Steve Harper

Date of birth14 March 1975
Place of birthEasington
NationalityEnglish
Weight83 kg
Height1.88 m
PositionGoalkeeper

In an increasingly cosmopolitan era, Steve Harper became one of the few local-born players in the Newcastle United squad.

The club's current longest-serving player, he had limited first team opportunities mainly due to the outstanding form of keeper Shay Given until the Ireland international left in 2009.

Lively and alert, he is a good shot stopper and is comfortable when fielding high balls into the box.

A cartilage operation during the summer slowed his 2000 pre-season preparation but he started the new campaign on the bench.

However, his only early-season action came in the Worthington Cup ties and it was not until Shay Given was injured at Derby County shortly before Christmas that he came into the reckoning.

He had a fine game in the Boxing Day win over Leeds United and indeed kept Given out of the team for a short while until he himself went down with a foot injury, and on his recovery he returned to a place on the bench.

A qualified referee, Steve has also studied for a Social Sciences degree with the Open University.

Steve's contract at Newcastle United was extended to June 2009 in September 2006 then to June 2012 in January 2009.

After two decades at St James' Park, he joined Hull City in July 2013 with a one-year contract that was extended to June 2015 in May 2014.

In a Premier League game at Southampton on 11 April 2015, at 40 years and 28 days, Steve became Hull City's oldest-ever player.

Their previous record holder was Eddie Burbanks who was aged 40 years and 15 years when he made his final appearance for the Tigers against Leicester City on 16 April 1953.

Steve set the new club record at 40 years and 71 days when he made his final City appearance against Manchester United at the KC Stadium on 24 May 2015, the game that confirmed the Tigers' relegation to the League Chamionship which also meant that Newcastle United remained in the Premier League.

He joined Sunderland in January 2016 with a contract to June 2016.

Club history

Team Joined Left Loan / Trialist
Seaham Red Star 01 Jul 1992 05 Jul 1993
Newcastle United 05 Jul 1993 30 Jun 2013
Bradford City 18 Sep 1995 18 Nov 1995 L
Gateshead 08 Nov 1996 08 Dec 1996 L
Stockport County 21 Mar 1997 20 Apr 1997 L
Hartlepool United 29 Aug 1997 20 Nov 1997 L
Huddersfield Town 18 Dec 1997 04 May 1998 L
Brighton and Hove Albion 24 Oct 2011 24 Nov 2011 L
Hull City 15 Jul 2013 30 Jun 2015
Sunderland 22 Jan 2016 30 Jun 2016

Club stats

Season Team Competition Apps Subs Clean sheets Conceded Y R
1997-98 Huddersfield Town FA Cup 1 1
1998-99 Newcastle United FA Cup 1
1
2
1998-99 Newcastle United Premier League 7
1
9
1999-00 Newcastle United FA Cup 4 4
1999-00 Newcastle United League Cup 1 2
1
1999-00 Newcastle United Premier League 18 5 22
1999-00 Newcastle United UEFA Cup 6 1 5
2000-01 Newcastle United FA Cup 2 2
2000-01 Newcastle United League Cup 3 1 5
2000-01 Newcastle United Premier League 4
1
7
2001-02 Newcastle United League Cup 3 1 2
2002-03 Newcastle United League Cup 1 3
2002-03 Newcastle United UEFA Champions League 2 1 1
2003-04 Newcastle United League Cup 1 1
2003-04 Newcastle United UEFA Cup 1 1
2004-05 Newcastle United FA Cup 2 1 1
2004-05 Newcastle United League Cup 1 1
2004-05 Newcastle United Premier League 2 5
2004-05 Newcastle United UEFA Cup
2
2005-06 Newcastle United UEFA Intertoto Cup 1 1
2006-07 Newcastle United League Cup 2 1 2
2006-07 Newcastle United Premier League 15
3
18
2006-07 Newcastle United UEFA Cup 5 2 2
2007-08 Newcastle United Premier League 19
2
4 23
2008-09 Newcastle United Premier League 16 2 20
2009-10 Newcastle United League Championship 45 19 34
2010-11 Newcastle United Premier League 18 5 22
2011-12 Brighton and Hove Albion League Championship 5 1 5
2012-13 Newcastle United Premier League 5
1
1 8
2012-13 Newcastle United UEFA Europa League 2
1
1 1
2013-14 Hull City FA Cup 4 2 4
2013-14 Hull City League Cup 2 2
2013-14 Hull City Premier League 11
2
3 16
1
2014-15 Hull City FA Cup 1 2
2014-15 Hull City League Cup 1 3
2014-15 Hull City Premier League 10 3 11


Please note: Career stats are based on performances in the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.

Club matches

Date Match Result Competition Round
27 Aug 2013 Leyton Orient v Hull City W 0-1 League Cup 2nd round
24 Sep 2013 Hull City v Huddersfield Town W 1-0 League Cup 3rd round
27 Oct 2013 Tottenham Hotspur v Hull City L 1-0 Premier League
02 Nov 2013 Hull City v Sunderland W 1-0 Premier League
09 Nov 2013 Southampton v Hull City L 4-1 Premier League
26 Dec 2013 Hull City v Manchester United L 2-3 Premier League
04 Jan 2014 Middlesbrough v Hull City W 0-2 FA Cup 3rd round
25 Jan 2014 Southend United v Hull City W 0-2 FA Cup 4th round
01 Feb 2014 Hull City v Tottenham Hotspur D 1-1 Premier League
08 Feb 2014 Sunderland v Hull City W 0-2 Premier League
11 Feb 2014 Hull City v Southampton L 0-1 Premier League
24 Feb 2014 Hull City v Brighton and Hove Albion W 2-1 FA Cup 5th round replay
26 Mar 2014 West Ham United v Hull City L 2-1 Premier League
29 Mar 2014 Stoke City v Hull City L 1-0 Premier League
05 Apr 2014 Hull City v Swansea City W 1-0 Premier League
13 Apr 2014 Hull City v Sheffield United W 5-3 FA Cup Semi-final
20 Apr 2014 Hull City v Arsenal L 0-3 Premier League
26 Apr 2014 Fulham v Hull City D 2-2 Premier League
03 May 2014 Aston Villa v Hull City L 3-1 Premier League
24 Sep 2014 West Bromwich Albion v Hull City L 3-2 League Cup 3rd round
04 Oct 2014 Hull City v Crystal Palace W 2-0 Premier League
18 Oct 2014 Arsenal v Hull City D 2-2 Premier League
08 Nov 2014 Burnley v Hull City L 1-0 Premier League
04 Jan 2015 Arsenal v Hull City L 2-0 FA Cup 3rd round
11 Apr 2015 Southampton v Hull City L 2-0 Premier League
25 Apr 2015 Crystal Palace v Hull City W 0-2 Premier League
28 Apr 2015 Hull City v Liverpool W 1-0 Premier League
04 May 2015 Hull City v Arsenal L 1-3 Premier League
09 May 2015 Hull City v Burnley L 0-1 Premier League
16 May 2015 Tottenham Hotspur v Hull City L 2-0 Premier League
24 May 2015 Hull City v Manchester United D 0-0 Premier League


Please note: Match history is complete for the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.