- Birthdate: 10 February 1964
- Birthplace: Bristol, England
- Other clubs: Mangotsfield United, Bristol City (1983-85), Wrexham (1985), Leicester City (loan 1990), Newcastle United (1993-96), Sunderland (loan 1995)
- Signed from: Wrexham
- Signed for LFC: £40,000, 24.10.1985
- Liverpool debut: 16.08.1986
- Last appearance: 01.05.1993
- Contract expiry: 21.09.1993
- Win ratio: 42.47% W:31 D:19 L:23
- Total games/goals opposite LFC: 1 / 0
- League games / goals / assists: 51 / 0 / 0
- Total games / goals / assists: 73 / 0 / 0
- League clean sheets: 17
- Total clean sheets: 23
Player Profile
After impressing with fourth division Wrexham, as well as receiving a degree in English Literature at Swansea University, Hooper joined Liverpool in 1985 as a reserve to Bruce Grobbelaar who hadn't missed a game for four years. Ten months later in the Charity Shield at Wembley against Everton Grobbelaar got injured and Hooper made eight appearances in his absence. Hooper's longest spell in goal was for 25 consecutive games from September 1988 until January 1989. Hooper had initially come into the side as Grobbelaar had meningitis but when he was ready again in November, Dalglish was happy enough to keep Hooper in goal until shaky performances resulted in him losing his place. Souness preferred him as well to Grobbelaar and James from November to January in the 1992/93 season, adding 15 games to his tally. Hooper was an able understudy although not competent enough to become Liverpool's first-choice 'keeper for good. Hooper signed for Kevin Keegan's Newcastle in September 1993, after being on bench duty at Liverpool for eight solid months, and suffered a similar fate at the Magpies as inconsistency crept in when given a proper chance. Hooper dropped out of the game for good in the summer of 1996 at only 32. He has since had various jobs, including as a nightclub bouncer and courier.
A little known fact about Hooper is that he is a bird enthusiast as noted by Paul Lake in his autobiography "I'm Not Really Here". "Lilleshall's vast gardens were a haven for wildlife - rabbits, foxes and badgers were a frequent sight but it was our feathered friends that held the biggest novelty value for me," Lake wrote. "I was used to the occasional tweeting sparrow or screeching starling in Manchester, but never had heard anything remotely like the stereophonic Shropshire birdsong that greeted me every morning. Mike Hooper, the Liverpool goalkeeper and fellow Lilleshall inmate, was a keen birdwatcher who never tired of reminding us that we were in a twitcher's paradise. Whenever he heard an unusual chirrup he would stop in his tracks, even if it was slap-bang in a middle of a training session. 'Sshhhh, that's a lesser-crested house-warbler' he'd say with a whisper, cupping his ears to listen as the ball flew past him into the top corner. 'Yeah, and there's a great tit between the posts,' was one memorable riposte."
Appearances per season
A more detailed look at the player's appearances
Apps |
Minutes |
Opponent |
8 |
720 |
Arsenal |
5 |
393 |
Everton |
4 |
360 |
Coventry City |
3 |
300 |
Crystal Palace |
3 |
270 |
West Ham United |
3 |
270 |
QPR |
3 |
270 |
Southampton |
3 |
270 |
Stoke City |
3 |
270 |
Manchester United |
2 |
180 |
Aston Villa |
2 |
180 |
Charlton Athletic |
2 |
180 |
Middlesbrough |
2 |
180 |
Derby |
2 |
180 |
Luton Town |
2 |
180 |
Manchester City |
2 |
180 |
Newcastle United |
2 |
180 |
Walsall |
2 |
180 |
Sheffield Wednesday |
2 |
180 |
Nottingham Forest |
2 |
180 |
Bolton Wanderers |
2 |
180 |
Genoa |
2 |
120 |
Norwich City |
1 |
90 |
Blackburn Rovers |
1 |
90 |
Chelsea |
1 |
90 |
Sunderland |
1 |
90 |
Leeds United |
1 |
90 |
Carlisle United |
1 |
90 |
Wimbledon |
1 |
90 |
Millwall |
1 |
90 |
Spartak Moscow |
1 |
90 |
Kuusysi Lahti |
1 |
90 |
Leicester City |
1 |
90 |
Watford |
1 |
90 |
Sheffield United |
Total |
Started/substitutions |
71 |
Started |
36 |
On the bench |
2 |
Substitute |
0 |
Substituted |
Total |
Venue |
38 |
Away |
33 |
Home |
2 |
Neutral |
Milestone Appearances
# |
Date |
Against |
Stadium |
Competition |
1 |
16.08.1986 |
Everton |
Wembley |
Other |
50 |
18.09.1991 |
Kuusysi Lahti |
Anfield |
Europe |
Related Articles
Match report from 21.11.1993 on Newcastle - Liverpool from British Soccer Week.
Related Quotes
"Lilleshall's vast gardens were a haven for wildlife - rabbits, foxes and badgers were a frequent sight but it was our feathered friends that held the biggest novelty value for me. I was used to the occasional tweeting sparrow or screeching starling in Manchester, but never had heard anything remotely like the stereophonic Shropshire birdsong that greeted me every morning. Mike Hooper, the Liverpool goalkeeper and fellow Lilleshall inmate, was a keen birdwatcher who never tired of reminding us that we were in a twitcher's paradise. Whenever he heard an unusual chirrup he would stop in his tracks, even if it was slap-bang in a middle of a training session. 'Sshhhh, that's a lesser-crested house-warbler' he'd say with a whisper, cupping his ears to listen as the ball flew past him into the top corner. 'Yeah, and there's a great tit between the posts,' was one memorable riposte."
Paul Lake in his autobiography: "I'm Not Really Here" on Mike Hooper
Scrapbook
Alan Hansen on Mike Hooper in 1986
In profile in LFC match programme 1989
Playing the best football of my life
Second hands - LFC Official Matchday Magazine
Other Clubs
Club |
Season |
Club rank |
League apps |
League goals |
Total apps |
Total goals |
Mangotsfield United |
|
Western League |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Bristol City |
1984-1985 |
England Third Division |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
Wrexham |
1984-1985 |
England Fourth Division |
20 |
0 |
20 |
0 |
Wrexham |
1985-1986 |
England Fourth Division |
14 |
0 |
17 |
0 |
Leicester City |
1990-1991 |
England Second Division |
14 |
0 |
15 |
0 |
Newcastle United |
1993-1994 |
England Premier League |
19 |
0 |
22 |
0 |
Newcastle United |
1994-1995 |
England Premier League |
6 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
Sunderland |
1994-1995 |
England First Division |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Newcastle United |
1995-1996 |
England Premier League |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Total |
74 |
0 |
81 |
0 |