Steven Gordon Whittaker (born 16 June 1984) is a Scottish football coach and former professional player, who is currently the manager of Stirling Albion. Whittaker played as a defender, primarily at right-back.
He began his senior career with Hibernian, making over 170 appearances during his first spell with the Easter Road club. Whittaker won the Scottish League Cup in 2007 before transferring to Rangers in August that year. During his time at Rangers, he won three Scottish Premier League titles, two Scottish Cups, and three Scottish League Cups.
In 2012, Whittaker joined Norwich City on a free transfer. After five years in England, he returned to Hibernian in 2017, then concluded his playing career with Dunfermline Athletic in the 2020–21 season.
Internationally, Whittaker earned 31 caps for the Scotland national football team between 2009 and 2016. He also represented the Scotland U21s earlier in his career.
Following retirement, Whittaker moved into coaching. He briefly served as interim manager of Dunfermline Athletic in 2021, then worked as an assistant coach under his former teammate Scott Brown at Fleetwood Town and Ayr United. Whittaker then became a manager in his own right with Stirling Albion.
Despite being a boyhood Hearts fan, Whittaker joined Kenny Miller and Derek Riordan in signing for Hibernian from Hutchison Vale Boys Club.
He made his first-team debut for Hibernian on 12 May 2002, in a 1–0 win against St Johnstone. During the 2002–03 season, he made six additional appearances before establishing himself as a regular in the first team the following year. Initially lacking a fixed position, Whittaker struggled for form while being deployed at both right-back and in various midfield roles under manager Bobby Williamson.
He scored his first senior goal on 3 January 2004 in a 3–2 win against Partick Thistle. He was an unused substitute in Hibernian's defeat in the 2004 Scottish League Cup Final.
The appointment of Tony Mowbray as manager later in 2004 proved pivotal for Whittaker’s development. Mowbray established him as the team’s first-choice right-back, providing much-needed positional stability. As a result, Whittaker’s performances improved significantly, and he became a regular for the Scotland under-21s. He was also instrumental in helping Hibernian secure a third-place finish in the league.
Whittaker remained a key player under both Mowbray and his successor, John Collins, and was part of the team that won the 2007 League Cup. In total, he made 174 appearances in all competitions for Hibernian, scoring five goals.
Whittaker completed a £2 million transfer to Rangers on 1 August 2007, signing a five-year contract. He was assigned the number 28 shirt and made his debut on 18 August 2007 against Falkirk in the Scottish Premier League, scoring the second goal in a 7–2 victory.
Initially used mainly as a left-back, Whittaker became the first-choice right-back following Alan Hutton’s transfer to Tottenham Hotspur in January 2008. On 10 April 2008, he scored Rangers’ second goal in a 2–0 away win over Sporting CP in the UEFA Cup quarter-final second leg, picking up the ball near the halfway line and "dancing through the Sporting defence" before finishing.
During the 2009–10 season, Whittaker switched to the number 16 shirt and scored 11 goals in all competitions, contributing to Rangers’ league and League Cup double. His increased goal tally was partly due to taking regular penalties.
In July 2011, Whittaker signed a new five-year contract with Rangers after the club rejected transfer bids from Turkish side Bursaspor. Later that month, during a UEFA Champions League qualifier against Malmö FF, he was sent off for throwing the ball at an opponent following a rough challenge.
In February 2012, Rangers entered administration and were later liquidated. Businessman Charles Green purchased the club’s assets and sought to transfer player contracts to a new corporate entity. Whittaker was among several players who objected to the move. According to PFA Scotland, players were entitled to become free agents if they did not consent to the transfer.
Explaining his decision, Whittaker stated in a press conference: "I'm 28 and I want to play at the top level for as much as I can. It doesn't look like Rangers will be in the SPL, and there's no European football. We owe no loyalty to the new club. There is no history there for us."
Whittaker signed for English Premier League club Norwich City on 30 June 2012, agreeing to a four-year deal. On 20 July, he received provisional international clearance from FIFA that allowed him to play while arbitration over his move from Rangers was ongoing.
Whittaker suffered an ankle injury during a pre-season friendly against Celtic, which caused him to miss the beginning of the 2012–13 Premier League season. Two months later, he described the injury as the worst of his career. He made his competitive debut for Norwich on 31 October, playing at right back in a 2–1 win against Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup. He then made his league debut a few days later, again at right back, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 win over Stoke City. After the match, Whittaker expressed his satisfaction at starting his Premier League career with a win. On 8 December 2012, he scored his first Premier League goal, assisted by Robert Snodgrass, in a 4–3 victory over Swansea City.