TONY  HOPPER

Height  5'11"

Weight  11 7lbs

Midfielder (can play central or right defender)

Tony was born in Carlisle on the 31st of May 1976 and signed for Carlisle as a trainee on the 18th of July 1994.   By the then he had already had a taste of senior football, at the age of 16 as a first year YTS he played a full senior game for Carlisle. He played a full game on the 8th of May 1993, aged only 16,  away at Scarborough, Delap also making a debut as a sub that day.  The game ended in a 2-2 draw with Proudlock and Arnold scoring for United. 

 His next league appearance came at home on a Tuesday night against Chesterfield on the 4th of April 1995 when he was introduced late in the game, which ended in a 1-1 draw.  The following Saturday,  against Gillingham at home, Tony again came on with 20 minutes to go in the 2-0 win. On the 15th of April he played his first full game. The away game at Bury ended in a 2-0 defeat. Two days on Easter Monday, Hopper again came on with 20 minutes to go in the 1-0 home defeat against Hartlepool.  He wasn't picked for the next game, Colchester away on the 29th of April, the 1-0 win that clinched the 3rd division title.  Tony played the full 90 minutes against Chesterfield away on the 2nd of May, a 2-1 win, his last appearance of the season.

Injuries meant that Tony  played little part in the 95/96 season. His two starts being away at York on the 9th of March, a 1-1 draw and the home game against Shrewsbury on the 16th of March, another 1-1 draw. This time Hopper was replaced by Thorpe with 20 minutes to go.

Hoppers first start of the 96/97 season was not until the 9th of November, at Northampton. His first match since an operation for a groin injury. Ian Atkins side, which included Lee Maddison proved strong opposition.  Carlisle  managed a 1-1 draw despite Stevie Hayward being sent off with 10 minutes to go.  Hopper played in the next 4 league games but picked up a knock in the second round of the FA Cup against  Darlington on the 7th of December which kept him out of the side until the beginning of February. He came on from the bench in the home match against Northampton on the 1st of February, which secured a 2-1 win. Tony started in the home win  against Scarborough (1-0) on the 11th of February but was back on the bench for the next game, against Brighton, another win, this time 2-1. After missing the next two games Hopper was back in the starting line up on the 1st of March, a very hard fought 1-0 win against John Beck's  Lincoln. Until the end of the season Tony had to fight hard for a place  in Carlisle's  promotion chasing side. Against Doncaster at home on the 29th of March, Tony picked up his first yellow card of the season in a dire 0-0 draw.  The next match was away at  Leyton Orient two days later.. United had the chance of going top of the division.  Just before half time Pounewatchy went on one of his impressive (but very rare) forward runs. His powerful shot rebounded off the inside of the post for  Hopper to score his first senior goal, despite this Carlisle lost the game 2-1. Tony's only other booking came in the 0-0 away draw against Mansfield on the 11th of April.

Hopper made his first league start to the97/98 season, coming off the the bench for Couzens in the 66th minute in the game away at Bournemouth on the 22nd of November. This game ended in a 3-2 defeat for United, but was notable for the goal scored by Billy Barr in the first half.. What appeared to be just a hopeful forward ball from 35 yards out beat everyone including the keeper, a very embarrassed Jimmy Glass.  Tony made his first start against Oldham away on the 2nd of December, playing a full game in the 3-1 defeat. Just 7 days later Oldham were again the opponents, this time at home in the first round of the AWS shield. A win for Carlisle in a 99th minute golden goal scored by McAlindon.  Tony  played the next two games, wins against  Fulham at home and Grimsby away. In the boxing day fixture against Blackpool at home he picked up a yellow card in a hard game. For the next match, Wigan away on the 28th of December he was on the bench but came on in the 75th minute to make  some crucial tackles that preserved United's 2-0 scoreline.  Tony next appeared on the 2nd of February away at Plymouth. Carlisle, by now deep in relegation trouble were trying to avoid the drop from division 2, despite having lost the services of Matt Jansen and Rory Delap, the game ended in defeat.  An ever present in the side until the end of the season, United were unable to avoid the drop, despite a brief rally in a superb 3-0 win at Preston.  Tony worst moment of the season came on Easter Monday, the 13th of April. United played Fulham away and were soundly beaten by half time with two goals by  Peschisolido. After the break Peschisolido went on to get his hat trick before leaving the field. Worse was to come when in the 72nd minute Hopper was adjudged to have brought down Moody in the box. Hopper was ordered off, Fulham scored from the penalty and ended the match as 5-0 winners.

The 98/99 season saw United  continue the struggle they had left the year before, this time league status was at stake. In a desperately hard year many felt that Hopper and Prokas playing the same blocking role in midfield made forward options limited.  Tony started his league campaign on the 12th of September away at Mansfield, coming off  the bench for Kubicki in the 88th minute.  His only other appearance in September was away at Shrewsbury (1-1) on the 26th when he came on for Anthony in the 68th minute.  Hoppers first full game of the season came at Torquay in a  hard fought 2-2 draw on the 17th of October. Three days later, on the Tuesday night,  brought one of United's  best performances of the season, with a gutsy 1-0 win over Peterborough at London Road.  Hopper played well despite picking up a yellow card, he was taken off for Thorpe in the 83rd minute.   Tony's next league game  was against  promotion chasing Rotherham, at home on the 21st of November. The game started with  Junior Mendes and Paul McGregor looking lively and it seemed likely both side would score goals, however it was not to be. McGregor left the field injured after half an hour,  followed almost immediately by Scott Paterson who was replaced by Hopper, the game ended 0-0. Cardiff at home on the 1st of December brought  a 1-0 defeat where he was subbed for McAlindon on 70 mins and another yellow card, his third, having picked one up in the 2-1 defeat against Hartlepool in the first round of the FA Cup.  Hopper made a brief appearance, coming off the bench in the 81st minute in the 1-1 draw against Cambridge on the 28th of December. He next appeared in a league game on the 23rd of January, playing a full game in the 1-0 away win at Southend and picking up his fourth yellow card.  Tony picked up his 5th and last yellow card of the season a week later at Cambridge a tough battling display by Carlisle despite losing 1-0 to in form Cambridge.  Hopper  was in and out of the team through February and March playing well in the 1-1 draw away at Darlington on the 23rd of March and another full game  at home to promotion chasing Cardiff in a 2-1 defeat. From  that match Hopper produced battling performances in every match until the end of the season, culminating in last day survival  in the Plymouth 2-1 win at home.

The 99/00 saw no change in in United's fortunes, continued under investment and off the field struggles guaranteed another year of struggle and another last day escape from the drop out of the league.  Hopper was still having to battle for his place but started brightly, playing a full part in the first seven league games, Tony picked up one yellow card  in the Plymouth game at home on the 30th of august, a good 4-2 win in which he was unlucky not to score when he volley was turned away by a fully stretched keeper.  The game against Lincoln at home on the 11th of September saw a 1-0 win for United but Tony suffered a crunching tackle in the 27th minute and was replaced by Prokas. Tony only made two starts in  October, the 1-1 draw against Southend at home on the 2nd and the 1-0 defat at home by Brighton on the 9th. November saw  3 appearances none a full game.  His next game was the crucial home fixture on the 3rd of January against Chester when he came off the bunch in the 75th minute for Pitts.  Tony struggled to be allowed to play a full 90 minutes through January and February, he picked up yellow cards in consecutive games at  the 1-1 draw at home to Shrewsbury and then away at Lincoln in the demoralising 5-0 defeat.   Things were looking dire again for Carlisle and through march and April every game had to be battled and every goal counted. In these games Hopper played some of the best football of his career, never one to go missing he worked hard and despite  picking up a further four yellow cards he  got his first Carlisle man of the match accolade  in the Hull match on the 1st of April a 4-0 defeat.

Season 00/01, yet again  Carlisle were suffering form the off the field board room battles and yet again there was no money for the team. Hopper along with other members of the team was offered a much reduced contract and he decided it was time to ply his trade elsewhere.  He first moved to Workington Reds and then to Ireland for a spell with Bohemians. He rejoined Carlisle on the 16th of February signing on a free until the end of the season. His first game was on the 13th of March against Leyton Orient at home, Tony replaced a none too pleased Galloway in the 89th minute. In the next match away at Cardiff on the 17th of March he again came on for Galloway, this time in the 63rd minute by which time the game was well beyond rescuing and Cardiff won 4-1.  Hoppers first start of the year came in the game away at Scunthorpe on the 16th of April, this was  to prove a disastrous match thanks to  the efforts of referee Mr P Alcock, who sent off three Carlisle players including Hopper. In the 56th minute Tony appeared to obstruct a Scunthorpe player. Although there was no way it could be construed a goal scoring opportunity and in fact very little contact was made, he received a  red card. This ruled him out of the the Lincoln game where a 1-1 draw saw Carlisle safe for another year.  The final game of the season against Hull City at home on the 5th of May saw Carlisle with the luxury of nothing to play for, a 0-0 result with Hopper only being shaded slightly by Cullen for the man of the match award.

Season 2001/02 was a mixed season for Tony, he was hampered by injury through most of the season, suffering with a back problem and towards the end of the season a pulled stomach muscle, as usual on the field  he gave 100% effort.  After stating the first 6 league games of the season he picked up an injury in the away game at Darlington on the 8th of September that kept him out of the next two.  The next three games saw Tony coming on as substitute, each more eventful than the one before. At Lincoln at home on the 22nd of September he came on for Whitehead in the 77th minute to see Foran snatch  a 2-2 draw out of defeat with a goal in the final minute. The next game was Southend away and this time Tony came on for a tiring Chay Hews in the 77th minute, with Southend in the lead and a 2-1 scoreline. With time running out Foran flicked the ball on to Tony who had his back to goal. Tony's spectacular overhead kick flew into the net   to the delight of the travelling fans. It looked as though United had salvaged a draw only for Southend to get the winner in the dying seconds  when Weaver failed to reach a speculative shot, that some how found its way into goal. Next came the Hartlepool match  away, which has to rank as one of our worst games of the season. Hartlepool were a strong organised side in a false position at the bottom of the table, whilst Carlisle struggled to form a group of strangers into a team and we always looked second best.  After taking a surprise 3rd minute courtesy of Chay Hews lead it looked for a while as though luck was riding with us as pool spurned their many chances but by half time pool had brought the scores back to level. After the debacle  of the home game against Hartlepool last season,  where is has seemed  a pool team effort had contributed to  our player being sent off, feelings were high among the fans and a physical game was reflected on the field. In the 60th minute both teams were down to 10 men after a skirmish between  pools Kevin Henderson and  our young defender Lee Andrews.  Tony came on in the 68th minute for Birch with Carlisle already 2-1 down and unfortunately soon found himself in the thick of the action, a heavy challenge on pools Tommy Widdrington, saw Carlisle down to9 men with Tony receiving a straight red card. Hartlepool eventually won the match 3-1.  Tony missed  the next three league games and the LDV game against Port Vale with injury and suspension but was back on the bench for Oxford away coming on for Morley.  For the rest of the season Tony  played a part in  most games despite a series of injuries. Released at the end of the season, Tony is the last of our players who was at Brunton Park  in the good times of the 90s.  Always to be relied on  to give a hundred per cent, Tony was both a player and a fan, we wish him luck in his future career.

To read the interview with Tony on his thoughts about playing for United  Click Here

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