Mark Hooper
Encyclopedia
Mark Hooper was a professional footballer who played for Darlington F.C.
, Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
and briefly with Rotherham United
in a 16 year career which lasted from 1923 to 1939 although he appeared in 1945 in a few games after World War II
. In total he played 500 League games (550 including cup games) in that time, scoring 168 League goals with 11 more in the FA Cup
. Hooper was a diminutive Right Winger who was only 5 ft 6 in (1.67 m) tall, weighed under 10 stone (64 kg) and wearing only size 4 boots.
on 14 July 1901 into a footballing family; his brother Bill had an eight year long professional career while other brothers Chas and Danny had brief periods in the paid ranks. His uncle Charlie Roberts
captained Manchester United
and England
while his sisters Sarah and Betty were members of the Darlington Quaker Ladies team. His father worked in the local rolling mill. Hooper was brought up in the Rise Carr
area of Darlington, he was initially a goalkeeper
but switched to an outfield position after being told he was too small to be an effective keeper.
reaching the FA Amateur Cup
semi-final in the 1922–23 season where they lost to Evesham Town
4–2.
Championship in the 1924–25 season to put Darlington in the Second Division
for the first time in their history. Mark Hooper scored 11 goals from the right wing during that promotion campaign and bettered it with 18 the following year in Division Two. On 27 March 1926 of that season Darlington beat Second Division Champions elect Sheffield Wednesday 5–1 at Feethams
with Mark Hooper having an exceptional match, a performance which undoubtedly influenced the future direction of his career.
The following season Darlington struggled in Division Two and would eventually be relegated at the end of the season. The Darlington directors decided to change the team mid-way through the campaign and sell Mark Hooper to Sheffield Wednesday and use the money to purchase Jimmy Waugh, a defender, from Sheffield United
. Darlington directors met Sheffield Wednesday officials in York
on Friday 21 January 1927 and the deal was done, with Hooper signing for Wednesday for a fee of £1,950. Darlington then added £50 to the fee and promptly signed Waugh for £2,000 to bolster their defence. Hooper knew nothing of this and had to be summoned from a night out at the cinema to be told that he had been sold to Sheffield Wednesday.
at Hillsborough
. He played 15 games in the remainder of that season scoring two goals. The following season he netted 22 goals for Wednesday (a record at the time for a winger) as he finished as top scorer and played a vital part in Wednesday’s “Great Escape” season of 1927–28. Towards the end of that season he was joined at the club by left winger Ellis Rimmer
and the pair were feted as one of the best pair of extreme wingers in the game. Another accolade often aimed at Hooper in his time at Wednesday was that he was “the best uncapped winger in the country”, during his best years he was kept out of the England
side by Derby County
’s fine right winger Sammy Crooks
.
Hooper was a consistent performer and remained injury free for much of his career. Between April 1928 and April 1932 he amassed 189 consecutive League and Cup matches for Sheffield Wednesday to create a new record for the club. This record stood for 55 years, until February 1987 when it was beaten by Martin Hodge
. In the 1928–29 and 1929–30 seasons Hooper was an ever present as Wednesday lifted back to back Division One championships. In 1933–34 he was joint top scorer with 13 goals along with Neil Dewar
and Harry Burgess
as Wednesday finished outside of the top three in Division One for the first time in five seasons. In 1935 he won a FA Cup winners medal as Wednesday beat West Bromwich Albion
4–2 in the final. Hooper scored the second goal for the Owls with a shot that went in off the post.
Hooper lost his place in the Wednesday team after suffering relegation from the top division in 1937. A knee injury led to a cartilage
operation in May 1937 and he only made eight appearances in 1937–38 and none the following season as he became player-coach of the A team. His last game for the first team was on 7 May 1938 against Spurs
. Mark Hooper left Wednesday to join Rotherham United in May 1939 just before the outbreak of World War II
, he amassed a total of 423 games for Sheffield Wednesday in all competitions and is tenth on the all time list of appearances. He scored 136 goals and is fifth on the all time list of goalscorers for the club.
and confectionery
shop on Middlewood Road, just 200 metres from the Sheffield Wednesday ground in the early 1930s whilst still a Wednesday player. He kept the shop going throughout his coaching time with Rotherham and it remained open until the 1970s. Mark Hooper died on 9 March 1974 in Sheffield, aged 72.
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...
, Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
and briefly with 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...
in a 16 year career which lasted from 1923 to 1939 although he appeared in 1945 in a few games after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In total he played 500 League games (550 including cup games) in that time, scoring 168 League goals with 11 more in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
. Hooper was a diminutive Right Winger who was only 5 ft 6 in (1.67 m) tall, weighed under 10 stone (64 kg) and wearing only size 4 boots.
Family
Mark Hooper was born in DarlingtonDarlington
Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, part of the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It lies on the small River Skerne, a tributary of the River Tees, not far from the main river. It is the main population centre in the borough, with a population of 97,838 as of 2001...
on 14 July 1901 into a footballing family; his brother Bill had an eight year long professional career while other brothers Chas and Danny had brief periods in the paid ranks. His uncle Charlie Roberts
Charlie Roberts
Charles "Charlie" Roberts was an English footballer.-Playing career:Born in Darlington, Roberts started his football career with Bishop Auckland, but soon moved to Grimsby Town....
captained Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
and England
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...
while his sisters Sarah and Betty were members of the Darlington Quaker Ladies team. His father worked in the local rolling mill. Hooper was brought up in the Rise Carr
Rise Carr
Rise Carr is a place in County Durham, in England. It is situated to the north of the centre of Darlington....
area of Darlington, he was initially a goalkeeper
Goalkeeper (football)
In association football, the goalkeeper occupies a position that represents the last line of defence between the opponent's offence and his own team's goal. The primary role of the goalkeeper is to defend his team's goal and prevent the opposition from scoring a goal...
but switched to an outfield position after being told he was too small to be an effective keeper.
Playing career
Hooper played as an amateur for CockfieldCockfield F.C.
Cockfield Football Club was an association football team from the village of Cockfield, County Durham in the north of England which was dubbed the "Village Wonder Team" in the 1920s after achieving success in the national FA Amateur Cup. The club's fortunes later declined significantly and it...
reaching the FA Amateur Cup
FA Amateur Cup
The FA Amateur Cup was an English football competition for amateur clubs. It commenced in 1893 and ended in 1974 when The Football Association abolished official amateur status.-History:...
semi-final in the 1922–23 season where they lost to Evesham Town
Evesham United F.C.
Evesham United F.C. are an English football club based in Evesham, Worcestershire. They reached the First Round Proper of the FA Cup for the first time in the 2008-2009 season. In 2005, they entered the Southern League Premier Division for the first time in their history but were relegated after...
4–2.
Darlington
He signed professionally for local club Darlington for the 1923–24 season, joining his brother Bill, who was already a Quakers player. The pair were key members of the team which won the Third Division NorthFootball League Third Division North
The Third Division North of The Football League was a tier in the English association football league system from 1921 to 1958. It ran parallel to Third Division South with clubs elected to the League or relegated from a higher division allocated to one or the other according to geographical position...
Championship in the 1924–25 season to put Darlington in the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
for the first time in their history. Mark Hooper scored 11 goals from the right wing during that promotion campaign and bettered it with 18 the following year in Division Two. On 27 March 1926 of that season Darlington beat Second Division Champions elect Sheffield Wednesday 5–1 at Feethams
Feethams
Feethams is a cricket ground and the former home of Darlington F.C. for 120 years, from 1883 to 2003, until the club moved into a new stadium on the outskirts of Darlington.- History :...
with Mark Hooper having an exceptional match, a performance which undoubtedly influenced the future direction of his career.
The following season Darlington struggled in Division Two and would eventually be relegated at the end of the season. The Darlington directors decided to change the team mid-way through the campaign and sell Mark Hooper to Sheffield Wednesday and use the money to purchase Jimmy Waugh, a defender, from Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
. Darlington directors met Sheffield Wednesday officials in York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
on Friday 21 January 1927 and the deal was done, with Hooper signing for Wednesday for a fee of £1,950. Darlington then added £50 to the fee and promptly signed Waugh for £2,000 to bolster their defence. Hooper knew nothing of this and had to be summoned from a night out at the cinema to be told that he had been sold to Sheffield Wednesday.
Sheffield Wednesday
Hooper made his Sheffield Wednesday debut the following day on 22 January 1927 in a 2–2 draw with Leicester CityLeicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
at Hillsborough
Hillsborough Stadium
Hillsborough Stadium is the home of Sheffield Wednesday football club, Sheffield, England. Football has been played at the ground since it was opened on 2 September 1899, when Wednesday moved from their original ground at Olive Grove. Today it is a 39,812 capacity all-seater stadium, making it the...
. He played 15 games in the remainder of that season scoring two goals. The following season he netted 22 goals for Wednesday (a record at the time for a winger) as he finished as top scorer and played a vital part in Wednesday’s “Great Escape” season of 1927–28. Towards the end of that season he was joined at the club by left winger Ellis Rimmer
Ellis Rimmer
Ellis Rimmer was a former professional footballer who played for Tranmere Rovers, Sheffield Wednesday and Ipswich Town. He was a left winger who was quite tall and scored his fair share of headed goals...
and the pair were feted as one of the best pair of extreme wingers in the game. Another accolade often aimed at Hooper in his time at Wednesday was that he was “the best uncapped winger in the country”, during his best years he was kept out of the England
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...
side by 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...
’s fine right winger Sammy Crooks
Sammy Crooks
Samuel "Sammy" Dickinson Crooks was an English footballer who played as outside forwardoutside-right for Derby County in the mid-war era. He was one of the best-known footballers of the 1920s and 1930s and was capped 26 times by England.-Early life:He was one of a family of 17 children...
.
Hooper was a consistent performer and remained injury free for much of his career. Between April 1928 and April 1932 he amassed 189 consecutive League and Cup matches for Sheffield Wednesday to create a new record for the club. This record stood for 55 years, until February 1987 when it was beaten by Martin Hodge
Martin Hodge
Martin Hodge is an English former professional football player. He played as a goalkeeper for Plymouth Argyle, Everton, Sheffield Wednesday, Leicester City, Hartlepool United and Rochdale. His career lasted from 1977 to 1996 during which time he played 602 league and cup matches.-Football...
. In the 1928–29 and 1929–30 seasons Hooper was an ever present as Wednesday lifted back to back Division One championships. In 1933–34 he was joint top scorer with 13 goals along with Neil Dewar
Neil Dewar
Neil Hamilton Dewar was a Scottish footballer who played for Third Lanark, Manchester United, Sheffield Wednesday and the Scotland national team. He usually played as a forward and had a prolific goal scoring record....
and Harry Burgess
Harry Burgess (footballer)
Harry Burgess was an English footballer who played at Inside-left for Stockport County, Sheffield Wednesday where he won the league championship in 1929–30, and Chelsea...
as Wednesday finished outside of the top three in Division One for the first time in five seasons. In 1935 he won a FA Cup winners medal as Wednesday beat West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
4–2 in the final. Hooper scored the second goal for the Owls with a shot that went in off the post.
Hooper lost his place in the Wednesday team after suffering relegation from the top division in 1937. A knee injury led to a cartilage
Cartilage
Cartilage is a flexible connective tissue found in many areas in the bodies of humans and other animals, including the joints between bones, the rib cage, the ear, the nose, the elbow, the knee, the ankle, the bronchial tubes and the intervertebral discs...
operation in May 1937 and he only made eight appearances in 1937–38 and none the following season as he became player-coach of the A team. His last game for the first team was on 7 May 1938 against Spurs
Tottenham 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....
. Mark Hooper left Wednesday to join Rotherham United in May 1939 just before the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he amassed a total of 423 games for Sheffield Wednesday in all competitions and is tenth on the all time list of appearances. He scored 136 goals and is fifth on the all time list of goalscorers for the club.
Rotherham United
Hooper joined Rotherham as a player-coach at the age of 37, none of his three league appearances for the club in the 1939-40 campaign have been officially recorded as the season was abandoned with the outbreak of the war. He did return after the war and play three FA Cup matches for the club as Rotherham reached the 4th round before losing to Barnsley in January 1946. He remained at Rotherham until 1958 as a coach.After football
Mark Hooper opened a tobacconistTobacconist
A tobacconist is an expert dealer in tobacco in various forms and the related accoutrements .Such accoutrements include pipes, lighters, matches, pipe cleaners, pipe tampers, ashtrays, humidification devices, hygrometers, humidors, cigar cutters, and more. Books and magazines, especially ones...
and confectionery
Confectionery
Confectionery is the set of food items that are rich in sugar, any one or type of which is called a confection. Modern usage may include substances rich in artificial sweeteners as well...
shop on Middlewood Road, just 200 metres from the Sheffield Wednesday ground in the early 1930s whilst still a Wednesday player. He kept the shop going throughout his coaching time with Rotherham and it remained open until the 1970s. Mark Hooper died on 9 March 1974 in Sheffield, aged 72.