Jeff Whitley

Tough-tackling midfielder Jeff joined City on a six-month loan from Cardiff in August 2006.A Northern Ireland international who was born in Zambia and raised in Wales, he began his career at Manchester City, making his professional debut aged 17 in 1996.He quickly established himself as a regular at Maine Road and went on to make over 100 appearances for the club, while also becoming the first black player to represent Northern Ireland in 1997.Loan spells at Wrexham and Notts County preceded a free transfer to Sunderland in 2003 and during a two-year spell on Wearside Jeff helped the Mackems gain promotion to the Premiership.He switched to Cardiff in 2005 and played 38 games last season before an influx of summer arrivals at Ninian Park increased competition for places.