Steven James Harper (born 3 February 1969) is an English former footballer who scored 54 goals in 504 league games in a 15-year career in the Football League. He was a speedy winger, adept at dribbling the ball, transitioning into a full-back later in his career.

He began his professional career at Port Vale in June 1987 before he was sold to Preston North End for £35,000 in March 1989. He joined Burnley on a free transfer in July 1991 and helped the "Clarets" to win the Fourth Division title in 1991–92. He moved on to Doncaster Rovers in August 1993, before he was sold to Mansfield Town for a £20,000 fee in September 1995. He took a free transfer to Hull City in July 1999 before joining Darlington in February 2001. He left the Football League in 2002 and moved into non-League football with Kidsgrove Athletic. He later became a coach.

Playing career Harper graduated through Port Vale juniors to sign professional forms under manager John Rudge in June 1987. He played regular football for the start of the 1987–88 season, and scored his first goal on 5 September, in a 2–1 victory over York City at Vale Park. However, he lost his first-team place in January, and finished the campaign with two goals in 25 games. He made eight appearances for the "Valiants" in the 1988–89 season but fell out of favour and was sold to Third Division rivals Preston North End for £35,000 and 50% of any future transfer deal in March 1989. Preston were managed by former Port Vale boss John McGrath. Ironically, the "Lambs" lost to Vale in the play-offs at the end of the 1988–89 campaign. They then dropped to 19th in 1989–90 and 17th in 1990–91 under Les Chapman's stewardship.

Harper left Deepdale to join Fourth Division club Burnley on a free transfer in July 1991. He scored six goals in 48 games in 1991–92, as Frank Casper and Jimmy Mullen led the "Clarets" to promotion as champions. Harper scored five goals in 42 appearances in 1992–93 but departed Turf Moor after he was replaced by David Eyres and was given a free transfer to Doncaster Rovers in August 1993. Ian Atkins took "Donny" to 15th in the Third Division (previously called the Fourth Division) in 1993–94. He was then joined at Belle Vue by his former Burnley partner Ian Measham. Sammy Chung then led Rovers to ninth place in 1994–95.

Harper was sold to Andy King's Mansfield Town for a £20,000 fee in September 1995. During his time at Mansfield Town, Harper moved from attacking positions into a full-back role, becoming an established defender by 1997. The "Stags" finished in the lower half of the Third Division table in 1995–96. Steve Parkin then replaced King in the hot-seat at Field Mill, and instigated a minor revival. Harper scored two goals in 38 appearances in 1996–97, as Mansfield finished five points behind Cardiff City, who occupied the final play-off position. He scored five goals in 52 games in 1997–98, as the club again finished five points short of the play-off places. His goal tally included a 17-minute hat-trick on 21 February, in a 4–0 home win over Darlington. He then claimed six goals in 51 appearances in the 1998–99 campaign, as Mansfield came to within one place and four points of a play-off place. He missed just one league games in his final two seasons at the club.

He took a free transfer to Hull City in July 1999, where his former Preston strike partner Warren Joyce was now manager. Harper was used on both sides of the defence, although he generally played at right-back. He scored four goals in 38 games in the 1999–2000 campaign, as the "Tigers" posted a 14th-place finish. During Hull City's financial difficulties in early 2001, Harper was among several players who sought to terminate their contracts and subsequently left the club. New manager Brian Little allowed Harper to leave Boothferry Park on a free transfer to league rivals Darlington in February 2001. The "Quakers" finished four points above the bottom of the Football League in 2000–01 under the stewardship of Gary Bennett. Harper played 25 games in the 2001–02 campaign, scoring once against Leyton Orient, before he was allowed to leave Feethams by new manager Tommy Taylor. He then ended his career after a short spell with Northern Premier League side Kidsgrove Athletic.

Coaching career Harper spent six years as a coach at the academy at Stoke City, before he was appointed as a first-team coach at Chasetown in May 2017.

Career statistics + Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueFA CupOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsPort Vale1987–88Third Division21200402521988–89Third Division70001080Total2820050332Preston North End1988–89Third Division500000501989–90Third Division3610203041101990–91Third Division3601051421Total771030818811Burnley1991–92Fourth Division35353914971992–93Second Division3455030425Total6981031219112Doncaster Rovers1993–94Third Division31220413731994–95Third Division33910203691995–96Third Division10001010Total651130717512Mansfield Town1995–96Third Division29521203361996–97Third Division40220304521997–98Third Division46520405251998–99Third Division4562040516Total160188113018119Hull City1999–2000Third Division38450604942000–01Third Division2702020310Total6547080804Darlington2000–01Third Division17000001702001–02Third Division2310020251Total4010020421Career total5045431455359061

Honours Burnley Football League Fourth Division: 1991–92

References