Joe Harper

Born in Greenock, Harper started his professional career with home-town club Morton, and returned to the club after a brief, unhappy spell with Huddersfield Town. He had at times a difficult relationship with some Morton supporters, but most fans recognised his ability and enthusiasm. He played for Morton against Chelsea in the Fairs Cup.[4] Harper scored 74 goals in 122 appearances for Morton across both spells. Morton sold him for £35,000 to Huddersfield Town. He later returned to Morton for £15,000.[5]

In 1969, Aberdeen manager Eddie Turnbull paid £40,000 to sign Harper, and in his first season with the Dons he helped them win the Scottish Cup for the second time in their history; Harper opened the scoring from the penalty spot as overwhelming pre-match favourites Celtic were defeated 3–1. He rapidly developed a reputation as a prodigious goalscorer and following a record-breaking haul of 33 goals in 34 league games in the 1971–72 season was the subject of much interest from English scouts.

Everton paid £180,000 for his services in December 1972 but his time in English football was not as productive as his Aberdeen spell and he returned to Scotland with Hibernian in early 1974, for the second time signed by Eddie Turnbull who had by this stage moved to Easter Road. Overweight and unfit when he arrived at Hibs, Harper struggled to rediscover his Aberdeen-era form in Edinburgh. He scored a hat-trick in the 1974 Scottish League Cup Final, but Dixie Deans also scored a hat-trick as Celtic defeated Hibs 6–3.[6] Harper was never a favourite with the Hibs fans, and his arrival signalled the beginning of the decline of the team's fortunes through the late 1970s and 1980s.

Harper returned to Aberdeen under Ally MacLeod for the start of the 1976–77 season in a £50,000 deal and inspired instant success, the Dons defeating Celtic 2–1 (after extra time) to win the League Cup in November. Harper made further final appearances in each of the next two seasons, as Aberdeen lost both the 1977–78 Scottish Cup final and the 1978–79 League Cup final to Rangers, by a scoreline of 2–1 on each occasion. By the 1979–80 season he was considered a veteran and no longer a regular in the Dons first team but his seven goals helped Alex Ferguson become the second Scottish League-winning Aberdeen manager after Dave Halliday in 1954–55.[7] Harper left Pittodrie after only one appearance the following season.

In total Harper scored 205 competitive goals for Aberdeen, a club record. Of that total, 122 were scored in league fixtures, 70 in domestic cup games (including 6 in the pre-season Drybrough Cup, not counted in some totals) and 7 in European competition. His iconic status amongst Aberdeen supporters was recognised when he was amongst the first players to be inducted to the club's "Hall of Fame". Joe's notoriety with Aberdeen fans also earned him the title 'King of the Beach End' (traditional home end at Pittodrie).

Harper first played for Scotland against Denmark in October 1972, scoring on his debut in a 4–1 win.[8] He played in Scotland's next game but then fell out of the international reckoning, only earning a recall in 1975. By coincidence, the occasion was another away match with Denmark, but this was overshadowed by a controversial off-field incident. Harper and several teammates were given lifetime bans by the Scottish Football Association after it was alleged that they had been involved in a nightclub incident where a light was broken and an altercation followed.[9] Harper later said that he had been punished because he had returned to the team base in the same taxi as the other players.[9] The ban on two of the players, Harper and Arthur Graham, was lifted a year later.[9] Harper was selected in the Scotland squad for the 1978 FIFA World Cup. He appeared in the 1–1 draw against Iran, which was also his last international appearance, as Scotland exited in the first round.[8]

In 1981 Harper was appointed manager of then Highland League side Peterhead. He helped the Blue Toon to a second place league finish but his reported wages were beyond the club's means and he was replaced for the 1982–83 season by former Pittodrie teammate Dave Smith.[10] Harper later managed Huntly, where he was succeeded by Steve Paterson in October 1990.[11]

Harper has also been a columnist for the Aberdeen Evening Express. An autobiography, which was co-written by Evening Express sports editor Charlie Allan, was published in 2008.[8] Harper was appointed honorary Club President of Aberdeenshire Amateur League side Halliburton AFC in 2009. He can usually be found on home match days for Aberdeen in as the host of the Legends Hospitality Lounge of the Richard Donald stand at Pittodrie Stadium.

Greenock Morton

• Scottish First Division: 1966–67
• Renfrewshire Cup: 1966–67[14]

Aberdeen

• Scottish Premier Division: 1979–80[15]
• Scottish Cup: 1969–70[15]
• Scottish League Cup: 1976–77[15]
• Drybrough Cup: 1971–72[16]
• Aberdeenshire Cup: 1980–81[17]

Individual

• European Bronze Boot: 1971–72[15]
• Scottish Football Hall of Fame: 2019[15]

• List of footballers in Scotland by number of league goals (200+)

Sources

• Harry Reid (2005), The Final Whistle?, Birlinn, ISBN 1-84158-362-6
• King Joey, Joe Harper with Charlie Allan, Birlinn (2008) ISBN 978-1-84158-767-7

• Joe Harper at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database
• Joe Harper at the Scottish Football Association