Gary Hooper

[Billy Bests boot laces]

Don't really agree, had plenty of chances, showed promise but just never produced it; smaller clubs cannot affor to hold onto players if they don't deliver.Fact

Rubbish, was never given the rub of the green down here. When he was sent out on loan he produced the goods, yet as soon as he came back he was played out of position. He left here for a 'smaller' club, Scunthorpe, and did'nt do too bad there, did he?.

 

[Medway Blue]

Rubbish, was never given the rub of the green down here. When he was sent out on loan he produced the goods, yet as soon as he came back he was played out of position. He left here for a 'smaller' club, Scunthorpe, and did'nt do too bad there, did he?.

I'd tend to disagree with that. Don't recall him being played out of position much, if at all He got an extended run of games up front in 07/08 and didn't do the business. I see two reasons for that.

1. He is a poacher, a fox in the box, and I don't think our style of play suited him.
2. His father and uncle are negative influences. They obviously live down here and having them in his earhole all week every week didn't help him. It's funny that he had success when he got out of Southend (the town, not the club), away from the unsettling influence of his family. Didn't really help either that his family are Orient fans who disliked the fact that he played for Southend!

 

[OldBlueLady]

I'd tend to disagree with that. Don't recall him being played out of position much, if at all He got an extended run of games up front in 07/08 and didn't do the business. I see two reasons for that.

1. He is a poacher, a fox in the box, and I don't think our style of play suited him.
2. His father and uncle are negative influences. They obviously live down here and having them in his earhole all week every week didn't help him. It's funny that he had success when he got out of Southend (the town, not the club), away from the unsettling influence of his family. Didn't really help either that his family are Orient fans who disliked the fact that he played for Southend!

Whilst here, he was always played as support to other strikers.....Freddy, Matt Harrold, I think Gray and Bradbury too. He definitely didn't get a fair go here, a few appearances as sub then dropped in favour of others, he was apparently good enough to play against MAn U alongside Freddy then failed to make the bench next game (could have been an injury, I can't remember, but it's an illustration). I always was one of those who defended him at the time and I'm really pleased to see that those who booed him (and there were some in the south west corner where we sat at that time) have been proved wrong.

 

[The Watermill Wino]

Hearing on TalkSport last night he's also up for young player of the year along with Goodwilly? :smile: They also counldn't believe he was released by Southend.
His family did have an influence but after talking to a family member said thatr Hoops asked Brushy after scoring goals in the Ressies and still being named on the sub's bench, What have I got to do to get a first team start?"
Allegedly the reply was...
"Your face doesn't fit":stunned:
farmed ouit on loan shortly after and blah blah blah, we have another Kites to remember as "One that got Away"