Tom Hopper

[Colchester and proud!]

Yeah fair enough once takeover is fully completed it be interesting to see what player we try and bring in tbh . As recnelty we signed most from the lower league and that worked very well . But I reckon we may push to adding one or two from higher leagues once funds are better plus doing our usual lower scout recruitment

Yes if the money is there a bit of class and experience from a higher league can make all he difference to some of the younger players in the squad, it is not just what they do on the pitch, it's the advice they often give during training and behind the scenes too.

 

[Rob1920]

If he can’t get a game at Col U, and if it’s true he’d be interested in coming back here (to NL level), that means there’s probably no interest at L2 level, so I’d say that all adds up to a player who knows the good times are behind him and he’s getting desperate. And we’ve signed too many of those before. So for that reason, I’m out.

 

[RHB]

At the end of the day decisions regarding further recruitment rest with Kev, advised by the rest of the team including John Still. IF we still have an interest in Tom they will have done their own due diligence beforehand. I trust them completely so if he comes, great, if not then 'tis the way it is.

 

[dusterman]

At the end of the day decisions regarding further recruitment rest with Kev, advised by the rest of the team including John Still. IF we still have an interest in Tom they will have done their own due diligence beforehand. I trust them completely so if he comes, great, if not then 'tis the way it is.

Agreed. I thought he was a complete forward but if he’s not for our football department then so be it. Be good competition for Cardwell IMO.

 

[Callumturner22]

Yes if the money is there a bit of class and experience from a higher league can make all he difference to some of the younger players in the squad, it is not just what they do on the pitch, it's the advice they often give during training andbehind the scenes too.

100% having the voice and experience is a big bonus to youngsters as you say

 

[Colchester and proud!]

He might come good here as yet, we seem to change manager every few months so one of them may suit him (Same with Matt Jay)

 

[londonblue]

He might come good here as yet, we seem to change manager every few months so one of them may suit him (Same with Matt Jay)

Indeed. According to BBC Essex the average length of tenure for a Col Ewe manager at the moment is 7 months. However, that also includes Matt Bloomfield who left and wasn't sacked.

 

[Colchester and proud!]

Indeed. According to BBC Essex the average length of tenure for a Col Ewe manager at the moment is 7 months. However, that also includes Matt Bloomfield who left and wasn't sacked.

Yes it has been a bit mad since John McGreal left, he fell out with Robbie Cowling over club policy after just missing out on promotion through the playoffs, it has been a rollercoaster ride since then.

 

[hlane17]

I feel like Tom has unfinished business at Southend, really could have gone down as one of our best strikers in recent years if not for the ACL.

A risky one though, if he doesn’t perform it could ruin the good memories of L1.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I was probably one of the biggest fans of his signing first time and absolutely loved him as a player. One of our best forwards in recent decades.

But I wouldn’t go back.

If you want a forward to compare him to look at Lee Barnard’s career from the age he is now. Very similar style players (albeit Barnard was a superior goalscorer) with the way they ran the channels, closed down and were an absolute pest to play against in their prime, never letting defenders rest.

Barnard’s goalscoring at Hopper’s age had fallen off a cliff. Their physical style (both liked to mix it with centre halves stronger than them) leads to wear and tear and scar tissue. You lose that first half yard. Where you once were able to get there in time to get a block on a defender dallying on the ball you now don’t get there in time. Where you could once surprise a defender dealing with a long clearance down the channels by getting there a touch early and jumping first so they have to foul you in order to win the ball you now don’t have quite the same acceleration or spring. Their effectiveness drops, their confidence drops. Games become harder and more of a drag whilst they use to sail through them a few years earlier.

They can try and adapt but their effectiveness in the air was based on their mobility. Their pressing game was based on their mobility. They aren’t going to be able to dominate bigger centrehalves physically from a standing position. Experience can help in some aspects the players they once were have been and gone.

The pity is in his prime he was made for Maher. But his prime has been and gone. Otherwise he wouldn’t be out in the cold at Col Ewe and would still be one of the better forwards in L1. Dropping down the divisions isn’t going to fix that. The same physical limitations that led to him dropping from L1 to L2 and now from L2 to NL will still be there and his goalscoring record is likely to be much the same. Even when he dropped down to NL Barnard never had more than a 5 goal season again.

Maybe Hopper would be good for a loan spell somewhere where used sparingly off the bench for half a season but he’s probably on a good deal at Col Ewe. The sort where he’d need to take a paycut for a permanent deal. The quid pro quo for a paycut is usually taking a longer deal and all of a sudden you end up with a player on a multi year deal who is only going to get worse. We’ve been there before and that’s how we ended up in the NL in the first place.

 

[BoyWonder2]

A lot of people are very keen to write off a player they haven’t seen play for a few years now.

I’d rather trust our footballing department, who would have seen him play more recently, than some people writing him off behind a keyboard.

Everyone is entitled to their opinions, because like arseholes, everyone has one. IF he came back he could flop, or he could be a huge success like every player we sign.

One thing I will say, Hopper went through a lot of **** at this Club, like the majority of players who have played for us over the last 7/8 years, yet he loved his time here, and is desperate to come back. That speaks volumes.

 

[AlfaShrimper]

A lot of people are very keen to write off a player they haven’t seen play for a few years now.

I’d rather trust our footballing department, who would have seen him play more recently, than some people writing him off behind a keyboard.

Everyone is entitled to their opinions, because like arseholes, everyone has one. IF he came back he could flop, or he could be a huge success like every player we sign.

One thing I will say, Hopper went through a lot of **** at this Club, like the majority of players who have played for us over the last 7/8 years, yet he loved his time here, and is desperate to come back. That speaks volumes.

I believe he still lives in Leigh on sea. When I spoke to him just after he joined Lincoln he was gutted to leave. Would welcome him back 100%. Brilliant player with his back to goal too

 

[Holy Joe]

A lot of people are very keen to write off a player they haven’t seen play for a few years now.

I’d rather trust our footballing department, who would have seen him play more recently, than some people writing him off behind a keyboard.

Everyone is entitled to their opinions, because like arseholes, everyone has one. IF he came back he could flop, or he could be a huge success like every player we sign.

One thing I will say, Hopper went through a lot of **** at this Club, like the majority of players who have played for us over the last 7/8 years, yet he loved his time here, and is desperate to come back. That speaks volumes.

Might be a dumb question - but how has anyone seen him play much this season given he's mostly coming on as sub for 10mins - pretty hard to get an accurate picture isn't it?

 

[BoyWonder2]

Might be a dumb question - but how has anyone seen him play much this season given he's mostly coming on as sub for 10mins - pretty hard to get an accurate picture isn't it?

Trust me, IF Hopper is on the whiteboard, we’ve seen him play. We watch football matches at pretty much every level.

Don’t forget, friendlies, reserve or 23 football these days, behind closed door matches, training matches and so on….

 

[OldBlueLady]

I believe he still lives in Leigh on sea. When I spoke to him just after he joined Lincoln he was gutted to leave. Would welcome him back 100%. Brilliant player with his back to goal too

Yes, was just about to say the same. There were a lot from that time that settled locally.

 

[Colchester and proud!]

I believe he still lives in Leigh on sea. When I spoke to him just after he joined Lincoln he was gutted to leave. Would welcome him back 100%. Brilliant player with his back to goal too

Yes he does that was one of the attractions for him of moving to us from Lincoln, his family lived in Essex but I believe he was away much of the time playing for them.
This is what he said when he signed in January. https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/23279673.colchester-united-signed-tom-hopper-lincoln-city/