"Steve Harper is set to leave Newcastle United in the summer following 20 years service, after the club decided not to offer him a new contract. Steve Harper will bring down the curtain on his Newcastle United career after 20 years at the end of the season. The long-serving goalkeeper has not been offered a new deal by United and will leave the clubâs Benton base one final time in May. Without a shadow of doubt Harperâs emotional exit from St Jamesâ Park will mean it is the end of an era, and Geordie fans will get their chance to say farewell in the last home game of the season against Arsenal to see off the ONLY player at the club to have played a part in every single one of Unitedâs Premier League campaigns since 1993. However, Harper, at 38, WILL play on again next season. And while there is no contract offer or coaching role on offer with United after two decades of service, the Easington-born stopper is understood to have had interest from several Championship sides already and is keen to take on a player-coach role next term. Harper â who arrived at Newcastle as a teenager from Seaham Red Star in 1992 â told the Chronicle: âIt has been a privilege to be a professional at such a fantastic football club. âIf you had said to me as a raw kid from Seaham Iâd be at the club for 20 years as a professional, I would have said you were mad. âPeople describe the club as an emotional roller-coaster and it certainly has been. Iâve had some fantastic times here. âThere have been some difficult times as well, but I have enjoyed it all.â Harper is already well under way with his coaching badges and will continue his studies over the summer. The Toon keeper though is fit and raring to play for the rest of the current campaign. With Tim Krul injured for another fortnight, Harper is currently being utilised in a bench role with the Magpies â but knows he is only a heartbeat away from the action if Rob Elliot is injured. There is also the possibility of Harper being loaned out at the end of the month with the loan window deadline for March fast approaching. Harper spent time on loan at Brighton & Hove Albion last season and was wanted by Birmingham City in a player- coach capacity last July under former United team-mate Lee Clark. Yet he was told at the start of the season he still had a part to play at United. He played several games in pre-season and has had seven outings for the club this term before being hit with knee problems. Harper has made 197 first- team appearances for Newcastle so far." From the chronicle Personally, I'd love him to stay in a coaching/ambassadorial role but I appreciate people don't always get what they deserve. Also, It'd be great for him to get three more appearances to bring up his 200.
A great servant to the club and I'd have thought he had a lot to offer off the field. The youngsters could have learnt a lot from him. Football wise and loyalty wise. I was just thinking of him the other day when he came around from his goal to have a chat with a young girl in a wheelchair who was seriously ill, and how happy it seemed to make her. He did the same thing at an away game that she had been taken to ( MA had bought a special coach to take people in wheelchairs to the away games) and once again it brought a great amount of happiness to her. She died shortly after that game and I wouldn't be surprised if Harps went to her funeral. It would have meant an awful lot to her family to have him there, and at a time like that any small amount of compassion would help to ease the pain for them. Let's hope he does get the games to bring up the 200.
What a legend. He should be kept on as a coach. I agree with this "The youngsters could have learnt a lot from him. Football wise and loyalty wise." But also think he could teach the young kids alot about being a model professional and having the right attitude.
A true gentleman and a model pro. In the fickle world of football these days, twenty years at one club is an incredible achievment. 'Harps' stuck it out even though i'm sure his professional pride wanted to play regular first-team football. A kind of 'Bridesmaid' in goalkeeping terms at Newcastle United, he's seemingly always played '2nd fiddle' to Seamus, Tim & now Rob. I recall there being England rumours at one point, such was his form. A genuine one-club man - I have nothing but admiration and respect for Steve Harper. He will be sorely missed by all Toon fans. I must admit to being a little upset that the club cannot offer him a coaching role after such sterling service, but I think that's more a sign of the modern-times. Good luck 'Harps'
a shame there is no coaching role, though it is arguably better for managers / coaches to cut their teeth in less pressured environments than the premier league. His association with the club is as string as anyone's, if he is good enough as a coach I am sure we will snap him up.
I'd love to keep him in a coaching capacity, a true servant of the club. I think he needs honoured in some sort of fashion. He was meant to be the guest at a charity do I was going to but he has had to pull out and they've cancelled it to be re-arranged. I was really looking forward to it. However in terms of him playing on, he is still good enough to play at Championship etc or a bit part role in the PL. He has had plenty of time time looking on from the bench here so you can't really blame him. Going with best wishes does not really cover it!
