Rochdale. Los Angeles Skyhawks In 1976, coach Ron Newman brought Whelan across the pond to play for the American Soccer League's expansion Los Angeles Skyhawks. Whelan quickly became a fan favourite and earned the nickname "Wheels" for his speed and as a play on his last name. Splitting his time between midfield and forward, Whelan was the third leading scorer on the team as they won the ASL championship. North American Soccer League After a brief stint back in England, Whelan went back to the United States in April 1977 to play for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in the North American Soccer League from 1977 to 1979, and from 1982 to 1983, during which time they won the Eastern Division title and reached the American Conference final in 1978. During his two spells with the club, he played over a hundred games and had the dual role of Director of Youth Development from 1982 to 1983. He also received the honorary citizenship of Plantation, Florida for services to the youth of the community (1978). Whelan was also selected for the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel "All Strikers Team" (1 December 1983) which included George Best, Gerd Müller, Teófilo Cubillas and Brian Kidd. Whelan was transferred to the Atlanta Chiefs for the 1980 and 1981 seasons and helped them win divisional titles, both indoor and outdoor, in 1981. During his time in America, he played in over 170 matches in the NASL. Whelan was also the recipient of the Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) in two nationally televised games in 1978. Major Indoor Soccer League Following the demise of the Atlanta Chiefs franchise in 1981, Whelan spent the 1981–82 season in the MISL playing for the Philadelphia Fever before they folded at the end of the season. Coaching career Upon returning to England in November 1983, Whelan continued to coach young players part-time on Manchester City's Community Football Programme between 1987 and 1990. In September 1990, he was invited by Brian Kidd to join Manchester United's Centre of Excellence as a coach, and joined the full-time staff in September 1998 when the Academy was established. His time as a player included, Whelan has been involved with the club for over 20 years. Over the years, Whelan has gained several coaching qualifications, as well as a bachelor's degree in humanities from the Open University, and a master's degree in sociology from Manchester Metropolitan University.