Gary Hooper
Encyclopedia
Gary Hooper is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Scottish Premier League
club Celtic
.
Hooper started his career at non-League Grays Athletic
in 2003. While there he won the 2004-05 Conference South, as well as the FA Trophy
twice in 2005 and 2006. After this Championship
club Southend United
signed him on a free transfer in 2006. He was loaned out twice by the club, on a three month loan to League One
club Leyton Orient
in 2007 and a six month loan to League Two
club Hereford United
in 2008. Scunthorpe United
signed him in 2008, for a fee of £175,000. After two years he was signed by Scottish Premier League
side Celtic
for £2.4 million. In his first season with the club he was the top scorer and also won the 2011 Scottish Cup
.
Hooper was born in England but has not represented the national team
at any level. In March 2011 it was though that he may be eligible to represent Scotland
. However, this possibility was later closed off. Since his move to Celtic he has been considered for England duty and was called up to the under-21 squad for a friendly but had to pull out due to injury. He was then included in the provisional squad for the 2011 European Under-21 Football Championship
but did not go to the tournament.
youth team at the age of seven. When he was 14 he played 20 minutes of a trial game and was then released by the club. After this he had trial with teams Northampton Town
and Luton Town
. These proved unsuccessful and he started playing Sunday league football
. He then had a short spell with Maldon Town
, before he was signed by Conference National
side Grays Athletic
at the start of the 2003–04
season.
clash against Braintree Town
whilst he was still 15 years old.
His debut was the following season when Grays were promoted into the newly formed Conference South
, helping them to win the league, scoring 12 goals in 29 league appearances. He started for Grays in the 2004–05 FA Trophy
Final against Hucknall Town
, but was substituted off towards the end of extra-time. The match went to penalties and Grays won the shoot-out 6–5.
The following season
in the Conference National
, Hooper scored eight times in 40 league appearances. Hooper was an unused substitute in Grays Athletic's 2–0 triumph over Woking
in the final of the 2006 FA Trophy
. At the end of the 2006 season he was released by Grays. Hooper stated that he was only getting substitute appearances for the last few minutes of games and that he wanted to move.
, then to Championship club Southend United
, where he was given a one-year contract by Southend manager Steve Tilson
the following month. On 24 October, Hooper scored twice in a 3–1 League Cup
win over Leeds United
. He went on to make 18 appearances for Southend in the Championship, although only two were starts. On 15 March, Hooper joined League One
side Leyton Orient
on loan for the rest of the season. Tilson said that this loan would allow him to assess whether Hooper merited a new contract and would give the young striker experience. Hooper was recalled from loan on 1 May before, already relegated, Southend's last match of the season. A number of players were out injured for the match and, five days after his recall, Hooper started in the 4–1 defeat to Southampton
.
Hooper made 18 appearances, in League One
, for Southend during the first half of the 2007–08
season, scoring twice. On 28 January 2008, Hooper signed a new 18-month contract to extend his stay with the club. He then moved on loan to League Two club Hereford United
.
At the start of the 2008–09 season. Hooper, along with three other strikers, was listed for transfer. As Tilson looked to re-build his attack. Hereford had a bid accepted for Hooper after his successful loan spell, but could not afford to match the larger transfer fees offered by other teams. Several other League One sides were interested in him. Cheltenham Town
had a bid accepted but Hooper eventually decided to move to Scunthorpe United
. He scored just four goals in 44 appearances during his time at Southend. Although he did have two successful loan spells.
after coming on as a substitute. A week later, he scored against League One
leaders Scunthorpe United
in another 2–2 draw. Hooper made two more appearances for Orient. Before being recalled to Southend on 1 May, when the club activated a 24-hour return clause in his contract. Orient manager Martin Ling
said that he thought Hooper had done well during his loan spell with the club and that he would monitor the progress of the young striker.
side Hereford United. He made his debut two days after signing for Hereford. Starting in a 2–1 loss to Barnet
. He then scored in his next game for the club, a 1-0 win over Rotherham United
. He played five more times, scoring four goals, before his loan deal was due to expire on 28 February. However, manager Graham Turner
agreed a deal to keep him until the end of the season. Southend manager Steve Tilson
agreed to this despite having two strikers out injured at the time. Hooper's 11 goals in 19 appearances for Hereford helped them finish third in League Two and secure promotion.
On 14 July 2008, Scunthorpe United
signed Hooper for a fee of £125,000, rising to £175,000. Hooper signed a three-year contract with the League One
club. In the first game of Scunthorpe's league campaign, Hooper scored in a 2–1 defeat at Glanford Park
against . He scored his first ever hat-trick against Brighton
on 6 September and netted seven goals in his first seven games to help Scunthorpe's promotion push. After this teammate Izzy Iriekpen
paid tribute to Hooper saying that "As soon as he started training you could see there was something special there." On 28 October, league leaders, Scunthorpe suffered their first defeat in 12 games as they lost 3–0 to Oldham Athletic
. Hooper came off with an injury in this match and it was feared he had broken his foot and may have been out injured for up to six months. However, scans later revealed that his foot was just badly bruised. He was labelled in the media as the latest from Scunthorpe's "production line for talented young forwards." He scored both goals in a win over promotion rivals Millwall
on 31 January 2009. Scunthorpe reached the final of the Football League Trophy
and faced, League Two
, Luton Town
. Hooper scored the opener but Luton pulled it back to win the match 3–2 in extra-time. At the end of the season, Hooper won Scunthorpe's Player of the Year award. He declared himself delighted with the team's performance during the season, in which he scored 30 goals and Scunthorpe gained promotion. He then set himself a target of 15 Championship
goals for the next season. He scored 30 goals in all competitions throughout the 2008–09 season, just three goals short of Billy Sharp
's record 33 goals in a season for Scunthorpe.
At the start of the 2009–10 season, Queens Park Rangers
had a £1 million rejected for Hooper. Coventry City
were also rumoured to be interested in the striker. On 15 August, Hooper scored twice in a 3–2 win over Derby County
. Manager Nigel Adkins
said that he thought Hooper was a "massive threat" and that he was worried that other teams would try to sign him before the end of the transfer window. On 22 February, captain Cliff Byrne
, described Hooper as the kind of striker who could "create something out of nothing". He also stated that he hoped Hooper would stay at the club but if he did leave it would be for a lot of money. This was just after Hooper had scored in a 2–2 draw with Watford
, taking his seasonal tally to 13. He scored a hat-trick against Bristol City
on his return from a groin injury on 17 April 2010, and added a further two goals at Doncaster Rovers
a week later. He scored 20 goals in 39 appearances in all competitions in the 2009–10 season, including 19 in 35 in the league, where he finished as third-top goal scorer behind Peter Whittingham and Nicky Maynard
who both scored 20.
club Celtic signed Hooper for £2.4 million. This move completed his "meteoric rise" from non-league football to one of Europe's top clubs. Only six seasons before he was playing in the Conference South
but he progressed upwards, playing in every lower league division in England before earning his dream move to Celtic. This has provided him with great experience, despite his young age and has kept him grounded. He opted to wear the unusual number 88 shirt, representing both 1988, the year he was born, and 1888, the year Celtic were founded. On 4 August, he scored on his debut for the club, against Braga in the Champions League third qualifying round. He tore his calf muscle in a friendly against on 8 August, which kept him out of action for almost six weeks. On 22 September 2010, Hooper made his return from injury in the League Cup
scoring in a 6–0 victory over . On 25 September, he made his SPL debut in a 2–1 victory over Hibernian
at Celtic Park
. He scored his first League goal on 2 October, in a 3–1 win over Hamilton Academical
, and then scored a double against Dundee United at Tannadice
on 17 October. A week later, he scored the opening goal in a 3–1 defeat to Rangers
at Celtic Park. On 6 November, Hooper and strike partner Anthony Stokes each scored hat-tricks in a league record 9–0
win over Aberdeen
. The following week, he scored the winner against St. Mirren. After recovering from an injury that kept him out of action during the Christmas period, Hooper returned to the team against Hibernian on 15 January 2011 and scored the opening goal in a 3–0 win. On 1 February, Hooper scored the first goal in a 3–0 win against Aberdeen. He netted twice in Celtic's 3–0 victory over Rangers on 20 February. He grabbed another brace on 6 April 2011, in a 3–1 victory over Hibernian. Two weeks later, he had a man of the match performance against Kilmarnock
, scoring a goal and setting up another three in a 4–0 SPL victory. On 1 May 2011, Hooper scored in a 4–1 victory over Dundee United. He then scored a brace against Hearts
, and the opener in a 4–0 win over Motherwell
, in the final league match of the season. He was nominated for the PFA Player of the Year award, but lost out to teammate Emilio Izaguirre
. Hooper was also picked in the PFA Team of the Year. He picked up his first medal for Celtic in the Scottish Cup after a 3–0 win over Motherwell in the final
on 21 May 2011. During the 2010–11 season
, Hooper had the best strike rate of any player in Britain, scoring 20 goals in 26 games with a strike rate of 0.77 goals per game. This was also the fourth best strike rate in Europe, behind Cristiano Ronaldo
, Lionel Messi
and Antonio Di Natale
.
On 24 July 2011, Hooper had a penalty saved by Graham Stack in Celtic's first match of the 2011–12 season, a 2–0 win over Hibs. On 13 August, he scored his first goal of the season in a 5–1 win over Dundee United. He also picked up an ankle injury which ruled him out for the next two matches. On 25 August he made his return in Celtic's 3–1 loss to FC Sion
. Three days later, he scored both goals in a 2–0 win over St. Mirren
. English Premier League clubs Queens Park Rangers
and Wolverhampton Wanderers
expressed interest in signing him on transfer deadline day, however Celtic rejected their enquiries about his availability. Hooper's regular strike partner Stokes said "He's a top, top player. I have no doubt one day he could play at the very top level but we want to keep him here as long as possible." Hooper then started in Celtic's 2–0 loss to Atlético Madrid at the Vicente Calderón Stadium
. Before scoring in Celtic's 4-2 loss to rivals Rangers on 18 September. This was his fourth goal in seven Old Firm
matches
He then started Celtic's first Scottish League Cup
game of the season against Ross County
, scoring one goal in a 2–0 win for Celtic. On 29 September he played in Celtic's 1–1 draw with Italian side Udinese
. After three minutes he won a penalty which Ki Sung-Yueng scored. He then gave away a penalty, which was converted, after 83 minutes when he fouled Neuton. A month later, he scored in Celtic's 4–1, League Cup quarter-final, victory over Hibs. On 3 November, Hooper scored, his first European goal of the season, against Rennes after coming on as a 78th minute substitute for James Forrest
. Three days later, he again came on as a substitute and scored the winner in a 2–1 win over Motherwell. On 26 November, he scored a hat-trick in a 5–0 win over St. Mirren
.
at any level. His paternal grandfather
William Hooper was raised in the Scottish Borders
, and this led to hopes that Hooper could be eligible to play for Scotland
. Scotland head coach Craig Levein
sought clarification as to the place of birth his grandfather's birth certificate recorded, as he had been born in a hospital in the English border
town Berwick-upon-Tweed
. The possibility was closed off when it was confirmed that his grandfather was included in the English Births Index. On 13 March 2011, Hooper was included by, Stuart Pearce
in his 31-man squad for the England under-21 team
to play Denmark
and Iceland. However, Hooper was forced to pull out of the squad due to injury. On 3 May 2011, he was named in the 40-man provisional squad for the UEFA Under-21 Championship
, but did not make the final selection.
Hooper has declared his desire to play for the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic football team
at the 2012 London Olympics
.
described him as being one of the most skilled attackers in the SPL. They also said that he had shown that he could deal with the physical nature of the Scottish game, due to his ability to ride a challenge well. He is able to play the game at a very high tempo and has a very good first touch.
One criticism that Steve Claridge
had when analysing Hooper's game was that '[he often] played at either breakneck speed when involved in play or at walking pace when not', Claridge noted that Hooper needed to work harder to make himself available to his teammates for passes. Especially long balls out from defence.
Since moving to Celtic, Hooper has struck up an excellent partnership with fellow striker Anthony Stokes. They scored over 40 goals between them in their first season together and are considered to be Celtic's best strike partnership. Although on many occasions, especially for big matches, Georgios Samaras
has often been used alongside Hooper. He has expressed his disappointment at this because he feels he works very well with Stokes. In their partnership Hooper usually has a more advanced role, he plays off the shoulder of the last defender, or in the box, and makes runs in behind. His strength, pace, finishing ability and awareness make him suitably adapted to this role. Stokes usually plays a deeper role, he comes short to get the ball and creates space through his dribbling skill and passing. Although Hooper is more suited to an advanced role, and Stokes to a deeper one, they are capable of switching and both have the skills required to play in either role. This makes them harder to mark as defenders do not know what they are going to do.
Hereford United
Scunthorpe
Celtic
Individual
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
club Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
.
Hooper started his career at non-League Grays Athletic
Grays Athletic F.C.
Grays Athletic Football Club is an English football club currently based in Corringham, Essex after leaving the New Recreation Ground in Grays at the end of the 2009–10 season...
in 2003. While there he won the 2004-05 Conference South, as well as the FA Trophy
FA Trophy
The Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams...
twice in 2005 and 2006. After this Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
club Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
signed him on a free transfer in 2006. He was loaned out twice by the club, on a three month loan to League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
club Leyton Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
in 2007 and a six month loan to League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
club Hereford United
Hereford United F.C.
Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',...
in 2008. Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
signed him in 2008, for a fee of £175,000. After two years he was signed by Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
side Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
for £2.4 million. In his first season with the club he was the top scorer and also won the 2011 Scottish Cup
2011 Scottish Cup Final
The 2011 Scottish Cup Final was the 126th final of the Scottish Cup, Scottish football's most prestigious knockout association football competition. The match toke place at Hampden Park on 21 May 2011 and was played by Scottish Premier League clubs Motherwell and Celtic...
.
Hooper was born in England but has not represented the national team
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
at any level. In March 2011 it was though that he may be eligible to represent Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
. However, this possibility was later closed off. Since his move to Celtic he has been considered for England duty and was called up to the under-21 squad for a friendly but had to pull out due to injury. He was then included in the provisional squad for the 2011 European Under-21 Football Championship
2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
UEFA U-21 Championship 2011 was the 18th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship. The final tournament was hosted by Denmark between 11 and 25 June 2011....
but did not go to the tournament.
Early career
Hooper joined the Tottenham HotspurTottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
youth team at the age of seven. When he was 14 he played 20 minutes of a trial game and was then released by the club. After this he had trial with teams Northampton Town
Northampton Town F.C.
Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season...
and Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
. These proved unsuccessful and he started playing Sunday league football
Sunday league football
Sunday league football is a term used in the United Kingdom to describe those association football leagues which play on Sunday, as opposed to the more usual Saturday. These leagues tend to be lower standard amateur competitions, whose players may have less ability, or less time to devote to...
. He then had a short spell with Maldon Town
Maldon Town F.C.
Maldon & Tiptree F.C. is an English football club based in Maldon, Essex. The club are currently members of Division One North of the Isthmian League and play at the Wallace Binder Ground.-History:...
, before he was signed by Conference National
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
side Grays Athletic
Grays Athletic F.C.
Grays Athletic Football Club is an English football club currently based in Corringham, Essex after leaving the New Recreation Ground in Grays at the end of the 2009–10 season...
at the start of the 2003–04
2003-04 in English football
The 2003-04 season was the 124th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Arsenal completed the entire campaign without losing a single league game....
season.
Grays Athletic
Hooper joined Isthmian Premier side Grays Athletic, in the 2003–04 season, being named as an unused substitute in an Essex Senior CupEssex Senior Cup
The Essex Senior Cup is a knock-out system football competition that has been running since 1884, and is the most prestigious cup competition in the county of Essex. The competition is run mainly for non-league clubs in the region, although league sides have been known to enter the competition,...
clash against Braintree Town
Braintree Town F.C.
Braintree Town F.C. is an English football club based in Braintree, Essex. The club are currently members of the Conference National and play their home matches at Cressing Road.-History:...
whilst he was still 15 years old.
His debut was the following season when Grays were promoted into the newly formed Conference South
Conference South
Conference South is one of the second divisions of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National...
, helping them to win the league, scoring 12 goals in 29 league appearances. He started for Grays in the 2004–05 FA Trophy
FA Trophy
The Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams...
Final against Hucknall Town
Hucknall Town F.C.
Hucknall Town F.C. are an English football club based in the town of Hucknall, Nottinghamshire. The club are members of the Northern Premier League Premier Division and play at Watnall Road.-History:...
, but was substituted off towards the end of extra-time. The match went to penalties and Grays won the shoot-out 6–5.
The following season
2005-06 in English football
The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether...
in the Conference National
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
, Hooper scored eight times in 40 league appearances. Hooper was an unused substitute in Grays Athletic's 2–0 triumph over Woking
Woking F.C.
Woking Football Club is a football club from in Woking, Surrey, England, formed in 1889. They are playing in the Conference South in the 2011–12 season. For the 2011/2012 season, Woking are sharing their ground with Conference National club Hayes & Yeading United.-Promotion to the...
in the final of the 2006 FA Trophy
2005–06 FA Trophy
The FA Trophy 2005–06 was the 35th season of the FA's cup competition for teams at levels 5-8 of the English football league system. There were 220 teams who entered.- Final :-References:...
. At the end of the 2006 season he was released by Grays. Hooper stated that he was only getting substitute appearances for the last few minutes of games and that he wanted to move.
Southend United
In July 2006, after his release by Grays, Hooper went on two trials. Firstly to League Two side BarnetBarnet F.C.
Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet....
, then to Championship club Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
, where he was given a one-year contract by Southend manager Steve Tilson
Steve Tilson
Stephen Brian "Steve" Tilson is an English football manager and former player. He is best known for his time in charge of Southend United...
the following month. On 24 October, Hooper scored twice in a 3–1 League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
win over Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
. He went on to make 18 appearances for Southend in the Championship, although only two were starts. On 15 March, Hooper joined League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
side Leyton Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
on loan for the rest of the season. Tilson said that this loan would allow him to assess whether Hooper merited a new contract and would give the young striker experience. Hooper was recalled from loan on 1 May before, already relegated, Southend's last match of the season. A number of players were out injured for the match and, five days after his recall, Hooper started in the 4–1 defeat to Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
.
Hooper made 18 appearances, in League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
, for Southend during the first half of the 2007–08
2007-08 in English football
The 2007–08 season was the 128th season of competitive football in England.-European competitions:In October 2007 Arsenal equalled the UEFA Champions League record victory with a 7–0 win over Slavia Prague at the Emirates Stadium. The record was broken the following month when Liverpool...
season, scoring twice. On 28 January 2008, Hooper signed a new 18-month contract to extend his stay with the club. He then moved on loan to League Two club Hereford United
Hereford United F.C.
Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',...
.
At the start of the 2008–09 season. Hooper, along with three other strikers, was listed for transfer. As Tilson looked to re-build his attack. Hereford had a bid accepted for Hooper after his successful loan spell, but could not afford to match the larger transfer fees offered by other teams. Several other League One sides were interested in him. Cheltenham Town
Cheltenham Town F.C.
Cheltenham Town Football Club is an English football club playing in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. Founded in 1887, the team has played at four different grounds, namely Agg-Gardner's Recreation Ground, Carter's Field and now the Abbey Business Stadium, although it is more...
had a bid accepted but Hooper eventually decided to move to Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
. He scored just four goals in 44 appearances during his time at Southend. Although he did have two successful loan spells.
Leyton Orient (loan)
Two days after joining the club he scored in a 2–2 draw with Oldham AthleticOldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
after coming on as a substitute. A week later, he scored against League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
leaders Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
in another 2–2 draw. Hooper made two more appearances for Orient. Before being recalled to Southend on 1 May, when the club activated a 24-hour return clause in his contract. Orient manager Martin Ling
Martin Ling
Martin Ling is an English football manager and former player, who is currently manager of Torquay United in League Two. He played in over 100 Football League matches for Exeter City, Southend United, Swindon Town and Leyton Orient, before moving into management where he led Orient for over five...
said that he thought Hooper had done well during his loan spell with the club and that he would monitor the progress of the young striker.
Hereford United (loan)
On 28 January 2008, Hooper signed a one-month loan deal with League TwoFootball League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
side Hereford United. He made his debut two days after signing for Hereford. Starting in a 2–1 loss to Barnet
Barnet F.C.
Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet....
. He then scored in his next game for the club, a 1-0 win over Rotherham United
Rotherham United F.C.
Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history...
. He played five more times, scoring four goals, before his loan deal was due to expire on 28 February. However, manager Graham Turner
Graham Turner
Graham John Turner is an English former footballer who became a manager. He is currently manager of League Two club Shrewsbury Town. His son Mark was also a professional footballer....
agreed a deal to keep him until the end of the season. Southend manager Steve Tilson
Steve Tilson
Stephen Brian "Steve" Tilson is an English football manager and former player. He is best known for his time in charge of Southend United...
agreed to this despite having two strikers out injured at the time. Hooper's 11 goals in 19 appearances for Hereford helped them finish third in League Two and secure promotion.
Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
signed Hooper for a fee of £125,000, rising to £175,000. Hooper signed a three-year contract with the League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
club. In the first game of Scunthorpe's league campaign, Hooper scored in a 2–1 defeat at Glanford Park
Glanford Park
Glanford Park is a football stadium in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England, and the current home of Scunthorpe United. It is the smallest stadium by capacity in the Championship ....
against . He scored his first ever hat-trick against Brighton
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
on 6 September and netted seven goals in his first seven games to help Scunthorpe's promotion push. After this teammate Izzy Iriekpen
Izzy Iriekpen
Izzy Iriekpen is a retired English footballer who played as a defender-West Ham United:Iriekpen joined West Ham United as a trainee in August 1998 and was part of West Ham's Youth Cup winning team of 1999 that included the likes of Michael Carrick and Joe Cole...
paid tribute to Hooper saying that "As soon as he started training you could see there was something special there." On 28 October, league leaders, Scunthorpe suffered their first defeat in 12 games as they lost 3–0 to Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
. Hooper came off with an injury in this match and it was feared he had broken his foot and may have been out injured for up to six months. However, scans later revealed that his foot was just badly bruised. He was labelled in the media as the latest from Scunthorpe's "production line for talented young forwards." He scored both goals in a win over promotion rivals Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
on 31 January 2009. Scunthorpe reached the final of the Football League Trophy
Football League Trophy
The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
and faced, League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
, Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
. Hooper scored the opener but Luton pulled it back to win the match 3–2 in extra-time. At the end of the season, Hooper won Scunthorpe's Player of the Year award. He declared himself delighted with the team's performance during the season, in which he scored 30 goals and Scunthorpe gained promotion. He then set himself a target of 15 Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
goals for the next season. He scored 30 goals in all competitions throughout the 2008–09 season, just three goals short of Billy Sharp
Billy Sharp
William Louis "Billy" Sharp is an English professional footballer who currently plays as a striker for Doncaster Rovers. He is now widely known for playing in a game for Doncaster Rovers against Middlesbrough two days after his two-day-old son's death...
's record 33 goals in a season for Scunthorpe.
At the start of the 2009–10 season, Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
had a £1 million rejected for Hooper. Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
were also rumoured to be interested in the striker. On 15 August, Hooper scored twice in a 3–2 win over Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
. Manager Nigel Adkins
Nigel Adkins
Nigel Howard Adkins is a former footballer and is the current manager of Championship Club Southampton.-Playing career:As a player, Adkins was goalkeeper for Tranmere Rovers, Wigan Athletic and Bangor City...
said that he thought Hooper was a "massive threat" and that he was worried that other teams would try to sign him before the end of the transfer window. On 22 February, captain Cliff Byrne
Cliff Byrne
Clifford "Cliff" Byrne is an Irish footballer, currently playing for Scunthorpe United.Born in Dublin, Byrne previously played for Sunderland.He took part in a UEFA 'B' coaching course in summer 2005....
, described Hooper as the kind of striker who could "create something out of nothing". He also stated that he hoped Hooper would stay at the club but if he did leave it would be for a lot of money. This was just after Hooper had scored in a 2–2 draw with Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
, taking his seasonal tally to 13. He scored a hat-trick against Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
on his return from a groin injury on 17 April 2010, and added a further two goals at Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
a week later. He scored 20 goals in 39 appearances in all competitions in the 2009–10 season, including 19 in 35 in the league, where he finished as third-top goal scorer behind Peter Whittingham and Nicky Maynard
Nicky Maynard
Nicholas David "Nicky" Maynard is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Bristol City.-Crewe Alexandra:...
who both scored 20.
Celtic
On 26 July 2010, Scottish Premier LeagueScottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
club Celtic signed Hooper for £2.4 million. This move completed his "meteoric rise" from non-league football to one of Europe's top clubs. Only six seasons before he was playing in the Conference South
Conference South
Conference South is one of the second divisions of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National...
but he progressed upwards, playing in every lower league division in England before earning his dream move to Celtic. This has provided him with great experience, despite his young age and has kept him grounded. He opted to wear the unusual number 88 shirt, representing both 1988, the year he was born, and 1888, the year Celtic were founded. On 4 August, he scored on his debut for the club, against Braga in the Champions League third qualifying round. He tore his calf muscle in a friendly against on 8 August, which kept him out of action for almost six weeks. On 22 September 2010, Hooper made his return from injury in the League Cup
Scottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
scoring in a 6–0 victory over . On 25 September, he made his SPL debut in a 2–1 victory over Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
at Celtic Park
Celtic Park
Celtic Park is a football stadium in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which is the home ground of Celtic FC. Celtic Park, an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 60,832, is the largest football stadium in Scotland and the sixth-largest stadium in the United Kingdom, after Murrayfield, Old Trafford,...
. He scored his first League goal on 2 October, in a 3–1 win over Hamilton Academical
Hamilton Academical F.C.
Hamilton Academical Football Club, often known as Hamilton Academical, or Accies, are a Scottish football club from Hamilton in South Lanarkshire. They were established in 1874 from the school football team at Hamilton Academy. They remain the only professional club in British football to have...
, and then scored a double against Dundee United at Tannadice
Tannadice Park
Tannadice Park, usually referred to as Tannadice, is a football stadium located on Tannadice Street in the Scottish city of Dundee. The stadium is home of Dundee United F.C. and has a capacity of 14,209.-Early days :...
on 17 October. A week later, he scored the opening goal in a 3–1 defeat to Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
at Celtic Park. On 6 November, Hooper and strike partner Anthony Stokes each scored hat-tricks in a league record 9–0
Celtic v Aberdeen (6 November 2010)
The Scottish Premier League match between Celtic and Aberdeen on 6 November 2010 at Celtic Park in Glasgow set a record as the biggest home win in the league's history.The match included nine goals for Celtic, two hat-tricks, three penalties and two red cards....
win over Aberdeen
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
. The following week, he scored the winner against St. Mirren. After recovering from an injury that kept him out of action during the Christmas period, Hooper returned to the team against Hibernian on 15 January 2011 and scored the opening goal in a 3–0 win. On 1 February, Hooper scored the first goal in a 3–0 win against Aberdeen. He netted twice in Celtic's 3–0 victory over Rangers on 20 February. He grabbed another brace on 6 April 2011, in a 3–1 victory over Hibernian. Two weeks later, he had a man of the match performance against Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock F.C.
Kilmarnock Football Club is a Scottish football team based in the town of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Founded in 1869, "Killie" is the oldest club currently in the Scottish Premier League. Home matches are played at Rugby Park...
, scoring a goal and setting up another three in a 4–0 SPL victory. On 1 May 2011, Hooper scored in a 4–1 victory over Dundee United. He then scored a brace against Hearts
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
, and the opener in a 4–0 win over Motherwell
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
, in the final league match of the season. He was nominated for the PFA Player of the Year award, but lost out to teammate Emilio Izaguirre
Emilio Izaguirre
Emilio Arturo Izaguirre Girón is a Honduran footballer who plays as a left back for Scottish Premier League side Celtic and the Honduras national team. He has represented his country at the 2010 World Cup and the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup....
. Hooper was also picked in the PFA Team of the Year. He picked up his first medal for Celtic in the Scottish Cup after a 3–0 win over Motherwell in the final
2011 Scottish Cup Final
The 2011 Scottish Cup Final was the 126th final of the Scottish Cup, Scottish football's most prestigious knockout association football competition. The match toke place at Hampden Park on 21 May 2011 and was played by Scottish Premier League clubs Motherwell and Celtic...
on 21 May 2011. During the 2010–11 season
2010–11 Celtic F.C. season
The 2010–11 season was the 122nd season of competitive football by Celtic.-Overview:Celtic began the 2010–11 pre-season by signing Cardiff City midfielder Joe Ledley and defenders Charlie Mulgrew and Cha Du-Ri on free transfers, while Daryl Murphy and Efraín Juárez signed for undisclosed fees...
, Hooper had the best strike rate of any player in Britain, scoring 20 goals in 26 games with a strike rate of 0.77 goals per game. This was also the fourth best strike rate in Europe, behind Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH, , commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a winger or striker for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and is the captain of the Portuguese national team...
, Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi
Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi is an Argentine footballer who plays for FC Barcelona and captains the Argentina national team, mainly as a striker. Messi received several Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21, and won in 2009 and 2010...
and Antonio Di Natale
Antonio di Natale
Antonio Di Natale is an Italian footballer who plays for Serie A club Udinese.A versatile striker with a lethal eye for goal, Di Natale can play anywhere in the front line, as a lone striker or out wide in an attacking trident. He is notable for his dribbling skills, pace and for his ability to...
.
On 24 July 2011, Hooper had a penalty saved by Graham Stack in Celtic's first match of the 2011–12 season, a 2–0 win over Hibs. On 13 August, he scored his first goal of the season in a 5–1 win over Dundee United. He also picked up an ankle injury which ruled him out for the next two matches. On 25 August he made his return in Celtic's 3–1 loss to FC Sion
FC Sion
FC Sion is a Swiss football team from the city of Sion. The club was founded in 1909, and play their home games at the Stade Tourbillon. They have won the Swiss Super League twice, and the Swiss Cup in each of their twelve appearances in the final, the most recent being in 2011.The first team also...
. Three days later, he scored both goals in a 2–0 win over St. Mirren
St. Mirren F.C.
St Mirren Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Paisley, Renfrewshire who play in the Scottish Premier League, having been promoted from the First Division in 2005–06.St...
. English Premier League clubs Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
and Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
expressed interest in signing him on transfer deadline day, however Celtic rejected their enquiries about his availability. Hooper's regular strike partner Stokes said "He's a top, top player. I have no doubt one day he could play at the very top level but we want to keep him here as long as possible." Hooper then started in Celtic's 2–0 loss to Atlético Madrid at the Vicente Calderón Stadium
Vicente Calderón Stadium
The Vicente Calderón Stadium is the home stadium of La Liga football club Atlético Madrid and is located in the Arganzuela district of Spanish capital Madrid. The stadium was originally called the Manzanares Stadium, but this was later changed to the Vicente Calderón Stadium, after the famous...
. Before scoring in Celtic's 4-2 loss to rivals Rangers on 18 September. This was his fourth goal in seven Old Firm
Old Firm
The Old Firm is a common collective name for the association football clubs Celtic and Rangers, both based in Glasgow, Scotland.The origin of the term is unclear. One theory has it that the expression derives from Celtic's first game in 1888, which was played against Rangers. However, author,...
matches
He then started Celtic's first Scottish League Cup
Scottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
game of the season against Ross County
Ross County F.C.
Ross County Football Club are a Scottish professional football team from the town of Dingwall, Ross and Cromarty. Founded in 1929 they currently compete in the Scottish Football League First Division and play their home matches at Victoria Park. Prior to the 1994–95 season they played in the...
, scoring one goal in a 2–0 win for Celtic. On 29 September he played in Celtic's 1–1 draw with Italian side Udinese
Udinese Calcio
Udinese Calcio is an Italian football club based in Udine, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and currently plays in the Serie A. Founded in 1896, Udinese is the second oldest club in the Serie A, after Genoa....
. After three minutes he won a penalty which Ki Sung-Yueng scored. He then gave away a penalty, which was converted, after 83 minutes when he fouled Neuton. A month later, he scored in Celtic's 4–1, League Cup quarter-final, victory over Hibs. On 3 November, Hooper scored, his first European goal of the season, against Rennes after coming on as a 78th minute substitute for James Forrest
James Forrest
James Forrest may refer to:* James Alexander Forrest, Australian lawyer, businessman and philanthropist* James Forrest , led Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets men's basketball to the 1993 ACC title, player with the Euroleague's Olympiacos BC...
. Three days later, he again came on as a substitute and scored the winner in a 2–1 win over Motherwell. On 26 November, he scored a hat-trick in a 5–0 win over St. Mirren
St. Mirren F.C.
St Mirren Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Paisley, Renfrewshire who play in the Scottish Premier League, having been promoted from the First Division in 2005–06.St...
.
International career
Hooper has not represented EnglandEngland national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
at any level. His paternal grandfather
Grandparent
Grandparents are the parents of a person's own parent, whether that be a father or a mother. Every sexually-reproducing creature who is not a genetic chimera has a maximum of four genetic grandparents, eight genetic great-grandparents, sixteen genetic great-great-grandparents, etc...
William Hooper was raised in the Scottish Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
, and this led to hopes that Hooper could be eligible to play for Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
. Scotland head coach Craig Levein
Craig Levein
Craig William Levein is a Scottish former professional footballer and manager of the Scotland national team. During his playing career he played for Cowdenbeath and Heart of Midlothian...
sought clarification as to the place of birth his grandfather's birth certificate recorded, as he had been born in a hospital in the English border
Anglo-Scottish border
The Anglo-Scottish border is the official border and mark of entry between Scotland and England. It runs for 154 km between the River Tweed on the east coast and the Solway Firth in the west. It is Scotland's only land border...
town Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed or simply Berwick is a town in the county of Northumberland and is the northernmost town in England, on the east coast at the mouth of the River Tweed. It is situated 2.5 miles south of the Scottish border....
. The possibility was closed off when it was confirmed that his grandfather was included in the English Births Index. On 13 March 2011, Hooper was included by, Stuart Pearce
Stuart Pearce
Stuart Pearce OBE is an English football manager and former player. He is currently the manager of the England national under-21 team and the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic football team...
in his 31-man squad for the England under-21 team
England national under-21 football team
England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
to play Denmark
Denmark national under-21 football team
The Denmark national under-21 football team has played since 1976 and is controlled by the Danish Football Association. Before 1976, the age limit was 23 years.-U-21 European Championship:*1978 – Quarterfinals*1980 to 1984 – Did not qualify...
and Iceland. However, Hooper was forced to pull out of the squad due to injury. On 3 May 2011, he was named in the 40-man provisional squad for the UEFA Under-21 Championship
2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
UEFA U-21 Championship 2011 was the 18th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship. The final tournament was hosted by Denmark between 11 and 25 June 2011....
, but did not make the final selection.
Hooper has declared his desire to play for the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic football team
Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic football team
The Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic football team represents Great Britain and Northern Ireland in international football competitions in the Olympic Games. The selection is limited to players under the age of 23, except three overage players...
at the 2012 London Olympics
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
.
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||||||||
| Grays Athletic Grays Athletic F.C. Grays Athletic Football Club is an English football club currently based in Corringham, Essex after leaving the New Recreation Ground in Grays at the end of the 2009–10 season... |
2004–05 | 29 | 12 | – | – | – | 13 | 4 | 42 | 16 | |||||||||||
| 2005–06 | 40 | 8 | 3 | 0 | – | – | 5 | 0 | 48 | 8 | |||||||||||
| Total | 69 | 20 | 3 | 0 | |– | 18 | 4 | 90 | 24 | ||||||||||||
| Southend United Southend United F.C. Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had... |
2006–07 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | – | – | 25 | 2 | ||||||||||
| 2007–08 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | 1 | 0 | 19 | 2 | ||||||||||
| Total | 32 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 2 | Leyton Orient Leyton Orient F.C. Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63... (loan) | 2006–07 | 4 | 2 | – | – | – | – | 4 | 2 | |||||
| Total | 4 | 2 | |– | |– | 4 | 2 | |||||||||||||||
| Hereford United Hereford United F.C. Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',... (loan) |
2007–08 | 19 | 11 | – | – | – | – | 19 | 11 | ||||||||||||
| Total | 19 | 11 | |– | |– | 19 | 11 | |||||||||||||||
| Scunthorpe United Scunthorpe United F.C. Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One.... |
2008–09 | 45 | 24 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | – | 7 | 2 | 56 | 30 | |||||||||
| 2009–10 2009–10 Football League The Football League 2009–10, called the Coca-Cola Football League for sponsorship reasons, was the 110th completed season of the Football League. It began in August 2009 and concluded in May 2010, with the promotion play-off finals. The Football League is contested through three Divisions. The... |
35 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | – | – | 39 | 20 | |||||||||||
| Total | 80 | 43 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | Celtic Celtic F.C. Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the... | 2010–11 2010–11 Scottish Premier League The 2010–11 Scottish Premier League was the thirteenth season of the Scottish Premier League, the highest division of Scottish football. It commenced on 14 August 2010 and ended on 15 May 2011... |
26 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | 36 | 22 | ||
| 2011–12 2011–12 Scottish Premier League The 2011–12 Scottish Premier League is the fourteenth season of the Scottish Premier League, the highest division of Scottish football, since its inception in 1998. The season started on 23 July 2011.... |
15 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | – | 22 | 12 | ||||||||||
| Total | 41 | 29 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 2 | Career total | 245 | 107 | 16 | 4 | 17 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 26 | 6 | 312 | 126 |
Style of play
Hooper has all the main attributes to play as a striker, he is strong and can hold up the ball well. He is also a good finisher, he has been described as being a 'penalty box striker'. However, he can also pass the ball well and this allows midfielders to play off him. He has received praise since moving to Scotland. Newspaper The Daily RecordDaily Record (Scotland)
The Daily Record is a Scottish tabloid newspaper based in Glasgow. It had been the best-selling daily paper in Scotland for many years with a paid circulation in August 2011 of 307,794 . It is now outsold by its arch-rival the Scottish Sun which in September 2010 had a circulation of 339,586 in...
described him as being one of the most skilled attackers in the SPL. They also said that he had shown that he could deal with the physical nature of the Scottish game, due to his ability to ride a challenge well. He is able to play the game at a very high tempo and has a very good first touch.
One criticism that Steve Claridge
Steve Claridge
Stephen Edward Claridge is an English football player, pundit and coach. He is currently a pundit for BBC Sport football shows including Football Focus and the The Football League Show, whilst also playing as a striker for semi-professional team Gosport Borough.Claridge's career is known for its...
had when analysing Hooper's game was that '[he often] played at either breakneck speed when involved in play or at walking pace when not', Claridge noted that Hooper needed to work harder to make himself available to his teammates for passes. Especially long balls out from defence.
Since moving to Celtic, Hooper has struck up an excellent partnership with fellow striker Anthony Stokes. They scored over 40 goals between them in their first season together and are considered to be Celtic's best strike partnership. Although on many occasions, especially for big matches, Georgios Samaras
Georgios Samaras
Georgios Samaras is a Greek footballer who plays for Scottish Premier League club Celtic and the Greek national football team. He is predominantly a left winger but can also play as a striker....
has often been used alongside Hooper. He has expressed his disappointment at this because he feels he works very well with Stokes. In their partnership Hooper usually has a more advanced role, he plays off the shoulder of the last defender, or in the box, and makes runs in behind. His strength, pace, finishing ability and awareness make him suitably adapted to this role. Stokes usually plays a deeper role, he comes short to get the ball and creates space through his dribbling skill and passing. Although Hooper is more suited to an advanced role, and Stokes to a deeper one, they are capable of switching and both have the skills required to play in either role. This makes them harder to mark as defenders do not know what they are going to do.
Honours
Grays Athletic- Conference SouthConference SouthConference South is one of the second divisions of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National...
: 2004–05 - FA TrophyFA TrophyThe Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams...
: 2004–05, 2005–062005–06 FA TrophyThe FA Trophy 2005–06 was the 35th season of the FA's cup competition for teams at levels 5-8 of the English football league system. There were 220 teams who entered.- Final :-References:...
Hereford United
- League Two: 2007–082007–08 Football League TwoThe Football League 2007–08 , was the sixteenth season under its current league division format. It began in August 2007 and concluded in May 2008, with the promotion play-off finals....
Promotion (3rd place)
Scunthorpe
- Football League One Playoffs: 2008–092009 Football League One play-off FinalThe 2009 Football League One play-off Final was a football match played at Wembley Stadium on 24 May 2009, at the end of the 2008–09 season. The match determined the third and final team to gain promotion from League One to the Championship, and was contested by Millwall, who finished fifth during...
Celtic
- Scottish CupScottish CupThe Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
: 2010–112010–11 Scottish CupThe 2010–11 Scottish Cup was the 126th season of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition.Celtic won the title after they defeated Motherwell 3–0.-Calendar:...
Individual
- Scunthorpe UnitedScunthorpe United F.C.Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
Player of the Year: 2009 - SPFA Players' Player of the Year Nominee: 2011
- CelticCeltic F.C.Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
Top scorer: 2011
External links
- Gary Hooper Celtic F.C.
- Gary Hooper TransferMarkt
- Gary Hooper ESPN Soccernet