In early October, while still on the books at Hyde, he was called up to the Football Association XI squad alongside teammate Scott Mooney for a game against Hallam FC to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Sheffield-based club. Whalley scored his first cup goal for the club in a 4–0 win over Oldham Boro in the Manchester Premier Cup, but less than a week later, he scored an own goal as part of a 3–0 away loss to Blyth Spartans, and was then sent off again for two bookable offences against Vauxhall Motors