David Hopkin

Position	Right midfielder
Born	21 Aug 1970, Greenock (Scotland)
Height	175 cm
Weight	70 kg
International Caps	Scotland: 7 full, 1 B

Club	From	To	Apps	Goals	Sold for
Greenock Morton	07 Jul 1989	25 Sep 1992	52	7	£300000
Chelsea	25 Sep 1992	29 Jul 1995	46	1	£850000
Crystal Palace	29 Jul 1995	23 Jul 1997	96	29	£3250000
Leeds United	23 Jul 1997	07 Jul 2000	93	6	£2500000
Bradford City	07 Jul 2000	15 Mar 2001	16	0	£1500000
Crystal Palace	15 Mar 2001	27 Aug 2002	31	4	£0
Greenock Morton	27 Aug 2002

Leeds Career	League		FA Cup		League Cup		Europe		Other
Season	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1997 - 1998	22(3)	1	1		4		0		0
1998 - 1999	32(2)	4	5		2		4		0
1999 - 2000	10(4)	1	0		1		2(1)		0
Total	64(9)	6	6		7		6(1)		0

Jabba's Comments

He was probably the ugliest player in the Premier League before Luke Chadwick came on the scene (certainly the one with the largest ears - and I should know!), David Hopkin was a key part of Leeds hopes and plans for the future under George Graham. As he proved in the play-off final for Palace, he knows how to find the goal as well as being a dominating force in the middle of the park. We were expecting a lot from our latest ginger-haired Scots midfielder.

With strong competition for the midfield places (and with GG occasionally playing tactics that completely bypass the middle of the park), Hopkin did not figured as strongly as he would have hoped in 97-98 season, missing a couple of games through illness and suspension and being subbed before the end quite a bit.

In 98-99, he became a regular in the starting line-up, but there was still stiff competition for places and continued speculation about signings. His scoring record dropped off a bit: he had an excellent rate at Palace, but was a lot less prolific for Leeds.

Under David O'Leary, he was in and out of the midfield at the start of the 1999-2000 season before an operation which kept him out for nearly two months. The fact that he could barely make it onto the bench when he returned - even with no David Batty around - marked his card, and after talk about a move away from Elland Road in the summer he went to Bradford. Injury ravaged his time at Valley Parade, and he returned to London to help keep Palace in Division 1 where he has come back to something of his old self - albeit in a lower division. At the start of the 2002 season, he was released by Palace and returned to Morton on a free transfer.

Brian D says: When Hoppy was playing for the Mighty Morton at Clydebank, the keeper made a good diving save touching the ball onto the bar before he fell to the ground. As the keeper lay there Hoppy headed the rebound (as per the manual) down - straight to the grateful keeper. I then declared (or words to that effect ) he would never make it. I am glad I had to eat my words - the boy done good.

Anon says: Now owns the Gift Box Newsagents in Greenock and does a bit of Boys Club coaching.

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