Rumour: James Harper (talks with Wolves confirmed)

[Maguire]

He'd expected Harper to step up and lead this young side on and off the pitch.

He couldn't do it off the pitch.

Rodger's knows these kids leaders.

With all due respect to Harper, (without knowing the bloke) I suspect he's just a big kid himself.

Totally 'greed

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

Why would he base his team around Harps in any case? Unless they were all going to be doing "the crab"?

Well I guess that's what he realised

I don't think Harper's been playing well enough for a long time now, kudos to Rodgers for spotting this asap.

To be honest he never seems to have gotten over Sidwell leaving.

[Archie's penalty]

Floyd didn't throw any insults hth.

True dat.

[floyd__streete]

he's more the, MeNowMeNowWhereAmINowWhoAmIOhI'veJustShatMyself brigade

I don't get that.

I think that the poster was making an exagerrated reference to your age and inferring that you were suffering from alzheimers and incontinence; an act of word play on Terminal Boardom's original and (presumably) equally inaccurate description of you.

Floyd didn't throw any insults hth.

Quite right, you knock-kneed knackered old nose-bag.

[Royal Lady]

I nearly spit my coffee all over my keyboard!!!

[floyd__streete]

I nearly spit my coffee all over my keyboard!!!

FawLOLty ToweROFLs.

[papereyes]

Why would he base his team around Harps in any case? Unless they were all going to be doing "the crab"?

I want a gof of the brent dance, but with Harper's face superimposed.

[Royal Rother]

he's more the, MeNowMeNowWhereAmINowWhoAmIOhI'veJustShatMyself brigade

I don't get that.

I think that the poster was making an exagerrated reference to your age and inferring that you were suffering from alzheimers and incontinence; an act of word play on Terminal Boardom's original and (presumably) equally inaccurate description of you.

Ah I see. He's quite funny when he's sober that Leon...

[Ian Royal]

Why would he base his team around Harps in any case? Unless they were all going to be doing "the crab"?

Well I guess that's what he realised

I don't think Harper's been playing well enough for a long time now, kudos to Rodgers for spotting this asap.

To be honest he never seems to have gotten over Sidwell leaving.

Think he may have been really badly affected by being made captain given his comments about being "mugged off". I wouldn't be surprised if Rodgers was expecting him to take the lead, and put himself forward as a leader on the pitch. As well as making either the creative or defensive central role his own.

He should have been the ideal player to build a young team playing fairly high tempo, attacking, passing football around.

He certainly contributed to our near survival more than most in our relegation season. He was pretty much a regular last season during the majority of our good spell (pre-xmas) as well iirc.

[IMAMATEOFJOVSKY]

Ian Royal : Well I guess that's what he realised

I don't think Harper's been playing well enough for a long time now, kudos to Rodgers for spotting this asap.[/quote]

To be honest he never seems to have gotten over Sidwell leaving.[/quote]

Think he may have been really badly affected by being made captain given his comments about being "mugged off". I wouldn't be surprised if Rodgers was expecting him to take the lead, and put himself forward as a leader on the pitch. As well as making either the creative or defensive central role his own.

He should have been the ideal player to build a young team playing fairly high tempo, attacking, passing football around.

He certainly contributed to our near survival more than most in our relegation season. He was pretty much a regular last season during the majority of our good spell (pre-xmas) as well iirc.[/quote]

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I think that most were fooled by Harper - in a midfield with Sidwell, he was made to look good, but when he had to step up to the plate, he couldnt do it -

Since Sidwells departure, he has been average at best but a could do much better- the problem with Harper is that he thinks that he is better than he is , and he's been found out...well Kevin Blackwell certainly hasnt found out....yet!

I commend Rosgers for being clear from the outset that Harper wasn't in his plans - however Coppell didnt see what Rodgers did, stayedf far too loyal for far too long, even giving the bloke the captaincy..and look what happened there

The good thing is that with him moving on - this debate can be killed....although I will look with interest to see what Blades fans say!

[Archie's penalty]

I disagree. Think Harps was one of the only players who fought during the relegation season. 6 goals from Midfield is great for
a relegation threatened team.

Probs not the worst idea to move him on though - 9 years is long enough at one club.

Sad to see him go though

[IMAMATEOFJOVSKY]

I disagree. Think Harps was one of the only players who fought during the relegation season. 6 goals from Midfield is great for
a relegation threatened team.

Probs not the worst idea to move him on though - 9 years is long enough at one club.

Sad to see him go though

Maybe during the relegation season but what about all the others ???

[Thaumagurist*]

I disagree. Think Harps was one of the only players who fought during the relegation season. 6 goals from Midfield is great for
a relegation threatened team.

Probs not the worst idea to move him on though - 9 years is long enough at one club.

Sad to see him go though

Maybe during the relegation season but what about all the others ???

He was very good in 2002/3. He was player of the year then!

[IMAMATEOFJOVSKY]

Wizard : He was very good in 2002/3. He was player of the year then!

Yes ties in with Sidwell arriving - funny that !

[KC Royal]

I would venture to suggest that he didn't start Harps enough to be able to see whether it worked or not.

Also doesnt help when he had a groin injury and wasn't completely match fit (am only guessing on that one having not seen him play in the last 2 months) for a lot of the time...

Think he may have been really badly affected by being made captain given his comments about being "mugged off". I wouldn't be surprised if Rodgers was expecting him to take the lead, and put himself forward as a leader on the pitch. As well as making either the creative or defensive central role his own.

He should have been the ideal player to build a young team playing fairly high tempo, attacking, passing football around.

He certainly contributed to our near survival more than most in our relegation season. He was pretty much a regular last season during the majority of our good spell (pre-xmas) as well iirc.

Interesting..always got the impression that the captaincy put too much pressure on his own game myself.

Agree with the last two paragraphs too, i was a Harper fan myself btw, though i would say i appreciated his work more in the flesh then i ever did on tv on the whole.

[Royal Rother]

Wizard : He was very good in 2002/3. He was player of the year then!

Yes ties in with Sidwell arriving - funny that !

Do you need a lesson in the using the Quote facility?

[Pseud O'Nym]

Wizard : He was very good in 2002/3. He was player of the year then!

Yes ties in with Sidwell arriving - funny that !

Do you need a lesson in the using the Quote facility?

I think the hat confused him.

Or maybe he mistook you for Roy Wood?

[Ian Royal]

I disagree. Think Harps was one of the only players who fought during the relegation season. 6 goals from Midfield is great for
a relegation threatened team.

Probs not the worst idea to move him on though - 9 years is long enough at one club.

Sad to see him go though

Maybe during the relegation season but what about all the others ???

He consistently chipped in with a few goals each season, as generally the less attacking midfielder that's not bad. Hughes was the attacking one in the three, and Sidwell was always more of a goal threat. Even so iirc he always got a couple if not 4/5.

EDIT: 08/09 - 1, 07/08 - 6, 06/07 - 3, 05/06 - 7, 04/05 - 3, 03/04 - 2, 02/03 - 1, 01/02 - 1,
00/01 - 1

26 goals in 314 (34) appearances that's a goal every 12 starts, compared to say
Parkinson 24 goals in 391 (33) which is 1 goal every 16 starts.
Gooding 30 goals in 356 (12) which is 1 goal every 11 starts.

Not too shabby for a player who has rarely been the attacking member of midfield.

[Alivey]

a great representative of the club and a proper reading legend.he seemed to have lost it towards the end but can be easily forgiven for all he has given us. a top bloke and great character, massive respect. his leaving really has ushered in a new reading fc beginning. for years it felt like we were stuck with more or less the same squad, but so much of the old crew leaving and fresh signings and faces coming in, it is nearly unrecognisable. it's sad, but also fills me with hope. though it really feels like it is the end of an unforgettable era for reading fc.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

Off the top of my head he was quality both promotion seasons, the 1st season in the Championship under Pardew and the 1st in the Premiership.

Even durring the drop the season, he, unlike some other players, never hid, always wanted the ball. Sure he was shite, but I still think there were players who went missing that season.