Harry Hooper started his football journey with local Pittington School playing for an entire season between the posts. It was not until he moved to Neville’s Cross High School that he switched to his more famous wing position.

 

Although born in County Durham on 14 June 1933, he lived with his parents in Sheffield until the outbreak of the Second World War. His father, Harry senior, played right-back for Sheffield United, and went on to captain the Black Cats in the 1936 FA Cup final against Arsenal at Wembley. In 1947 he signed for Hartlepools United, making 66 league appearances before taking up an assistant trainer post with The Pool at the end of the 1949-50 season.

 

Hooper junior took his first big step in football life when he joined Hylton Colliery Juniors, who were one of the best Junior teams at that time. Any player with ambitions of making the grade as a League footballer, knew, that with Hylton, prospecting clubs would be watching on. Impressive performances earned him selection with Durham County youth team, which brought him under the spotlight of many League clubs including Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Burnley and Hull City.

 

Middlesbrough was the most persistent, but instead the winger chose to sign amateur forms with Sunderland, his pin-up team from his school-days. Alongside training with the Tyneside club they arranged a job as a dental mechanic. Just as well, he never got a chance of a first team place with the Roker Park club and as an amateur he was still eligible to turn out for Durham County.

 

When Hooper senior left Hartlepools to take up a coaching role with West Ham United in early November 1950, he made arrangements for his son to travel to east London for a trial. The match against Queens Park Rangers in the London Mid-week League was to take place on Thursday 23 November at Upton Park. Before leaving for the Metropolis, Durham officials asked him to refrain from signing a professional contract with the Hammers. Their reason, as an amateur he could still turn out in an important fixture for them against Northumberland at the weekend.

 

As a young player Hooper was relishing his chance to play among professionals. West Ham’s Norman Corbett at right-half was in the twilight of his career and was instrumental in helping the youngster by giving him plenty of encouragement during the game. The match was more notable for the atrocious weather, for it rained throughout and ended in semi-darkness. The Hammers lost a scrappy encounter by the only goal. Despite the conditions, Hooper put in a good performance and manager Ted Fenton wanted to sign him on the spot. However, he kept faith with his Durham team-mates by delaying his plunge into professionalism until after the game with Northumberland. He was switched to centre-forward and he obliged with a hat-trick in a 4-3 win. The next day he travelled to London to start his career with West Ham.

 

Three games into his professional career with the “A” team, Eric Parsons, the senior outside-right was transferred to Chelsea, and in turn Tommy Southren was promoted from the second team, which meant a step up for Hooper. Three-months later on 3 February 1951 the 17-year-old got his first team opportunity in the absence of Southren for a Second Division home clash with Barnsley in a 4-2 win.

 

After 11 League appearances and winning an Essex Professional Cup medal that initial season, his progression over the following two campaigns would be interrupted by National Service, although in March 1952 he did represent the British Army in Brussels against their Belgium counterparts in a 3-0 victory. After a dozen League games in 1952/53 he became a first team regular.

 

The list of Hooper’s honours with West Ham is indeed an imposing one, England B (5 caps), ), ironically the first of which was against Scotland at his beloved Roker Park where he scored in the 1-1 draw. England Under-23 (3 caps), Inter-League (2 caps), Representative (1 cap), Essex Professional Cup (1951).

 

In March 1956, the Archdiocese of Westminster, the Hammers landlords wanted to provide an extension to their St Edward’s Primary School by closing the main entrance to the stadium. Faced with the prospect of finding £15,000 to build a new entrance and gates further along Green Street. Chairman Reg Pratt had no option but to sell their star player.

 

On 22 March 1956, after 136 appearances and scoring 47 goals in claret and blue, Hooper joined Wolverhampton Wanderers for £25,000 of which £8,000 was spent on his replacement from Colchester United, Mike Grice.

 

Both Tottenham Hotspur and Wolves showed the most interest in signing Hooper. Hooper ruled out Spurs as they were fighting relegation, no player signed after 16 March is not allowed to assist a team involved in relegation, promotion or championship.

 

At Molineux, he found it difficult to adapt to the managers style of play, having scored 19 goals in 39 Division One games he was allowed to leave for Birmingham City in December 1957 for £20,000. Contributed 34 goals in 105 appearances for the St Andrews’ club over three seasons before returning to his native north-east with Sunderland for £18,000 in September 1960 making 65 appearances and 16 goals. He also went on to play non-league football with Kettering Town, Dunstable Town and Heanor Town before retiring.