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Tom Hart RIP
25-08-2018, 07:33 AM
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/teams/aberdeen/interview-joe-harper-on-the-day-he-punched-alex-ferguson-1-4789620

Worth a read

jacomo
25-08-2018, 09:53 AM
Definitely, thanks for posting.

Before my time and interesting that fans didn’t take to him because he was replacing much loved players and his association with Aberdeen.

If anything we are probably a more forgiving support these days!

southsider
25-08-2018, 10:09 AM
Definitely, thanks for posting.

Before my time and interesting that fans didn’t take to him because he was replacing much loved players and his association with Aberdeen.

If anything we are probably a more forgiving support these days!
The booing off bit is an urban myth that has grown legs through the passage of time. I was at the game and Joe and the team got cheered off although the crowd was not huge.

Lago
25-08-2018, 10:18 AM
Definitely, thanks for posting.

Before my time and interesting that fans didn’t take to him because he was replacing much loved players and his association with Aberdeen.

If anything we are probably a more forgiving support these days!
Not sure about the more forgiving, but yes he came in & Alan Gordon eventually left. Seem to remember Pat Stanton saying he wasn't overly popular in the dressing room for one reason or another. What I will say is he gave me one of the best footballing nights my time suppoerting Hibs, apart from cup win, against Liverpool in their prime, Arthur Duncan speeding down the left wing, perfect cross for Joe to score, sublime. Penalty miss cost Hibs over their 2 legs.

Tomsk
25-08-2018, 10:20 AM
I won't read the Scotsman so don't know what he's saying. If he is consistent with comments he's come out with in the past it will be the usual self-serving guff.

He was overweight -- shockingly so for a professional footballer -- disgracefully unfit and trouble from the moment he waddled in the door.

Still, for all that, I don't think I will ever feel the same way about a Hibs signing as I felt that bright, still and cloudless morning when Harper's signing was announced. Not to put too fine a point on it I thought the league was in the bag. As a statement of intent -- or at least so it seemed -- it's unmatched by anything before or since. Little did I realise that Hibs had just pushed the domino over.

I was at his first game -- I think it was at Falkirk -- and even in my youthful naivete I could tell he was in no shape for a footballer. My older and far wiser brothers told me not to worry as he would get fit. And they right, in time he did ... at Aberdeen where he went back to after Hibs had enough of his nonsense.

houstonhibbee
25-08-2018, 10:37 AM
The booing off bit is an urban myth that has grown legs through the passage of time. I was at the game and Joe and the team got cheered off although the crowd was not huge.
The thing about the tornadoes was the teamwork - it was not about individuals but 11 fantastic players that plated well as a passing team, Harper was not a team player he was a selfish player that played for himself and did not fit into the team, as a result the product was not as pleasing to watch

al1875
25-08-2018, 10:57 AM
The booing off bit is an urban myth that has grown legs through the passage of time. I was at the game and Joe and the team got cheered off although the crowd was not huge.

Yes, I was at that game too and don’t recall the booing, I think joe scored ten in his first ten games including these five

superfurryhibby
25-08-2018, 11:05 AM
Harper’s signing was a gross error by Eddie Turnbull. A top centre half and goalkeeper was much more of a priority in that side. Inexplicable why Eddie thought he needed to sign a striker?

FWIW Harper is on the Scottish Football Memories facebook page and likes to interact with fans. He comes across as a decent enough guy, someone who is proud of what he achieved in the game and rightly so. His goalscoring record was excellent at every club he played for, including Hibs. He was a wee man with a big heart at a time when it was truly a physical battle to earn the right to show your talent.

Lemonade
25-08-2018, 11:11 AM
I could never understand why my Dad disliked him considering his scoring record.

Did he not score 9 in a friendly or am I making that up ?

Edit . https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/hibs-in-50-objects-no-11-joe-baker-scores-nine-in-cup-tie-1-4486148/amp

Hillsidehibby
25-08-2018, 11:19 AM
He wore a polo neck jumper when he put pen to paper to hide his double chin.

Not sure if its an urban myth that he missed a penalty against Aberdeen on purpose as he knew he was going back to Pittodrie.

BILLYHIBS
25-08-2018, 11:22 AM
I remember watching a documentary in which he said “Do you think I left Everton for less money? “

:worms:

ancient hibee
25-08-2018, 11:37 AM
Even stranger the team at Falkirk started withHarper and O’Rourke upfront and Gordon on the bench.Most assumed he had been bought to play instead of O’Rourke.He certainly had a good goals to games record with us but it was the wrong time and the wrong move.As posted above the obvious improvements to be made were goalie and centre half.

Skol
25-08-2018, 11:46 AM
Scored a hat trick against Celtic in a cup final !

Chic Murray
25-08-2018, 11:47 AM
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/teams/aberdeen/interview-joe-harper-on-the-day-he-punched-alex-ferguson-1-4789620

Worth a read

The only guy that punches my face is Eddie Turnbull.

I take it that story about John Blackley hooking him after the 1974 League Cup Final is a myth then?

If so, I still believe that Harper said, "well I scored three goals, what did the rest of you do?"

A total hootenanny of a man. He was well suited to the simpletons in Sheeptown.

mjhibby
25-08-2018, 12:47 PM
Harper’s signing was a gross error by Eddie Turnbull. A top centre half and goalkeeper was much more of a priority in that side. Inexplicable why Eddie thought he needed to sign a striker?

FWIW Harper is on the Scottish Football Memories facebook page and likes to interact with fans. He comes across as a decent enough guy, someone who is proud of what he achieved in the game and rightly so. His goalscoring record was excellent at every club he played for, including Hibs. He was a wee man with a big heart at a time when it was truly a physical battle to earn the right to show your talent.

Totally agree re centre for half and keeper. Had we got Roy Barry and Alan rough in I think we would have been mighty close to winning the league. Brownlies leg break and Edwards suspension aside we were just those two players short.

BILLYHIBS
25-08-2018, 12:53 PM
Scored a hat trick against Celtic in a cup final !
Aye! The legend says that Blackley stuck the heid on him for reminding him of that fact in the tunnel after the game 😂

BILLYHIBS
25-08-2018, 12:59 PM
Also heard that when Eddie Turnbull walked into the Dressing Room everyone sat up to attention Harper just slouched with his feet up reading his paper!
We could have done with big George Stewart sooner he bled green

SanFranHibs
25-08-2018, 02:11 PM
That was quite a good read. Of course it was !

A Hi-Bee
25-08-2018, 04:38 PM
Also heard that when Eddie Turnbull walked into the Dressing Room everyone sat up to attention Harper just slouched with his feet up reading his paper!
We could have done with big George Stewart sooner he bled green

As long as it wisni the daily ranker then o.k. right enough about big George, but Harper did score a fair share of goals in his time at E.R.
Should never have bought him but we are all experts wi hindsight.

BILLYHIBS
26-08-2018, 04:58 AM
As long as it wisni the daily ranker then o.k. right enough about big George, but Harper did score a fair share of goals in his time at E.R.
Should never have bought him but we are all experts wi hindsight.
Dressing room story came from a former player.

I agree once fit and up to speed Joe Harper was without doubt a brilliant striker and scored many important goals for HIBS and Aberdeen.

Posters on dotnet go on about players being a perfect fit for clubs and without doubt Joe Harper was the perfect fit for Aberdeen.

My issue is the fact that his signing meant the breakup of a brilliant team far too early a team that would have challenged for the title.

Joe himself thought that all three forwards could have been accommodated but perhaps Tom Hart was looking to recoup his dough as quickly as possible.

Even with the benefit of hindsight a lot of hibbies did not agree with the signing at the time and our fears were confirmed when he made his debut at Brockville.

He was one of Eddie Turnbulls favourites and his signing proved to be the beginning of the end.

heretoday
26-08-2018, 05:26 AM
As long as it wisni the daily ranker then o.k. right enough about big George, but Harper did score a fair share of goals in his time at E.R.
Should never have bought him but we are all experts wi hindsight.

He scored 26 goals so he did his job. It wasn't his fault Turnbull messed up the good thing he'd created. Stubborn old berk.

BILLYHIBS
26-08-2018, 05:45 AM
He scored 26 goals so he did his job. It wasn't his fault Turnbull messed up the good thing he'd created. Stubborn old berk.
Agree 100%
The beginning of the end was the 0-3 defeat to Hadjuk Split. It was a massive disappointment to Turnbull. He had decided to take the team onto the next level by signing Joe Harper who without doubt was a great player. In reality as other posters have pointed out all the team needed was perhaps a minor tweak Jim Herriot never played again as he was made the scapegoat for the Split defeat so we had to bring in a goalkeeper (Jim MacArthur) and perhaps a centre half (George Stewart)

Hibrandenburg
26-08-2018, 09:44 AM
Joe Harper was Hibs striker when I first started watching them. I didn't get or understand any of the baggage that accompanied him back and idolized him. He banged in a fair few goals, what was not to like for a kid?

houstonhibbee
26-08-2018, 10:30 AM
Joe Harper was Hibs striker when I first started watching them. I didn't get or understand any of the baggage that accompanied him back and idolized him. He banged in a fair few goals, what was not to like for a kid?
If you’d witnessed the tornadoes you’d have understood

Hibrandenburg
26-08-2018, 10:50 AM
If you’d witnessed the tornadoes you’d have understood

Not sure I would. I've never understood why any supporter of Hibs would show animosity towards one of our players whilst they're wearing the green. :dunno:

Mick O'Rourke
26-08-2018, 11:30 AM
Not sure I would. I've never understood why any supporter of Hibs would show animosity towards one of our players whilst they're wearing the green. :dunno:

I understand what you are saying.
However ,to fans back then the signing of another striker was not seen as a priority.
Gordon, O'Rourke and Duncan had been scoring for fun in the time they were together.
The bitterness towards Joe was increased when Jimmy O moved on to St Johnstone
A move Jimmy did not ask for. Then Gordon went to Dundee .

Harper would have been the highest paid player at the club
He demanded the same wage as Everton had paid him,including bonuses.
Way more than even our captain Pat was getting.
I don't suppose that went down well in the dressing room.

His first choice was to re sign for Aberdeen
However, Turnbull and the signing on fee, plus big wage was more than the Dons could offer.
Eddie being our manager swayed it as Joe has stated .
It was not long before Joe realised he was never going to be a favourite of all the fans.

I never booed Joe, although like many other i was devastated when O'Rourke and Gordon were "sacrificed.
Jimmy certainly proved at both St Johnstone and Motherwell his goals had not dried up and that was with "lesser" teams.
The club spent £150.000 signing Joe, plus a £15.000 signing on fee and the "big wages"
That money would have been better spent in signing another central defender and back up goalie
And we likely would have still had change left over !


The term been used here and elsewhere saying Scott Allan would be a "good fit" for Hibernian
That sadly,even for his goals, did not apply to Joe.
The Tornadoes had been dismantled
The fans and some players did not like Joe.
Joe should have been seen as a player that would have complimented and strengthened the side.
Unfortunately it did not pan out that way.
It took Eddie Turnbull a long time to admit he got it wrong (selling Alan and Jimmy)


Que Sera Sera

BILLYHIBS
26-08-2018, 11:45 AM
Not sure I would. I've never understood why any supporter of Hibs would show animosity towards one of our players whilst they're wearing the green. :dunno:
Yes I can understand why you should say that Joe Harper was a brilliant individual player without doubt.He was a smart fellow and had supreme confidence in his own ability. I was at ER and cheered when he scored that superb 30 yard drive against Hearts and the opening goal against Liverpool. I never ever jeered Harper and cannot remember anyone boing him I was also at his debut against Falkirk at Brockville my abiding memory of that game is Joe Harper’s poor physical condition for a professional footballer especially a player we had paid Everton £180000 for.
The Tornadoes were eleven players a well drilled football machine that played to a set pattern every game from the goalkeeper out using intricate passing well drilled by an expert coach in Eddie Turnbull.They had able stand ins in Johnny Hamilton, Bobby Smith, Des Bremner and Iain Munro. Watching them was like watching a game of chess they were the complete football TEAM! I am sure that Alan Gordon, Jimmy ORourke and Arthur Duncan scored 100 goals one season. The introduction of Joe Harper meant the break up of our team that had only really been together for a short time. He was more of an individual rather than a team player and yes you are correct he was a brilliant striker. The fact that he was indirectly to blame for the break up of the Gordon ORourke partnership meant that he was never really accepted by the HIBS support. The real blame of course should be directed at Eddie Turnbull for breaking up a successful team too soon.The poster is correct in what he said in that you will only understand if you saw the Tornadoes play and what a joy they were to watch but I can also understand it from your point of view coming in at the start of the Harper era and yes he was a hero and heroes in green and white should never be booed!
GGTTH

BILLYHIBS
26-08-2018, 11:52 AM
I understand what you are saying.
However ,to fans back then the signing of another striker was not seen as a priority.
Gordon, O'Rourke and Duncan had been scoring for fun in the time they were together.
The bitterness towards Joe was increased when Jimmy O moved on to St Johnstone
A move Jimmy did not ask for. Then Gordon went to Dundee .

Harper would have been the highest paid player at the club
He demanded the same wage as Everton had paid him,including bonuses.
Way more than even our captain Pat was getting.
I don't suppose that went down well in the dressing room.

His first choice was to re sign for Aberdeen
However, Turnbull and the signing on fee, plus big wage was more than the Dons could offer.
Eddie being our manager swayed it as Joe has stated .
It was not long before Joe realised he was never going to be a favourite of all the fans.

I never booed Joe, although like many other i was devastated when O'Rourke and Gordon were "sacrificed.
Jimmy certainly proved at both St Johnstone and Motherwell his goals had not dried up and that was with "lesser" teams.
The club spent £150.000 signing Joe, plus a £15.000 signing on fee and the "big wages"
That money would have been better spent in signing another central defender and back up goalie
And we likely would have still had change left over !


The term been used here and elsewhere saying Scott Allan would be a "good fit" for Hibernian
That sadly,even for his goals, did not apply to Joe.
The Tornadoes had been dismantled
The fans and some players did not like Joe.
Joe should have been seen as a player that would have complimented and strengthened the side.
Unfortunately it did not pan out that way.
It took Eddie Turnbull a long time to admit he got it wrong (selling Alan and Jimmy)


Que Sera Sera
:thumbsup: