Barton having trained with the club for part of pre-season. On 11 September 2021, Whelan made his debut for the club playing the entirety of a 1–0 away defeat at Hartlepool United. On 13 November 2021, Whelan was sent off after receiving two bookings as Rovers held on to beat Northampton Town, a first sending-off since 2013. The season ended with Whelan securing a fourth career promotion, a 7–0 victory on the final day of the season moving Rovers into the final automatic promotion place, overtaking Northampton Town on goals scored having finished on the same points with the same goal difference. This proved to be his last match for the club as he left the club on a free transfer at the end of the season. On 29 July 2022, Whelan returned to the club in the role of first-team coach whilst also being registered as a player if he were to be required. International career In October 2000, Whelan played for the Republic of Ireland under-16 national team in a qualifying tournament in Riga for the 2001 UEFA European Under-16 Championship where he came up against Andrés Iniesta. He represented the Republic of Ireland Under-20 team at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship and has been capped 19 times by the Republic of Ireland national under-21 football team, captaining the side on many of these occasions. His first cap for the Republic of Ireland national B team came on 20 November 2007 against Scotland. Whelan made his debut for the senior team against Serbia in May 2008 and scored his first international goal against Georgia in Mainz, Germany on 6 September 2008. Since the appointment of Giovanni Trapattoni, Whelan became a key member of the squad and made 11 straight appearances despite previously being considered an "also-ran". He scored his second goal for Ireland against Italy with a spectacular strike from almost 25 yards on 10 October 2009 in a 2–2 draw. Whelan started the matches in both legs against France as Ireland were controversially knocked out 2–1 on aggregate after extra-time. Whelan again was ever present in Ireland's midfield for the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying and he was also part of the team that secured qualification for UEFA Euro 2012 with an unprecedented 5–1 aggregate play-off win over Estonia. He was named in Trapattoni's 23-man squad for UEFA Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine. Ireland had a