Weight 76 kg Height 1.81 m | Number 10 Role Footballer Playing position Name David Wotherspoon Career start August 1, 2009 | |
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Date of birth (1990-01-16) 16 January 1990 (age 25) Current team St. Johnstone F.C. (#10 / Midfielder) Profiles | ||
David Wotherspoon (born 16 January 1990) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays for St Johnstone, as a midfielder. Wotherspoon started his career with Hibernian and has also represented Scotland at youth international levels, up to and including the under-21 level.
Contents
- Early career
- Hibernian
- St Johnstone
- International career
- Style of play
- Personal life
- Career statistics
- References
Early career
Wotherspoon was part of Celtic's youth setup, but moved to Hibernian in the belief that he would have more opportunity to break into senior football.
Hibernian
He was part of the Hibernian youth side that won both the Scottish Youth Cup and the Scottish league in the 2008–09 season, with Wotherspoon contributing eight goals from midfield.
Wotherspoon made his senior debut in the 2–1 home win over St Mirren at the start of the 2009–10 season, scoring Hibs' first goal. After establishing himself in the Hibs first team as a right back, Wotherspoon signed a contract with Hibs until 2013.
During the 2010–11 season Wotherspoon was more often used as a right midfielder, and in early 2011 he scored two goals against St Mirren and St Johnstone to help his team go on a six-match unbeaten run. He had previously not scored in 63 matches and said that he wanted to start scoring more goals for Hibs.
Wotherspoon's form improved in the early part of the 2012–13 season. He scored a late winning goal in the Scottish Cup tie against holders and Edinburgh derby rivals Hearts. A decline in Hibs' fortunes during the season was mirrored by Wotherspoon personally, who lost his place in the side. He left Hibs at the end of his contract in the 2013 close season.
St Johnstone
Wotherspoon signed a two-year contract with his hometown club St Johnstone on 2 July 2013. On 10 July 2013, Wotherspoon scored a goal from a free-kick from 21 yards in a pre-season friendly against Cowdenbeath. This was his first appearance and his first goal for St Johnstone. He scored his first league goal for the club with a free kick in a 4–0 win against Ross County on 17 August, and had a penalty kick saved in the same game. Wotherspoon helped the club win the 2013–14 Scottish Cup. He signed a two-year contract with St Johnstone in January 2015.
International career
Wotherspoon is eligible to represent both Scotland and Canada, through his mother. He has represented Scotland at under–18 and under–19 levels before he made his first team debut for Hibs. He was called into the under–21 squad soon after he made his senior club debut, and he made his first appearance at that level in a 4–0 win against Azerbaijan in November 2009. He scored his first goal for the team, a late equaliser in a 1–1 draw against Sweden, in August 2010. His second goal was the match-winner in a 2–1 victory against the Netherlands in November 2011.
Style of play
Although he started out as a right back for Hibs, Wotherspoon has also played as a right-sided or attacking midfielder. His primary position is as a central midfielder and at the start of the 2011–12 season he expressed his desire to play there more often. Although he also said that he was willing to play anywhere to be in the first team. Manager Pat Fenlon experimented with a 4–2–3–1 formation, using Wotherspoon as a central creative player, during the 2012–13 pre-season. These tactics were abandoned after a 3–0 defeat against Dundee United, with Wotherspoon then being used as a right midfielder in a more orthodox 4–4–2 shape.
Personal life
Wotherspoon, who is from Bridge of Earn, was a St Johnstone supporter in his childhood. Wotherspoon qualifies to play for Canada, as his mother was born there.