Norman Whiteside

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Born in Belfast to Norman and Aileen Whiteside, he grew up on Shankill Road and was later nicknamed the 'Shankill Skinhead' by Manchester United supporters. The family moved to 10 Danube Street, and poverty meant he shared a bed with his two brothers. He remained largely unscathed by The Troubles as his Protestant parents kept a firm watch. At around age seven he joined the Boys' Brigade, showing natural talent by scoring ten goals in a game against boys almost twice his age. He was educated at Cairnmartin High School and became famous in the Shankill area as a footballing prodigy by age 11. He was discovered by Manchester United's Ulster scout Bob Bishop, who previously unearthed George Best and Sammy McIlroy. Whiteside's family were Manchester United supporters, though he held no particular allegiance. He found he had been offered schoolboy terms at the club during a school trip to the United States, where he and his classmates met President Jimmy Carter at the Oval Office.

In Their Own Story

On 9 March 1985, Whiteside produced the only hat-trick of his career in a 4–2 home win over West Ham United. It was a 'perfect hat-trick,' scored once with each foot and once with his head. Just weeks later, he delivered one of his finest moments in the 1985 FA Cup Final against Everton. With ten men on the pitch for United, Whiteside curled a shot from the right-hand side into the net in the 20th minute of extra time to secure victory. The Guardian praised his 'cool footballing brain' and 'clever concealment of the shot.' This triumph followed his earlier success in the 1983 FA Cup final, where he provided an assist for Frank Stapleton in a 2–2 draw before scoring in the replay. Despite Manchester United accepting a £1.5 million offer from A.C. Milan in later years, Whiteside refused to move, preferring to stay with the club where he felt his future was secure.

Reader's Guide

Whiteside made his first-team debut as a substitute against Brighton & Hove Albion on 24 April 1982, two weeks before his 17th birthday, becoming United's youngest first-team player since Duncan Edwards in 1953. He turned professional on his 17th birthday, signing a three-year contract. On the final day of the season, eight days after his 17th birthday, he became the club's youngest goalscorer in a 2–0 home win over Stoke City. His performances at the 1982 World Cup convinced manager Ron Atkinson to start him alongside Frank Stapleton for the 1982–83 season. He scored four goals in the first five games, then a seventeen-game drought. He scored six goals in 16 domestic cup games that season, helping United to the League Cup and FA Cup finals. At 17 years and 323 days, he scored in the League Cup final defeat to Liverpool, becoming the youngest to score in a League Cup final. He assisted Stapleton in the FA Cup final (2–2 draw with Brighton), then scored a headed goal in the replay (4–0 win) at 18 years and 18 days, becoming the youngest to score in an FA Cup final and the first to score in both domestic cup finals in the same season. He played 57 times in all competitions that season, scoring 14 goals. United later accepted a £1.5 million offer from A.C. Milan and offered him £100,000 to accept, but he refused. In 1984–85, after falling behind in the pecking order, an injury to Remi Moses opened a midfield spot, and Whiteside excelled there, forming a partnership with Bryan Robson. He scored a perfect hat-trick in a 4–2 FA Cup quarter-final win over West Ham on 9 March 1985, and scored the winning goal in the 1985 FA Cup Final against Everton.

Did You Know?

• Whiteside is the youngest player to take part in a FIFA World Cup.
• He is the youngest player to score in a League Cup final and an FA Cup final.
• He is the youngest player to score a senior goal for Manchester United.
• He scored a 'perfect hat-trick' (one with each foot and one with his head) in the 1985 FA Cup quarter-finals.
• He was nicknamed the 'Shankill Skinhead' by Manchester United supporters.