After two decades with the Magpies you’d think shot stopper Steve Harper would be the club’s record appearance holder – his appearances on the bench added to actual appearances in the Toon goal would have him close that’s for sure.

Harper joined Newcastle from non-league Seaham Red Star back in 1993 as back-up for the legendary Pavel Srnicek, then it was Shaka Hislop, then Shay Given, and, in part, Tim Krul before finally, in his last full season at the club, he made the number one jersey his own, finishing it with a Championship winners medal (2010).

Even before he finally pulled on the keeper’s jersey at St James Park, Harper had made appearances for Bradford City, Gateshead, Stockport County, Hartlepool United and Huddersfield Town, making it 1998 against Wimbledon, following over fifty appearances elsewhere, before debuting.

With others being preferred ahead of him in the pecking order you’d have forgiven him for going elsewhere, Harper knowingly turning down moves elsewhere. Eventually, with Given making a big money move to the North West and Manchester City in the summer of 2010, Harps was number one, and he took to it like duck to water.

Under then manager Chris Hughton, Harper and the Magpies stormed to the Championship title as the number one kept a club record 21 clean sheets (that was set in the early nineties, the Kevin Keegan days. Of those 37 games Harper appeared in, he actually only conceded 35 goals, just for good measure.

His final game for the club, some twenty years after making his debut, came as he captained United against Arsenal, before brief spells at Hull City (for two years) and Sunderland (a year) as emergency back-up, followed.

Four months after ‘hanging up his gloves’ at St James Park her was back between the sticks for a star-studded testimonial against an AC Milan XI, the Rossoneri winning on penalties.

Now, four years on, Harper is the current Academy goalkeeper coach at United as well as being Jeff Brown’s left-hand man on the BBC sports couch, he is also one of but a few former players to be an FA approved, licensed referee.

Steve Harper, alongside Mick Lowes, will be appearing at the Nine Sports Bar & Lounge on Thursday July 6 with tickets available now from the Newcastle Legends EVENT PAGE starting at £10 for entry only.