David James Wheater (born 14 February 1987) is an English former professional footballer who played as a defender.

An injury to Jonathan Woodgate at the start of the following season saw Wheater become a regular player for Middlesbrough, and he would make a total of 140 league appearances for the club before switching to Bolton Wanderers in January 2011.

Wheater's form in pre-season, earned him a starting XI place for the opening day Premier League fixture – his form then continued, which triggered the transfer of Woodgate to Tottenham Hotspur, as Wheater became the first name on the 'Boro team sheet.

[citation needed] Wheater was named in an understrength Middlesbrough side away to Bristol City in the FA Cup third round, when he saved his team with a goal as he burst forward from the back and scored the winner in a 2–1 at Ashton Gate Stadium.

[7] Unfortunately, Middlesbrough were relegated at the end of the 2008–09 season, but Wheater decided to stay to try to help the club regain promotion.

He experienced his first taste of league captaincy against Bristol City in a 2–1 loss, but when new manager Gordon Strachan was appointed, Strachan decided to hand the captain's armband to the more experienced Gary O'Neil, to let Wheater concentrate more on developing his game.

[12] He made his league debut when coming on as a first-half substitute for the injured Zat Knight in the 2–0 home win over Everton on 13 February.

On 24 September, in his first league start of the 2011–12 season replacing the ill Gary Cahill, Wheater received a red card for holding back Theo Walcott during Bolton's game at Arsenal.

[13] Wheater scored his first goal for Bolton in a 2–2 away draw at Macclesfield Town in the third round of the FA Cup on 7 January 2012.

On 7 May 2012, he was ruled out of action for up to nine months after rupturing an anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in Bolton's 2–2 draw with West Bromwich Albion the previous day.

[14] His return to the first team came ten months later as he came on as a late substitute in Bolton's 4–1 win against Hull City.

[27][28] He made his debut two days later, starting in a 1–0 defeat against Forest Green Rovers[29] and scored his first goal for Oldham on 24 August in a 2–1 away win against Cambridge United.

He played at the 2004 U17 European Championships and earned his debut under-21 call-up in August 2007 along with the uncapped Adam Johnson after impressing while on loan at Darlington.

In October 2008 he scored the equaliser against Wales in the first leg of the play-offs and England went on to win 3–2 and 5–4 on aggregate to qualify.

Wheater's first real taste of senior international football came when he was named as a substitute for the games against France and Trinidad and Tobago in 2008, but he did not leave the bench on either occasion.