 He made his first Stoke City appearance in a Championship match against Cardiff City on 2 February 2008 when he came on as a substitute in the 82nd minute for Mamady Sidibé.Whelan made his first Stoke City league start the following match in a 4–2 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers.He scored his first goal for Stoke in a 2–1 home defeat to Crystal Palace on 7 April 2008.