Steve Harper (born March 14, 1975 in Easington, Northumberland) is an English football goalkeeper. He currently plays for Newcastle United in a deputy role to first choice goalkeeper Shay Given.
He was signed by Newcastle in 1993 from his local club Seaham Red Star F.C. for a nominal fee. He was seen as back-up to regular starter Pavel Srnicek, later Shaka Hislop and then Shay Given, he has had loan spells at Huddersfield, Bradford City, Stockport County and Hartlepool United and after 12 years has yet to establish himself as first choice goalkeeper for Newcastle.
Harper has came close to dislodging Shay Given on numerous occasions, most notably in 1998-1999 season, when manager Ruud Gullit saw Harper worthy of playing over Given. However at the start of the 1999/2000 season, Gullit resigned and Harper again became second choice goalkeeper, although he did enjoy another brief period of first team action for part of the 1999-2000 season when Shay Given was injured.
Harper has threatened to leave the club on several occasions - Hartlepool United were close to signing him after his loan spell, but they could not settle a transfer fee with Newcastle. More recently in 2002, Harper interested the likes of Rangers F.C. and Southampton after requesting a transfer from the club. He later decided he did not want to join either, claiming that he would not get guaranteed first team football at either club.
He again expressed his desire to achieve first team football in June 2006 - an act which has seen manager Glen Roeder stating his belief that in Shay Given and Harper he, and Newcastle United F.C., have the two best goalkeepers in the Premiership and his intentions to do everything within his power to persuade Steve Harper to remain with the club.