Whitaker made over 450 appearances for Macclesfield Town over two spells, helping them earn promotion back to the Football League in 2018, while he went on to become the first-ever manager of phoenix club Macclesfield FC in 2020, after the original club folded due to unpaid debts. 

He also played for Port Vale, Oldham Athletic and Chesterfield, scoring 15 goals in 46 games to help the latter to the League Two title in the 2010/11 season. 

Macclesfield remains Whitaker’s last and only position in management, with him parting ways with the club last October while they were three points clear at the top of the Northern Premier League West Division.