Chris Hope (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Christopher Jonathan Hope (born 14 November 1972 in Sheffield
) is an English
professional footballer
who plays for Corby Town
. Hope made over 500 appearances in the Football League
for Scunthorpe United
and Gillingham
between 1993 and 2006.
in 1989 and then joined Nottingham Forest
at the beginning of the 1990–91 season. He did not make a first team appearance for either club and joined Scunthorpe United
for £50,000 at the beginning of the 1993–94 season. Hope was an integral part of the side at Glanford Park
and made 333 appearances (288 in the league) for Scunthorpe in seven seasons. A steady influence at the back, Hope made 177 successive appearances without missing a game.
In July 2000, Hope joined Gillingham
for a transfer fee of £250,000, signing a four year contract. Hope made his debut in the club's first ever game in the First Division
, a 3–1 home defeat to Stockport County
, in August 2000, made 145 consecutive appearances and was rewarded with a new three-year contract in March 2003. He went on to play in 176 successive games before finally missing a game through suspension. Following the departure of ex-club captain Paul Smith
, Hope was appointed the club captain for the Gills for their first season back in League One
in the 2005–06 season. He missed much of the 2005–06 season due to injury, and was released by manager Ronnie Jepson
at the end of the season having made over 250 league and cup appearances for Gillingham since joining from Scunthorpe.
Hope signed a two-year deal with Conference National
club Rushden & Diamonds
in July 2006. Rushden manager Paul Hart
described him as "... a gutsy battler who shows great leadership, his integrity and honesty is a terrific example, and he is the perfect role model for our younger players. His experience will be of great benefit", and named him team captain for the 2006–07 season. He was released by Rushden & Diamonds at the end of the 2007–08 season owing to financial constraints, and turned down a move to Dover Athletic
, managed by former Gillingham team-mate Andy Hessenthaler
, as he was unable to relocate to Kent
.
He joined Conference North
club Corby Town
in June 2009 for the 2009–10 season.
Hope joined evo stick division one central side St Neots F.C. in the summer 2011
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
) is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
professional footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who plays for Corby Town
Corby Town F.C.
Corby Town F.C. is an English football club based in Corby, Northamptonshire. They will be members of the Conference North for the 2011–12 season. The Steelmen play their home games at the newly built Steel Park, adjacent to their previous ground, Rockingham Triangle Sports Stadium, which is...
. Hope made over 500 appearances in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
for 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....
and Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
between 1993 and 2006.
Career
Hope began his career as a trainee with DarlingtonDarlington F.C.
Darlington Football Club is a professional association football club based in Darlington, County Durham, currently playing in the Conference National. The club was founded in 1883, and originally played its games at Feethams, before moving to the Darlington Arena in 2003...
in 1989 and then joined Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
at the beginning of the 1990–91 season. He did not make a first team appearance for either club and joined 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....
for £50,000 at the beginning of the 1993–94 season. Hope was an integral part of the side 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 ....
and made 333 appearances (288 in the league) for Scunthorpe in seven seasons. A steady influence at the back, Hope made 177 successive appearances without missing a game.
In July 2000, Hope joined Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
for a transfer fee of £250,000, signing a four year contract. Hope made his debut in the club's first ever game in the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
, a 3–1 home defeat to Stockport County
Stockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
, in August 2000, made 145 consecutive appearances and was rewarded with a new three-year contract in March 2003. He went on to play in 176 successive games before finally missing a game through suspension. Following the departure of ex-club captain Paul Smith
Paul Smith (footballer born 1971)
Paul William Smith is an English professional footballer.Smith was born in East Ham, London and began his career as a trainee with Southend United, turning professional in 1990...
, Hope was appointed the club captain for the Gills for their first season back 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....
in the 2005–06 season. He missed much of the 2005–06 season due to injury, and was released by manager Ronnie Jepson
Ronnie Jepson
Ronald Francis "Ronnie" Jepson is an English former footballer and manager, now working as development coach at Queens Park Rangers....
at the end of the season having made over 250 league and cup appearances for Gillingham since joining from Scunthorpe.
Hope signed a two-year deal with 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...
club Rushden & Diamonds
Rushden & Diamonds F.C.
Rushden & Diamonds Football Club was an association football club based in Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire, England. Formed by a merger of Rushden Town and Irthlingborough Diamonds in 1992, the club played in the Conference National following a short spell in the Football League at the start of...
in July 2006. Rushden manager Paul Hart
Paul Hart
Paul Hart is an English football manager and former football defender, who is currently Academy Director at Charlton Athletic. The son of Johnny Hart, a football inside forward and manager, Hart had five-year spells with both Blackpool and Leeds United, while also playing for Nottingham Forest and...
described him as "... a gutsy battler who shows great leadership, his integrity and honesty is a terrific example, and he is the perfect role model for our younger players. His experience will be of great benefit", and named him team captain for the 2006–07 season. He was released by Rushden & Diamonds at the end of the 2007–08 season owing to financial constraints, and turned down a move to Dover Athletic
Dover Athletic F.C.
Dover Athletic Football Club is an association football team based in the town of Dover, Kent, England. The club was formed in 1983 after the dissolution of the town's previous club, Dover, whose place in the Southern League was taken by the new club...
, managed by former Gillingham team-mate Andy Hessenthaler
Andy Hessenthaler
Andrew "Andy" Hessenthaler is an English football manager and former player, currently in his second spell as manager of Gillingham. Hessenthaler began his career in non-league football and did not turn professional until he joined Watford at the age of 26...
, as he was unable to relocate to Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
.
He joined Conference North
Conference North
The Conference North also known as Blue Square Bet North for sponsorship reasons, is a division of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National. Along with Conference South it is at Step 2 of the National League System and the sixth overall tier of...
club Corby Town
Corby Town F.C.
Corby Town F.C. is an English football club based in Corby, Northamptonshire. They will be members of the Conference North for the 2011–12 season. The Steelmen play their home games at the newly built Steel Park, adjacent to their previous ground, Rockingham Triangle Sports Stadium, which is...
in June 2009 for the 2009–10 season.
Hope joined evo stick division one central side St Neots F.C. in the summer 2011
Playing statistics
(to end of 2008–09 season)| Club | Seasons | League Apps (goals) |
FA Cup Apps (goals) |
League Cup Apps (goals) |
Other Apps (goals) |
Total Apps (goals) |
| Darlington Darlington F.C. Darlington Football Club is a professional association football club based in Darlington, County Durham, currently playing in the Conference National. The club was founded in 1883, and originally played its games at Feethams, before moving to the Darlington Arena in 2003... |
1989–90 | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Nottingham Forest Nottingham Forest F.C. Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship... |
1990–93 | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| 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.... |
1993–00 | 288 (19) | 18 (1) | 14 (0) | 13 (0) | 333 (20) |
| Gillingham Gillingham F.C. Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium... |
2000–06 | 236 (13) | 12 (2) | 16 (0) | 0 (0) | 264 (15) |
| Rushden & Diamonds Rushden & Diamonds F.C. Rushden & Diamonds Football Club was an association football club based in Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire, England. Formed by a merger of Rushden Town and Irthlingborough Diamonds in 1992, the club played in the Conference National following a short spell in the Football League at the start of... |
2006–09 | 128 (10) | 4 (1) | 0 (0) | 3 (0) | 135 (11) |