Steve Harper Testimonial Update.

A great effort by everybody concerned.

 

And along came, you know who.

Remember the pen in the Arsenal game when we were 0-4 down?

 

Do you know if bowyer was playing? I just bumped into the ugly sod at work...

 

Yes, Bowyer turned out.

 

He didn't get any attention from anyone else. Was a decent player, but for instances of stupidity/general thuggishness...

 

Starting XI: Harper, Solano, Beresford, D.Peacock, Dabizas, Bowyer, Lee, Fox, Ginola, Shearer, Ferdinand.

Subs used (in order): Ferdinand for Asprilla, Given for Harper, Pistone for Beresford, Butt for Lee, Gillespie for Fox, Beardsley for Shearer, Cole for Asprilla, Watson for Solano, Kilcline for D.Peacock, Sellars for Ginola, Nolan for Butt, Barton for Bowyer, Srnicek for Given, Kitson for Gillespie, Thompson for Sellars, Stone for Watson, Bernard for Kilcline, E.Speed for Nolan, T.Speed for Beardsley, Nolan for Kitson.

 

Very friendly with Dyer.

 

The result was immaterial; the tributes to Harps and the players he assembled heartfelt and the sizeable sum raised of substantial importance to the various good causes across the region who will benefit as a result.

Above all else though, there was the sense that tonight was about rather more than the testimonial recipient, whose own personal milestone had allowed a packed SJP to salute him and a generation of much-loved players.

Thoughts were directed to a time when silverware eluded the club, but the glorious failure to do so resulted in a lifetime of memories over a relatively small period of time - not just the team who almost claimed the title, but also the players behind our Champions League adventure.

We shall not see their like again, unfortunately.

PS: Special mention to 10 year-old James Harper, who was able to find the back of the Leazes End goal with a half time spot kick - in stark contrast to his father...

A handful of very welcome guests donned the black and white in the latter stages of the contest, with current United coach Steve Stone taking to the field along with Ed and Tommy Speed - the latter pair representing their much-missed father, Gary - a magnificent gesture.


Thought it was great that Speedo should be remembered too.

 

I could write a lot of what I thought of last night.

I'll just leave it as 'it was a privilege being there'.

 

Indeed it was!

 

A thoroughly enjoyable evening - although I was slightly disappointed not to get a programme. (The vendors had all sold out by the time I got there).
It did make me realise that, sadly, those days of the entertainers, are well and truly behind us now. It will never bee repeated in my lifetime, and that really is sad! It was a priviledge to have seen them play at the time and a priviledge to watch them on Wednesday.
It was very touching that Gary Speed was remembered (one of the lads looked a decent player - sign him up!) - R.I.P Gary!

Good luck Steve Harper! A true sportsman, a gentleman, a legend!

PS My men of the match was Nik Dabizas for us and PDC for them. Both players on that form would defo be in their respective squads for this weekends fixtures! (lol)

 

Davide had lost some of his old magic but it was great just to see them all again and bring back some of the memories of better times.

Spot on with what you say about Harps, he really is something special.

 

That probably says more about our teams than Dabizas anf PDC!

 

It says a lot about football fans in general, it wasn't just local fans that turned out for Harps, people came from far and wide to help celebrate his big night.

Well done to everybody concerned.

 

Exactly my point! We've gone backwards in quality since Nikos was on the books!

 

Not wanting to piss on anyones bonfire, but as loyal a servant of NUFC as he was, he will have earned a shed load for doing really very little. Not being critical of the bloke, though some of the stuff seems a bit ott. Would we seen such a turnout if he played in an era of greater loyalty?

 

He didn't get anything out of the game cash wise, it all went to Charity.

 

Aye but over his career. I've said earlier something about the money raised.

 

Harps always seemed like a steady family man and would probably have had something put aside for a rainy day, but it's the way of the world. I think that the forces doing a job for their Country are worth more than they get, but the powers that be dictate the terms.

 

What does it really matter what he's earned throughout his career.

If we weren't paying him it would have been someone else, probably of a lower standard with no real affinity for the club. For all we know he could have earned more elsewhere, but chose to stay here.
Goalkeepers are a different breed to the rest of the team, and most clubs have keepers that stick around for years and often spell long spells on the bench.

In the PL age where loyalty counts for a big fat ZERO, it's refreshing that some players still have a sense of loyalty.
Strange that when they do though, that some people will then see that as a lack of ambition.

At the end of the day, we were happy enough to part with our money for a charitable cause and in the persona of Steve Harper able to acknowledge and celebrate that loyalty so many crave for, and very rarely see.