manchester united spotted whitworths potential and signed him for a fee of 45000 in june 1990 his united debut came nine months later when he played in a 11 draw away to southampton however whitworth did not play again for manchester united and was shipped out on loan to four different clubs before he and colin mckee were sold to kilmarnock for a combined fee of 350000 in september 1994whitworth first went on loan to preston north end for a month in january 1992 playing six games for the lancashire club he then went to barnsley in february 1992 until the end of the season making 11 appearances he played out the 199293 season in the manchester united reserve team but went on another monthlong loan to rotherham united in october 1993 immediately followed by a month at blackpoolwhitworth was issued with the number 32 shirt when the fa premier league introduced squad numbers for the 199394 season although he never took to the field in that shirt in 1997 whitworth suffered a nasty bout of tuberculosis and struggled to hold down a firstteam place after his recovery towards the end of the 199798 season he moved back to his hometown club wigan on loan whitworth was released from his kilmarnock contract at the end of may 1998 and immediately signed by hull city he stayed at boothferry park for two seasons but only made 28 appearances in that time before moving on to exeter city he stayed at exeter for three years making a total of 62 appearances he was signed by southport in august 2003 and formed a vital part of their defensive unit despite attracting criticism from some quarters for his lack of aerial prowess he was sent on a months loan to radcliffe borough before returning to southport however at the end of the 200304 season whitworth decided to call time on his professional career he made a brief comeback in 2006 playing a few games for fleetwood town but it was shortlived and he has not played a professional game of football since