Steve Harper wants to play another couple of seasons in top flight football, and the way he played for Newcastle last season, that should be no problem for the 38 year-old Seaham-born goalkeeper.
An emotional Steve Harper after this last game against Arsenal in May
Steve played just nine times last season for the Newcastle first team, and that brough to 199 first team appearances for the talented goalkeeper, who was signed by Kevin Keegan in the summer of 1993.
The news is that Steve is wanted by Hull City, who are now managed by former Birmingham, Wigan and Sunderland manager Steve Bruce.
But Hull City have just completed the signing of Scotland goalkeeper Allan McGregor from Turkish Super Lig side Besiktas for an undisclosed fee, and the 31-year-old has been capped 29 times by Scotland.
We would have though that Steve wants to play and doesn’t want to sit on the bench, so we’d be a little surprised if he end up at Hull, although of course he could win the number one jersey form McGregor, if only because of his vast Premier League experience.
Steve has been working as a pundit on BBC Radio Newcastle’s Total Sport show, and it seems there are other clubs after him.
He had this to say today in the Shields Gazette, when he was asked if he wanted to stay in the Premier League:
“That definitely appeals to me.” “It’s not just Hull, there are another couple of clubs as well.”
Steve has a bright future ahead of him when he finally retires from the game, and we’d love to see him back at Newcastle as a coach one day, although in an interview last week he said he’d like to try his hand at management.
Fist things first, and Steve needs to get himself fixed up with a club, preferably in the Premier League.
Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook and +1 us on Google+:
You can also reach Ed at admin@nufcblog.com
=============================================
110 comments so far
Versace101
Jul 12, 2013 at 3:29 PM
Comment #41mister tuff… don’t be a boring old fogie with no joy left in your life.. or u will live life alone and sad.. with a 🙁 on your face… nothing wrong with commen fellow.. infact every1 is common.. its those who think there not common who irritate me the most.. thinking they belong in buckingam palace drinking tea with the queen
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 12, 2013 at 3:29 PM
Comment #42Versace
I feel sorry for Gazza, would I hire him as a coach for the club? Not on your life. Difference between caring for someone and putting them in a position of trust.
Bringing Carroll “home” is a separate issue from what I was talking about which was, I don’t want us to sign players we have sold.
Yes Ba scored goals while he was at the club, but I also feel that he was a very disruptive influence in the dressing room. He clearly kicked off after being asked to play LW, which is the only reason Pardew would have come out and said “Ba will play 90% of his games down the middle” despite the fact that Cisse was the striker on form at the end of the 11/12 season.
And yes, signing players we have sold/left us, is less dignified. It makes us look desperate.
Versace101
Jul 12, 2013 at 3:31 PM
Comment #43im hoping.. actually praying anzhi put a bid in for papiss.. he doesn’t offer enough for me.. he cant keep the ball up.. his aerial ability is the worst ive seen in a striker in a long time.. ba on the other hand is a tough as nails!
Big Pappa Cissé
Jul 12, 2013 at 3:32 PM
Comment #44Just get Remy in and put him in Ba’s place on the left of a 4-3-3 . The lad was tailor made to play there and has already shown he can do the business in the PL, even in last seasons worst team by far .
Bearsize
Jul 12, 2013 at 3:34 PM
Comment #45Just a quick in and out here, ashley plan has always been to sell large with transfers, however with only 4 CL places available the top clubs know if they line our pockets it could risk there tenure at the top, thats my theory why no one has bought our ‘top stars’. We are a sleeping giant they need to keep asleep. 35 mill for carroll and we ended up 5th. I know we didnt spend it all but you know what mean, it scared them. We have to hope clubs from abroad will bid on our players for top dollar. Also we need to not get attached to the players as we have to keep speculating to accumulate, in time we can get some real top class players, but like i said no one is buying them for big cash so the policy will remain until then. TO STOP A SELLING CLUB GETTING STRONGER, DONT BUY THERE PLAYERS. thanks guys thats my weekly jumping off point for you to chew on
richyg01
Jul 12, 2013 at 3:34 PM
Comment #46Ince has declined Cardiff.
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11704/8820552/Sky-sources-Tom-Ince-has-declined-the-offer-to-join-Cardiff-City
DokToon
Jul 12, 2013 at 3:35 PM
Comment #47ruddy, i agree with you about us not wanting us to look desparate… after barely escaping relagation, id say that desparate times calls for desparate measures… not saying AC or ba is the answer, but, well…. we need a STR… and all our mgmt are on vaca…
good to see ya by the way 🙂
GeordieDan
Jul 12, 2013 at 3:35 PM
Comment #48FFS! Will something, nay ANYTHING decent PLEASE happen at NUFC soon!!!
I am literally going round the bend listening and reading utter garbage about transfers that don’t exist, make believe line-ups, bitch fighting between bloggers because their is literally NOTHING else to talk about!
I don’t mind showing some restraint and patience but its really taking the proverbial now.
Why is NUFC literally doing NOTHING?!!?!?!!?!?
Its at the point now where even the ITKs have disappeared!
And don’t give me the “well I’m sure they’re all very busy behind the scenes” rubbish because they should have had at least 1 of our targets in by now and I very much doubt any will arrive before JFK comes back from his jollies. (Well he needs to have the time to learn their names incorrectly doesn’t he!)
Any football club that doesn’t bring in players in time for pre-season to start is just plain stupid and here we go yet again!
Bargain hunting for scraps on August 31st that nobody else wants just so excuses can be rolled out that “the player needs time to settle”.
PRE-SEASON IS THE TIME FOR THE TO SETTLE
MAN!!!!
Rant over. Apologies but I have today finally snapped.
Big Pappa Cissé
Jul 12, 2013 at 3:39 PM
Comment #49@ Versace
Cisse is far from a poor header of the ball. Just because he can’t out-muscle center backs and flick the ball on or hold it up doesn’t justify getting rid of him.
He has proved he can find the net when crosses are half decent. Watch this and then tell me he can’t head the ball:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9-IDyHvRog
jazzyp
Jul 12, 2013 at 3:39 PM
Comment #50torq -good sir are you about.
on our chat the other day re double deal for both siem and toby.surely a to good offer for toon to turn down.
I don’t understand toby to say we were not a big enough club for him yet considers Norwich ??
also have you heard of any enquiries for de jong from Liverpool as sazzer stated they had put a bid in last night
toon kk
Jul 12, 2013 at 3:39 PM
Comment #51Ginger..
I would take BA back if we hadn’t had him early last season we would have been relegated. You can’t have to many striker’s. The answer apart from a new striker would be to replace Jonas he’s always running no where.
Versace101
Jul 12, 2013 at 3:41 PM
Comment #52ruddy…
can see where your coming from… yes but bringing in cisse disrupted ba haven’t you ever thought that.. soon as he came BA had to play wide left which isn’t his natural position every1 has a dry spell as a striker the goals would have returned like they did in the first part of last season.. before he left in January.. disruptive we can only believe what is said in the media.. too me it was just a move to a club with more ambition than us.. he never left on bad terms in my back… i was one who wished him luck in his future ambitions to compete at the very top a dream of very pro footballer… all im saying is i just want a proven striker and if it means going back to what works then so be it let bygones be bygones.. and suck up the love lost and do the best for the club in order for it to thrive forward not gambling on striker after striker… which just ends up becoming a a cycle year after year…
jazzyp
Jul 12, 2013 at 3:42 PM
Comment #53Geordiedan
and breathe in and out-in and out,feel better for that pal
Mister Tuff
Jul 12, 2013 at 3:43 PM
Comment #54versace – absolutely nothing wrong in attending one of Her Majestys’ Garden Parties for tiffin.
Versace101
Jul 12, 2013 at 3:47 PM
Comment #55big poppa…
that header was pretty immense but that in the AFN cup… do it in the premier league against joe hart and i will be impressed
GeordieDan
Jul 12, 2013 at 3:50 PM
Comment #56jazzyp>
I need a brown paper bag mate! 😀
Transfer windows are just sheer torture these days and I used to love the excitement of them! It was great waking up and checking the blogs and papers for possible links and appetising transfer news.
Now we hear nowt-which is great for getting good deals or so we are told. But when we sign nobody AND there is silence from SJP then its just purgatory mate.
Cheers though.
Versace101
Jul 12, 2013 at 3:51 PM
Comment #57cisse chance to goal ratio is pretty abysmal.. he needs to be more potent.. he would rather score a wonder goal than score the easy chances.. we need machine inform of goal who will gobble up a chance at any site of goal.. pretty or non pretty.. goals is what we require.. not a a striker who scores from 40 yards and cant score for 3 yards out
Fridge
Jul 12, 2013 at 3:51 PM
Comment #58After reading AP comments on Sissoko about where to play him adding things up means we will not by any more attacking midfielders, that means no De Jong. Everybody i know who follows football loves silly season. Well I as NUFC supporter absolutely hate it. Always ends with dissapointment.
kevymartins
Jul 12, 2013 at 3:53 PM
Comment #59@Ruddy you feel sorry for a low life alcoholic? Come on everyone knows the guy is a complete scumbag, not that long ago a few footballers came toghter and put in like 15k each (Jack wilsher was involved) just to sent gazza to a big rehab resort over seas, after that he came back and became an alcoholic again, He can’t be cured people have wasted their time,money,effort on him.
doonundertoon
Jul 12, 2013 at 3:54 PM
Comment #60@tom68
thanks very much mate 🙂 i get sick of all the stupid transfer banter on here aswell, everyone talks about selling players for this much and buying x amount of players with the money and how they would improve the team, and its all a load of bollocks lol, people need to realize that the constant controversy surrounding our club makes us less than desirable for most players to choose as a positive career choice lol, and people constantly expecting signings and then cracking the shits and threatening to boycott games and shit when they dont happen is just adding to the negativity.
we have a very strong first 11, and after last january transfer window we have a pretty decent 25 man squad, i honestly believe the only first team signing we actually need is a proper left winger, can be right footed or left footed, but jonas isnt what we need in that position, but after that i believe if we were to buy anyone we should be purchasing established youth prospects as cover, and positions we need cover in is strikers (2 unless campbell is ready) a center back and a goalkeeper, then after that we would be fine
and when i say established youth i dont mean unheard of 16 year olds that we can potentially fuck the development up of with our below par coaching setup, im talking 18 – 21 year old players that are making names for themselves in world football already, think viktor fischer/kurt zouma/vaclev kadlec/yassine benzia, players with lots of first team experience in lesser leagues ready to take the next step
i think the real problem we are faceing this season on the transfer front is we just sold 3, potentially 5 if shola and gosling go, of our HG first teamers, which means that we will probably have to buy british, and knowing MA, he will be looking for bargains, and unfortunately you cant get good quality british players on the cheap, swansea just released luke moore and leroy lita lol, start thinking along those lines 😉 i think all the people hoping for the siem de jongs (who is majorly overrated on this blog btw, i dunno if he is good on fifa or something but i watch a lot of ajax games and there’s better players in the dutch league and in ajax than siem de jong) and the alderwields should come back to reality and realize that if we dont want a severely undersized squad due to not having enough British in the team to allow us to have 25 players, we will have to buy British, or use some of our untested youth players to fill out the squad, and if sammy ameobi and shane ferguson are supposedly some of the brightest prospects we have atm, im pretty sure we would be better off buying others lol 😉
Ketsbaia9
Jul 12, 2013 at 3:54 PM
Comment #61It is turning into a joke. We should’ve signed at least 5 first team players by now.
kevymartins
Jul 12, 2013 at 3:56 PM
Comment #62@Kets With the players you where coming up with, thank god we havn’t signed anybody. You where on here saying we need players like mcmanaman. No chance
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 12, 2013 at 3:56 PM
Comment #63Kevy
You don’t have to find fault with everything I say. And yes, I do feel for Gazza, it’s called empathy.
Dok
Good to see you man, how are things your side of the pond?
plana
Jul 12, 2013 at 4:00 PM
Comment #64Ladbrookes make us crystal palace and hull firm favourites to get relegated i totally agree.
kevymartins
Jul 12, 2013 at 4:01 PM
Comment #65@Ruddy I’m not finding faults i’m just saying the guy is a asshole, the sh!t he put his family through. He has had a million chances to change his way’s and more support than most alcoholics would have. some things never change.
DokToon
Jul 12, 2013 at 4:06 PM
Comment #66ruddy,
like nufc, quite stagnant here as well… 103 heat, no breeze, and at work 🙁
but on the upside, only 37 more days til we smash citeh!!! be positive my lads… i think next season will be quite UPlifting…
Novocastrian66
Jul 12, 2013 at 4:07 PM
Comment #67Kevy; addiction to a substance grows over months and years. What was once harmless fun gradually becomes an essential part of an addicts life which they cannot be without or turn on and off easily.
Gazza situation is a result of everyone wanting to be his mate when he was the biggest thing in British football. It’s a shame what he has become.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 12, 2013 at 4:07 PM
Comment #68Kevy
He’s struggled with addiction, and while his stature in the footballing world has afforded him better chances to sober up, the nature of the football industry is part of the reason he has struggled with drink.
I also feel for his family for what they’ve had to put up with but Gazza is, and always will be, a legend to me, and who knows, if he had stayed in Newcastle where he was universally adored he may have been a different man.
The one thing he is not though, is a scumbag.
jazzyp
Jul 12, 2013 at 4:08 PM
Comment #69geordiedan
I knw what ya saying bud. every morning I get up and straight on the blog for any positive transfer news. then on to sky sports for any info ,,then sift through the other sites for any snippets to give me that rush of excitement.
last night sazzer stated that Liverpool had gone In for de jong.as soon as I read it my heart dropped as he would be the marque signing the toon fans crave for
toon kk
Jul 12, 2013 at 4:09 PM
Comment #70To be quite honest we are a joke. We should be showing we are desperate to improve what wrong with that? Its called ambition. I watched some highlights of a few matches last season and in certain games we were p..s poor. In my opinion its desperate times we were nearly f….ing relegated.
kevymartins
Jul 12, 2013 at 4:12 PM
Comment #71@Ruddy I must admit he is a legend, My best moment seeing him was when he scored, gave the away fans the fingers and when asked about it he said, ”I was ordering two drinks from the bar”
Just to clarify that wasn’t a joke, He actually done it.
Ketsbaia9
Jul 12, 2013 at 4:12 PM
Comment #72So you wouldn’t be happy if we signed these players:
Alderweireld
Zarate
Mcmanaman
Siem De Jong
Benteke
Remy
Indian Magpie
Jul 12, 2013 at 4:17 PM
Comment #73Kets
Leave them alone, they are all high
Ketsbaia9
Jul 12, 2013 at 4:17 PM
Comment #74My back up choices would be:
Douglas
Bearsejour
Luiz Adriano
Ganso
Gourcuff
Demba Ba
Mister Tuff
Jul 12, 2013 at 4:18 PM
Comment #75ref Gazza – Whilst his alcoholism is self inflicted – it is without doubt that it is a medical condition – with alocoholics/drug addicts a lot fail at the first and second attempts at rehab some fail totally. At the moment it’s not looking too good for him. Due to his condition I would not “put the boot in” -the guy needs help -similarly the tramp/alcoholic we see on the streets -I (now) would never judge them.
As for Gazza – he delighted thousands across the world with his football -and more so delighted thousands of North Easterners. Some people make in in the football world because they aspire to be a footballer and practice and train, practice and train to be better/reach the standard. Gazza was a totally natural footballer -he just had it in him -his peers knew it as well. He’s done some daft/bad things but he needs help not scorn.
kevymartins
Jul 12, 2013 at 4:19 PM
Comment #76@Kets I would be very happy with some name’s on there but the fact is that it won’t happen, Would you rather spend 5 million on bent a 30 year old on a high wage or go spend it on some 19 20 year old kid with potential, As for benteke, Alderweireld, will never happen
JAMSHA
Jul 12, 2013 at 4:23 PM
Comment #77still no one signd…. fk ya mike..
Ketsbaia9
Jul 12, 2013 at 4:25 PM
Comment #78I think it could happen. If we sign Alderweireld first, we would stand a chance of getting Benteke. As long as we sign 2 decent strikers, I don’t care how old they are. We can do better than Darren Bent. Lukaku or Ba on loan could be options.
Ketsbaia9
Jul 12, 2013 at 4:25 PM
Comment #79Would you swap Cabaye with Benteke?
jazzyp
Jul 12, 2013 at 4:27 PM
Comment #80I cant believe that after only 2 week of the transfer window we are already conceding defeat and are showing no optimism or ambition In the chase for the likes of alderweireld-de jong ect .
bent yeah upgrade for shola but not a player to take us forward