Dennis Harper (footballer)

Dennis Harper (born 12 October 1936) is an English former professional footballer who played in the Football League for Birmingham City. Primarily an inside forward, Harper also played non-league football for clubs including Darlaston, Romford, Burton Albion, Nuneaton Borough, Stafford Rangers and Brierley Hill Alliance.

Dennis Harper
Personal information
Full name Dennis Harper[1]
Date of birth (1936-10-12) 12 October 1936[1]
Place of birth Wednesbury, England
Height 5 ft 10 1⁄2 in (1.79 m)[2]
Position(s) Inside forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Aston Villa 0 (0)
Darlaston
1955–1959 Birmingham City 1 (0)
1959–1961 Romford
1961 Burton Albion
1961–1962 Nuneaton Borough 7 (3)
1962 Stafford Rangers
1962–196? Brierley Hill Alliance
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Life and career

Harper was born in Wednesbury, Staffordshire.[3] He signed amateur forms with Aston Villa in February 1954,[4] and also played football for Darlaston.[3] Harper signed amateur forms with Birmingham City at the start of the 1955–56 season,[5] and turned professional the following August despite still having six months left of his National Service commitments with the RAF.[6]

He was brought into the travelling party on 20 February as cover in case Bolton Wanderers' pitch proved too firm for Peter Murphy's troublesome knee; it was, Harper made his First Division debut, and Birmingham lost 3–1.[7][8] He was transfer-listed at the end of the next season, but re-signed in June after joint manager Arthur Turner gave him another chance, believing that "the frail-looking Harper could make the grade if he put a bit more snap in his game."[9] He made no more senior appearances, and was again transfer-listed at the end of the 1958–59 season. Despite interest from Fourth Division club Torquay United and Arthur Turner's new employers, Headington United of the Southern League,[2][10] Harper signed for Romford, in their first season as a professional club.[11]

He helped Romford win the Southern League Division One title, and scored seven goals from 50 appearances before leaving the club in the middle of the next season to join Burton Albion.[12] He moved on again in the close season to Nuneaton Borough, managed by his former Birmingham team-mate Jack Badham,[13] and played regularly at the start of the season, but was transfer-listed in December.[14] He did not leave, and made three more appearances in March 1962,[15] before being given a free transfer at the end of the campaign.[16] He joined Stafford Rangers, but found the travelling to training too onerous, and switched to Brierley Hill Alliance in September 1962.[17]

References
  1. "Dennis Harper". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  2. "Now it's up to Harper". Herald Express. Torquay. 25 May 1959. p. 6.
  3. Matthews (1995), p. 94.
  4. "Albion and Villa signings". Birmingham Gazette. 13 February 1954. p. 6.
  5. "Colin didn't move—but now he's back!". Sports Argus. Birmingham. 11 August 1956. p. 4.
  6. "Flying start for Dennis the Erk". Sports Argus. Birmingham. 25 August 1956. p. 4.
    "Blues may stop looking for 'class' inside man". Sports Argus. Birmingham. 5 January 1957. p. 4.
  7. Holden, Bill (20 February 1957). "Just fine for Dennis". Daily Mirror. London. p. 18.
  8. Matthews (1995), p. 192.
  9. Lake, Alan (21 June 1958). "Now Villa may lash out on a gym". Sports Argus. Birmingham. p. 5.
  10. Lake, Alan (30 May 1959). "Villa men on move?". Sports Argus. Birmingham. p. 3.
  11. "Ditchburn Romford's No. 1 calling card". East Kent Gazette. 11 December 1959. p. 12.
  12. Felton, Terry; Haley, John (19 June 2018). "Dennis Harper". Romford Football Club 1876–1981. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  13. Lake, Alan (29 July 1961). "Nuneaton sign a full team!". Sports Argus. Birmingham. p. 4.
  14. Lake, Alan (30 December 1961). "Russell is set to join Nuneaton". Sports Argus. Birmingham. p. 4.
  15. "Statistics Log 1889–2019" (PDF). From Town to Town. Nuneaton Town Supporters' Co-operative. 2019. pp. 132–133. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  16. "Boro' axe four". Sports Argus. Birmingham. 21 April 1962. p. 5.
  17. "Brierley Hill shake-up". Sports Argus. Birmingham. 22 September 1962. p. 4.

Sources
  • Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
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