My Life in Rugby: Chris Whitehead – former Leicester, Bedford, Coventry, Wasps, London Welsh & Exeter hooker

Joining Wasps in 2009 was one of the worst decisions of my career.
I was at Coventry and they wanted me to stay but the opportunity to play in the Premiership was too good to miss out on.
But when I turned up to Wasps there was no kitbag for me, it was almost like my name wasn’t on the list. In hindsight I was never going to play so I went on loan to London Welsh.
And that’s when Exeter came in for me. They were battling with Bristol for promotion, and I remember watching the final in my father-in-law’s apartment in Marbella and celebrating because I knew I was going to a Premiership club again.
I was offered a one-year contract, that’s how Rob Baxter handled his business. I had to get my head down, gain a bit of size and take any opportunity that came around.
Towards the end of the season I got up to second choice behind Neil Clark, getting ten minutes off the bench regularly. Rob then offered me a two-year deal and I snapped his hand off.
I worked my way up to starting hooker for the first nine games of last season but then I injured my neck in training. I instantly had buzzing in my arm and had to undergo surgery. They shaved a bit off one of my discs and I got back training again after 13 weeks.
At the very start of this season I took another huge knock and all of the symptoms came back.
I had damaged the discs around the original injury, which are now far too close to my spinal cord and I had to retire. My dream of being a Premiership regular had come true but then it was taken away.
The emotions are still raw, but the LV= Cup win, what turned out to be my last game, will certainly cushion the blow. Playing well in the final, scoring a try and getting a bit of silverware is what every boy dreams of doing.
I went to school in Nottingham and begrudgingly played for Newark, where my father played. I didn’t want to play rugby as a 13-year-old because I loved football. But I was never blessed with being skinny or fast so I was always going to play rugby.
I got asked to go on trial with the Leicester and I joined the academy at 16. It was quite a surreal environment to be part of with all the World Cup-winners.
But I was told there was no place for me at Leicester, and that Bedford were interested.
I then had two great seasons with the Blues under Mike Rayer, who’s a fantastic coach. He offered me another two-year deal but I had come out of a full-time environment at Leicester and Bedford was very much a part-time club.
Coventry offered me a full-time contract and as they are rich in history I agreed to join. I had an amazing first year and captain the side the second year before joining Wasps.
It’s frustrating to retire early but I’m very proud of the career I’ve had.
My father and I now have a business, A-Unit, which supplies specialist sports equipment to rugby and football clubs while I work out what the next move is. But my wife Sarah and I are going to stay in Exeter and we have a baby on the way in June.