The 67-year-old picked up the Eamonn Dolan award for his outstanding contribution to youth coaching on Thursday evening but he was quick to insist it should be regarded as a team effort.
He thanked 1968 European Cup-winners Brian Kidd and Nobby Stiles for bringing him to the club back in 1990, at our Centre of Excellence, and admits his is a job that he absolutely loves. Things may have changed a lot since he was a young player in the 1960s but Whelan thinks the fundamental core values remain the same in the 2020s.
“I've been privileged to work with some wonderful people over the years,” he told us.